1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to flooring systems wherein the flooring is installed as a series of interlocking panels. The flooring system can comprise solid hardwood, engineered wood, or a laminate design. Specifically the invention relates to a mechanical spacing apparatus for placement between an edge flooring panel and an adjacent wall where there is required a suitable distance to accommodate floor expansion.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
It is well known in the art of panel flooring systems that these systems, once installed, expand and contract with the ambient temperature of the room in which they are installed. Therefore there is a requirement to provide a suitable expansion space to accommodate the accumulated expansion of each individual member of the flooring system. Without the expansion joint the individual interlocked flooring panels will buckle creating undesirable results in the flooring surface. If the horizontal floor is laid on a Cartesian coordinate system, the expansion will occur in the x and y axis directions. Therefore, an expansion joint is provided at the edge of the flooring system adjacent to the walls. Putting the expansion joint against the wall permits the expansion joint to be hidden underneath a baseboard of suitable thickness.
Furthermore, it is also known that adjacent vertical dry-wall panels may not be in contact with the floor surface and may be suspended above the surface as a result of being hung on vertical studs. This makes it difficult to secure prior art spacers around the perimeter of the wall since there is no material against which to wedge the spacer.
Prior art expansion joints include wooden and metallic shims. One disadvantage of the shim type spacer is that if the vertical dry-wall member does not reach the floor surface the bottom tip of the shim may tilt into the space between the bottom of the dry-wall member and the floor itself thereby creating an inaccurate expansion distance.
While there are a number of different spacer designs available there are none that ensure a consistent spacing along the length of the floor edge particularly where the dry-wall member does not extend to the bottom of the floor.