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TroubleshootingLVP & Laminate

Why is my vinyl plank floor separating?

Vinyl plank separates when something stops the floating floor from moving: a nail or cabinet pinning it, no expansion gap at the walls, sun or heat expanding one stretch, an uneven or damp subfloor, or damaged locking edges. Check the pattern, free the edges and trim, block direct sun, and relock slight end-joint gaps with a scrap piece.

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By Kasra Taheri, Founder, LoclisPublished

Researched and drafted with AI, then checked claim by claim against the sources listed below before it was published. Prices and rules change; the dates beside each source say when it was last checked.

Step by step

Read when to stop and call a pro, further down this page, before you start.

  1. Step 1: Note where and when

    Mark where the gaps are and whether they open in winter or beside sunny windows.

  2. Step 2: Cut the sun and heat

    Close blinds or drapes on the sunny stretch, since high direct temperature from sunlight may cause thermal expansion.[2]

  3. Step 3: Look for anything pinning the floor

    Check for a nail or screw through a plank, trim pressed onto the surface, or a cabinet base resting on the floor.[1]

  4. Step 4: Free the edges

    Ease off tight baseboard or quarter round and refit it so it touches only the wall, with a small clearance above the floor.[1]

  5. Step 5: Check the expansion gap

    Look at the perimeter for a gap of 5/16 inch, or 1/4 inch in the other guide, that is not blocked.[1][2]

  6. Step 6: Relock a slight end-joint gap

    Use a scrap piece of flooring to engage the upper angle joint of the gapped end and tap it gently until the gap closes; never use this on side joints.[1]

  7. Step 7: Refit the trim

    Put the trim back so it is fastened to the wall and not through the flooring.[1]

Short version: something is stopping the floor from moving

Click-together vinyl plank is a floating floor. It is not glued or nailed down, so it grows and shrinks as the room warms and cools. When joints open, the cause is nearly always one of four things: something is pinning the floor so it cannot move, it has too little expansion room at the edges, sun or heat is working on one stretch of it, or the locking edges were damaged or never fully engaged. One installation guide warns that improper acclimation may result in gapping and buckling, and that improper locking may cause "separation of joints from normal environmental temperature changes."[1]

So work out where the gaps are, when they open and what the floor is touching. That tells you whether a gentle tap fixes it or a run of planks has to come up.

Read the pattern first

  • Where. Gaps along a wall of windows point to sun. Gaps in a line across a doorway point to a floor wrapped around an opening. Gaps only at one end joint suggest a plank that never locked.
  • When. Gaps that open in winter and close in summer are the floor moving with the seasons. Gaps in the first week point to installation.
  • How wide. A hairline you can see but not feel is a different problem from planks pulled apart with the edges lifting.

Press down along the seam. A plank that rocks or clicks is not locked to its neighbour.

The usual causes

Something is holding the floor in place. A floating floor has to slide. One manufacturer says: "Do not install cabinets directly on the floor as this is a floating installation method."[2] Another says: "Do not secure individual planks or tiles to the subfloor."[1] It also says: "Wall moldings, including baseboard and quarter round, must not be fastened through the vinyl flooring."[1] A nail through a plank, a heavy built-in, or trim pressed down on the surface makes the floor tear open at its weakest joint when it moves.

No room at the edges. That guide requires a gap of 5/16 inch (8 mm) all round and says moldings should be installed a minimum of 1/32 inch above the flooring to allow for movement.[1] Another manufacturer sets the minimum at 1/4 inch for areas under 2,500 square feet.[2] A floor pushed tight to a wall, jamb or pipe has nowhere to go, so it peaks or buckles and then pulls apart elsewhere. Doorways are the second trap: do not wrap floating vinyl around openings less than 6 feet wide; use a transition strip and keep the gap underneath.[1]

Sun and temperature. High direct temperature from sunlight may cause thermal expansion that makes the material buckle or expand, and the manufacturer says this is not a defect of the material.[2] The installation instructions call for an indoor, climate-controlled room between 65 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit,[1] and say to lay planks perpendicular to direct sunlight sources such as large windows and door walls.[1] Over radiant heat, one manual says the flooring surface must never be allowed to exceed 85°F.[2] Blinds or drapes on a sunny window are the cheap fix.[2]

The subfloor. An uneven floor flexes the joints until they let go. The guide says all subfloors must be clean, flat, dry and structurally sound, and flat to within 3/16 inch over 10 feet.[2] If high moisture is present, installation should stop until the source is corrected.[2]

Damaged or unlocked joints. Installers are told to inspect planks for damage to the locking profile before installing,[2] and a tapping block used wrongly can damage it.[2] A chipped or crushed tongue will not hold, so those joints open first.

A wood-look laminate plank edge beside a grey foam underlayment on a subfloor
Photo: marsupium photography, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

What you can fix yourself

Start with the cheap causes.

  1. Check the room temperature and block direct sun on the worst stretch.
  2. Look for anything holding the floor: a nail or screw through a plank, trim pressing on it, or a cabinet base resting on it.
  3. If baseboard or quarter round is tight, ease it off and refit it so it touches only the wall, with a small clearance above the floor.
  4. For a slight gap at an end joint, use a scrap piece of flooring to engage the upper angle joint and tap the plank until the gap closes.[1] That is for end joints only. Do not try it with the side joints.[1]
  5. If the floor will not close, or the edges are chipped, planks have to be taken up to that spot and relocked. Read the installation steps first.

Stop and call a pro if

  • The floor is peaking or buckling in a ridge. That means no expansion room, and trimming a locked floor is delicate work where a slip splits more planks.
  • Gaps run across many rows or the whole room. The cause is likely the subfloor or moisture, not one plank.
  • The subfloor feels soft, damp or uneven. Find the moisture before any flooring goes back; see why a floor feels soft or spongy.
  • The planks are glued or nailed down. The failure pattern is different and the repair is an installer's job.
  • Cabinets or an island sit on the floor. Freeing the floor means reworking the fixtures.

Getting help in Virginia

A floor that separates soon after installation is usually an installation issue, so ask the installer in writing to inspect and correct it. DPOR advises soliciting at least three bids for the work, all based on the same set of specifications.[3] Our guide on how to choose a flooring installer covers licences and what to ask. For cost, see how much LVP flooring costs installed in Virginia, and for a floor-type comparison, LVP or laminate in a kitchen.

Browse more flooring answers or flooring pros near you. When you are ready, describe the floor and licensed local installers will quote it.

Common questions

Why are there gaps between my vinyl planks after a few weeks?
Usually the floor has been pinned or lacks room to move. One installation guide says improper acclimation may result in gapping, buckling or joints that are difficult to engage, and improper locking may cause separation of joints.[^floating] Check for cabinets, trim fastened through the floor and a blocked perimeter gap.
Can sunlight make vinyl plank separate?
It can. One manufacturer says high direct temperature from sunlight may cause thermal expansion that makes the material buckle or expand, and that this is not a defect of the material.[^malibu] Blinds or drapes on the sunny window help.
Can I glue or nail the planks back down?
No. The installation instructions say not to secure individual planks to the subfloor, and not to fasten wall moldings through the vinyl.[^floating] Fixing a floating floor in place usually moves the failure to another joint.
How big should the gap at the walls be?
One guide requires 5/16 inch around the perimeter.[^floating] Another sets 1/4 inch for areas under 2,500 square feet and 3/8 to 1/2 inch above that.[^malibu] Follow the instructions for your plank.
Will the gaps close on their own?
Gaps caused by seasonal contraction may close as the room warms, but gaps caused by a pinned floor, damaged locking edges or an uneven subfloor will not. If they stay open year-round, find the cause.

Sources

  1. [1] Residential D.I.Y. Floating Floor Installation Instructions (May 2015), Floating vinyl floor manufacturer's installation instructions, Lowe's product documents. Checked October 28, 2026.
  2. [2] Malibu Wide Plank Installation Guidelines for Rigid Core Luxury Vinyl Plank Floors (041922), Malibu Wide Plank, installation guide. Checked October 28, 2026.
  3. [3] What You Should Know Before You Hire a Contractor, Virginia Board for Contractors, Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation. Checked October 28, 2026.

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