Why does nobody talk about the 3/8 inch gap rule for vinyl plank in basements?

I used to think you could get away with a 1/4 inch gap around the edges in a basement install, especially with a floating floor. Then I did a job in a 1970s split-level last spring, and the homeowner called me back 8 months later because the planks had buckled near the exterior wall. The basement had shifted just enough with the seasons. Now I always leave a full 3/8 inch and use a proper undercut saw on the door frames. Has anyone else had a floor fail from not leaving enough room to move?

2 comments

2 Comments

mark67628d ago

Learned that the hard way too. My first basement job looked great for about six months, then it looked like a tiny mountain range.

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andrew_kelly28d agoMost Upvoted

Moisture probably came up from the floor, right?