My wife's friend asked why I always leave a gap at the baseboards

I was finishing a laminate job at their place in Springfield and she pointed out the quarter-inch space, saying it looked unfinished. Tbh, I just said 'expansion gap' out of habit, but her asking 'what happens if it doesn't expand?' actually made me stop and think about how I explain things to clients. How do you guys describe the need for that gap to someone who isn't in the trade?

2 comments

2 Comments

jessesingh8d ago

Honestly that's a great question she asked. It reminds me of how we accept so many little rules without really getting the "why". Like phone batteries or leaving gaps in sidewalks. The gap is for when the floor gets a bit bigger on a hot, humid day. Without it, the planks would push against each other and buckle up like a speed bump.

stella9048d ago

Actually, that gap is mostly for water drainage, not heat. Concrete doesn't expand enough from heat to cause buckling on a small sidewalk. The bigger issue is water pooling and freezing, which can crack the slab. The gap lets water run off and gives it somewhere to go.