hard pine floor question

[wp715]

Hi all, I have an old schoolhouse that someone put T&G yellow pine flooring in. The widths vary from 4 inches to almost 7 inches wide. Over time gaps have opened up between the boards leaving spaces from 1/8 " to almost 1/2 " wide. I'd like to refinish the floors a room at a time and would like to fill the gaps with something that would look ok after the finish coat is applied. Anyone with some thoughts on this...I'd sure like to know what you think. Thanks! Pat

[Clif]

The filler MUST be flexible enough to allow the pine to move with changes in humidity. When I lived in an OLD hous in Mass. the floors were, in places caulked with a strip of what can only be called "rope" It was a fibrous material, pushed between the boards to fill in the gaps, then finish was applied over both. Looked fine, just very "old".

Clif

[PBS]

Hi:

This was addressed in an episode of "Ask This Old House", see:

they offer a video of that show it may be worthwhile, it was fairly complete, As I recall, Tom soaked the rope in a bucket of the stain prior to stuffing it into the gaps in the flooring.

Good Luck