Separation at doorways is a frequent point of failure for floating floors, primarily due to the unique way these areas connect different rooms while funneling high amounts of foot traffic. Doorways act as a pinch point; if the flooring is installed too tightly under the door jambs or threshold, the expansion movement of one room is restricted while the other is allowed to move. This creates a shearing force that pulls the locking joints apart at the threshold, leading to permanent gaps. Furthermore, because these are high-traffic areas, the consistent impact of people stepping over the threshold can weaken the joints if they are not fully supported by the subfloor. To prevent this, installers must leave an adequate expansion gap under the door jambs and use a properly specified transition strip that allows for movement. Cutting the flooring planks at the threshold and installing a transition is often necessary to decouple the two rooms, allowing each floor area to expand and contract independently. If the floor is installed as a single, continuous sheet through a long, narrow doorway without enough gap at the edges, it is almost inevitable that the joints will eventually separate. Professional installation in these areas requires careful planning of the layout to ensure that no single piece of flooring is pinned in place by door hardware or tight transitions.
Key considerations
- LVP separating at doorway
- laminate gap near door
- floating floor doorway problem
- LVP doorway gap
- laminate separation
- floating floor transition