Fixing Issues

The Expansion Gap

Although if kiln dried and machined properly you would not expect your timber floor to move substantially in consistent conditions, because it is a natural material it will expand and contract slightly with the changing seasons and varying environment in the house. You are unlikely to notice this expansion with the naked eye, but it will occur, and failure to accommodate it can cause the floor to cup or raft.

In order to avoid this, an expansion gap of 2.5mm for each metre width of the floor (e.g. 4m wide = 10mm) must be left around the entire perimeter of the room.

The expansion gap is created during the fitting process by inserting wedges between the edge of the floor and the wall.

Once the fitting is completed these are removed are either covered by skirting board (Fig. 1), beading (Fig. 2), or filled with strip cork (the latter can be necessary when butting up against fireplaces, quarry tiles, brick or staircases where skirting board or beading cannot be used).