Laminate Floor Separating at Joints

I recently renovated my basement. The concrete floor slants toward a drain in the floor. We installed laminate flooring, and in order to have the laminate flooring leveled – we had to place several sheets of underlayment around the drain so that it would “build” the concrete up so that it was level. I then installed the laminate flooring on top. Unfortunately in that area, laminate floor separating has happened as the boards have come apart. I had two questions:

Is it okay that I covered the drain with the laminate flooring?
What’s an easy way to reattach laminate flooring that has become disconnected without having to remove the trim and disassemble the laminate flooring and connect it again.

thank you!

Our Answer

The problem you’ve described is not likely to have been caused by having built up the basement floor and covered the drain. It more likely the result of exceeding the laminate floor manufactures specifications for moisture levels in that space. 
The solution is two-fold. First, its critical you take steps to <a href="https://www.moneypit.com/3-easy-steps-prevent-wet-basement/" target="_blank">reduce basement moisture</a>. Even without seeing visible water, high humidity can be just a damaging to a laminate floor installation and result in the separating of the boards you describe. We’re talking about things like cleaning gutters, extending downspouts, improving the grade at the foundation perimeter so it that slopes away from the house and a good quality dehumidifier.
To repair the separated boards, you’ll need to replace them with new flooring pieces. Since most modern laminate flooring is glueless, I’ll assume this is what you have. Here are the steps you’ll need to <a href="http://www.lumberliquidators.com/blog/common-laminate-floating-floor-problems-with-corrections/" target="_blank">repair laminate floor separating</a> boards that are near a wall, as well as those that may be separated in the middle of a room. 
To replace boards that are situated close to walls or moldings, follow these steps:
1. Start by removing the baseboard or molding. Do this carefully so as not to damage the molding.
2. Remove the boards starting from the molding until the damaged board is accessible.
3. Replace the damaged board and then the rest of the boards you removed, by clicking them back in place.
4. Replace the molding.
The process of repairing a laminate floorboard closer to the center of the room is more detailed and time consuming. The process involves removing the damaged board utilizing a saw or router, then replacing the board utilizing a sufficient water resistant adhesive. Contact a professional installer or follow these steps.
1) Mark the damaged board 1-1/2″ from ends and side. Drill 3/16″ holes at corners of marked area.
2) Cut along lines between the drilled holes and remove the center section. Then cut remaining piece in the center on both sides and remove.
<a href="http://www.lumberliquidators.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/6a01348487a82b970c0168e5f6e896970c.jpg" rel="prettyPhoto"><img class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01348487a82b970c0168e5f6e896970c no-display appear" title="Repair 1" src="http://www.lumberliquidators.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/6a01348487a82b970c0168e5f6e896970c-214×62.jpg" alt="Repair 1" border="0" /></a>
3) Prepare a replacement board by cutting and removing the factory tongue along the long and short end of the board. The figure below represents the two common types of locking systems available.
<a href="http://www.lumberliquidators.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/6a01348487a82b970c01630000f8d8970d.jpg" rel="prettyPhoto"><img class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01348487a82b970c01630000f8d8970d no-display appear" title="Repair 2" src="http://www.lumberliquidators.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/6a01348487a82b970c01630000f8d8970d-214×91.jpg" alt="Repair 2" border="0" /></a> 4) Apply a resinous (PVA) adhesive to the cut edges and replace the board by aligning the groove on the replacement board with the tongue of the abutting board, and snap back into place.
5) Make sure all edges are even on either side of the joints. Utilize a heavy object to apply pressure for at least 24 hours. Make sure the weight is evenly distributed across the new piece.
Prevention is better than cure. So be sure to keep the basement space as dry as possible to prevent a reoccurrence.