How do I repair a new laminate floor that has started to buckle?

Question

We recently bought a house and it has new laminate flooring. About a month after we moved in the floor in the hallway has started to raise. It shifts up and down in places. Is there a way to repair this?

Answer 1

I've been in the "business for 25 years" and have installed hundreds of square feet of this. The former installer did not leave the proper space in the installation process, there should have been a gap left under the trim mold on the sides for expansion.
If you have an escrow account call the Real Estate agent and get the details from them about a new floor or repairs. Or, contact the installer.
Is the floor glued down, this is the big question, if it is, Ooops! I don't know what you can do and keep the looks. You may have to install a piece in the hallway to match, I've done this to make repairs, if you can find someone good enough, look around.

Answer 2

The installer did not leave a sufficient gap at the walls. There need to be a gap of 3/8-1/2" around every obstruction. Once there is a sufficient gap around the walls the floor can expand outward so it doesn't buckle. There is a power-tool that I have heard of that will cut the proper size gap in installed laminate, but I have not seen one and I don't know the name of that type of saw. If you are desperate, you can use a hand saw to cut the flooring to the proper gap.