If 3/4 inch strip flooring is used, where is the first piece located relative to the wall?

• A. 1/2 inch away
• B. 1 inch away
• C. 0 inch (touching the wall)
• D. 3/4 inch away

Answer: (A)

Wood flooring must have a small movement gap around the room to account for changes in humidity and temperature. For strip flooring, the first piece is set with a half-inch clearance from the wall. This expansion gap lets the boards move slightly without buckling as moisture levels rise or fall. The gap will be hidden by the baseboard or molding after install, so the edge of the first piece doesn’t need to touch the wall. Placing it flush against the wall risks binding as the wood expands, while leaving it much larger than half an inch is unnecessary and leaves an obvious big gap. So the correct setup is to start with a half-inch space from the wall.