Laying Oak Flooring Without a Side Gap`

[CrazyHorseB]

I will be laying oak flooring in a couple of rooms, probably secret nailing onto an existing floor. I know I need to leave 10-15mm gap around the edge but part of the floor will be against a york stone fireplace.

In order to look neat should I not leave the 15mm gap for this 5ft section or should I fit something over the gap?

 

[str]

I laid an oak floor, with expansion gap round the skirting (used quadrant as old plaster so didn't want to risk taking the skirting off), secret nailed to existing floor boards.

At the fire place, laid it right up to the new slate hearth and there has been some movement in the flooring - granted that I couldn't nail 2 or 3 boards right in front due to a concrete hearth stone below.

movement has been the boards have risen slightly - I assume because there is no gap to allow them to expand into.

I was stuck as to how to hide an expansion gap in this area though?

 

[WoodYouLike]

You will have to leave an expansion gap everywhere the floor 'hits' an obstacle, otherwise it has no use. If the floor expands there is the place where you will have a problem.

If the fireplace comes higher than the floor you can cover the expansion gap with a [http://www.woodyoulike.co.uk/shop/#ecwid:category=380999&mode=product&product=1316227]flat beading[/url] that is pinned down the the wood floor.
If it's lower then you can best use an End threshold

Hope this helps

 

[Symptoms]

Crazy - what we always do in this type of situation is to undercut the stone slab/hearth with a diamond disc in an angle grinder then chisel out the slither. The boards can then be tucked under for a neat effect. Obviously, the undercut has to be deep enough to accommodate the hiding of the end of the boards AND allow for movement. To ensure an even cut (parallel) to the floor/top edge of the slab angle-grind along a batten which will act as a straight-edge. Final tip ... close doors, sheet over furniture because of dust and/or get a second person to hold a vacuum cleaner nozzle near to suck as much dust as possible.

You don't say which direction you're laying the boards ... end on to the slab will need marginally less expansion room than laying the boards parallel to the slab.

 

[CrazyHorseB]

Thanks for the advice, I thought that would be the case.

The flat beading looks the best for the job. It says to use very small nails, but won't any nail be strong enough to restrict the expansion of the floor and therefore cause the floor to rise?

 

[CrazyHorseB]

Symptom, thanks for your advise also - thats seems like the perfect job, but also a very big task.

If I lay the new floor onto the existing boards (which is favorite at the moment) then the they will be end onto the fireplace.

 

[WoodYouLike]

Thanks for the advice, I thought that would be the case.

The flat beading looks the best for the job. It says to use very small nails, but won't any nail be strong enough to restrict the expansion of the floor and therefore cause the floor to rise?

The nail is only supposed to pin down the beading, not to restrict movement. If the floor expands, the beading will lift - early 'warning' sign
Restricting the movement is much more of a problem in the long run