Engineered Wood Flooring Expansion Joints

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.

Engineered wood flooring expansion joints.

Engineered hardwood flooring is designed to minimize gaps due to expansion and contraction of the wood. 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. The bad news is that when you take shortcuts there s plenty that can go wrong. Expansion joints in laminate flooring laminate flooring consists to about 90 of wood.

Many flooring sales people unfamiliar with hardwood flooring assume expansion is the same as laminate flooring. Provided below are some examples of the use of expansion trims and beads. Being a natural organic material wood is always in motion. 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.

It is an essential gap that must be left around the edge of the room when fitting hardwood bamboo or laminate flooring. It is understood that wood flooring will expand and contract in relation to the in door humidity and temperature levels. What this means is the wood expands or contracts or grows and shrinks in response to changing temperatures and humidity. Of profiles are available including trims for joints within the floor doorway transitions as well as beadings.

It s a common saying that wood works. Expansion gaps contraction of hardwood floors explained. But to answer a common question. Allow this normal movement in all installations by providing the recommended side or perimeter expansion gap or spacing per product.

The short answer to this question is yes. Yes it can still have gaps. Are expansion gaps necessary for solid and engineered wood flooring. Perimeter expansion gap or spacing.

Fortunately most of the problems are easily preventable with a little diligence on the part of the installer. So while engineered wood flooring withstands temperature and moisture changes much better than solid wood you should still anticipate a small element of expansion and contraction. 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. The good news is that laying wood floors isn t rocket science.

I purchased 1400 sf of 5 wide 3 4 thick brazilian koa from the tulsa ll store to install over a wood sub floor. An expansion gap is a term used when fitting wooden flooring. Do i need expansion joints in the center of my hardwood installation. Cork expansion joint in solid timber floor timber expansion trim separating hallway and lounge room in this engineered floor.