Do Bamboo Floors Expand And Contract

It is understood that wood flooring will expand and contract in relation to the in door humidity and temperature levels.

Do bamboo floors expand and contract.

These products always use the click lock floating floor installation method. I left 3 4 expansion at the baseboard solid hardwood floors. 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. In glue and nail down applications tongue and groove each individual plank expands and contracts while secured to the subfloor.

When you ve selected hardwood flooring for your home you ve purchased a living product. Here s a brief primer on what s normal for a wood floor as well as how to avoid any true moisture damage. Carbonised vertical bamboo flooring with an expansion gap. 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.

Solid hardwoods by far will expand and contract more than engineered products. Engineered flooring which is attached to the subfloor. It is the top non engineered wood ish floor product for dimensional stability. 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. Changes in the weather can be reflected in your hardwood flooring too. Engineered bamboo is manufactured with a surface veneer bonded to a plywood or mdf core. 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.

In the warmer months when the heating is switched off the wood will expand again. When floor planks are nailed or glued down to the sub floor each plank will expand and contract a tiny amount. 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. Many people don t realize what a dynamic material wood is and how it will expand or contract with small variations in the environment.

All bamboo and wood expands and contracts in response to humidity. Allow this normal movement in all installations by providing the recommended side or perimeter expansion gap or spacing per product. Expansion and contraction is to be expected in a natural product like hardwood flooring. Usually categorized with hardwood bamboo is different enough to make a difference in this area.