how wet can laminate floors get before being damages?

Question

after reading up on laminate flooring, it seems that getting them wet will ruin them. However, how wet is wet? if i leave a window open and it rains, will that ruin the floors, What about spilling a glass full of water? are they ok in the kitchen where frequent small spillages occur? Sounds like they are only really ok for the bedrooms?

Answer 1

It really depends on what the 'core' of the laminated floor is made out of.

If the floor has a plywood core... it can handle a spill on it, as long as you dry it out thoroughly.

If the floor has a particle board core, you need to dry any spills as soon as possible.

But if the core is made of MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard)... then it doesnt even have to get "wet", to be ruined.... simply having too much moisture come up thru the sub floor is enough to destroy it. For example, Pergo has very specific instructions on how you may install their flooring... and where you CANNOT install it. MDF is a fairly stable substrate, as long as it stays dry. It is also easy to machine, and is easily renewable... this makes it a popular product with any casegoods manufacturer. Personally, I think its a mistake to put it in flooring, but that's what some of these companies have done. Just laying laminate flooring with an MDF core on bare concrete, will let it draw enough moisture thru the concrete, to ruin it. It will warp, and bow/twist, etc.

If you left a window open and it rained in on laminate flooring with MDF core... you would have to replace it, no question about it. If you did not get home soon enough to dry out the particle board, you would have to replace it too... the plywood core, you could probably save.

I would suggest, that rather than using 'laminate' flooring, which for most folks, means it has an HPL surface (like most kitchen countertops)...go with prefinished wood flooring. You can get this in many colors... it comes with a plywood core, and looks very nice. Most of this kind of flooring is about the same thickness as the HPL laminated flooring, and installs in a similar fashion.

The next best thing would be to go with 3/4" thick wood flooring (usually unfinished), solid wood flooring, or heavy tiles like ceramic, clay, marble, stone, etc.

The tiles would be the longest lasting (and most expensive).
The wood flooring would be the next step down in cost, but can easily last as long as a tile floor, with proper care.
The pre-finished wood laminate flooring is the best overall option for length of wear, beauty, and cost of installation.
HPL laminate flooring is the kind of thing a part-time do-it-yourselfer would use, for their first floor installation... and they would be planning on replacing it in a couple of years, at the most.

Swing over to the Pergo website, and look at their installation guide....it will give you a good idea of where, and how, laminate flooring should be installed.

Good Luck!

Answer 2

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Answer 3

when you wringe a paper towel out and water is still dripping, then thats still too much...when youre cleaning that is....if water gets into the cracks then the laminate starts expanding and looks ugly...important to wipe up messes asap when spilled

Answer 4

most brands give you 30 minutes or so to pick up the water. beyond that chances of water getting to the porous part of the plank (like the tongue or groove) become greater and damage will occur. i mop my laminate wood but not to the extent of allowing water to get between the tongue and groove.

Answer 5

The part that gets ruined is the glue and the base under it. it won't hurt it to get wet, I'm not sure where you got that information, but I have never heard that before.