Laminate Flooring Spacing

Tip 1 measure measure and measure right.

Laminate flooring spacing.

Installation spacers minimize movement of the floor during installation. The recommended expansion gap is a minimum of inch. For the next plank join the short end of the plank first image 2. The laminate flooring manufacturers require a level surface otherwise they cannot guarantee a proper laminate flooring.

Spacers cover expansion gaps between 1 8 in. When you install the floor you ll need to leave a quarter inch space between the flooring edges and walls or any other permanent floor spaces such as the base of cabinets. Laminate flooring products are recommended for residential areas such as kitchens living. You will see a gap on the long side joints when the plank is rotated down.

Although it s fine to make the spacing even wider than this it seldom make sense to maintain a minimum of more than 10 inches. Expert installers say that the larger the space the larger the expansion gap should be as the floor needs more space to expand and contract with temperature. Measure every inch jot it down then calculate the total square footage of the area where you want to install your laminate flooring. During laminate floor installation the proper expansion space must be left around all walls and vertical surfaces.

Expansion space must be left around fixed objects such as pipes cabinets fireplace hearths sliding glass door tracks floor outlets floor vents and thresholds. In addition use a large scraper to remove the bumps and other residues on the floor. Using the caulk around door jambs pipes and stonework. You should leave a gap of 3 8 inch between the outer edge of the threshold molding and the track for the sliding door and from the edge that faces the inside of the room.

The standard width of threshold molding pieces is 2 1 8 inches. Most laminate flooring manufacturers provide quarter inch plastic spacers as guides. Threshold molding strips are typically used as a transition piece between sliding doors and laminate flooring. Since laminate flooring is a floating floor it is not attached to the sub floor and sits on top of the underlayment.

Take your time to finish your work. The very first step in the process is to measure your space. In practice a minimum spacing of 6 inches works well for 5 inch laminate planks. This space will allow room for the flooring to expand and contract with changes in humidity.

Without the proper expansion space a floor may buckle and gap due to the normal expansion and contraction of the laminate floating floor. If the planks are wider you can increase the minimum to 8 or 10 inches. Insert the tongue of the second row plank into the groove of the first row plank at a slight angle until the laminate edges meet. Next rotate down until the joints lock image 1.

Simplesolutions installation spacers for laminate floors bag weighs 1 lb. 11 biggest mistakes when installing laminate flooring. Each package contains 48 spacers and each package covers approximately 48 sq. Therefore we recommend you to use a 4 spirit level as to check the surface and pour auto leveling screed if necessary.