18mm Oak Floor on screed - gaps

gugs · Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 12:37 pm Post Subject: 18mm Oak Floor on screed - gaps

We had 18mm Oak floating floor layed on screed this April. The carpenter used extra strong glue at the joints.

Unfortunately, gaps have appeared at the joints in some areas. In some cases these are up to 5mm wide. They seem worse, near the radiators.

What can we do to remedy this? Is this a continuous process i.e. will the floor settle or will this happen throughout the year during the different seasons? Should we take the floor apart again and glue it to the ground? We went for a floating floor because we wanted to lay underlay. Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

gugs · Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 12:46 pm Post Subject: Sorry forgot to mention

The wood planks are of various length, same width, all T&G.

mattysupra · Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 8:35 pm Post Subject:

how long after install did the gaps appear? 1Month? or within the last month or two now you have turned your heating back on?

gugs · Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2007 8:48 am Post Subject: Gaps

Same gaps appeared soon after the floor was layed. However, some large ones in the last few weeks since the heating is on more constantly.

WoodYouLike · Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2007 9:27 am Post Subject:

How long had the wood been in situ before it was installed? IMHO it looks like the wooden floor was to 'wet' and hasn't had sufficient time to acclimatise before it was installed.

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gugs · Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 8:18 am Post Subject: How long before layed

The flooring was store in original packing in a heated room from December 2006 until April 2007. The installer, stated it was fine lay it.

WoodYouLike · Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 9:18 am Post Subject:

Stating or really checking the moist content, now there is a difference

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gugs · Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2007 8:20 am Post Subject: Moist

So it appears the flooring was moist when laid. Do you know what is the best remedy now?

WoodYouLike · Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2007 10:22 am Post Subject:

No, that's not what I was saying, it's very hard to tell now if that had been the case. It sounds like it, based on your story. But if your fitter hasn't checked the moist content before he installed it, it is very hard afterwards to proof it was too moist.

IMHO you've waited too long to get the fitter back, you should have done that the minute you noticed gaps appearing during summer - the season where the air-humidity is normally higher: floors expand then, not shrink!
But see what he has to say?

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Voted "Best Flooring Retailer" (1 -2 stores) by Interiors Monthly readers in the 2010 Awards.
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