How do I replace once piece of laminate flooring?

There is about a 1-inch gap all around the room - probably hidden under the skirting - whose purpose is to allow for expansion of the wood in case of humidity/damp and prevent buckling. You would have to separate the flooring from wall to wall along the joint line running along the bad plank and use the expansion gap at the far end of the room as a temporary way of creating the gap you need to extract and replace the bad plank.

Sarah McD
September 2009

start from the nearest edge remove the piece which needs replacing then relay the floor , bummer i know but it;s the only way .

roley
August 2009

Use a marker and ruler to mark the damaged plank. On one end of the laminate plank, draw a diagonal line from one corner to about a fourth of the way, then draw another diagonal line from the opposite side. The two points should meet, providing a triangular shape. Repeat this on the other end of the plank. Then draw a straight line across to connect the two triangles.

Next, use a chisel and hammer to remove the laminate plank by following the lines drawn. Punch a hole from each corner of the line intersection. This will produce an opening on each corner for the circular saw to enter through to cut the damaged laminate wood. Make the cut on each line to break the plank in four pieces, comprising two small triangular pieces and two big rectangular pieces. Remove the dirt or debris that results from breaking the piece. Make sure that the opening is free from debris to ensure that the plank will lay down flat.

Get another piece of laminate plank that matches the color and design of the rest of the floor, and trim it to a size to fit the opening. Apply wood glue on all four sides of the existing floor (perimeter of the opening), and put the plank on top. Place heavy objects to help the plank set in, leaving for 24 hours. Remove any excess dirt and glue with a damp rag.

www.jellynuts.co.uk
July 2009

as someone with a bit experience of laying laminate, im sorry to say i cant think of a way to remove one piece, best to remove from nearest wall to the point needing replaced, then re lay removed parts. sorry.

chris.
July 2009