Do Bamboo Floors Expand And Contract

Carbonised vertical bamboo flooring with an expansion gap.

Do bamboo floors expand and contract. This installation method is easier for diyers and it also has the advantage of allowing the floor to expand and contract as humidity levels change. Here s a brief primer on what s normal for a wood floor as well as how to avoid any true moisture damage. Allow this normal movement in all installations by providing the recommended side or perimeter expansion gap or spacing per product. In most cases the answer is nothing.

This is normal wood flooring behavior and is what causes small gaps to develop between planks in the winter. When floor planks are nailed or glued down to the sub floor each plank will expand and contract a tiny amount. Engineered bamboo is manufactured with a surface veneer bonded to a plywood or mdf core. The contraction which occurs in the wood during these winter months is highly likely to cause gaps to appear in the floor which if not properly insulated may give rise to draughts.

Changes in the weather can be reflected in your hardwood flooring too. Usually categorized with hardwood bamboo is different enough to make a difference in this area. Because of its hygroscopic properties all wood and bamboo expands and contracts in response to humidity levels even after its cut and turned into flooring. I left 3 4 expansion at the baseboard solid hardwood floors.

When you ve selected hardwood flooring for your home you ve purchased a living product. Solid hardwoods by far will expand and contract more than engineered products. When i say spaces they are defined as installing the flooring up to and away from the fixed objects. Yes bamboo flooring requires an expansion gap to allow for the planks of flooring to naturally expand and contract without causing any damage or distortion.

All bamboo and wood expands and contracts in response to humidity. These products always use the click lock floating floor installation method. In the warmer months when the heating is switched off the wood will expand again. In most cases the perimeter expansion gap is related to the thickness of the new flooring.

In order to avoid this you should make sure your sub floor is well insulated. It is the top non engineered wood ish floor product for dimensional stability. Many people don t realize what a dynamic material wood is and how it will expand or contract with small variations in the environment. It is understood that wood flooring will expand and contract in relation to the in door humidity and temperature levels.