How to Replace Single Planks of Laminate Flooring

You can cut out laminate flooring sections with a circular saw.

The look of a laminate floor is ruined if one of the sections is damaged. While you can always disassemble the floor to remove it, this isn't practical if the section is in the middle of the floor, or the floor is covered by heavy furniture. In either case, you can cut out the damaged section and replace it. This is a job that shouldn't take more than an hour, but it's a job that requires some care. The tongues and grooves of laminate flooring boards are made of fiberboard and are fragile.

Things You'll Need

• Straight edge
• Tape measure
• Pencil
• Drill
• 3/16-inch drill bit
• Circular saw
• Pry bar
• Vacuum cleaner
• Utility knife
• Contact cement
• Small paintbrush

Instructions

1. Draw a rectangle on the damaged board with a straight edge and a pencil. It should be 1 1/2 inch from the edges of the board. Draw lines from the corners of this rectangle to the corners of the board and from the centers of the long sides of the rectangle to the edges of the board.

2. Drill 3/16-inch holes in the corners of the rectangle, the corners of the board, and the points where the lines from the sides of the rectangle intersect the edges of the board.

3. Set the depth of a circular saw blade to slightly more than the thickness of the flooring and cut along the lines that form the rectangle. Plunge the saw into the flooring to do this. To plunge, set the front of the saw on the wood so that it is at an angle and the blade is not touching. Start the saw and gradually lower the blade until it cuts through the wood and the saw is flat.

4. Cut along the lines you drew from the corners and sides of the rectangle to the corners and edges of the board. Stop when the saw blade reaches the pilot hole you drilled through the board.

5. Lift out the rectangular piece you cut out, using a pry bar if necessary. Gently pry the sides of the board away from the rest of the floor with a pry bar next, and finally pry away the ends. Be careful not to damage the tongues and grooves of the adjacent boards when you do this. When you have removed all the pieces, clean up dust and wood chips with a vacuum cleaner.

6. Turn over a replacement board and use a utility knife to cut away the bottoms of the grooves on one side and one end, and the tongue on the other end. Leave the tongue on one side of the board intact.

7. Spread contact cement on the tongues of the boards in the floor adjacent to the one you removed. Hook the tongue of the replacement board into the groove of the one next to it, then gently lower the board into position. Press around the edges to make sure it contacts the glue, then place a weight, like a chair or heavy box, on the board and leave it there until the glue dries.

Tips & Warnings

• If the floor is old, the color may have faded and the new board may not match. In this case, you may be able to use a stain to bring back the color of the faded boards so the new one blends better.

• Wear safety glasses when cutting laminate flooring with a circular saw. The dust from the saw contains wood and plastic that can damage your eyes.

References

• Floor Expert: Laminate Flooring: Repairing Locking Laminate

Resources

• Read this Article in Portuguese