chicago13

Where does this residue on laminate floor come from?

Hi!

I'm buying a condo in a high-rise. Closing is in 2 weeks. I was in the unit (it's empty) yesterday to take some measurements and discovered two roughly circular areas (the larger one roughly 2 feet across, the other one maybe 1 foot across, in two corners of the room) of a dark, very sticky residue on the laminate flooring. The residue hadn't been there at inspection, 3 weeks ago. Where could this have come from? Photo is attached. My biggest concern is that there was some sort of water intrusion from below that somehow brought some of the glue up, which then formed this residue when the water evaporated. Is that possible? Has anybody seen something like this before? How can I find out what actually happened? Will the floor need to be replaced if it does turn out it was exposed to water?

I'd be thankful for any input.

F

joecaption1

Is this linoleum strip flooring, not true laminate?
Laminate does not use glue.
All I can see in the picture is what looks like mold all over the place.

chicago13

I don't know what kind of laminate it is. How can I tell?

I don't think it's mold... it's just really sticky, that's why I thought it might originate underneath.

Furd

Laminate does not use glue.

Depends on the laminate. My Wilsonart laminate floor has every single seam glued.

marksr

Has the HVAC been running while the unit has been empty? I don't know about your locale but here in the southeast mildew can be a real concern in houses that are shut up with no ventilation. IF it's just mildew/mold on the surface, clean up should be fairly simple and living in the unit should prevent reoccurrence.