Gaps In Wood Floors.

AbeBarker

I looked at a job where the home has tongue and groove wide pine flooring. The floor is seperating. The homeowners really want to keep the floor because of it's rustic charm.

Would it be better to fill the cracks with a compound then sand?
or
Rip strips of pine and slide them into the joints and then sand?

I am prepared to replace the floor if necessary.

genecarp

how large are the gaps? if they are at least 1/2", rip strips, glue them in, leave them 1/8" above the existing floor, then sand flush. solid wood is a better choice than a wood type filler. they will eventually crack.

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orson

Another option would be to pull the flooring, rework it and relay it. It makes a good excuse to buy that portable planer.

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neolitic

You want to be sure it's not a seasonal
thing.
If you fill in the joints and it swells again,
you have a whole new problem.

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Floordude

How long has this floor been installed, and what is the interiors ambient conditions?

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Teetorbilt

As stated, wood 'works', it expands and contracts with atmospheric conditions. The older and softer the wood, the more pronounced this becomes. If the flooring was installed properly in the beginning I wouldn't mess with it and tell them to keep the cracks clean or it will lift/pop as neo mentioned.

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Cdat

What is the air moisture content? Wide pine in a dry enviroment is gonna' gap. Keep the humidity up to prevent this problem. I'd never toss a wood filler in to fix anything. Bad work is bad work.

Joining_heads

How wide is the pine

Floordude

AbeBarker has left the building!

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