Why Is My Flooring Lifting, Bouncing, or Separating ?

We've all been there. You're walking around the house, and something feels off. You stop, look down and walk over the same spot a few times, trying to figure it out. You know something is up with your flooring (sometimes literally), but you're not sure what's going on.

Let's look at the reasons why it could be happening and if there's a way to fix it.

Your floors move all the time

Before getting to know the problems, it is important to know that your flooring needs to move and isn't always stuck in place. From acclimating to a room for the first time to the changing weather across seasons, flooring needs to move ever so slightly to contract and expand. You tend not to take notice because a good fitter will leave a 10-15mm expansion gap at the edge of the room. It is typically hidden by your skirting and door bars.

If your room doesn't look like it has a gap, you've possibly found your issue before you go looking.

Why is my flooring lifting?

When a floor is 'lifting' or 'bouncing', boards are moving vertically from the subfloor due to horizontal movement. The boards push against each other in peaks, as if something is pushing them from beneath. We see that come through in the edges/joins of board.

Why is my flooring bouncing?

When something is moving underneath the floor, but it isn't close to your floorboard gaps, it would present itself as a bounce in the flooring. While the corners of your flooring might not lift, the expansion below needs to find a way to "get out", so you get a bounce.

Can I ignore a bouncy floor?

While a creak here or there is normal, a floor that bounces is often an early warning sign that something is wrong beneath the surface and needs to be addressed to ensure your flooring remains safe and stable.

What causes Lifting or Bouncing Floors

Floors start bouncing because they're uneven, don't have gaps, are trapping moisture or weren't laid down properly. Let's look at each of these in more detail.

Uneven Subfloors

Laminate flooring isn't fixed down to your underfloor. It sits on top of it, usually with an underlay in place (some laminates have underlay built in). Imagine it's a very sturdy jigsaw. When something is underneath it, the pieces have to expand up. Even if you thought the subfloor was ok, if it has natural dips or bumps, it will eventually show.

Lack of expansion gaps

Flooring needs to expand and contract when the temperature and humidity rise or fall throughout the year. Without a gap, boards will try to expand until they hit the wall or an immovable object like your radiator pipes. Any sign of pressure and your floor will lift at the weakest point. To get around it, you need a wide enough expansion gap in place.

Incorrect installation

Before a board is taken out of the box, it needs time to adjust to the room's humidity. If it doesn't acclimate and is laid down, it will want to expand over time.

Poor underlay positioning can also cause movement. Whether someone has left the sheets overlapping or left gaps that boards can sink into, it will prevent your laminate from lying flat. 

Excess moisture

Not all wood-based flooring reacts well to large amounts of moisture. A spill on the floor won't do anything, but water slowly leaking in from a burst pipe will have the boards acting like a big sponge.

That goes double from the top down, too. If you are too liberal with a wet mop or steamer, your flooring will hold that moisture over time and expand – common if you have flooring that looks like it is curling upwards on the corners.

How to avoid floors lifting or bouncing

If you know the culprits, you can prevent them from causing trouble. Do your best to avoid lifting by being proactive with the following:

Buy high-quality laminate boards

That means looking over the product information, too, so you can make a confident purchase. If you don't know the brand, or the product doesn't clearly list installation needs and protection levels, it may not be a good product.

Get a professional fitter

Most laminate floors can be installed DIY-style, but if you're not 100% confident that the floor will be fitted as intended, get someone in who knows their stuff. Best to pay now rather than pay more for issues further down the line.

Get the level out

Always check the subfloor for flatness or moisture issues before installing your flooring.

Remember that your laminate "floats"

Do not buy cheap underlay or adhesive, as this is the only level of protection your flooring has from minor anomalies and subfloor moisture. 

Let your flooring "breathe"

Allow new floors to acclimatise to a room's atmospheric conditions for a few days before installation. Over time, your flooring will not expand and contract as much with temperature changes, thanks to this acclimation period.