Will my floating laminate flooring contract in winter enough to show the edges?

Question

I have an old laminate floor. In summer it always showed signs of buckling. Now I fixed it by installing an expansion gap of about 0.6 inch (15mm) against the wall. Now the buckling is gone. However I fear, that because its summer the laminate will retract beyond the skirting board - which is also only 15mm thick - when temperatures drop and the laminate begins contracting again.

I have done this the first time and did not read anything about the obvious fact that laminate flooring will have its maximum dilatation in summer when it is hot and humid. So for next time, must season be considered when installing an expansion joint?

Answer 1

You're correct that the flooring will be at its minimum dimension in winter, when temperatures are slightly lower and, more importantly, humidity is lower. Since you've essentially eliminated all overlap with your skirting, you can expect to see the edges of the floor in winter. Ideally you'd have left about half the gap you did. Most flooring I've installed calls for 1/4" (about 6mm).

The usual solution is to install "base shoe", a small molding designed for basically this purpose. It's often installed when flooring is laid between existing skirting. I would wait and see what movement you actually get and only take action if needed.