Ecpansion Gap For Floating Wood Floor

In most cases the perimeter expansion gap is related to the thickness of the new flooring.

Ecpansion gap for floating wood floor.

It is an essential gap that must be left around the edge of the room when fitting hardwood bamboo or laminate flooring. When laying laminate flooring it is essential that you leave at least a 10 12mm expansion gap around the perimeter of the floor. Figure 2 hardwood flooring expansion gap. Are expansion gaps necessary for solid and engineered wood flooring.

The short answer to this question is yes. Many flooring sales people unfamiliar with hardwood flooring assume expansion is the same as laminate flooring. Yes it can still have gaps. An expansion gap is a term used when fitting wooden flooring.

We usually think of gaps as a bad thing. Although engineered wood flooring is more resistant to expansion and contraction than solid wood it is still important to leave an expansion gap when installing an engineered wood floor. There are important reasons to do so and we will cover them in this article. An expansion gap is essential when it comes to laminate flooring installation.

But when properly used expansion gaps can relieve the pressure from heat expansion that can affect a floating floor before it meets an immovable vertical obstruction like a wall a doorpost an installed cabinet or a supporting column. Expert installers say that the larger the space the larger the expansion gap should be as the floor needs more space to expand and contract with temperature. Perimeter spacing not only allows for seasonal expansion but also provides airflow. The moisture content of the hardwood flooring is relative to he humidity levels in the area where it has been installed.

Engineered hardwood flooring is designed to minimize gaps due to expansion and contraction of the wood. The flooring store said to leave one quarter inch gaps for expansion at the walls now the boards are lifting off the floor ill informed advice like this often leads to floor problems. However you won t need to worry about any spaces around the perimeter of your installation. The expansion gap should be around the whole perimeter of the room wherever the flooring may be against fixed objects such as walls doorways radiator pipes and fireplaces.

But to answer a common question. Why gaps are important. Gapping in engineered hardwood can be due to many factors including but not limited to the material s manufacturing changes in humidity and the type and quality of the installation. Positive airflow reduces the occurrence of side wicking or moisture transference to the flooring materials.

Expansion gaps should be left wherever the floor comes up against a fixed object for example next to a wall a doorway or a heating pipe. The recommended expansion gap is a minimum of inch. As a result when it comes to installing engineered wood flooring you must leave an expansion gap otherwise you could come up against severe problems in the future.