The Importance of Expansion Gaps
What are expansion gaps? Expansion gaps are gaps purposefully left when building or fitting timber products to allow the wood to move naturally without causing damage. Hardwood timbers, especially oak, are very strong and can cause catastrophic damage when they expand. The nature of wood and moisture When timber takes in moisture, it swells. When it loses moisture, it shrinks. Warping can occur across the width and sometimes length of the timber if moisture changes are uneven.Other factors that can affect how much...