What is Hardwood Floor De-lamination?

Most often associated with engineered hardwood flooring systems, de-lamination is one of the most common repair issues that my company fields. 90% of the time de-lamination is associated with ply constructed materials; however, occasionally some of the softer species (Douglas Fir, Pine) will develop this issue along the spring grain of the floor boards.

Engineered hardwood flooring systems are constructed from a number of “layers” of, typically, Birch, backer with a single layer of hardwood adhered to the top of the board. De-lamination is caused by exposure to excessive moisture which causes the real wood top layer of veneer on the engineered board to swell and separate from the under layer of the ply system (see photos).

Generally, if the source of the excessive moisture is located and repaired, de-lamination is contained to a relatively small area. Unlike cupping, de-lamination is almost always caused by topical moisture introduction. This is good because de-lamination damage can usually be fixed by just replacing the de-laminated boards. Cupping, on the other hand, will require moisture abatement and, possibly, refinishing.

Tips To "Going Green"

Although this is a hardwood flooring blog, I think it is important for all of us to start thinking “greener.” Periodically, I will be posting tips on “thinking green,” regardless if the post is directly related to hardwood flooring or not. Some of these posts will be from other blogs and articles and some will be from me. I have taken a personal interest in a “greener” movement and hope that other late comers, like me, will take an interest in a “greener” way of thinking as well. This is the only planet in the galaxy that we know of, that can sustain our lives. Although I don’t have any of my own, I am doing this for your children and grand-children. Please consider a “greener” lifestyle! It really does take little effort to make a huge impact!

Tip of the Day:

How many times do we go out of town and leave all of the electronics plugged in? We are all guilty of it! Next time you go on a two or three day get away… Unplug those non essential electronics. TVs, DVD players, printers, microwave… You get the idea. More importantly, when you aren’t charging your cell phone, MP3 player or Bluetooth device; unplug the charger from the outlet. Even though electronics are not performing their designed function, they still pull energy when they are plugged in.