How to Fix Laminate Flooring Gaps

This is a quick tip to fix gaps in your floating laminate floors. Here is the link to the suction cup used in the video: amzn.to/2RVCQg8 . Hard/Soft mallet: amzn.to/2Vsjn8X . (affiliate links) When laminate floors shift you can get gaps between the boards that are obvious and annoying. This simple fix will close the gaps between flooring without having to take up any boards.

[@NChuntingvlog]

$11 and change for a double suction cup and a rubber mallet from Harbor Freight and my floors were fixed, god bless you sir!

[@Aboutthatbuslife]

Thanks for letting me know so I can get some!

[@randybradley4151]

Didn't work for me. The suction cups will not stay put.

[@badbirdkc]

LOL, my exact thought when I saw what he was doing. Off to Harbor Freight.

[@cdeedrick]

This works! After several calls to my flooring installer to come fix my floors with no success, I watched this video and ordered the suction and hammer. They came today and I fixed it myself. I appreciate your video sooo much! Thanks.

[@roys6339]

Ok cracked it. Another guy on KZbin suggested using block of wood, mallet and double sided tape. Tried that and it worked.

[@misconductfiles]

Been an installer for many years and never seen this. Two thumbs up.

[@littlelucy65]

You don’t have any idea how happy I am that I found your channel. Thanks for sharing!!

[@diydads2535]

Glad to hear it, and thanks for watching!

[@TheWoodStroker]

Thanks! I needed to remove a piece of laminate on an install project. I tried gripping the piece and pulling like crazy, it would not move. I went to Harbor Freight, they had this very item. 7 bucks. Came home, attached to the piece, used a hammer just like yours and easily backed out the piece. Another KZbin inspired fixit! Great job.

[@kuyabulaganation3154]

How did u get it to hold to floor my sunction cups won't even grab i bought same place harbor it holds on glass window. But to grab on bamboo flooring

[@spectacularcat91]

@@kuyabulaganation3154 same here the one I bought at harbor freight I cannot get to stick to my floor idk why

[@lionsn11]

This definitely works 100% I bought one from harbor freight for $8 and it works perfectly. I have no idea why this video has dislikes. Great video

[@summa19628]

Just purchased this on 1/17/2020 and it works wonders, flooring company wanted to charge me $600 to fix

[@tomprovan50]

Just got this tool it works great better than you can imagine. Get one. Its so easy you have to go slow or you will bend the plank you are moving towards. Nice and easy. Fantastic . Thanks

[@janetpraprotnik1440]

Thanks for this fix. We bought the suction cup tool at Harbor Freight and were able to fix the floor. Previously I went to the store where we bought the LVP flooring and all the manager suggested was disassembling the floor up to the problem and putting it back together!!! No way we were doing that.

[@AndrewBrown-nw9nz]

This video was a lifesaver. Gaps developed between several boards our laminate flooring after a minor water leak. Using the approach shown here, we were able to remove those gaps with about 5 minutes of effort. Thank you!

[@dpend2353]

Worked perfect! I am amazed that actually worked as seen in the video. Very inexpensive fix. Thank You.

[@wardor9214]

I have 5 gaps in my bedroom! Thank you for sharing how to fix this issue!

[@bigotonbrand]

Just got mine, and this totally works. Got it for 10.00

[@josemendoza9956]

I’m a installer and that ‘s a good idea , the problem is that if you don’t uses glue between the gap before you hit it it’s going to happen again cuz basically the tongue is broken , you can use elmers glue....good luck

[@jerseyroyalty29]

Hi is there something better than Elmer's glue or is that the best option? Thanks

[@ErinLAnderson]

I was talking to a local flooring guy and he said glue is an option too before tapping. He said be very careful it doesn't leak out the top or the floor will look bad with glue marks. I may try that green painters tape on top to help prevent glue from touching the top of my floors when hammering together.

[@edemunsta]

Thanks for the link and showing me how to fix this without the need to call someone!

[@gowildcats096259]

Thank you for sharing this video. I just noticed a couple gaps in my kitchen floor. I will utilize this method.

[@karenkayser6248]

That’s a great idea....my plank flooring separates in a couple of places and now I can fix it myself...ty

[@michellepitts1053]

I want to thank you for helping me with this exact problem. It's a lot of work. But at least I don't get to see those ugly gaps. Now, if only I can fix the gap between the slats. Maybe get the single suction cups. In either case, thank you!

[@AntonioDudleyOfficial]

Bella is such a good helper. Thanks for the help!

[@batswifey17s.20]

Thank you!!!!!! I just moved in July and my floor is doing the same thing already...gonna definitely try this

[@claytonwalvoort1987]

Thank you! This worked exactly as advertised and is exactly what I needed!

[@jimmytorres111]

Genius! I would have never thought of that. Thanks bud

[@robsedleski]

I had worked some brown shoe polish into the gap, making it visually disappear. (Not brown caulking, because the water in it would cause swelling.) Your fix is the proper way to do it, of course, mine was just a... stop gap measure. 😏 😑🙄

[@jeffgalbraith406]

Simple, elegant solution. Brilliant.

[@mikrhab141]

Omg. Thank you SO much! We are having such an issue with this and my can-fix-anything dad being flabbergasted, I was at a loss...I can probably do this myself!!!

[@redneckgrunt74]

You just saved me a half days work! Thank you!

[@diydads2535]

You're welcome! Glad it helped you out. Thanks for watching

[@alanwagen]

I tired this and it didn't work. It would slip. What did work was a small 2x4 with carpet tape on it.

[@Dav2112]

I’m going to give this a try as I have a few boards with slight gaps, thanks for sharing this.

[@BC-xu8yq]

Genius simple solution. Thanks for sharing!

[@hazelnutflav1]

Thank you so much for taking the time to let us know I appreciate you.

[@Shakesum]

I havent tried it yet but i was sitting here kicking myself wondering how to fix this separation looks like you are on to something im gonna go get what i need and try it now...thanks bro

[@conservativeamber1216]

Our Laminate Floor lasted 15 years before the Gaps started happening Thank You

[@mootpoint7053]

Genius and simple. But of course it is. Thanks!

[@alexadnan1032]

This guy is genius

[@PunkRockLifer]

Good tip thank you. My gaps are appearing length wise though, would this work the same way? Thanks

[@timothylangdon881]

I just ran into the same issue on a floor I just installed. It's one piece right in the middle of the floor. Were you able to find a good solution?

[@robbyoutdoors54501]

Thanks for putting this up. I was just contemplating if this would work! Now I know!

[@neerajrkohli1]

Such a simple fix . It works . Thanks so much .

[@saidaalvarado5103]

It is great idea! Thank you sir you save my day! blessings to you.

[@DMJ1978]

Thumb up for the skidding dog.

[@colomacountry]

Sweet idea..i just tore up my baseboard to fix a gap :) wish I saw this first.

[@infostampededemolitionltd2359]

Wow! Thank you for this tip. 💓 Bella

[@jimfischer4703]

Absolutely the best. Great tip.

[@waltschoenly3326]

Very, very, very helpful video. Thanks much.

[@ismjoe]

just tried this and it worked thank you

[@mikewinter8719]

Thank you very much for this video, fantastic tip which really helped

[@blockwilson]

Is there any way to fix a gap between the longer sides of the boards(two boards that are side-by-side)? I just put in laminate floors and saw about a foot or so long spot where I didn't tap them together enough. Any help would be appreciated!

[@logan5326]

What if the gap is in the long side of the tile???

[@prismways]

Great and simple solution. Thanks!

[@mikew151Manhattan]

In my experience, this does not work on UK laminate flooring which has a click system. The boards are joined too tightly and the suction cups just slides with every hit. If you have a tongue and groove sys with no glue and/or nails then this will be an awesome solution!

[@CanTho2022]

Will the suction cups work on Luxury Vinyl planks??

[@esamal-daghir8243]

A very clever way to get rid of gaps.

[@robbielong7356]

nice video. Do you have any suggestions on how to fix if the planks are going the other directions? Very hard to explain.

[@pkaspar78]

I have also gaps along the long sides 🙁 it’s professionally installed engineered wood floor

[@diydads2535]

That's a much tougher fix and I haven't seen a good solution that works consistently other than pulling them up and reinstalling. Side joints opening is usually a sign of the "tongue" being smashed or broken and not properly being locked in to the boards next to it. Good luck!

[@jeremyhirsch3735]

Got this from your Amazon link. My board is a bit more textured. Suction cup will not grip it. Any suggestion?

[@marcburman]

does this method work for gaps that are on the sides of the floor board rather than at the ends?

[@dannilynn7641]

Did you find out if it worked on the sides or not?

[@marcburman]

@@dannilynn7641 its not so easy at the sides

[@dannilynn7641]

@@marcburman I tried it yesterday and definitely agree. Ill probably end up taking the floor apart and redoing that area. 😫

[@StretchinBack]

I haven't tried this but question it's ability to work on a non-glossy textured laminate flooring like mine.

[@dfkendrick]

Love the puppy!

[@MimMim-hs2rs]

Is Bella a Cavalier King Charles? Adorable pup! This video is priceless!

[@Thor312full]

Thanks very smart and easy to fix 👍

[@diydads2535]

Glad it helped, thanks for watching!

[@rodrickwimberly3245]

absolutely awesome sir-thank you!

[@bmo5082]

What a sweet little dog.

[@markgilley4176]

Thats a great problem solver. and also what product do you use to keep your floors shiny

[@michaelkogan4198]

Hello. Is it possible to fix gap in the long side of floor? Thanks

[@dcreque66]

I hope someone answers cause that is my problem

[@jimg7423]

Love the puppy

[@GuitarsAndSynths]

So how do you handle multiple gaps on multiple vinyl sections next to each other? I mean as soon as you fix one the others remain.

[@puresito212]

Nice video! Worked great!

[@jeffwidlacki8243]

Hey, this video rules - thanks!

[@JuanHernandez-lb8vu]

About to the double suction cups from Amazon and they did not work. They were not able to grab onto the vinyl flooring kept on sliding. Dabbed the double suction cups with water. They were able to grab a little bit but they will still sliding when I hit it with the mallet.

[@poktangju]

will this suction to wood floors? would like to use 2 of these to brace my ladder when working on my 2 story windows....

[@simonriddick]

I got myself into a bit of a mess and was just looking for a solution. In the hallways I tore up about 6 boards that had damage. I just did the floor and the office isn't done yet so had some breathing room there. But I put all the new boards down and the last one I was going to slide in from the office. I cut off the locks on both sides as usual and was just going to glue it like I always do and now there's a gap!. It's not huge but still I can see it and it's right in the hallway. I tried not cutting off the locks and pounding the board in but it's way too hard. I tried a bit of teflon spray to help it slide but it's still too hard. I didn't think the two sections of the floor would travel apart like that. The only thing I can think to do is use two suction cups and a ratchet strap or something and try and pull the gap closed from both sides but even that would take a lot of suction power. Shit what a mess lol. This is all because my damn vac had a little rock stuck in the plastic wheel and it scratched the clear on a bunch of those boards. I have a high rated laminate but it still scratches so easy it sucks.

[@brenda8506]

What about along the long side of the boards? Those are also separating.

[@fantasticprincipessa]

Nikita WhoopAss I am asking the same... 😔

[@statewench2828]

me too!

[@jamisonsdad1963]

Lowe's carries a tool that is wide on one end and narrow on the other.It is black and looks like a flat prize bar. Remove the baseboard if necessary and place it behind your piece. Tap it in place with your hammer or rubber mallet. It's for laminate flooring.

[@charliemccollum]

good video. what if the boards have been glued?

[@diydads2535]

If they are glued down this technique likely won't help. If the space is small you can use some filler and try to stain it a similar color. It's the easiest fix without cutting into your flooring and doing a proper replace job which would be really time consuming. I would recommend testing this with some scrap or in a corner first to see how well the color of the filler will blend in. Good luck!!!

[@patrickrobinson317]

Brilliant !!! Thanks for sharing !!!

[@jerrylong2629]

Good idea young G.

[@frankl9124]

I have pergo laminate flooring that has ridges to mimic the look of real wood. Unfortunately this tool will not work on my flooring. The planks would have to be glossy smooth. This tool did hold tightly to my Formica countertop.

[@gregshaw7911]

Thank you! You’re the best!

[@chimeexpress8603]

...excellent fix but will the floor expand in the summer months or not enough to mess with the floor? Just curious. 😀

[@DasDeeds]

It would expand out the ends. Gaps generally happen after 1st freeze. More than likely gapped here because it wasn't exactly snapped together completely. Little bits of extra cardboard or fat corners can cause this.

[@kaybraun9803]

Can polyurethane be applied over vinyl flooring? Would polyurethane crack as the floor settles or shifts?

[@mariamathisen4298]

Genius!! So sick of pulling up boards! Thank you so much for sharing :D

[@diydads2535]

Glad it helped! Thanks for watching. We would love if you would click the subscribe button and we'll keep the tips coming! 😊

[@malkawolf1]

Hi!! My planks are 3.75” but all the suction cups are over 4” is that a problem or will it still work?

[@dhos83]

My LVP has wood grain texture so suction cup can’t seal properly. 😢

[@kathrynnicholls4805]

How do you fix the gaps on the length if vinyl flooring

[@dublinhammerforever67]

Great tip. U tube always problem solving. 😁😁

[@moritzckeller]

What can I do if it's a corner piece that I ripped and now is too short for the suction cup to grip?

[@spider-mang4211]

Mallet, flooring pull bar , tapping block , oh and spacers. I do this for a living, also suggest some knee pads

[@ranaeh.925]

Why won’t my suction cups hold ? I cleaned the cups . My vinyl isn’t exactly smooth . I don’t know if my cups are junk or it’s just not going to work

[@sborland74]

The suction cup is sliding on me. Instead of moving the board when I tap, the suction cup slides and loses suction. Tried vacuuming well and also wiping down to remove any dust or debris. Any suggestions?

[@kuyabulaganation3154]

How do u get suction cup to stick to hold to floor? I have bamboo flooring and its just not holding when I push down handles I got mine at Harbour freight tools for 10$ please help if u can

[@diydads2535]

If you have really textured vinyl flooring this may not work since the suction cup can't get a good hold. Minor textures should be ok if you just apply pressure and make sure everything is clean and dry. I've seen some other solutions using some more expensive blocks with rubber on them specifically made for tapping laminate together. That may work better on textured floors. Good luck and thanks for watching!

[@kuyabulaganation3154]

@@diydads2535 its bamboo wood floor .not vinal flooring . Suction cups worthless. Will try the block advertised if it don't work at least amazon u can refund

[@tajsalaam8538]

I got a gap that’s too close the bottom kitchen cabinets to swing my mallet. Any tips?

[@professorkaos2781]

what do you do if the gap is on the long side?

[@dhilanp.2561]

this is exactly how I imagined. Hoping this can fix my problema.

[@colleenangeli9495]

I can’t find the link for this gadget?

[@esmanfarhi478]

What about gaps that are on the sides ? Instead of ends. Can you do this across a floor ?

[@diydads2535]

You can give it a try but usually the sides are a bit more difficult. If the sides are coming apart it usually means they didn't quite fasten together correctly when installed or the boards are broken. If you can get them together a bit of glue may be a good idea to prevent them from separating again in the event the tongues are broken. Good luck!

[@username82765]

Brilliant idea.

[@sukimada7482]

Thanks. It works.

[@rickkentner1713]

Someone please tell me and all others that have this problem on the LONG side of the plank. My home moves quite a bit and I can’t be pulling up my floor every spring and fall. PLEASE HELP US.

[@dakotapage7676]

We did it today! As we were moving furniture we noticed a spot. Worked perfectly!!

[@catdaddy8075]

What do you do when the gaps reappear.

[@mathejoh]

Will the gaps go back to normal during summer weather?

[@diydads2535]

Sometimes they go back but in my experience they usually don't. Definitely worth waiting to see now that warmer weather is around the corner. Often times the downward force of foot traffic along with some colder temps and an occasional dip in the floor tend to be enough to force boards apart. Unfortunately it's hard to get the right circumstances to force them back together without some elbow grease. Good luck and thanks for watching!

[@amandeeperz]

is this a one time fix or are you doing it every year/few years?

[@diydads2535]

Your floors will expand and contract as the seasons change, depending on where you live. That means these can reopen and you may need to do it again. You can apply a small amount of wood glue to the crack before pushing together if you have a really persistent problem area. Make sure to wipe up any excess glue so you don't get a hazy spot on your flooring. Good luck and thanks for watching!

[@zachsmith8967]

My floor keeps sliding (guessing the glue didn't hold?) But it goes into an air vent ( the floor) any tips on how to hold the floor down from sliding?