Laminate flooring

[phawley]

Hi All

I have some laminate flooring to lay in the next week or so, the thing is, the overall length of the property is 7.5 mtr and the flooring will go from one end to the other, I'm unsure if the normal expansion gap of 10mm at each end will be enough, any thoughts.

 

[WoodYouLike]

With laminates, the melamine plastic stuff, 10mm is sufficient. Besides that, you only have to worry if your rooms would be 7 meter wide - wood only grows length ways as long as it is a tree, after it has been cut into boards it 'expands' more in the width than in length.

 

[phawley]

Thanks for that, it always makes me wonder what are the conditions that make these boards expand i.e heat, moisture or what and if I fit a floor when the boards are fully expanded and leave a 10mm expansion gap then when they contract am I going to be left with a gap showing?
Luckily it hasn't happened yet.

 

[mattysupra]

moister in the air, the flooring should be acclimatised to the room conditions. This way the floor should be at its correct size before fitting. The expansion is there for when the humidity in the room raises slightly due to weather change etc. The floor will also shrink slighty when the moister drops, like over winter when you have the heating on. With laminate it does alot more growing than shrinking tho. Thats why if its a solid wood your fitting you should take a moister reading of the wood before fitting other wise this can shrink/expand alot.