Problems with Bamboo Flooring: No expansion gap

When you are fitting bamboo flooring, an expansion gap of at least 10mm needs to be left around the perimeter of the room, including doorways and fireplaces.  Expansion gaps are essential to allow the flooring to expand and contract naturally, and if not gap has been left your bamboo will have no room to move and consequently start to warp and rise up. [caption id="attachment_601" align="aligncenter" width="256"] Carbonised Vertical Bamboo Flooring with an expansion gap[/caption] How to leave an expansion gap The best way to ensure that the correct size expansion gap has been left is to use flooring spacers around the edge of the room.  Do not worry about how the gap looks for the time being, it can be covered up later by beading or skirting. [caption id="attachment_603" align="aligncenter" width="279"] Flooring spacers[/caption] How to resolve the problem once it has happened If you have realised that your bamboo flooring has been fitted without a sufficient expansion gap then you should: remove the skirting or beading, cut the planks of flooring at the edge of the room to create the correct sized expansion gap, replace the skirting or beading.