Flooring guys? Can I just cut the expansion gap?

[eightball]

So file this under "I know the tool can do it just not sure if I should do it" category.

Laying an engineered wood floor.  Wondering if I can just lay the first row flush with the wall, scribe as necessary, then come back when I'm done and cut the 1/2" expansion gap with my TS55?

Seems like it would save a bunch of time, no?

What am I missing? (I usually have about 10 bone-headed idea a week - and this being Monday I have all 10 available so wondering if this is one of them).

Thanks for the advice!

 

[WelshWood]

You can do it that way, but if the walls aren't straight, you could have a problem.

I normally put my first piece of flooring as tight to the wall as possible, using a scribe block to cut whatever expansion gap you are leaving, and then put spacers in so when i'm fitting up against the first board, it doesn't move/wander.

There's nothing wrong with the method you've stated, but I would prefer the tried and tested method. Granted, if your walls are straight (which seems to be a rarity with the work i'm doing at the moment! [mad]) go for it!

~WW

 

[tjbnwi]

Use foam backer rod for the spacer, when you're finished with the floor pull the backer rod.

Tom

 

[WelshWood]

Use foam backer rod for the spacer, when you're finished with the floor pull the backer rod.

Tom

Great tip!

Will have to use this technique next time I lay a floor, normally I cut a load of spacers and dot them round the perimeter of the room and remove before skirting.

~WW

 

[Peter_C]

Use foam backer rod for the spacer, when you're finished with the floor pull the backer rod.

Tom

That is interesting that you remove the backer rod. I had considered putting it into the gap after finishing my floor and before installing a baseboard. Instead I used some extra pink fiberglass insulation to fill the gap. My issue is spiders, and the less places they have to make a home the better.

I don't find it hard nor time consuming to leave the 1/2" gap as I go. I do have a bunch of blocks I made to assist in setting the gap. Plus I wouldn't want to nick my vapor retarder.

 

[tjbnwi]

The backer is removed to allow for expansion of the floor. I believe the backer would compress but have no evidence that leaving it in would not cause problems.

Tom