Solid Hardwood, Engineered and Laminate Flooring - How far should the first board be from the wall

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Madfinn
03-04-09, 08:19 PM
I'll start laying down my 3/4 in. hardwood flooring this weekend. I've pulled the baseboard off and will replace it with new after the floor is installed.

I've read that the first and last rows should be 3/4 inch from the wall. I won't be using quarter round on the bottom of my baseboard, and the baseboard is just barely 3/4 in. thick, so when I re-install the baseboard it wouldn't cover the nails used on the first row.

Question is, is 3/4 inch really necessary, will the flooring expand that much, or would 1/2 inch do?

Thanks

Arkon
03-04-09, 10:21 PM
It's winter which means its cool and dry in the house. This is the season when wood is at its smallest. It will expand throught he spring and summer. So acclimate it well (use a meter) and use the 3/4" expansion. In the mid to late summer months you can get away with 1/2" expansion gaps because it will shrink. You can toe out your base a bit at the bottom to help cover the new floor if you don't want QR. Hope that helps.