Installing solid wood planks floating - how does it work?

Good luck and please report back

This will take a very long time. I’m thinking around autumn/winter. I’m currently planning a new build. And right now, the type and structure of the screed are being determined. To some extent, this is influenced by the subsequent flooring. And the type of flooring, in turn, depends on the costs and the possible amount of own labor. That’s why the inquiry is so early. I keep reading about expansion joints at the edges. Depending on the width or length of the installation, incredible values are reported. Everything from 10-30mm is mentioned. And yes, of course, I know about the 0.26% expansion per meter for solid oak per % moisture change. But for 5 meters, that would be about 13mm, and I’ve been wondering for quite a while how the adhesive is supposed to handle that. I mean, with floating floors, that makes perfect sense to me since the values of the individual planks add up. But with glued planks, the outermost plank can’t shift that much without the adhesive failing. As I said, even experts haven’t been able to give me a satisfactory answer so far. It’s just said to be 10-20mm because of the expansion. Would you recommend a beginner rather go for lengths of 50-200cm or 200-300cm? And width, rather 14cm or 18cm? Thanks for an answer.

The length and width do not depend on your skill, but rather on what suits you better. The wood moisture is a crucial criterion for successful results. Ideally, it is 10-12%, which means the boards no longer react extremely. Manufacturers recommend elastic adhesives for their product, and their guidelines should be followed. A middle ground of 15mm for the wall distance is certainly sufficient. In summary, it can be said that a well-prepared substrate, humidity, installation temperature, room temperature, residual moisture of the wood, and suitable adhesives are essential for success and also lead to the desired result.

Best regards, Sigi

I don't believe that. A wall gap of 15mm only makes sense if the plank can actually be moved that far towards the wall. I can well imagine that with floating floors. With glued planks, I can't imagine any adhesive that could withstand such a stress even once, no matter how elastic it is.

As already said, it is a middle ground and leaves the floor sufficient room to move. That by no means means that it actually needs the gap. Such an adhesive can handle quite a bit and also allows the floor to work.

And as written, the above-mentioned components are important in order to get a sustainable floor. Certainly, one must also reckon with minimal joint formation. No manufacturer in this world will be able to completely exclude this. Wood is after all a natural product with all its properties.

Therefore, I can only write, leave it or simply accept the product wood.