fitting laminate in the kitchen and 12.5mm expansion gaps!

[tvrbeaver]

Hi Guy's .. a bit of advice if you could please... Ive fitted a new kitchen and bought Wicks Tile effect laminate flooring to put down. the floor is the modern MDF floor board things (not nice)... but in good shape and humidity okay etc...
however, reading the instructions, it says leave a 12.5mm gap around everything!.. the kitchen is 5mtrs x 3 mtrs and has the units where the sides jut forward beyond the kick boards at the ends.. if I'm going to leave 12.5mm around this lot it will look a right dog.

so Question is... do I need 12.5mm or will less do?.. and if so, how small can I go?

and second question is, how can I fill / cover the gap?... would be good to put some very soft silicon in there maybe.. I don't like the quadrant stuff around all the units. even flat stuff is a bit naff.. .. any suggestions?...

cheers....

 

[crazydaze]

Take all the kick boards off, take all the end panels off the units, take the skirtings off, fit the floor, refit the skirtings, re-cut the end boards of the units and re-cut the kick boards.

DO allow 12.5mm expansion at least.

 

[tvrbeaver]

Yes, that's what it says. But on two ends I have end panels only (built in fridge and dishwasher. So these must sit on the sub floor? And they are both ends of the L which goes not help.
Was talking to a fitter last night and they are starting do do a few vinyl tiles. Big in the US as.
May have a look at these 😊... Any experience of them

 

[crazydaze]

Yes, that's what it says. But on two ends I have end panels only (built in fridge and dishwasher. So these must sit on the sub floor? And they are both ends of the L which goes not help.
Was talking to a fitter last night and they are starting do do a few vinyl tiles. Big in the US as.
May have a look at these 😊... Any experience of them

Usually the whole unit sits in feet under the units, the wnboards are usually decorative, check and see, an alternative would be to run beading in these areas, but the unit should never be fitted into the floor if it can be avoided