Why is this laminate still buckling?

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farmerjohn1324

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0903181422.jpg 0903181422b.jpg 0903181458.jpg There was 3 different rooms with buckling laminate. I took off the trim and there were some obvious spots where there was not enough room to allow for expansion. But even after cutting these, it still buckles.
 
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It expands and contracts. If it can't expand then it buckles. Follow the directions or ask in advance.
 
No one here was there when you installed it so I'll make some guesses and some can be wrong because I was not there.
I can see a bunch of possible issues.
You did remove all the 1/4 round before installing right?
If it was installed after the floor went in the nails needed to be into the baseboard not the flooring, one nail in the flooring and it can buckel.
Around that fire place there should have been enough gap to install a transition strip.
Where the flooring meets the tile all I see is lots of trash left on the floor and no room for a Tee transition strip.
When I get stuck with installing laminate you do not simple set in place and move on, you need to work it up and down getting closer to the subfloor each time, once it's flat I tap over it with a white mallet to make sure it's locked in place.
If there's any gap stop and fix it!
I'm seeing tools on the floor that scare me, what's the hammer and what looks like a Dremel tool for?
 
Was the floor flat? Doesn't need to be level but it must be flat.
Not much of a gap between the flooring and hearth.
 
I took off all the Quarter Round, cut a 5/16" space around the perimeter in every room. It is still buckling in spots. The only thing I could think of is underneath the door jambs and the transitions.

How do I get under the door jambs? Do I need to remove that piece of flooring? And I took off the transition just to find that it was screwed in. That seems like a problem since that would allow no movement at all.
 

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No one here was there when you installed it so I'll make some guesses and some can be wrong because I was not there.
I can see a bunch of possible issues.
You did remove all the 1/4 round before installing right?
If it was installed after the floor went in the nails needed to be into the baseboard not the flooring, one nail in the flooring and it can buckel.
Around that fire place there should have been enough gap to install a transition strip.
Where the flooring meets the tile all I see is lots of trash left on the floor and no room for a Tee transition strip.
When I get stuck with installing laminate you do not simple set in place and move on, you need to work it up and down getting closer to the subfloor each time, once it's flat I tap over it with a white mallet to make sure it's locked in place.
If there's any gap stop and fix it!
I'm seeing tools on the floor that scare me, what's the hammer and what looks like a Dremel tool for?

The QR is brand new. It is not nailed to the floor.

Those tools were there for a different purpose, although I did use the oscillating saw to cut a 5/16" gap around the perimeter of each room.

There is still buckling. I see that most of my "laminate to tile" transitions are screwed to the laminate. This is obviously an issue. Also, I'm not sure how to get under the door jambs.
 
In the second picture it sure looks like the metal stip was screwed right through the flooring which is a huge no no!
Read the directions right on the package the stip came in.
Metal piece should have been installed and the flooring ran up to it leaving a gap from the flooring to the strip.
 
In the second picture it sure looks like the metal stip was screwed right through the flooring which is a huge no no!
Read the directions right on the package the stip came in.
Metal piece should have been installed and the flooring ran up to it leaving a gap from the flooring to the strip.

That's exactly the problem. Any idea what to do about under the door jambs?
 
Use your oscillating saw to under-cut the door jambs to allow for expansion. You will have to remove the small piece after cutting but may be able to do that from the not so visible backside.
 
It appears that the door jambs were undercut, but is there a gap between laminate and structural framing of doorway?
 
It appears that the door jambs were undercut, but is there a gap between laminate and structural framing of doorway?

Is there a way to just get those pieces out without having to tear up the floor from the wall?
 
Maybe by pulling off the casing a little at the bottom. Then you can get in behind the casing to fish the pieces out---if they are there. If it was already undercut then the pieces should have been removed. Or maybe the flooring is now tight to the stud behind, but you'll be able to see that if you pull the casing out a bit.
 
Maybe by pulling off the casing a little at the bottom. Then you can get in behind the casing to fish the pieces out---if they are there. If it was already undercut then the pieces should have been removed. Or maybe the flooring is now tight to the stud behind, but you'll be able to see that if you pull the casing out a bit.

I pulled off some door casings near where the buckling was the worst. They all had proper spacing between the laminate and studs. I have no clue what the problem is.
 

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The worst part of the house is under the blue part of this photo. It is being squeezed in the direction of the red arrows. There is enough expansion actually in all 4 directions from the blue spot. I really have no clue why it is still buckling.
 

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That's a lot of flooring you have there. What is the TOTAL length in direction A and in direction B ? You might need some expansion joints at intermediate locations.
 

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You need an expansion joint in that doorway. Laminate can only be run continuous for a limited distance without one and it varies by brand/type.
 
That's a lot of flooring you have there. What is the TOTAL length in direction A and in direction B ? You might need some expansion joints at intermediate locations.

What does an expansion joint look like off the shelf at Lowe's? I can't seem to find it online.
 
That's a lot of flooring you have there. What is the TOTAL length in direction A and in direction B ? You might need some expansion joints at intermediate locations.

B is very short, just a few feet.

A is very long. An entire hallway plus another room. I'm not at the house right now to measure exactly.
 
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