2cm Gap has appeared under skirting!

[Jon24]

Hi all,

I was hoping someone may be able to help.

I purchased a property this summer that has had a kitchen extension done 5 years ago. The extension is basically 1 wall with a slanted roof which has widened the kitchen.

All seemed fine with paperwork & survey etc but this week a 2cm gap has appeared between the skirting and hardwood floor underneath the radiator and some of the spacing in the floorboards are now a bit wider.

I’ve read about the hardwood floors shrinking in winter due to humidity which may explain the wider spacing but am very concerned about the gap.

No signs of a leak, water pressure is fine, boiler pressure is fine and the radiator is still functioning as normal.

does anyone have any thoughts? Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

[Bob Rathbone]

The floor has dropped due to settlement as the sub base may have not been properly compacted before the concrete was laid. You have 2 options, dig up the floor, compact the sub base and re lay, or wait until the settlement stops and apply a floor levelling compound.

 

[Jon24]

Hi Bob

thanks for your reply,

With either of those options would the entire kitchen floor need to be taken up and worked on or just the portion in the extension? Apologies for the potentially silly question!

I only ask as the potential work load would be significantly different, all of the fitted units and appliances are in the original part of the kitchen whereas the extension part is empty.

Thanks

Jon

 

[Knight Rider]

Is the floor a concrete slab, or floorboards on joists?

When wood dries, it shrinks accross the grain, so gaps may appear between the boards. But if it's a decent floor, there will be Tongue and Grooves to avoid actual gaps.
The boards do not shrink noticably along the length of the boards.
Drying and shrinking is more likely to occur soon after the boards are laid, and in hot dry weather.
After 5 years of the boards being laid, any further drying and shrinking is unlikely.