hardwood flooring joint spacing
Solid hardwood floors. solid hardwoods by far, will expand and contract more than engineered products. how much will depend on the layout involved, seasonal change in relative humidity, species selection, and type of hardwood cut. for smaller areas such as 10' x 12' rooms, leaving 3/8" expansion would be satisfactory.. The term expansion gap, when used in conjunction with wood flooring refers to the space left around the edges of a room when a floor is fitted. normally a space of between 10 and 15mm, it’s not a huge amount of space, but it’s enough to help prevent problems with wood flooring when it expands and contracts.. While 8-10" is the normal nailing pattern, shorter pieces will be a different story. that's why we mention the need for more fasteners if the material is shorter than standard strip flooring. keep away from ends joints at least 2 inches. there's a reason why manufacturers recommend nailing a minimum of two inches from each end joint..
hardwood flooring joint spacing
Installing hardwood flooring over a wood slat sub-floor can present problems, especially if the sub-floor is not truly flat, has gaps between the slats or has flex. in this instance it is best practice to install a plywood sub-floor on top of the wood slats.. Since i haven't taken out the baseboards yet, and i watched a video that shows a space between the dry wall and the floor, if mine has a space (gap), does the expansion amount calculate from the outside wall to the hardwood or drywall to the hardwood (if there's a space between the drywall and the floor)..
