Laminate or solid wood floor movement

Discussion in 'Carpenters' Talk' started by Boxman, Dec 29, 2019.

  1. Boxman

    Boxman New Member

    Something that I can not get my head round;

    When laying a floor the instructions usually say leave a 6mm ish gap around for expansion, well I understand this - expansion etc.

    The material is expected to expand and contract by a % due to atmospheric conditions etc, for the sake of argument lets say 1% (taking into consideration the boards have been acclimatised for the required time).

    So if you have a room 2m wide the boards will expand by 20mm - 8mm more than the gaps.

    Personally I don't think 1% is realistic for solid wood boards but if we stick with it and make the room 10 m wide this will require a gap of 50mm each side.

    The same idea works for laminate on to chipboard etc, any ideas?
     
  2. Jord86

    Jord86 Screwfix Select

    So what’s your point? Just go by the manufacturers recommendations, if there’s ever an issue where a claim is required you know you’ve done everything to the letter and hopefully won’t have to foot the bill. Laminate expands extremely little anyway being man made, its solid wood floors that you have to watch out for, oak in particular. 8mm or so gap for laminate, at least 12 if not 15-18mm with solid oak.
     
  3. Wayners

    Wayners Screwfix Select

    I've always gone with 4mm window packers around edges. My entire floor of bungalow has laminate through doorways and had no problems
     
  4. Boxman

    Boxman New Member

    That is my point, they suggest 15mm - 18mm for solid oak but surly the gaps needed depend on the size of the room due to the % movement??
     
  5. Boxman

    Boxman New Member

    I am totally with you on this and used packers on the last job I did but what is the point in having a movement gat if you pack it to the wall?
     
  6. Shytot

    Shytot Active Member

    You don’t leave the packers in permanently
     
  7. Boxman

    Boxman New Member

    Last job I did had a 7 m run against a door sill - no furniture on it and the packers had to be left in as the edge board kept coming away at the joint. Flooring supplied by customer
     
  8. Wayners

    Wayners Screwfix Select

    Yeah. Pull packers then the gap is covered with new skirting. Some fit cork strips that fit against existing skirting that take up the movement. With solid wood I've used a blob of silicone against wall as they can slide on repair jobs while at work
     
  9. jimoz

    jimoz Screwfix Select

    Wonder if anyone has ever successfully claimed against over expansion. How can you prove the gap was correct if it's expanded too much!?

    Anyway there isn't many room 10m wide remembering timber expands more widthways compared to lengthwise. By a significant margin too. I usually try and leave 15mm if poss off the brickwork. Keep in mind that plaster or dot n dab is 12mm minimum so still loads of cover on skirtings
     
  10. Jord86

    Jord86 Screwfix Select


    But, if you’re fitting to whatever recommendations by whatever manufacturer then there will be a stipulation limiting you to fit to a certain area size and no more. When have you ever seen a solid timber/oak floor running through all doorways, in a building 30m by 30m(hypothetically?) You don’t, because most houses are of a certain size that’s relative to the restrictions of the materials used to build them. Any large areas, that’s where vinyl or engineered flooring comes in.......
     
  11. Boxman

    Boxman New Member

    Good point, years ago I worked on the rebuild of The French Ambassadors residence in Kensington, the salon was massive, all oak panels painted and then gold leaved, it must have been 15m wide - massive, it was a ballroom I was working on a different wing but how do you allow for oak movement on a room that big? Even 1 % of that is 300mm. It was a long time since I was at collage but what MC are we looking at circa 16%?

    I suppose this was really the crux of my original post
     

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