Expansion Gap For Luxery Vinyl

You may want to fill in gaps to fix the vinyl because of the flooring s distinct advantages over hardwood.

Expansion gap for luxery vinyl.

Thermal expansion of luxury vinyl tile and plank flooring posted on july 13 2017 by flooring professionals administrator i am getting more and more complaints of lvt lvp epc and wpc products used in rooms with glass doors skylights or big window areas that are growing expanding and then gapping especially at the end joints. With these you need that expansion gap just like you do on other types of floating floors. These gaps allow the flooring to expand freely with temperature changes. Tongue and groove vinyl the kind that snaps together like laminate is a different story.

Lay the first row of vinyl plank flooring along the wall leaving the manufacturer recommended amount of expansion space between the plank s edge and the wall usually about 1 4 inch. Vinyl looks like hardwood but is much cheaper to purchase and can be installed for as little as 5 per square foot. If the floor is installed flush with the wall there is no room for growth in the hot months and the loose lay floor can easily buckle. If the planks are cut make sure the cut edge is facing the wall.

The installation is also incredibly easy and fast. When not installed on a level surface a luxury vinyl plank floor can shorten in length when it rides over high and low areas and it can also lift on edges or ends where a substrate irregularity. A floating floor usually needs 5 10mm the loose planks will absorb heat and expand like any flooring material some more than others so you run the risk of it buckling. Vinyl flooring naturally expands and contracts in the heat and cold.

When installing floating vinyl floors it is necessary to allow for this expansion by leaving a gap around the perimeter of the floor or anywhere it meets another floor or vertical surface. Stop the floor between a quarter inch and a half inch shy of the wall to allow for this natural expansion. Leave an expansion gap along the walls. Insert shims to create about a 1 4 inch to 3 8 inch gap between the flooring and the walls.

Vinyl is susceptible to temperature changes in its ambient environment which will cause the vinyl flooring to expand and contract with normal hot and cold fluctuations. Here are some tips for leaving an expansion gap easily. This helps keep the floor from buckling and working itself apart as it expands and contracts with temperature changes.