Is it necessary to place T-transition expansions or breaks in floating floors? (2024)

FAQs

Is it necessary to place T-transition expansions or breaks in floating floors? ›

Yes, when directed by the manufacturer, T-molding transitions and expansion breaks must be used. The T-Mold, or Transition Strip, is going to cover the small space between two areas of flooring.

If you are dealing with two different types of floor coverings, a transition strip is almost always required.

As stated above, all floating floors require expansion gaps as a general rule. This includes all flooring options within our Engineered Timber, Laminate and Hybrid collections.

Yes, transition strips are necessary for vinyl plank flooring. Transition strips provide a smooth and seamless transition between two different types of flooring or between two rooms with different heights.

If there is no expansion gap, or a gap that is too small, the flooring can buckle. When there isn't the space to move, the planks can begin to lift at the seams, creating an uneven surface and an unsightly look.

Transition strips are often used if there's a step up or down between doors that open to the outside and their adjacent spaces. In the transition between rooms when there is a door present. Between rooms where the flooring material changes.

Websites suggest that Karndean Looselay, glue down vinyl tiles and the No-Vinyl tiles can all be fitted without an expansion gap (if the room is not too big), but installation instructions for the click version of LVT flooring say there should be one.

Expansion and contraction is a fact of life

When installing floating vinyl floors it is necessary to allow for this expansion by leaving a gap around the perimeter of the floor or anywhere it meets another floor or vertical surface.

Generally, a gap of 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch is recommended for hardwood flooring, while laminate flooring typically requires a gap of 1/4 inch to 3/8 inch. It's important to note that the expansion gap should be consistent throughout the room, including around obstacles such as doorways, cabinets, and pipes.

Do you want to AVOID using Transitions? Yes, your manufacturer will void your warranty if you do not use transitions at breaking points like doorways and long runs that they state “are too long”.

Are floor transitions necessary? ›

Transitioning flooring may seem like a complicated process, but it's a very necessary part of your flooring installation. There are multiple reasons why you shouldn't skip a proper transition, both for the function of the flooring and the design elements of your home.

Since vinyl plank flooring comes in even sizes, you might be tempted to install them in a straight pattern. However, straight floor panels are more likely to warp, shift and slide out of place. Staggered floors create an unevenly spaced pattern with 6 inches of space between the end joints on adjacent rows.

This is what makes it so important to leave a gap of 10mm where the panels abut walls, door frames, pipes and so forth. If this isn't done, the material can suffer damage as a result of buckling, warping and so on. The tongue-and-groove joints can also suffer, and all this may void the terms of the warranty.

If the room is more or less square and if there aren't too many indoor climate changes between weekdays and the weekend or during the day, then you can lay up to 13 running metres without extra expansion gaps in the floor surface. The expansion gap along the walls depends on the climate conditions of the room.

Floating floors are installed in one big piece, and if not for wall confinement, the surface could theoretically be moved. This is a positive aspect because it allows the flooring to adapt by expanding and contracting to alterations in the room's humidity.

For any flooring that requires a floating installation method, be laminate or vinyl planks, use a 6 mils (or thicker) plastic sheet as a moisture barrier. You can also use an underlayment with a moisture barrier built-in for water vapor control.

Always allow for 5/16” min to 3/8” max expansion at walls and around fixed objects. A transition strip is required when length or width of installed planks measures 40' and in doorways if plank direction changes.

Expansion and contraction is a fact of life

When installing floating vinyl floors it is necessary to allow for this expansion by leaving a gap around the perimeter of the floor or anywhere it meets another floor or vertical surface.

Unlike traditional solid-wood strips, a floating floor isn't nailed down. Instead, the planks are either glued or snapped together. The planks go down fast, over virtually any material—concrete, plywood, sheet vinyl, even ceramic tile.