Tongue and groove

Started by Canvasman, December 05, 2013, 10:03:34 PM

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Canvasman

Is this wall installed correctly, or should I have left a 1/2 inch gap for expansion? This was installed this summer-fall.
There was some serious popping in the house this morning, after the temps fell from 35 to 5 degrees.
Thanks Eric

Erin

My house has T&G completely covering the post&beam frame.  I put it on as tight as I possibly could but still ended up with gaps as it continued to dry.  However, I live in a semi-arid region.  "Miserably humid" is 50%, so my materials might dry down further than yours would...


But, wood naturally expands and contracts everywhere and log houses and beams will end up with big, visible cracks in them.  So, I tend to lean toward it being a normal thing for wood to do no matter how it's installed... 
Personally, I wouldn't want to leave gaps, like when one builds a deck or something. 
The wise woman builds her own house... Proverbs 14:1


Don_P

You're fine, you were hearing contraction. As air cools it can hold less moisture, the wood tries to reach equilibrium with the relative humidity and so dried and is shrinking. One comment my Dad made is that in the houses he built in the 60's they would lay the hardwood floors tight to the walls, no expansion gap at all, no base, no shoe, it was a style. With much drier and more expansive oak than your pine and yet never had a floor buckle. We did have one friend that tried to put the floor down and then frame over it. He got rained on and the expanding floor took the walls off the building, I've also had floors buckle from plumbing floods, liquid water can cause that kind of swelling but I've not seen humidity buckle floors, ceilings or walls. I prefer to get T&G in and let it acclimate to the heated house first if possible. They typically don't get it really dry, I've had shrinkage issues but never buckling problems.

rick91351

Don_P is so correct as usual.  Especially in flooring you have way more problems with shrinking than expanding.   
Proverbs 24:3-5 Through wisdom is an house builded; an by understanding it is established.  4 And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.  5 A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.