Fitted some engineered wood flooring in the living room. The floor is floating not fixed. Do I put cork strips in the expansion gaps before fitting the skirting boards?
The rest of flooring I've done has been laminate. I filled the expansion gaps with cork strip and have had no problems in 8 years.
The cork strip manufacturers say no problem to do this. However I've just read elsewhere that the expansion gaps should be left empty to allow expansion to take place.
This makes sense, but then cork is compressible so I can see both sides of the argument.
The gaps won't be seen as the skirting boards cover them.
Any thoughts?
I'd fit them, save on drafts coming up through the floor, which in turn could impact your heating bill
OK its effectively still a natural timber so subject to some seasonal movement, but I wouldn't think that much really.
And with as you say cork being compressible any movement shouldn't be so great as to cause problems like a buckling floor.
TBH
I couldn't say 100% as im using the bacteria riddled Petri dish carpet stuff. But I reckon it would be ok with 12mm gap all round.
When mine were fitted they were left empty with skirting over the gap.
One bloke was going to fit without new skirting and was going to use cork rather than put a trim on.
Yes, I've fitted the Cork strips to laminate and engineered wood floors.
Great stuff thank you everyone.