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The laminate floor is one of the best choices for one’s home. You can install it all by yourself and it is very durable, cheaper than hardwood floors. It also comes in various colors and patterns so you can find the perfect one for your home style. Laminate floors can look as good as real wood.
The laminate floor is a type of floating floor. It is very resistant to impacts but not to humidity and water. This is the sole reason why you have to let the laminate boards adapt to the room where you want to install them. In some cases, when installing the laminate floor in the basement, you will even need an extra humidity regulator to prevent the damage.
Excessive humidity or spilled water can cause damage to laminate boards. It can make boards bloat and buckle. Laminate floors are waterproof to a certain range. But, people have been trying to make the laminate joins flooring even more waterproof. If you want to know how to additionally protect your floors you have to learn how to seal laminate flooring seams.
In most cases, the laminate floors are not glued, but sometimes, this is necessary. The glue will then serve as a water barrier.
If the laminate floor is installed correctly, there won’t be any free space between the boards. Therefore, no seams to fill. There is a special silicone-based sealant you can buy at the same laminate manufacturer.
The laminate floor is a great choice if you are on a budget and you also like the look of the hardwood floors. It is useful to know there is a way to additionally protect the laminate floors from damage caused by moisture. This is a great solution in the long run.
Sealing laminate flooring seams
Items required
First, you will need to get a few things before you start this project. You will need:
- Mop
- Water
- Floor buffer
- Protective clothing
- Floor sealant (you can choose whichever you want)
Be sure to read the laminate floor manufacturer’s information on how to seal laminate flooring seams. You have to check if a certain type of sealant is suitable for the flooring you have. In most cases, 100 percent silicone caulk is good with any brand, but not with the other sealers. So be careful and read the instructions to prevent unnecessary damage.
There are different sorts of sealants for different laminate floors. For example, you may search a specific color to match the laminate floor.
Preparing the floor
There are four main steps to seal the seams. Applying the sealant may seem easy, but there are still some instructions to follow.
The first step is to prepare the working area. Clean the room and take out everything you can. Clean space will make the job way easier. You will have easy access to all the parts of the room during the application. Also, you won’t risk damaging any of the other objects and furniture.
Next, you will do mopping and washing the floor. Be very detailed. Even the tiniest particles of dust can have an impact on sealant quality.
After you finish the cleaning, it is time to prepare yourself. Put on a working suit or some old clothes and get a pair of protective gloves. There are some chemicals in the sealant that may damage the clothes and even lead to bad skin reactions.
Preparing the solution
There are usually instructions on the label. They are often different for different brands, so it is crucial to check this out.
Prepare a couple of buckets. Sometimes it is needed to mix two solutions or to water down one solution. Choose bucket or container size dependent on the size of the room you’re working on. There are some sealants that don’t demand additional preparation and are ready to use immediately.
Let the floor dry before you start applying any sealant. It is a process, but it will pay off.
Applying the sealant
Try to imagine the floor surface as a canvas and smearing the solution as painting. To apply the sealant, use a mop or a rag as a painting brush. Try to get the even amount of the solution over the entire surface. If you apply too much in a certain area, it will form a milky film. You should remove that and re-apply the sealing solution.
There are some types of sealants you can apply in multiple layers. Of course, you should wait for every coating to dry completely before applying another one. But don’t overdo it, because at some point it will damage and deform the looks of the floor.
The label of the sealant should also have information on how a certain brand reacts with a specific type of wood.
Drying
While reading instructions about how to seal laminate flooring seams, it might seem dull. Especially this part of the process can be a bit boring, be it is better to be patient. Wait for the solution to dry on its own completely and don’t use anything to speed it up. being impatient may cause damage and then you’ll have to start over. The exception is if the sealant’s label says you can. Wait even between every individual coating.
Use a clean rag or a floor buffer after the coating dries up. This will increase the shine of the laminate floor.
You may do this for each coat, but be aware it will take more time to finish the sealing. It is not necessary, except for the top layer.
Edges
Some people decide to cover the entire laminate floor with a coat of wax polish. For some types of laminate floors, this does work and go well. But, many manufacturers advise not to apply a sealant over the entire surface.
Most of the laminate floors have a thin plastic layer on the top, which is already resistant to moisture. This layer is the one with the wood grain pattern on it. For this reason, the sealing solution won’t have anything to bond with. The laminate floors won’t absorb it.
Some laminate floor types already have some layer of protection. If you install the laminate boards properly, moisture won’t be able to go through and damage them. Just make sure boards are correctly locked.
Using urethane or polyurethane sealants
Don’t skip applying the sealant along the floor edges against the wall. Use a small brush for this. Frame the entire perimeter of the room. Be careful to cover the full area that will later be hidden with the baseboard.
Be detailed especially around the doorjambs and around the cabinets. Pay extra attention to the doorjamb line connecting the rooms.
For example, if your working in a room connected with the bathroom. This also goes for areas around the plumbing fixtures, toilet bases, sink bases, bathtubs, shower enclosures… Or in the kitchen around the dishwasher. Basically, any areas water-related.
Using silicone caulk
The caulk silicone is easy to apply. It is sealed in tubes and to use it, just cut the tip of the tube to make a small opening.
Imagine it as glazing a cake. Squeeze the silicone out as you move slowly along the seams. Simply follow the line.
After applying it, smooth it out using the wet finger or a putty knife. This way you will also remove the excess silicone.
Water damage can be a nightmare. This is why it is good to seal your laminate with some kind of solution. And if you wondered how to seal laminate flooring seams, this article will surely help. Laminate is somewhat water-resistant, but it is not entirely waterproof. Moisture damage can be prevented with silicone, silicone caulk, urethane, or polyurethane sealants… It will cost less to take some protective measures than to fix the potential water damages.
If you enjoyed reading this article about how to seal laminate flooring seams, we also wrote on how to remove glued down laminate flooring, how to end laminate flooring at doorways, how to install laminate flooring on a concrete basement floor, how to dry laminate flooring with water under it, how to install laminate flooring without transitions, how to install laminate flooring on walls, how to repair swollen laminate flooring, how to repair laminate flooring, how to install laminate flooring on stairs, the best waterproof laminate flooring brands, and how to stagger laminate flooring.