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Retrospectively fitting an expansion joint to parquet flooring in a doorway using cork strips

Parquet expansion joint
It is necessary to work with expansion joints on all doorways, living rooms over 10 m in length, transitions to floor tiles, in front of fireplaces, etc., even on fully glued wooden floors and parquet, in order for the wood to work and the wooden flooring to stay on the floor.

    Description

    Expansion joints do not stay open though, but are filled specifically in this area with a matching cork strip, which is barely visible after completion, unless it is desired in terms of colour, as in this example. It is not always possible to be able to neatly fit the expansion strips directly when laying the floor. With the right tool, it can be cut into at any time retrospectively and the cork strips very neatly incorporated and processed. So there is no need for inconvenient and unsightly transition strips and it is at ground level with the wooden floor, without other unattractive ridges.

     

    Material list:

    • Appropriate quantity of cork strips slightly higher than the actual wooden floor
    • Mounting adhesive, spray cartridge, box cutter   
    Cork strips in an expansion joint

    Tools/accessories

    The following tools and accessories are recommended in this application example:

    Alternative tools

    The following tools and accessories are recommended as an alternative:

    Preparation/set-up

    • Length of the joint

      Adapt the cork strips to the length of the joint using a sharp box cutter.

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      Length of the joint

    • Adapting the width of the cork joint

      The width measurement of the cut for the cork strips is minus 1 mm. If necessary mark neatly on both sides and draw a line if required. The cork strips should fit tightly in the joint.

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      Adjusting the width

    Procedure

    • Setting the cutting depth

      Then place the appropriate guide rail at the marked point. Do not forget to set the plunge-cut saw for the cut to the corresponding height of the flooring. In my case (see photo) this was 15 mm. Please engage the guide rail setting, as the guide rail is automatically included. Then cut both sides, if necessary.

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      Setting the cutting depth

    • Trimming the edges

      Since the plunge-cut saw cannot saw right up to the wall, the oscillator must help things along here. To do this, I take the guide rail as a guide, but turn it round by 180° onto the groove side, in order not to ruin my splinter guard. Then I use a wood plunge blade and guide the blade carefully along the rail up to the edge and remove the offcuts from the joint.

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      Trimming the edges

    • Slight tapering of the cork strip

      In order to be able to install the strips later easily and without having to use much force, I saw a slight taper along the whole length. This means it is a bit easier to install in the joint.

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      Slight tapering of the cork strip

    • It can also happily be re-sanded

      If the strip can then be positioned gently in the joint, adhesive can be sprayed into the groove.

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      Re-sanding

    • Applying mounting adhesive

      Then apply the adhesive into the joint using a spray. caution! Please do not use too much. If the cork strip is well aligned, it will already sit very tightly in the joint by itself.

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      Applying mounting adhesive

    • Positioning the strips and pressing down well

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      Positioning the strips and pressing down

    • Tapping down with a hammer

      Then using a hammer and a wooden block, gradually tap the cork in tightly.

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      Tapping down with a hammer

    • Along the whole length …

      … a small excess will remain

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      Excess

    • Applying protective masking

      In order not to cause any damage to the wood when reworking the cork, we use masking tape and attach this lengthwise on both sides.

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      Applying protective masking

    • Lowest level on the oscillator

      For trimming, we use the oscillator again (can be with a butted saw blade) and set the speed to level 1. Otherwise the cut is too aggressive and we may damage the wood.

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      Setting the oscillator

    • Trimming the excess

      Then we switch the machine on and position the blade very carefully and relatively flat, and carefully sand away the excess. Please do not apply pressure to the machine.

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      Trimming the excess

    • Hoovering the surface

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      Hoovering the surface

    • Fine sanding

      Using the Rotex triangular attachment and 80 grit, the last fine-tuning can then be completed very easily. Please finely re-sand the whole strip.

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      Fine sanding

    • Removing the adhesive tape – finished

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      Removing the adhesive tape

    1. Our illustrated guides and work results are documented working steps that we have performed in practice. They are individual examples and do not guarantee or promise that users will obtain the same results. The results will depend on the user's experience and skill, as well as the material being used. Illustrated guides do not replace any Festool operating manuals and/or safety instructions. Liability for ensuring that the information, instructions and applications are free from content defects and defects of title, in particular with regard to the absence of defects, correctness, freedom from third party intellectual property rights and copyrights, completeness and fitness for purpose, is excluded. Claims for damages made by the user, regardless of their legal basis, are excluded. These liability exclusions are not applicable if the damage was intentional or caused by gross negligence, or in cases of statutory liability.

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