Expansion gap

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Waka

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Well the Oak flooring is on the way and I hope to start laying it next weekend.

As menrtioned before, this is for a conservatory which will go through quite a temperature change during the year.

I intend to lay this as a floating floor and am not to sure of what size the expansion gap should be around the perimeter. Any words of wisdom would be appreciated.

Thanks

Waka
 
Hi Waka,

Tom i correct, 10mm is a good gap to leave. Although if you are also going to install skirting boards then i suggest that you lay the floor before the skirting boards, this way the gap will be hidden under them, and you will not need any beading.

Hope this helps

Regards

Mike.C
 
Cork is perfect for laying around an oak floor. It gives with the floor movement and looks the right colour. If you don't know it's there you'd be non the wiser.
 
Guys

Thanks for the advice, have to admit I like the idea of cork around the egdes sounds really neat.

As this is going down in a conservatory I hadn't really thought of the practicalities of putting a skirting down, or even if it would look right, but I'm sold on the cork idea.

Waka
 
Waka, cork is what the pros use around oak floors.
The colour is so close to the oak that it blends perfectly and provides the much needed expansion gap. If you cover the cork with skirting board, it makes it even less noticable.
 
Mike I think you will find that most pro's don't use cork any more. It was used with some types of parquet and mosaic flooring. A decent gap was left round the edge, cork was glued in then leveled with the floor. Gave a good finish but was time consuming.

Latest thinking is that if you have an expansion gap it is best left empty to allow the wood to move unhindered.

Floating floors are particularly problematic because all the movement is at the edges. As Waka says conservatories are particularly challenging because of the big changes in temperature and humidity.

I fitted a floating floor only 4m by 3m, left 10mm all round and within a month the gap had gone and I had to cut another 10mm off all round with the floor in situ. It is also worth bearing in mind that the floor can contract as well as expand.

Waka when you get the wood leave it as long as you can (2 weeks minimum) to acclimatise in the conservatory. Use a vapour barrier underneath, leave a good gap 10mm or (2.5mm per metre run of floor) whichever is greater, you can put small bits of cork in the gap to ensure the gap remains square. Try and have the gap under the skirting it will look a lot neater.

There are lots of posts about fitting wood floors on the Screwfix site if you do a search.

Carpet is still an option :wink:


Keith
 
Umm

keith, that was a lot of movement you had with your floor, what wood were you using? I've chosen oak because of its limited movement.

Dodn't read someof these posts until today because I've been busy laying the floor. I have taken the suggested advise and left a 10mm gap around three of the walls and a larger gap 20mm at one end because this eventually won't be seen.

As to temp changes between seasons, I intend to keep the conservatory the same tempas the house, therefore once it has settled in todays climate I don't really exoect the movement to be greater than 20mm. Mind you I'm prepared to be corrected and offcourse time wil tell.

As for the cork around the edges I thought it was a good idea and unlike on comment it didn't really take all that long. With a pack of nine tiles in the packaging and a table saw the whole lot were cut in about 10 minutes, with about an hour to insert. have to say it really looks nove and compliments the wood. Thanks all for that suggestion.

Still some more work to do in the conservatory planned for September. I'll post start to finish pic's on completion. Shouls also know if the floor is going to outgrow the floor, hope not.

Waka
 
Waka, glad you left it a couple of weeks to acclimatise :wink: :)

Mine was Maple, must have been overcooked when it was kiln dried.

The old way of fitting cork was to fit it proud then plane it level, never did it myself as I am too young. :lol:
 
Who are you trying to kid Keith?
Senility has the effect of losing your memory. :) :lol: :D :?:
 

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