| Expansion depends largely
on the type of hardwood floor that is installed.
Generally most manufacturers that make 3/4" solid
hardwood recommend a 3/4" expansion area around
walls and baseboard when installing. However as
many will come to realize a lot of baseboard made
today won't cover that kind of gap.
With big projects and solid
3/4" hardwood it is wise to keep at least a 1/2"
gap for expansion. On the other hand engineered
products do not need as much expansion area due to
the way they are made. They will expand and
contract very little with the exception of
floating floors. Floating floors require as
much expansion area as possible as they expand
and contract as a whole because they are
connected, opposed to individual strips that may
be fastened or glued to the subfloor.
In conclusion, expansion is
important but will depend on what type of hardwood
floor you are installing. It is very important to
follow all manufacturer recommendations. |
