Leaving the right expansion gap is an essential part of fitting any wooden floor. Whether it be solid wood, engineered wood or parquet block flooring, they all need an expansion gap to allow for natural movements when the wood expands and contracts with changes in the surrounding atmosphere.
An expansion gap is a small space left around the perimeter of the room. For hardwood floors it is recommended that a gap of at least 12mm is left around the entire edge of the room, including all doorways, fireplaces, and around any pipework. Continue reading