Buckling Floors

[Bill Patterson]

Help!

I live in South Florida and we have had some problems with buckling in our floors. The buckling always seems to occur in the “winter” (if you consider around 70 degrees winter). What I don’t understand is that the buckling occurs in several different parts of the house. It was outside the bathroom last year. This year it is in the guest room which is directly across from the bathroom and also in the kitchen. The kitchen is about 15 feet away from the bathroom. The house was built in 1960 so I doubt it is settling.

Questions:

1. Who do I call? Plumber?

2. What should I do?

3. What could be the causes?

4. Why does it go away after “winter?”

There are three areas where I have seen buckling. The first place was just outside the bathroom and the pergo flooring raised to the point that the door was very hard to open. I also saw buckling in the hardwood floors in the kitchen which is about 15 feet away from the bathroom. The latest area is the 12″ tile which is in a guest bedroom directly across from the bathroom.

I don’t know much about foundations but I doubt the actual foundation is buckling. The foundation is concrete slab. Obviously there is some trapped water\condensation that is causing the buckling. I am at a loss as to who to contact to come and look at the problem.

[John]

Sounds like the flooring was not installed correctly. It needs a 3/8 – 1/2 inch gap alon walls (covered up by quarter round of course.

[dp]

the pergo lifting may be bad installation, uinless the floor under the prego is pushing up. is is secure along walls

otherwise, a few flooring nails in stragic locations should pin down your floor problems

if you want to call someone, call a flooring company. if you looking to smash your own thumb, get some 2 and a half inch ringed flooring nails and a hammer and get to work

dp

[Karyn Haines]

Apparently the moisture content at the time of any foundation or slab pour might have been incorrect. If this is the case, temperature changes will cause the concrete to expand and contract. A good example of this is a buckle in a highway. It may be necessary to remove a section of flooring across the extent of the floor slab and insert a control joint or expansion joint cover to allow for movement with the contraction and expansion. A commercial building contractor should be a guide in this process. Good luck.

[Ethel Mott]

The linoleum on my kitchen floor was laid over existing tiles. It is as beautiful today as it was when put down about 20 years ago. However, during the winter months when the basement gets cold, there is one section where the glue has evidently deteriorated and it buckles. No problem in warm/hot weather. I’m a 77 yr. old female and have wallpapered, painted, cemented, etc. for 40 years. “I think” if I can find a cartridge of glue with a small needle head, I could insert it in a rather inconspicuous area and shoot glue in and from the surface move the glue where needed. I don’t have finances to have it removed and repasted; it’s only an area of a few inches wide and about 3 ft. long anyway. Should I forget it? – Thanks

[Author]

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