Should door jambs be cut in a mobile home when installing a floating floor

by Tim
(Hinesville, GA, Liberty)

I contracted a flooring company to install a floating floor in my mobile home. The floor was installed about 45 days ago and is lifting off the sub floor. Two companies have looked at the work and stated that the door casings should have been cut to allow the floor to expand and contract. The company that did the installation states "You do not cut the door casings in mobile homes." I need to know who is correct? Should the casing in a mobile home be cut to install laminate flooring in a mobile home?

Anthony's Answer:

Absolutely all vertical surfaces have to have expansion gaps. The answer is yes the door jambs in mobile homes should be cut. This is one of the reasons folks call me when their floors start buckling.

One of the issues with some mobile homes are, the door casings are not very thick. When I say door casings I mean the wood that is inside the door frame and the trim that is on both sides of the door. You can see in the photo above just how thin
it is.

A lot of times I have to cut some of the would that is used for building the wall, behind the door casings. Usually 2X4's. I either use my electric jamb saw or a hammer and chisel.
This can be a pain to do.