How Does Laminate Flooring Get Damaged?

Prepare Your Furniture

Laminate flooring is a popular floor covering for living rooms, bedrooms and even kitchens. Although it may look like a wood floor, laminate flooring isn't as durable as a true solid wood floor. Laminate flooring can be damaged a number of ways in routine use. For example, laminate flooring can get damaged by furniture. Apply felt pads to the legs of all furniture being placed on laminate wood floors. Moving, sliding or bumping furniture placed on a laminate wood floor can cause the flooring to get scratched and look dull.

When rearranging the furniture in a room with laminate flooring, always fully lift the furniture off the floor, carry it to the new location, and then set it down. If the furniture is too heavy to lift, get moving slides to put under the legs, to help it glide smoothly across the floor.

Choose steady furniture in the rooms with laminate wood flooring. Rolling desk chairs will scuff the laminate flooring, leaving fine line scratches. Also avoid rolling media carts and pet cages on casters in rooms with laminate wood floors. If you must use these items, place them on an office floor desk pad made of plastic or rubber.

Use area rugs in rooms with laminate flooring. Rugs will help absorb moisture from shoes. Standing moisture on laminate floors will cause swelling of the wood underneath. Excessive buildup of moisture can also cause molding. Use rugs near entryways to collect snow and moisture from rain.

Water bowls for pets should be placed on a rug, if water needs to be accessible to a pet in a room with laminate flooring. If the water is continually splashed or dribbled on the laminate floor, it may be damaged. A rug will help absorb excessive moisture around the water bowl.

Take care when using heavy tools in a room with laminate flooring. Dropping a hammer on a laminate floor is enough to chip your flooring. If you need to do construction work in a room with laminate flooring, cover the floor with a pad before work begins.

Use laminate floor cleaners on your floor. Damage can occur when using chemically based cleaners that are not approved for laminate floors. Discoloration, streaking and a dull sheen may occur with unapproved products.

Laminate wood flooring that has not been properly installed can also cause damage to the floor itself. If your sub-floor was not leveled before installing the laminate, walking on your uneven floor can cause the tongue in groove joints to break, split and pull apart.