Tackling Wood Flooring Gaps
Although real wood flooring looks stunning and adds value to any home, one downside is that it can expand or contract depending on the temperature and humidity of your home. At First Floors we have found that because we are based in Glasgow which experiences a higher than average rainfall compared to the rest of the UK, this is a common query. We found that last winter was particularly problematic for people with solid hardwood floors given the excessive rainfall we experienced because if your wood flooring is exposed to extreme moisture, it can result in the edges of the wood cracking where it expands greater than the space available. However, there are ways to tackle this.
When having your flooring installed, it’s important that a qualified and experienced fitter does this for you as they will know how big the expansion gap should be, where they should be, and how to disguise them so that your flooring maintains its beautiful appearance whatever the weather. It’s also important to acclimatize the wood in your home prior to installation as this will prevent any expansion post installation. In addition, square edge floors show cracks more than bevelled floors do. Mostly, these cracks only show when it’s dry and when the heating is used frequently. This type of expansion and shrinkage is normal, but if you feel that it is excessive you should ask an expert to assess the damaged floor.
Finally, if you notice that your floor has gaps just after it has been installed, then it could be a problem with the way it was installed so make sure you follow this up with the fitter.
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