Gaps in floorboards

[Charles Norton]

Some while ago I laid some pine floorboards. Due to shrinkage, there are some gaps of varying sizes that have opened up between the boards. These vary from no gap to a matter of a few millimetres.

Can anyone give me some advice as to how to fill/ what to fill these gaps with to get a smooth floor. Some ideas I have had include wood filler, papier mache, silicone (possibly too soft). My intention would be to fill the gaps and then re-varnish the floor.

Thanks

[Ken]

In my experience, nothing fills the gaps without showing. Part of the reason for varnishing floorboards is to get the natural look which is great when you have gaps. But of course you then have the draught problem. If you fill them, it does'nt look as good and stands out a mile.

ken

[Charles Norton]

Thanks for this. Yes, I can appreciate most of what you say. Fortunately we don't have a draught problem as the tongues on the floorboards prevent this and none of the gaps are so big that the tongue of one board has come out of the groove of another.

One thing I might try is to put in some fillets of wood (same wood as the floorboards) in the bigger gaps and simply leave the smaller gaps alone. Could be time consuming though!

[Rob graham]

Take the boards up and relay them, cramping as you go. Big job, but you'll get the result you want.

Rob Graham

[Colin Jackson]

I have heard of packing the gaps with newspapers that have been well soaked.

Professionally, gaps in parquet floors are filled with wood dust from a sander mixed with a resin and then sanded down. Resin obtained from a floor laying company.

Cojack

[Ken]

I have seen this done. Again it does'nt look very good. This subject has been discussed several times on this group and there does'nt seem to be an overall answer, apart from taking up and relaying.

ken