This article contains case studies of inspections we’ve conducted because of scratches in laminate flooring. These case studies contain excerpts from our inspection reports. We’ve also included a few job site photographs, in order to better illustrate the issues at hand.

Scratched High Gloss Laminate Floor

This inspection was done at a residence located in the Miami, Florida area. The surface of the laminate had a high gloss. There were many scratches, particularly under and around furniture.

As you can see in the inspection photograph below, this floor displayed significant scratching. The hard surface floor inspector counted a total of 117 boards affected by this issue.

An additional issue in this installation was the laminate swelling along the ends and sides.

Visible Surface Scratching

The picture below is from a flooring inspection we conducted in Texas. The scratches in this laminate floor were quite visible, even without the flash from the camera.

While this inspection involved surface scratches, the end user’s primary concern was swelling along the edges of boards and laminate buckling.

Laminate Microscratches

The following picture is from an inspection we did on a laminate floor in California. The complaint was that the laminate could be scratched with only a fingernail.

The inspector found microscratches on the surface of the laminate. Each plank in the installation had very small scratches.

When the floor inspector did moisture testing on the laminate and the subfloor, he found excessive amounts of moisture.

Small Scratches, as well as Indentations and Gouges

The picture below is from a laminate floor inspection that took place in Maryland. The floor exhibited scratches, as well as indentations.

While the scratches were quite small, they were located throughout the installation. The surface of the laminate displayed some gouges, too. Moisture testing on the laminate showed normal moisture levels.

In this particular laminate floor, the scratching, indentations, and gouging occurred during the installation process.