Engineered wood flooring is designed to minimize expansion and contraction that cause floor gaps. However, gaps can still appear because of manufacturing defects, humidity changes, installation quality, or flooring specifications.
Wood naturally expands and contracts depending on humidity levels. It expands in high humidity and shrinks in dry conditions. This movement mainly follows the wood grain direction. Both traditional hardwood flooring and the top layer of engineered wood flooring are cut parallel to the grain. As a result, floorboards tend to expand or shrink in width rather than length.
Engineered flooring includes a natural hardwood top layer bonded to a cross-grain plywood core.
Engineered flooring combines a thin layer of natural hardwood with a plywood core. Manufacturers create plywood by layering thin wood sheets in alternating grain directions. This cross-grain structure helps reduce expansion and contraction. When one layer expands, the surrounding layers move in the opposite direction and balance the movement. That is why engineered wood flooring offers better dimensional stability than solid wood flooring.
The most accurate way to describe engineered wood flooring is “dimensionally stable,” not completely movement-free. The plywood core helps reduce gaps caused by natural wood movement, but it cannot eliminate them. Therefore, humidity remains one of the most common reasons for flooring gaps.
For this reason, installers should acclimate the flooring before installation. In addition, maintaining stable indoor humidity with air conditioning or dehumidifiers helps reduce expansion and shrinkage throughout the year.
Truong Thang wood flooring is kiln-dried according to standards suitable for Vietnam’s climate, ensuring better floor stability.
Installers can nail, glue, or float engineered wood flooring. In every method, they must fit the floorboards tightly together during installation. If installers leave spaces between planks, gaps may appear later when humidity changes cause the boards to shrink slightly. Glue-down flooring presents additional challenges, especially for inexperienced installers.
If workers fail to align the planks before the adhesive cures, fixing the gaps later becomes difficult. Even after repositioning the planks, hardened adhesive may pull them back apart.
For this reason, experienced professionals should handle glue-down flooring installations.
Experienced installers should perform glue-down flooring installation to ensure accurate and durable results. Floating floors remain a popular choice for DIY homeowners. To avoid gaps, installers must cut the planks accurately and lock them together properly without leaving spaces between the boards.
The manufacturing process of engineered wood flooring helps reduce the effects of natural wood defects. However, wood remains a natural material and still contains imperfections. Manufacturers cannot machine every floorboard with absolute precision. As a result, some planks may not fit together perfectly during installation. If gaps appear during installation, installers should replace the problematic plank with another board that fits more accurately. If gaps remain after installation, the best solution is to replace the damaged plank or fill the space with matching wood filler.
Truong Thang uses European-imported machinery to create highly precise tongue-and-groove joints and beveled edges. This technology helps the floorboards fit tightly and evenly together. In addition, Truong Thang’s experienced installation team ensures fast, accurate installation without disrupting the homeowner’s daily activities.
Tongue-and-groove technology helps Truong Thang engineered flooring achieve tighter and more even joints than traditional solid wood flooring.
Founded in 2004, Truong Thang has been driven by the vision of building a premium, sustainable interior ecosystem. We are committed to delivering high-quality products that are safe for your health. At the same time, our solutions are tailored to the needs and lifestyle of Vietnamese families.
If you’re looking for interior design and building solutions for your home, Truong Thang is a trusted choice. We offer products crafted from premium materials, with refined design and flexible application across various styles and modern living spaces.
