Hardwood flooring is probably best known for shrinking and expanding, but resilient flooring can also suffer from shrinking when exposed to the right conditions. Resilient flooring is made of highly durable synthetic material and it is a popular choice among customers for both business and commercial installation. The increase in technology surrounding the manufacture and installation of vinyl flooring has made even the most skeptical customers into believers after they see how unique and special this resilient flooring really is.
Installing Resilient Flooring
Flooring installers face many challenges when installing vinyl flooring, and one of these is making allowances for shrinking. Newly installed vinyl flooring can shrink if it is not properly acclimated to the temperature and humidity of the room where it will eventually be placed. Sometimes, the plastic layer of the vinyl shrinks but the felt backing doesn’t causing curling.
Taking every precaution for the best possible outcome is very important for those that work with resilient flooring. It’s best for installers and customers to be aware of what can cause shrinking in resilient floors:
- Sunlight
- Changes in humidity
- Temperature changes
- Hot liquid spills
- Flooding
- Chemical spills
- Overuse of cleaning products
- UV light
These reasons and more may be what is causing shrinkage in resilient flooring.
Preventing Shrinking in Resilient Flooring
While it is impossible to prepare for every single factor, flooring installation experts, flooring inspectors and even customers can have a much better chance of preserving the flooring when they know about the causes. It’s especially important for flooring experts to educate their customers on what is possible when they don’t take care of the floor the way the manufacturer recommends. Of course, sometimes customers simply don’t listen and they suffer the consequences of ill treatment of the flooring.
Even though vinyl flooring is among the most affordable and most durable, there is always room for problems when the conditions are conducive to shrinking. Whether installers use sheet vinyl or vinyl tiles, taking precautions against shrinking will ensure happy customers and a beautiful floor that will last for years to come.
I installed versaclic vinyl plank flooring this past summer in a 3 season cottage this summer.It went well through the whole install.Now that winter has arrived and the cold has hit, large gaps are appearing on the sides and ends.I would have hoped that this flooring would expand and contract together and not individually.Does this flooring not work in diverse temperatures or is this not the proper product for this application and if so what should i have used.? thanks John
Pretty much no flooring likes extreme temperature variations. Rule of thumb: If your flooring requires acclimation, you need to maintain the climate it’s acclimated to after it’s installed.
Hi,
My husband and I installed this type of flooring in our unit and we have noticed shrinkage at the ends or joins between planks, but not along the sides. Hopefully it will correct when the weather warms up.
That is often associated with improper acclimation.
We had vinale flooring put down by lumber liquidators… In October now this winter we have gaps and some larger ones. We seen to be getting the run around from them. We are getting very upset about this.
It could be an acclimation issue.
We installed this in our entire house. I love the product however, after 2yrs it is starting to shrink. Some of the planks were inside the house months before actually being installed. I’ve only ever cleaned with warm water & mild soap when spot cleaning. Is there any way to reduce the shrinkage that I see is starting to happen?
You need an inspection to determine the cause.
we encounter problems in our vinyl tiles where it developed gaps in between the joints after it were installed after a period of time
That is likely a flatness related problem.