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Nadine16036 Mar 2017 09:04Good morning,
we have purchased an existing house. The entire screed on the ground floor, including the expansion joints, has now been renewed.
We have ordered very stable click vinyl flooring, and we would like to install it as a floating floor. In other words, we prefer to avoid using transition strips. The ground floor area is approximately 100m² (1,076 sq ft). The kitchen, dining, and living areas are open-plan, and especially in this space, it is important for us not to use any transition strips. Along the room edges, we would leave sufficient space to allow the vinyl to expand if necessary.
My question is whether this could cause any problems or consequences, or if it is generally possible to lay the floor covering continuously without issues.
We have also retrofitted underfloor heating, which might be relevant to mention.
I would be very grateful for any responses.
Thank you very much and best regards,
Nadine
we have purchased an existing house. The entire screed on the ground floor, including the expansion joints, has now been renewed.
We have ordered very stable click vinyl flooring, and we would like to install it as a floating floor. In other words, we prefer to avoid using transition strips. The ground floor area is approximately 100m² (1,076 sq ft). The kitchen, dining, and living areas are open-plan, and especially in this space, it is important for us not to use any transition strips. Along the room edges, we would leave sufficient space to allow the vinyl to expand if necessary.
My question is whether this could cause any problems or consequences, or if it is generally possible to lay the floor covering continuously without issues.
We have also retrofitted underfloor heating, which might be relevant to mention.
I would be very grateful for any responses.
Thank you very much and best regards,
Nadine
Hello "Nadine1603".
With an area of 100m² (1,076 sq ft) and underfloor heating, gaps between loose-laid vinyl planks are inevitable!
For an unheated screed, I would still agree after proper acclimatization before installation, but not with a heated screed.
Apart from that, for these thin-layered elements, the flatness of the subfloor must be significantly higher (exceeding line 4 in DIN 18202 table 3).
To answer your question:
There will definitely be gaps between the edges of the planks.
Most likely, the gap width will be between 1.6mm and 2mm (about 1/16 to 1/12 inch).
Best regards,
KlaRa
With an area of 100m² (1,076 sq ft) and underfloor heating, gaps between loose-laid vinyl planks are inevitable!
For an unheated screed, I would still agree after proper acclimatization before installation, but not with a heated screed.
Apart from that, for these thin-layered elements, the flatness of the subfloor must be significantly higher (exceeding line 4 in DIN 18202 table 3).
To answer your question:
There will definitely be gaps between the edges of the planks.
Most likely, the gap width will be between 1.6mm and 2mm (about 1/16 to 1/12 inch).
Best regards,
KlaRa
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Baumhaus.Bau6 Mar 2017 12:49Hello Nadine,
In our new build, we also had vinyl installed everywhere except in the bathrooms. In several discussions, we were advised to glue the vinyl down, especially since we have underfloor heating and floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room.
A friend of ours had vinyl installed as a floating floor over an area of about 8 x 5 meters (26 x 16 feet) in the living room, and he said the planned 5cm (2 inches) expansion gap at the walls was not enough to accommodate movement.
This is particularly true when the sun shines through the large windows, causing the vinyl to expand significantly.
I would also recommend gluing the vinyl.
In our new build, we also had vinyl installed everywhere except in the bathrooms. In several discussions, we were advised to glue the vinyl down, especially since we have underfloor heating and floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room.
A friend of ours had vinyl installed as a floating floor over an area of about 8 x 5 meters (26 x 16 feet) in the living room, and he said the planned 5cm (2 inches) expansion gap at the walls was not enough to accommodate movement.
This is particularly true when the sun shines through the large windows, causing the vinyl to expand significantly.
I would also recommend gluing the vinyl.
I have also looked into whether vinyl flooring with an HDF core can be installed continuously across multiple rooms as a floating floor (with underfloor heating). I asked Parador about this and received a brief response:
It can be installed continuously. However, you should glue the end joints. Please also use a PE foil.
In the end, I decided to use transition strips instead. It’s simpler, the strips don’t bother me, and it feels more secure. Continuous installation requires more effort because you need to include all rooms in the measurements to avoid very narrow strips of vinyl flooring. You also have to pay more attention to the installation direction. Both methods work. I know people who have done both in new builds. As far as I know, vinyl with an HDF core and cork underlay is not intended for full gluing—solid vinyl would be more suitable for that.
It can be installed continuously. However, you should glue the end joints. Please also use a PE foil.
In the end, I decided to use transition strips instead. It’s simpler, the strips don’t bother me, and it feels more secure. Continuous installation requires more effort because you need to include all rooms in the measurements to avoid very narrow strips of vinyl flooring. You also have to pay more attention to the installation direction. Both methods work. I know people who have done both in new builds. As far as I know, vinyl with an HDF core and cork underlay is not intended for full gluing—solid vinyl would be more suitable for that.
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