Solid Hardwood, Engineered and Laminate Flooring - Cracking, Noisy Laminate Floor

I have installed a beautiful laminate floor from Alsafloor - Clipsonic (made in France). The total surface area was almost 1000 sq. feet.

It looks absolutely fabulous, but as you walk on the floor- all you hear is the cranking or creaking; as if you were walking on broken glass or eggshells. We are in the middle of discussing with the manufacturer to determine if this is a defect.
My impression would be to say "yes"; as we followed all the necessary steps in the installation. (Ex. black tar paper on the concrete floor, padded insulated foam then the laminate floor installed - respecting the proper spacing along the walls, etc...)

Has anyone had such experience? Please Help.
We are desperate to get some assistance and clarity on the issue.
Natalie

I'm not one of the pros and I hope they pitch in but I had a floor doing that in a rental condo. Turned out my expansion gap had disappeared at a closet. I chisled it out and the floor was much better. Maybe I got lucky?

Felt paper is not a moisture barrier, was that use in places to fill in some low spots?

What did you use for a moisture barrier?

Did you get the slab reasonably flat before you started?

How many transition breaks do you have or does all the floor run continuous?

That is a huge area for laminate floor.

You might check the perimeter to see if the floor has expanded up tight against a stud or other item. Do you have any large pieces of furniture or cabinets on the floor?

The creaking a lot of the times comes from an unflat floor. If the floor is starting to buckle from being pinched against an immovable object, it will contribute to this.

No moisture barrier over known moisture emitting concrete!!!

This is easy and I see it in my crystal ball.

This is an installation related claim! The laminate has gained moisture content from the vapor emissions emitting from the concrete. All concrete emits vapor emissions, ir has swelled, taking up all expansion space you once left around the perimeter. In that big of an installation, "T" molding must be used to break rooms apart from one another.


Solution: Remove the flooring, and underlayment cushion. Lay a poly/plastic moisture barrier over the asphalt felt. then install the cushion, and then the flooring and then the trim molding.:coffee:

I'm probably wrong but isn't tar paper a moisture barrier? The stuff I've seen would be really tough for water to get through. I would have put down poly myself but I'm curious.

It retards moisture, it is not moisture proof. Vapors will pass through it.

It doesn't have near the perm rating of 6-mil poly