Expansion Gap & Laminate

[KeepCalmAndCarryOn]

Hi all,

I'm attempting my first laminate install but want to pick your collective brains..

I'm installing in a 3x3m room with concrete floor and very uneven walls (a tanked cellar actually!) the walls are constructed of foot wide concrete slabs. I'm happy to install around the walls but not sure what todo with the expansion gaps as I cant install scotia - its too uneven.

1) Can I simply fill the gap with colour mastic?
2) Surely I would require a LOAD of mastic to totally fill a 1/4 inch gap?
3) Will colour mastic impede floor expansion?
3) Will it look awful if I do this?!

Cheers!

 

[kevnurse]

Well, having laid quite a lot of laminate floors recently, I have to encourage you to allow for unrestricted expansion; so do not fill the gap with anything that will not compress. So, mastic, silicon and cork are not recommended by me.

The answer to your problem lies in the wall preparation. I recommend you to try to smooth out the concrete walls with plaster from floor height to the height of standard skirting boards. Then fit the laminates with the gaps and then fit the skirting boards. Thats the best I can offer, unless you want to grind down the concrete to create the even wall surface for the skirting, but even then you will have to use some filler to cover any excessive grind down.

Don't fill the expansion gap.

 

[KeepCalmAndCarryOn]

grinding down concrete sounds like a messy job, ill avoid that.

Think i'll take your advice and neatly level the walls around the floor for a few inches then use matching scotia.

cheers kevnurse.