Home Laminate Flooring What Size Expansion Gap Is Required for Laminate Flooring?

What Size Expansion Gap Is Required for Laminate Flooring?

by Viena Swierczek
Published: Updated: 92 comments 3 minutes read

When it comes to installing laminate flooring, an expansion gap is crucial. To ensure the longevity and stability of your floor, it is recommended to have a minimum expansion gap of ¼ inch around the perimeter of the floor. In fact, installation experts suggest that the size of the gap should increase as the surface area of the floor does, allowing for the necessary expansion and contraction with temperature changes.

Why Does Laminate Flooring Need an Expansion Gap

Laminate flooring is a floating floor, meaning it is not attached to the sub-floor and rests on top of the underlayment. Without an expansion gap, your floor will lack the necessary space to accommodate these movements, putting it at risk of issues like buckling. Don’t take any chances – keep reading to find out more about the importance of an expansion gap for your laminate flooring installation.

What Happens If I Don’t Leave an Expansion Gap?

To prevent damage to your laminate flooring, it is crucial to have the correct expansion gap. Without it, the floor will not be able to expand freely and adjust to temperature changes, leading to buckling, gapping, squeaking, and irreversible damage.

To achieve the correct size of the expansion gap, we recommend using installation spacers from an installation kit. These spacers should be placed between planks and the wall to provide the required expansion space. Spacers will also help ensure that the gap size is consistent throughout your installation. Please refer to the installation instructions included with your flooring for important guidance on installing your floor. Keep in mind that different floors may require a larger gap.

It’s important to note that the expansion gap should also be maintained in front of built-in cabinets, fireplaces, pipes, pillars, transition moldings, or any other object permanently attached to your floor.

How Do I Cover the Expansion Gap?

In most cases, your moldings will fit perfectly and cover the gap. To achieve a seamless finished look, we recommend installing a shoe molding or quarter round at the bottom of your baseboard. Be sure to nail all moldings to the wall or other moldings, and never to the flooring planks, to allow for expansion and contraction.

When installing your flooring, it’s important to ensure that your moldings are wide enough to fully cover the expansion gap. Having a gap that’s too big can cause problems and affect the stability of your flooring, potentially leading to bowing or warping over time. It can also be unappealing if the gap is visible from the edges of the room. Furthermore, a large gap can make cleaning more difficult as it can trap dirt and debris. So, it’s crucial to choose the right moldings to ensure a seamless appearance and easy maintenance.

Learn More: Types of Moldings for Laminate Flooring Installation

By following these guidelines and ensuring you have the proper expansion gap, you can protect your laminate flooring and avoid costly replacements.

Do you have more questions about laminate flooring installation? We will be happy to help! Post your question in a comments below!

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92 comments

K. Marie January 5, 2019 - 10:14 am

I’m having a lux vinyl floating floor installed. Installation is almost complete. Planks are 16×32.
Over last 2 weeks now seeing chips along a few of the planks and a few planks have gaps and are raised with sharp edges. What could be the cause of this? How do you fix the chips? Do the planks need to be replaced? Contractor already installed 1/4 rd moldings with silicone.

Reply
Tyler January 7, 2019 - 10:00 am

Hello, this would be a result of either incorrect install or install planks that were already damaged. Typically installers that follow the instructions per the manufacturer have no problems such as this. If they refuse to help out or even come look at it, I would contact the retailer you purchased from.

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Zara October 29, 2018 - 9:43 pm

While doing my laminatin floor I forgot to keep space in one side of my room but I kept space in three other sides of my room. What should I do now?

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Tyler October 30, 2018 - 10:09 am

Hey Zara, thank you so much for reaching out. Unfortunately you are going to want to remove the molding so you can trim back the floor. If the floor were to expand in that direction you could start to see buckling. Let me know if you need anything else!

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Tom December 9, 2018 - 2:30 am

Hi Tyler, I am about to lay laminate flooring over a large area, approx 12 meters x 5 meters, what size expansion gap should I leave? Thx. Tom

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Tyler December 18, 2018 - 8:31 am

Hey Tom! Always leave a quarter of an inch for expansion!

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Steward Copeland October 22, 2018 - 3:51 pm

If you acclimate laminated boards to the room they are going to be installed do you still have to leave a gap at the wall

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Tyler October 23, 2018 - 9:14 am

Hello, thank you so much for reaching out to us! If you are installing a floating floor, a quarter inch gap is still needed along the perimeter of the room. Thank you for reaching out!

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Robert June 24, 2018 - 12:33 pm

What type of blade do you use to cut the laminate planks?
I did a small 200 sqft room, and went through 2 saw blades on miter saw just cutting the end plank on each row.
The ac vent hole was just as bad, even a diamond blade on dremel was stopped by this stuff. I ended up drilling holes all they way around, then a hammer and chisel to cut out the rectangle.
I want to do almost 1500 sqft in new house. But don’t want the headache of changing saw blades every 8 cuts.

Reply
Alana Kane June 25, 2018 - 12:36 pm

Hi Robert, great question. A table saw will be your best bet here – the blades will last longer. The miter saw works well for trim work. Here is a video from Pergo talking more about cutting laminate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvRomPRS1PE

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keren carel June 15, 2018 - 12:54 am

I ended up installing laminate with gap of 1.5″
I live in canada
My friend told me its way to big and in short time the laminate will move and separate from one another.
OMG is it true?
Should i start all over again ?
How can i fix it?
Thanks

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Alana Kane June 18, 2018 - 2:55 pm

Hi Keren, thanks for your question! That is a larger expansion gap than recommended, but it should not cause any problems. This will just allow the floor to move as one piece easier. You do not need to fix it, but how are you covering the gaps? A very large molding?

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Teela Harris July 13, 2018 - 10:50 pm

I’m working on my floor now and I just checked wall and the floor moved it’s almost an inch away from the wall now 🙁

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Alana Kane July 16, 2018 - 10:47 am

Hi Teela, do you experience a wide range of temperature fluctuations? If so, we’d recommend finding a way to keep a consistent temperature in your space at all times. This will help keep the floors from large expansions and contractions.

Reply
Lawrence Badman December 11, 2019 - 7:39 am

Which is the easiest laminate board to connect plz

Reply
Alana Kane December 11, 2019 - 7:42 pm

Hi Lawrence, thanks for the question. Anything with a click lock system will connect very easily! You can decide for yourself if you think an Angle-Angle or Standard Click Lock installation will be easiest for you. You can read about types of installation here: https://www.bestlaminate.com/help/guide-to-laminate-flooring-installation/

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