LVT expansion gap spacers

danrv

Hi

I'm laying Malmo LVT click flooring in my bathroom and the instructions say to place 6mm spacers against the walls or skirting boards. Have had a quick look around but there doesn't seem to be anything suitable.

I have a new chipboard subfloor, plastered and painted walls plus a DPM sheet turned up at the edges. Any help appreciated.

Rodders53

Have you typed "6mm spacers" into the search engine of your choice? Tile spacer 'cruciforms' are often 6mm and could be repurposed for this by breaking them apart or laid 'on edge'. Removed after laying completed ideally. Offcuts of 5 or 6mm ply or other wood can be used also.

NB expansion / contraction is only a big issue on larger floor areas.

danrv

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82110629#Comment_82110629

Thanks. I used more specific wording but '6mm spacers' worked better and showed shim type spacers that I'm looking for.

morhen

You could also try searching for window spacers and just buying a mixed glazing packer box. They are cheap enough in bulk.

grumpy_codger

It doesn't have to be exactly 6, especially as walls are usually slightly uneven. The bigger the room the bigger expansion gap is needed. Surely the recommended 6mm is for a very big room. For a smallish bathroom you probably don't need any - just leave a very small gap just in case. For my 12m2 kitchen I didn't use them; small gaps are covered by skirting boards.

And if you want to use spacers they have to be soft, not like 'packers' for fitting windows. Cut them yourself from cork, polystyrene or similar.

Vitrex Cork Expansion Strips 0.6m x 12.5mm 18 Pack - Screwfix

danrv

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82110790#Comment_82110790

There's no mention of room size in the instructions. My bathroom is 2.7m x 1.7m. Spacers would probably be more useful to keep an even distance from the wall. I might just the install the tiles without them though.

GDB2222

When I laid some LVT, I put in spacers for the laying stage, but then removed them once the floor was down. Is that wrong, then?

grumpy_codger

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82111205#Comment_82111205

There's no mention of room size in the instructions.

There is common sense and science.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_expansion#Length

Soft spacers are supposed to keep the floating LVT sheet in place while allowing it to expand a little.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82111262#Comment_82111262

When laying hard spacers are needed to compensate for the wall imperfecness to keep the edge perfectly straight (and, if needed, to created a gap for filling later with softer spacer). For this usually temporary spacers with triangle crossection are usually used and removed at the end:

GDB2222

I used hard spacers, as you described whilst fitting. I didn't realise that soft spacers were needed if the expansion gap was covered with the skirting board (or scotia).

Rodders53

Spacers removed after fitting will allow the floor to 'float' and, potentially, move as well as expand/contract… but movement is fairly unlikely in a bathroom where some edge(s) will inevitably need to be sealed with silicone against water spills and therefore fixed… Toilet pan (and other furniture) may be sat atop the LVT… and a door threshold strip will also pretty much fix it in place.

{Thinking out loud: Some LVT is stick-down in any case. How does that situation cope with expansion?}

Unless the manufacturer's installation instructions are very specific about the expansion gap material, whether it must remain in place or should be removed then its all a 'matter of opinion'. Manufacturer's Instructions trump opinion or 'best practice' assertions from strangers on the internet.