How To: Easily Replace a Damaged Laminate Floor Plank

Laminate floor planks look beautiful and add elegance to a home. However, if a plank gets damaged, it detracts from the beauty of the flooring. Do you call in a professional and pay tons of money to replace the plank? Thankfully, no. There actually is an easy way to replace a damaged laminate plank if you are ready to spend some time and have a little bit of patience.

Step 1: Replacing a Damaged Laminate Floor Plank Close to a Wall

If the plank is close to a wall, the easiest way to replace it is by unlocking the planks. As tedious as it sounds, it is worth the effort and time.

• Find the wall that is closest to the damaged plank

• Lift the molding

• Begin disassembling the planks by unlocking them. This can be done by disconnecting the tongue of one plank from the groove of the adjacent plank.

• Make sure the plank you are replacing is the same size as the damaged one

• Replace the plank and then begin locking the planks you removed

Once you finish, reset the wall base molding to what it was

Step 2: Replacing Damaged Laminate Floor Plank in the Center of the Room

Here is an easy way to replace a damaged laminate floor plank located in the middle of the room. Although this is time consuming and requires precision, you can take it up as a DIY project. However, make sure you take safety precautions and use the tools as recommended by the manufacturer.

• Mark the four corners of the damaged plank with some tape, so that while removing the and drilling the plank, you don't damage the adjacent planks

• Drill half an inch hole at each corner of the plank. Make sure the holes are close to the end joints

• Thereafter drill three more holes on each side of the plank, about 4 inches apart from each other

With a pencil draw a straight line connecting the holes. This line will guide you when you are cutting out the plank.

• Take a circular saw and adjust the depth of the saw to the same thickness as the laminate plank. This will ensure you don't damage the sub-floor.

• Start cutting the center of the plank and use the lines to guide.

• Continue drilling until you reach the holes on both sides.

• Now all you have to do is lift out the center piece. Pry is out with the help of a utility knife

• Remove the remaining parts of the plank by gently moving them back and forth. Make sure after removing the area is clean

• Now get the same sized laminate plank as a replacement. You may have to cut off the tongue on the long and short sides of the plank to get it to fit into the opening you have made. Also, you may have to trim the groove a little with a vibratory undercut saw for the replacement to fit into place.

• Apply epoxy glue to the edge of the planks that have to be connected to the replacement. Use just a few drops of the glue. A cotton swab is great for applying the glue. If you put excess glue, just use a damp rag to get it off

• Fix the replacement laminate plank immediately before the glue dries up

• Place a heavy weight on the plank for 24 hours, as that is how long the glue takes to dry and bind the plank in place

This is the easy way to replace a damaged laminate floor plank. Just remember to follow the steps correctly and you should not have a problem. If you have a doubt about replacing the plank yourself, get a professional to do it for you.