Rip out floating floor and relay it again?

Hello,

I just had my laminate flooring install call me about the complaint I made about small 1mm gaps where the end of the boards come together (not the end where they click in) and a couple of areas flex as in it is not level. They said they will come to redo the floor, etc. That means to rip it all out and relay. I expressed concerns about how the boards are a click system and can be damaged and not the same when replaying, etc. Basically more damage than good if you try to relay it including the mess.

The other option I have is to caulk the gaps with flexible seal. There about only about 5 or 6 gaps of 1mm or less. Will caulk stay inside the 1mm / .5 of an mm? The lady on the phone suggests the floor isn't level and in time, the boards will crack if we don't redo the floor.

I don't think the laminate floor will crack as its 12mm HDF backing and it doesn't flex that much in the only one spot I raised. I'm more annoyed with the noticeable gaps in the middle of the lounge where you can see.

If they re level the floor, dust will be everywhere again and so messy. I will have to wipe down the entire kitchen and lounge after it, etc.

Appreciate your thoughts on quick fix w2ith chalk/silicon or rip it all out which is a nightmare.
 
With the gaps - all they would have to do is remove the skirting board and use a tool to tap the end board so that the gap closes.

What is more concerning is the flexing. This would be caused by an uneven floor underneath ... how are they going to solve this? Is it a timber or slab floor?
 
The boards don't flex. Only one part of the floor where it does flex which is a high traffic area.

Their plan is to pull the boards back up and level it with that leveling compound which is messy and creates a lot of dust when they mox it. Prob get them to mix it outside this time.

I am just worried the boards won't click back the same as the part where they click together has most likey expanded / contracted to the current fitting.

The skirting I have noticed that holds down the boards has a bit of give. Not sure if this is normal or if its suppose to be holding it down tight.
 
Don't worry about the boards "clicking" back ... if removed correctly there is no damage and they just slot back together again.

Again - they'll probably just knock the gaps closed ... as for the skirtings - they usually aren't "tight" as they don't "hold" the floorboards down - they are there to cover the ends and make it look tidy. If the skirtings exerted pressure on the boards to "hold" them down then it would cause the boards to bow up further out ... then again - the skirtings aren't supposed to be sitting obviously above the floorboards by several mm either.
 
Care to show some photos of how bad a 1mm gap really is? seems a bit excessive
As lizzie wrote, surely there is a quicker/easier option than ripping them out.
 
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If you put on rubber soled shoes so they grip and jump on the boards just before the gap you can push these gaps together. My husband has done it. You have to jump, pushing your foot forward so that your sole grips the boards and pushes it forward. Hope that makes sense, try it, it works. I had an uneven floor in one of my properties, quite uneven, it never seemed to make the boards drop, and that was at the end of a staircase.
 
Hi all,

A bit of a late reply. Attached is the photo of the 1mm gap. They are planning to come rip the boards out tomorrow to re level the floor so all the best to me and the installers. There are actually a lot of gaps but not as big as the one attached.
 

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Why did the installers not check the floor before they did the job?
Rushing?

Concrete slab? They are not always as level as they seem.

Laid a laminate floor in one IP which needed the floor levelled.
Ground down some high spots and filled the low spots with leveller.
Lots of dust and mess......

Took some time to get the floor within a few mm across all axis.

Made all the difference to the end finish - no flex felt when walking across the floor.

Good luck with the flatten & relay.
 
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