Many homeowners wonder how to make laminate flooring joints more waterproof. Typically, laminate flooring is not meant to be glued – however, in applications with high risk of moisture exposure, it is okay to glue the joins. A good quality laminate glue and silicone caulk can help seal your laminate to help make it more resistant to moisture.
How To Do It Right
Glue the locking system of the planks to create a more water resistant connection, however do not glue your laminate to the subfloor as it needs to float. Always use a PVA Type II Glue when gluing laminate flooring planks. Choose one in a bottle so you can regulate the amount of glue that comes out; you’ll need very little glue to complete the job. You can also use silicone caulk in the expansion gaps to prevent any moisture from leaking underneath the planks. This can be done in areas at risk to moisture damage, while still allowing the floor to float properly.
Transitional Kitchen by Santa Barbara Architects & Building Designers Blackbird Architects
Consider Vinyl Flooring
If you are installing in an area with high risk of moisture exposure, consider luxury vinyl plank flooring. This 100% water resistant flooring is ideal for kitchen, bathroom and commercial applications. Water can be simply wiped up, and even in the worst case scenario of flooding, the flooring can be uninstalled, dried and re-installed like new.
Be sure to always read your manufacturer’s warranty information to be sure your warranty won’t be voided by installing your laminate flooring in a moisture prone environment. If you have any more questions, write us in the comments below and we will help you!
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11 comments
Omg, I never knew that PVA Type II Glue worked for gluing laminate flooring planks!
Thank you so much for the insight. laminate flooring
Hello. We are just installing Quickstep studio laminate flooring – only to discover the seams are BEVELED. Hence dirt will collect and look bad. And liquids will collect also and be difficult to wipe up.
Can I apply a thin bead of clear silicone or wood putty to each seam just to fill it and prevent this issue? I am really upset I did not see it when I purchased and to return it and find other flooring at this time is not going to worlk.
Hi Linda, I would not recommend using any sort of putty to get rid of the bevel. This will void your warranty firstly and will cause damage to the floor. The floor will not be able to expand and contract which will cause cupping and buckling.