How to replace a damaged laminate board that’s in the middle of the floor 

What a badass video. This dude ran into every possible thing that could go wrong (which seems like always happens to me). He's a real good floor technician.

Andy I do custom flooring and the basic laminate and LVT! This repair is very time consuming with wood or laminate. When my wife started working from home her office chair was being used 8 hours a day and a small piece by one of the joints decided it wanted to be free! Fixing it was not an issue especially since this is my job. Customers don’t understand why this repair is so expensive until they see the amount of time it takes. The problem here started with improper flooring prep. Great video!

Thank you so much for showing All the problems and trouble shooting!! I didn't need to watch this whole video because I'm looking for something a little different... but I got pulled in and just had to see it all 😂 I want that knee wheel rolling thing 😲

Loved the way it wasnt planned. To encounter an added problem and improvise your way out.

Carpet Tape + Scrap 2x4 on top of the plank or planks you need to nudge and then hit the 2x4. This will work with basically all unfastened flooring. Even glued vinyl planks can be massaged in this fashion sparingly. I provide this tip since everyone is criticizing how he's hitting the flooring. I doubt very much he damaged it at all, but if you're working with something that mars easily or have a bit of a squeamish client that's a way you can do it. I find the method works very well because you have a lot of control over the movement and move the planking in at least two directions very easily. Use care removing the 2x4.

Excellent video ....thank you so much Andy. I really appreciate how your video showed each step, and how you had to trouble shoot each new development in trying to install the board. Helps to demonstrate that often even a simple job and run into difficultly where you have to problem solve. Just know this video you made is well appreciated by a lot of home owners and handymen. I had the exact same problem with the cement floor underneath. I ended up using a air chisel to chip away the concrete and then putting some cement down to level it.

One of those jobs I have been dreading ever since I installed the laminate boards in several rooms. I'm thinking an easier solution is a throw rug. Ha!

Wow, fantastic! This RU-vid video should get an award for showing how to deal with issues you didn’t know about when you started and how to problem-solve to find the root cause. I am so tired of glib RU-vidrs who pretend to fix stuff where all bolts fall off in your hands and parts are mysteriously clean and shiny. Also, I loved that kneeling sitting creeper. Clearly this is a professional who cares about his health.

This was genuinely the best video I have seen so far this year. Thank you for sharing, you have put future money in my bank account giving me the knowledge to repair something that a lot of guys say can't be done. Lovely to watch you work also, you stay calm and don't rush, that normally speeds the work up! I hope you get well paid for these repairs, it's a lot cheaper than replacing a whole floor which a lot of guys will say is the only option.

Glad to know I'm not keeping that extra box on a closet floor for nothing. Probably need it under the fridge some day.

Thanks for that. I’ve had a couple of these were I’ve had to take a chunk of the floor up. Love the rolling knee pads.

Smart improvising and good setup. You seem very professional

This tip will hopefully help people and its a VERY SIMPLE tip and uses something that EVERYBODY probably has already!! I'm no expert, I'm a DIYER, and I've only done laminate flooring 3 times in my life. However I really enjoy doing it, and I've just completed my biggest project so far, the whole of the downstairs of our house, 200 Square Meters of laminate. I had a couple of very difficult areas that needed the tongues sanded down and glue applied, and then I had to get them panels slid into an adjoining panel. If you apply too much glue, then the panel will be difficult to slide into the adjoining panel, however even with a little bit of glue, it still makes it more difficult. I also wasn't able to use a tapping block either due to the location of the board, and to be honest I don't find it really helps anyway, as it slips and can't get enough friction to move the board. Now are you all really ready for this tip now?? 😁 The best way I found was using your feet with trainers (you call them sneakers in the states?) and stand up and kick the board into place with your trainer, the rubber sole of the trainer provides a huge amount of friction/grip on the board and the power out of your foot makes getting difficult boards to engage into the adjoining board so much easier!! Sorry bit of a long post for something so simple!! 🤣

I used a variation of this method several years ago. Worked great. I would have used a tapping block to move the board back rather than risk any damage or marks with a mallet . . . I commented too soon! Lol

Love X pattern technique!

Man, sometimes you really get more than you bargained for! What a pain. Some people just don’t understand “do it right or do it twice”. Nice work and helpful video 😊

Good job man! For that kind of repair I normally use Gorilla transparent glue. It works really well too.

love your foot trolley

Loved how you took out that board, but I was squirming when you hit the next one with the mallet! Great kneel trolley too.

Great video! My new cleaning lady used a magic eraser on my laminate floors to get rid of scuff marks. It was like using a Brillo pad. I wonder if you can guess whether they will need to be replaced, or if sanding and application of a new finish might work. I’m new to laminate. Thanks

I like that little kneeling seat! Wish I’d had one when I installed laminate in my three bedrooms.

Love the problem solving and real world example! Thanks!!

Thank you for the great video. I was thinking this may be an absolutely impossible task.

Ok, I wasn’t sure how to do it right so I pulled up most of the floor to repair some pieces that were under a wall that was torn down. Wow, what a pain in the ass but I got it done after a 12 hour day, and I’m 66 years old!

It’s is a genuine video, the fellow did not stage any of it …. Respect

You make this so easy, thanks for the help, 🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪Niall from Ireland. Ps your work is amazing.

Thank you for this video! Between your method and comments, I know what I’m dealing with and have options for my handyman.

Nice job Andy . grinding the concrete was the best solution. The hump in the concrete caused the damage in the first place. I would have like to seen the finished product.

I’ve been thru this scenario. What worse is the previous installer runs the planks right up against the wall and the floor was bowing. I had to take the base boards off which in addition to nails, they were caulked to the wall and sealed along the bottom. I had to cut the ends for and expansion joint. The subfloor still had pound nails and joints not smoothed out. I explained to the homeowner the situation but in the end, she was happy with the work. Get a toe kick saw with a carbide blade will work wonders.

Big help, thank you for taking the time to show us.

Awesome, thanks for posting!!! I need to replace a few in my kitchen due to water damage from the damn dogs water bowl and had noooo clue where to start. Very helpful. Bought the house and there was an unopened pack of matching laminate in the garage so thank God I have that. Now I just need to buy the damn saw lol.

Just a tip , if the board is too tight put it in the freezer for a few days it will contract enough for it to fit . I know because I’m a RU-vid expert !

I like your stool/seat !!

That roller seat is awesome

Great vid guy … I appreciate that , I am in the middle of a repair right now due to a hump in the sub floor .. so yea , I need this

Thanks I don’t know what happened to my floor I thinking moisture or the house shifted a bit but I have a pretty bad section that warped and lifted. I was looking at away too fix it with new planks without ripping up the whole floor

Thanks for letting me know helpful advice very much appreciated

Much easier to remove the base trim and number boards if needed. That way all four sides lock in. You did a good job! Being a flooring repair specialist is not easy. A repair such as this is about $150-200.

In conclusion, every single little repair requires 37 tricks of the trade to fix ;P

Really good video... I have the same issue, but I don't have the tools to do it myself...

Nice job Andy was waiting for that trolly t go from under ya when ya were stretching out cutting 🙈

This guy seems to know what he's doing and is taking care, while other installers might rush the process and make it worse. However, in my experience, your floor is never the same again. I had 3 boards replaced on a floor that was only less than a year old and you can clearly see the color difference between the original batch run of laminate and this one. Also, by cutting off the lip at the side or front, you leave a gap in the floor which needs to be sealed or it will be susceptible to leakage from spills and even light mopping. The floor doesn't seem to fit together correctly anymore and squeaks in those sections. If I had a choice, I would've had them replace everything and start from scratch, but it just wasn't possible.

Shopping list : rolling knee board. Great video BTW.

I'm fixing to replace a couple of purgo laminate planks today 😕thanks for this video.

Looks great!

If you need to move another board back some, don't pound it with a mallet. Use a scrap piece of the flooring by fitting it into the groove and then hit it so you don't damage the floor or you can use the tool that is made for that purpose.

Thank you For the info Very informative. I have a few I need to replace at work. What kind of saw is that. Does it come in cordles. How do you set the depth of the blade so I wont damage the subflooring. The flooring I have to replace is dead center in a aisle. So how would I remove them With a chisel and 5 and 1??

A great video with attention to the cause and elimination of the wear point. HOW did you trim the edges of the replacement, please, as this was done off-screen.

Thanks for the vid - I appreciate you demonstrating it this way as I've got the situation of one damaged board in the middle of a 12 board row - removing the baseboard and dismantling 1/4 of the floor isn't an option for me.

Excellent video with “real world” conditions and problems and solutions!Thanks! Suggestion: it would be helpful to explain the tongue and groove on the board and show how you cut off one long side to fit it into the opening. I would also use a suction cup to move the current floor boards and to install the new board to avoid any potential mallet damage.

Brilliant thanks for that

How many of you keep spare boards ? Because by the time you come to replace a board chances are you can’t get another !

Ooh... Auntie wants that cute little saw! Nice job sir. I think you should start telling one joke at the end of each video Pandaman. (Uh oh...I'm in trouble, you cranked up that saw and it was really loud! I'm at Lizzie's for Easter and I'm watching your video on my phone at 1:30 am, its gonna wake her up! she's gonna yell at me lol. Ours roles have reversed.) Nice job Andy. Yes you are handy.

Love that all your buckets match

Get the peace to slide out from under the baseboard . The cut 1/4 inch off. The replacement peace you could grid that peace off instead of floor. No easy way Good job man

Your issues with the baseboard is why I took off all the bb when I put down 400 sq. ft. of Coretec laminate. It was beat up and sat too low to do quarter round. My baseboard sits on top of the laminate and I have 1/4 inch gap all around it. Wasn't a fan of the hammer method. I got to believe you left dents. But overall not bad.

Special mention for that snazzy knee board with wheels, never seen one of them before!!

Glazing suction cups will help moving boards around, clamp them on and wack the sucker with the mallet.

I need that neat little scooter for my “ on the knees” projects!

Learn something new everyday! Thanks!

This shows you how important the expansion gap is around the room.

I love this video true worker things go wrong you have to make adjustments it doesn't always work the first time nice video dude

Thank you good sir. Nicely done

What saw are you using? I see there are many different brands of mini saws, looking for a decent saw that won't break the bank.

This was fantastic, thanks! If my floor is skidding all around is it ok to glue the floor to the sub floor or is that a horrible idea?

Very good job. Thanks for putting this video together!😊

If you did not have space on the last board, you should have move back the last board and cut out a little piece so that you can create the space that you need for the middle board to fit, second place a scotch tape over the padding so that will not move during installation, and you should have use a tapping board with the same tonge and groove to push it back with no damage, that is how I do it

Brilliant Andy, kudo's for the very quick reply buddy.

Very good video! Thank you very much!

I apologize if you already answered this, but where did you get the rolling knee-saver?! That is awesome!

Make sure you acclimate the boards you are using to replacement with for a week or two depending on if you stored it in the basement

Question for you. We just built a new home about 6 months ago. We just noticed a spot on our floor where the LVP flexes due to the OSB sitting lower on the joist (we think). The basement is finished so we can't see underneath. The installers came back and recommended not touching it because the floor will never be the same, and there is no guarantee the plank will stay in place or look the same. We have another spot that is squeaking, they think it's a screw. I was under the impression this was the benefit of a floating floor, and it was an easy fix. My wife and I were a bit confused by their recommendation. What would you do?

Floor prep is everything !! It's a mirror image remember that!!!

I liked that knee chair on rollers. Where can I find one of them? Thanks for the great video...

Good fixes Andy, thanks for the video?

I installed 1850 Sq ft of flooring. I had to go back and fix one. It is so much easier to use the installation tool to tap boards in either direction. No risk of marring a board.

Nice video , repairs aren’t easy keep them coming.

Hey there. Great video. When you put the glue on does is squeeze out and need to be wiped down before the buckets are put on it

Stopping your grinder on your shop vac hose, brilliant.

Thanks for sharing. I have to replace a few boards because of dog urine seeped under the cage. Luckily, hopefully, it won't be as challenging because the boards are against the wall by the trim.

Good work but being that the damaged plank is so close to the 2 walls you should have taken the baseboard off and pulled up the planks to get to it. No need to cut off the bottom of the replacement plank and have to glue it in place. Would also given you more room to grind the hump.

Great video 👍 is there anything you can do where it bubble's /lifts at the edges my dog peed on my laminate and ruined 2 board's i think i might just have to replace them like you have here .Thanks

That chair, dude!

true craftsman, great job man

That roller cart is awesome.

Hey great video, what's the little circular saw you are using? Haven't seen one like that

great kneeling work trolley. what make is it and where can you buy one??

En la calidad de los detalles está el trabajo profesional 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

Thanks couldn't have done it without your help

Good video so many thanks, but in all practical sense, I think it is therefore fair to say that this really demonstrates that it is actually NOT possible. (For folks at home to do) thanks for showing us though and stay blessed 🙏

Hey Andy, new sub here, because of your racatac😂😂😂. Wish I had that when I was a Painting contractor! Well done video bro!🇺🇦☮✌🏻

Love that sliding seat

I have a section in the middle of the floor that I need to remove to fix a bad dip in the sub floor. Would I be able to pull a few board out like this to give me a space to slide the other boards to so they can be removed normally?

The laminate floor rose on the end . Maybe the flooring was against the base boards . You need 1/4 inch spacing on all sides for expansion. When I did my floor ,we removed all the base boards . Then placed the base boards on top of new floor to cover gap. Also I do not see that this way of replacing one piece will work. The flooring system snaps in place on all four sides. I do hope it works .

Can u tell me wer u got the kneeler pad with wheels thanks ,it looks really good

I have been installing and repairing floors for 14 yrs. I have done countless of these repairs with hardwood and laminate. I do it a little different than this but twice as quick. You make it look hard. Also those wheely kneepads are more of a hassle than anything. All around good vid if it keeps me from wasting my time and more diyers fix their own mistakes. Or get me to install in the first place.

thanks so much for sharing, exactly what I needed. How much time would you say a professional would need for one board to replace? Looking to get 6 done, some very close to one another. thanks so much

pretty slick...nice job

You made an easy fix real hard, that should have been a 10 maybe 15 minute job

What was that floor tool you had with rollers and a bike seat never seen one of those before