# Forum Home Renovation Flooring  Laminate floor crackling noise

## cranswick

My laminate floor was installed over a year ago, recently a couple of small areas of the floor make a crackling noise when l walk on it, not a creaking noise like floor boards but a crackling noise, like rice bubbles but louder. Anyone experienced the same thing? what is the casue and is there any solution ?

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## Oldsaltoz

That sounds like the adhesive was almost dry when the sheeting was laid and the crackling you hear is the glue letting go due to trapped air. You could try making a couple of very small holes to let the trapped air out. If this stops the sound inject some fresh glue in the area and leave a weight on it overnight.

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## phild01

Laminate floors aren't normally glued, my thought was an uneven floor, not flat within spec.

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## cranswick

> Laminate floors aren't normally glued, my thought was an uneven floor, not flat within spec.

  yes that might be it, there a bit of a slight slope

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## phild01

> yes that might be it, there a bit of a slight slope

  Flat, not necessarily level.  There is a maximum variation in flatness that needs to be adhered to. Typically the area needs to be flat, and undulations should not be greater than 2mm over 1m. 
Another thing to be wary about is if a gap has been left around the perimeter of the floor area.  This would be concealed by a Scotia or by placing skirting boards over the floating floor.

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## Jon

We have had a click together laminate floor for 10 years that I laid.
In areas where we hardly ever go it will give a crack the first time we step in there but after that it is quiet.  I put it down to changes in humidity making the joints want to swell or shrink slightly and by stepping there it is enough  for the stresses to relieve themselves.  Like a mini earthquake. 
The high traffic areas are quiet because the constant use does not allow the stresses to build up.

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## Cecile

We have a huge creak in ours right in front of the hallway door, and a few other small cracking noises here and there.  I think the carpenter crimped them too tightly together, like you would with T&G boards.  They are supposed to be loose-laid and not crimped.  Not a big deal really for us.

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## DavoSyd

i have noticed that ours are crackling a little bit worse in this heat... i am considering replacing them myself - is it a hard job? or best left to pros?

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## cranswick

yes the crackling noise has gotten worse on my laminate floor over summmer also, l went with cheap laminate , l wonder if that may explain it , could it be casued by the joints on the side of the planks wearing out and coming loose and rubbing against each other when you step on them, when l have the money l will get it replaced with a vinyl floor. some people say laminate is a good cheap alternative to timber, but l think timber is much better

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