Filling gaps in hardwood floor?

[Davej]

I will be sanding and refinishing and old hardwood floor soon and I am wondering what should be used to fill gaps between planks? I see an occasional gap of perhaps 1/16 inch here and there.

Thanks.

[dpb]

Unless it's actual damage that can be repaired, nothing. Movement will just break any filler out between individual pieces, anyway if it's along the length. At ends if there's a sizable gap you might be able to make a patch but I'd not bother in general--it's a feature not a defect.

[Stormin Mormon]

Wood swells in the summer heat and humidity. Contracts in the winter cold and dry. If you fill the cracks, it may swell and buckle in the summer. The correct action may be to leave the cracks till summer and see if they swell and fill.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

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Thanks.

[gregz]

Put enough coats on, and the gaps will start to fill in. Short gaps ? Sawdust ?

Greg

[Dan Espen]

Will dry and work out when you walk on the floor.

I've seen cord stuffed in the gaps. Other than the rustic look can't say I care for it.

I'd say either leave them or pull the floor and re-lay it. Sorry, I'm not a pro floor guy, just watched a lot of TOH.

[Larry W]

1/16"? Wow, that sound's pretty good to me. Current house, built around turn of 20th century, has gaps closer to 1/4" and previous house, circa civil war era construction, even larger!

[Andy]

You forgot the wood glue.

[Dan Espen]

Q: I am repairing hardwood floors in my home. I would like to fill the gaps between the boards. Is there a product for this job?

? Trisha, West Chester, OH

A: Tom Silva replies: You can apply wood filler to fix the gaps, but this can be a temporary fix. When the floor contracts, the filler can pop out; or, when it expands, it can fall in, unable to span the wider gap. In the Milton House, the gaps in the floorboards were so wide that we filled the seams with rope and then stained it to match the floor. This is an old technique that's quite smart; the rope expands and contracts with the rest of the floor and the gaps stay plugged, keeping drafts to a minimum. To properly fix your problem, you need to determine why your floors are gapping.

I owned a house that had been flooded. The lower level floors had some wide gaps. I tried every kind of putty and glue under the sun. If the boards move, (and they do), rope or rebuild.

[gregz]

I was thinking of just packing it in slightly below wood level, and polyurethane.

Greg

[jamesgang]

wondering what should be used to fill gaps between planks? I see an occasional gap of perhaps 1/16 inch here and there. Thanks.

No filling stays. It's pop out as the gap narrows or widens.