Filling gap between floorboards
- Thread starter Adam
- Start date
Help Support UKworkshop.co.uk:
Newbie_Neil
Established Member
Hi Adam
How big are the gaps? You will still need a small gap for expansion.
Cheers
Neil
How big are the gaps? You will still need a small gap for expansion.
Cheers
Neil
Just a few millimeters. Basically the previous owner sanded the floorboards, but I reckon the gaps will make it chilly in the winter as it leaves a gap down to the void below which is ventilated by the air bricks.
Adam
Adam
Newbie_Neil
Established Member
I think there's a Lecol product that is supposed to be flexible enough to cope.
I used jute string/rope, bashed down into the gap with a narrow bolster chisel. Keeps the gappy look without draughts and seems to cope with expansion/contraction alright. It's boring getting it in there, though.
I used jute string/rope, bashed down into the gap with a narrow bolster chisel. Keeps the gappy look without draughts and seems to cope with expansion/contraction alright. It's boring getting it in there, though.
devonwoody
Established Member
Adam,
just a technical thought. The south east of England I believe are experiencing a drought (never before?) so you can possibly assume your boards have also contracted more than normal so perhaps you could wait until the current weather has returned to its norm. Wet wet wet.
just a technical thought. The south east of England I believe are experiencing a drought (never before?) so you can possibly assume your boards have also contracted more than normal so perhaps you could wait until the current weather has returned to its norm. Wet wet wet.
Humidity is high in the summer, so the boards contract in the winter. Winter is still a better time though, presuming you are using something compressible, as it will then compress in summer, rather than fall out in winter.
mack9110000
Established Member
Lecol do make a liquid that mixes with very fine sawdust,for filling floorboard gaps.One is a solvent base the other water,both are very quick drying.If the tongues are so exposed that draughts can be felt, some caulking with paper and glue usually does the trick.The Lecol (7500 or 8500) is then applied with either a grouting tool or plastering trowel,fine sanded once again and finished to whatever specification the client likes.From a shrunken old Parquet man!
A
Anonymous
Guest
You must enter a message when posting
mack9110000
Established Member
While the gasket type thing would probably sort out the draughts,it still leaves the floor with unsightly gaps.My concern would be with the overall look,it's a purely personal point of view of course.
A
Anonymous
Guest
Hi
I am going through the same process at the moment at my brothers house. We were pondering over using a 2 pack filler something like this. We were going to try and source a darker colour to contrast with the pine boards.
Given that we are in the middle of a hot spell the boards shouldn't shrink too much, the only problem being if the boards will expand in the winter and have no where to expand. Given that this is a centrally heated house is this going to be a problem?
Any ideas?
Stuart
I am going through the same process at the moment at my brothers house. We were pondering over using a 2 pack filler something like this. We were going to try and source a darker colour to contrast with the pine boards.
Given that we are in the middle of a hot spell the boards shouldn't shrink too much, the only problem being if the boards will expand in the winter and have no where to expand. Given that this is a centrally heated house is this going to be a problem?
Any ideas?
Stuart
tombo
Established Member
Just personal taste but ive never seen a sanded floorboard floor that i realy liked.
I think we have been brain washed in this country by the do it in a weekend make over shows.
There are just too many compromises pine is soft and gets dinged up, you have all the nail holes to deal with and the gaps to fill its just a ton of work for a mediocre result.
A couple of friends spent days finishing an upstairs room only to carpet over it a year later cause its so noisey.
Stick with the carpet till you can afford the real deal hardwood flooring
I think we have been brain washed in this country by the do it in a weekend make over shows.
There are just too many compromises pine is soft and gets dinged up, you have all the nail holes to deal with and the gaps to fill its just a ton of work for a mediocre result.
A couple of friends spent days finishing an upstairs room only to carpet over it a year later cause its so noisey.
Stick with the carpet till you can afford the real deal hardwood flooring
mack9110000
Established Member
The sanding and finishing of white pine floors is a fairly new innovation.What many people forget is,how many types and colours of pine there are, Oregon and pitch being two of the more common examples, and both beautiful to look at,if carefully sanded and finished professionaly or otherwise.The string idea is one I have used successfully,though I used it with PVA glue,before filling.I would not use any kind of mastic for floor gaps it can get dragged out and leave smears.If the floor has been in situ any decent length of time,it will have expanded / shrunk till it's limits (barring floods) so a hard plasticised filler should be O.K.
