You’ll want to ensure you have the right materials, including spacers. Read on to find out more about this important step!
12 Reasons Need Spacers for Laminate Flooring
In addition to the reasons already mentioned, spacers also help to achieve a professional finish when installing laminate flooring. Spacers help create a level transition between rooms and make it easier to remove planks in the future.
1. Prevents buckling or warping of the floor
Spacers are an essential part of laminate flooring installation. They create an expansion gap around the room’s perimeter and between each plank. This gap ensures that the laminate flooring has room to expand and contract with changing temperatures, which prevents buckling or warping of the floor.
The floor may buckle or warp without spacers as it takes on moisture in the air. This can cause problems down the line, so it’s important to make sure that you use the right spacers when installing your laminate flooring.
2. Allows for expansion and contraction
Spacers also help ensure that your laminate flooring can expand and contract as needed due to temperature and moisture fluctuations. Without the expansion gap, the flooring would be unable to expand freely, resulting in buckling or warping the floor.
The recommended expansion gap is 14 inches, easily achieved during installation with spacers or carpenter shims. Maintaining a uniform expansion gap space throughout the room guarantees a professional finish when all is done.
3. Ensures an even installation
Spacers also ensure an even installation of the laminate flooring. They help keep each plank level evenly spaced and aligned with the other planks.
This creates a professional-looking, uniform finish for your laminate flooring. Without spacers, each plank would be at different heights, creating an uneven and unprofessional final look to your floor.
4. Allows air to circulate beneath the floor
In addition to preventing warping and buckling, spacers also allow air to circulate beneath the floor. This is important because it prevents the accumulation of moisture, which can lead to mold, mildew, and other issues.
It also prevents the floor from feeling excessively chilly or too hot throughout the seasons. The spacers help keep the floor healthy and comfortable all year round by allowing air to circulate.
5. Creates a professional-looking finish
When installing laminate flooring, it would be best to use spacers to create an even and professional-looking finish. The spacers will help ensure that the planks are evenly spaced and prevent moisture and humidity damage.
Using spacers, you can ensure that the gap between the planks is consistent throughout the floor and will create a seamless and professional-looking finish. The use of spacers also helps to reduce sound transfer between rooms, which can be beneficial for both sound quality and comfort.
6. Prevents damage from moisture and humidity
When putting in laminate flooring, one of the most important reasons to use spacers is to protect it from damage caused by moisture and humidity. Without an expansion gap, the flooring will buckle as it takes on moisture in the air.
This can be especially problematic in humid climates. Expansion gaps are essential for allowing the flooring to expand and contract in response to changes in temperature and humidity.
With the proper spacing, you can minimize the risk of warping and water damage to your flooring. Additionally, using a hygrometer to test your home’s humidity levels before installation will help ensure that you have the correct space between planks.
7. Protects the integrity of the subfloor
Spacers are also important for protecting the integrity of the subfloor, as they prevent the flooring from being directly attached to the subfloor.
This will help prevent moisture damage and potential warping or buckling of the floor over time. Not only does this help protect your investment, but it also helps to ensure that you get a professional finish that will last for years.
8. Allows for future repairs to be made
Using spacers when installing laminate flooring is critical to ensuring a safe and secure floor. Not only does it prevent buckling or warping of the floor, but it also allows for future repairs to be made.
With the proper spacing, you can easily replace individual planks without needing major reconstruction. This makes it much easier to keep your floor looking its best for years.
9. Ensures a level transition between rooms
Having spacers during the installation of your laminate flooring will also ensure a level transition between rooms. This is especially important if you are transitioning from one room to another, as it will guarantee a smooth transition as you walk from one room to the next.
If you have an uneven flooring transition, walking on it can be uncomfortable and hazardous. By using spacers, you can ensure that your laminate flooring is level between each room, making it safer and more aesthetically pleasing.
10. Reduces sound transfer between rooms
Soundproofing is an important consideration when installing laminate flooring. Using spacers between the floor and the wall can help to reduce sound transfer between rooms. This is because the spacers will act as a buffer, creating a space for sound waves to be absorbed instead of traveling through the walls.
Additionally, using spacers will ensure that the flooring planks are not tightly pressed against one another, which can also reduce sound transfer.
11. It creates a cleaner look when using groutless tile
The use of groutless tile is becoming increasingly popular, as it offers a cleaner look and is easier to clean and maintain. However, it is important to use spacers to ensure that each tile is properly spaced apart for the best results.
The spacers will help create an even gap that will ensure the tiles are level and consistent. This will help prevent water from seeping between the tiles and causing damage. Additionally, the spacers create a cleaner look, as there won’t be any grout lines to detract from the beauty of your floor.
12. It makes it easier to remove planks in the future
Installing spacers also makes removing planks easier if you want to repair or replace any of your laminate floorings. The gap created by the spacers allows you to easily lift the planks and replace them with minimal effort. This is a major perk if you want to eventually sell your house and preserve the flooring in a pristine shape for prospective buyers.
How to Achieve a Professional Finish with Spacers?
When achieving a professional finish with spacers, it’s essential to take the right steps during installation. First, you’ll need to make sure you use spacers of the right size and shape for your particular flooring. J-Lock spacers are designed to hold floating floors firmly in place during the installation process.
For best results, we recommend using wood or laminate flooring spacers, designed specifically for laminate-flooring installation and often come in bags of 30 or more. Additionally, use spacers or carpenter shims to maintain the proper expansion gap along all room walls.
Finally, remember to remove the spacers and install new baseboards after installing your boards. Doing so will ensure a clean, professional-looking finish that will last for years.
Summary
Using spacers when installing laminate flooring is essential to achieving a professional finish. Not only do they help the flooring expand and contract without buckling or warping, but they also protect the integrity of the subfloor and reduce sound transfer between rooms. Spacers also create an even installation and make it easier to remove planks in the future.
In addition, they help create a cleaner look when using groutless tile and reduce damage from moisture and humidity. With all of these benefits in mind, it’s clear why spacers are an important part of any laminate flooring installation.
