Q-How close to the wall are you to put the laminate flooring and do you need to use the plastic film under the flooring in a mobile home. We put down some really flooring about four years ago. It turned out good but through the years it has begun to separate at the end seams. How can we eliminate this problem.
A-I always leave at least 1/4 inch gap. If you have a wider quarter round you can make the gap a little bigger. You also need to have expansion underneath the door jambs, even though you can't see under it.
You don't normally need the vapor barrier in mobile homes because they are up off the ground. But if there is moisture under the mobile home I would advise to use the moisture barrier.
Sometimes I installed laminate flooring that had a good locking system on the long sides of the planks but the end joints were not the same. They barley had enough ridge to hold the ends together. The best way to fix this is to use Elmers wood glue. Most often I can kick the joints back together with sneakers on. First clean out the joints sand and debris can collect in there. Then put a bead of the glue in the joint and kick it together with your foot. Use a damp rag to wipe off the excess glue. It should stay together.
Hope this helps you
Anthony Garrison