Central Coast Home & Lifestyle Summer 2024

A ll flooring will expand and contract. Some in response to heat and cold and others due to a change in humidity. Generally, natural materials such as timber and bamboo (and to an extent, laminate) are hydroscopic. That is, they react to the moisture levels in the air. When the air is moist it’s absorbed, and the floor expands (mostly in the width of the board). As a dry spell sets in the floor slowly dries out and shrinks over several weeks. Bamboo is versatile and has the greatest movement in this way. To deal with this when your floor is laid an 8-12mm gap is left wherever the floor meets a vertical surface like a wall. This is best covered by your skirting or as an alternative, scotia to ensure that you will never see this type of movement. Vinyl and the much-advertised Hybrid floors are thermoscopic; they respond to temperature. When the house is cold, they contract and when the home heats up they expand. This can happen several times a day. In all floating floors at some point the area of flooring will become too wide which does not allow an expansion joint to be installed. Ask advice on how wide you can go before needing one as it will depend on the floor type you choose. Trims are required where your new floor meets the tiles in a laundry, an external door, a change in flooring like carpet or change in height such as a step. Most trims are designed to allow the floor to expand and contract under them and need to be installed so that the floor is not prevented from doing so. Every room is different and imposes specific requirements. Call Proflooring for advice or a FREE measure and quote. Phone: 4342 6666 Visit our showroom: Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm or Saturday 9am – 2pm. 256 West Street, Umina Beach. Did you know that flooring expands and contracts?

Oak, Timber & Laminate Flooring Large Showroom Free Measure and Quote Quality

256 West Street, Umina Beach P:4342 6666 | email:info@proflooring.com.au

www.proflooring.com.au