Hardwood floors can develop unsightly gaps over time due to factors like seasonal humidity changes, foundation settling, and normal wear and tear. Fixing these gaps is an important maintenance task that helps preserve your floors’ beauty and longevity. With some basic tools and techniques, you can fill those gaps and restore your hardwood floors’ seamless look.
What Causes Gaps in Hardwood Floors?
Gaps between hardwood floorboards typically occur for a few common reasons:
- Moisture Changes: As humidity rises and falls, wood expands and contracts, causing boards to move and creating separations. This is especially noticeable during seasonal transitions.
- Settling: Over time, foundation settling causes subtle shifts that can push floorboards apart at seams. Older homes tend to experience more settling issues.
- Wear: Foot traffic over many years slowly grinds floorboard edges, wearing them down and creating small gaps between boards. High traffic areas show the most wear.
- Improper Installation: If floorboards were not properly spaced during installation, gaps can appear later on as boards expand and contract normally.
Knowing the source of your floor gaps will help determine the best repair approach.
How to Fill Small Gaps in Hardwood Floors
For minor gaps less than 1/4 inch wide, you can use the following quick fixes:
- Wood putty: Push putty into the crevice using a putty knife. Wipe away excess, let dry completely, then sand flush. Match colored putty to your floor stain.
- Colored wax sticks: Lightly melt the wax crayon tip as you rub it into the gap. Remove residue and reapply if needed for a smooth fill.
- Pre-mixed wood filler: These are thick like putty but dry hard. Force into gaps with a putty knife and wipe away excess. Sand once dry.
Always clean gaps first before filling and do not overfill. Test products in an inconspicuous area first to ensure a color match with your floorboards.
Fixing Larger Gaps in Wood Floors
For separations wider than 1/4 inch, the gap fillers above may not adhere properly or match floorboard edges. Larger gaps require:
- Removal of baseboards: This allows you to work directly on the gap at floor level for a seamless repair.
- Using wood splines: These thin wood strips get glued into the gap below floor level and sanded flush. This strengthens the repair.
- Filler with wood fibers: Special compounds containing wood fibers blend repairs evenly. Push filler into gap with putty knife.
- Replacing boards: Very large gaps or multiple adjoining gaps can mean floorboards are too damaged or worn and need replacement.
Always clean gaps beforehand and make sure fill levels match floorboard edges. Sand and restain repairs to blend with surrounding boards.
Tips for Preventing Hardwood Floor Gaps
While some gapping is inevitable, you can proactively minimize the appearance of gaps:
- Maintain moderate humidity between 30-50%. Use dehumidifiers or humidifiers and monitor with a hygrometer.
- Open floor vents and circulate air to equalize humidity and temperature between floors.
- Avoid excessive wet spills and leaking appliances that can damage boards.
- Add area rugs in high traffic zones to reduce wear in heavy use areas.
- Use furniture floor protectors and occasionally rearrange layouts to distribute wear patterns.
- Have professionals assess settling issues and make foundation repairs as needed.
With attentive maintenance and gap repairs as needed, you can keep your hardwood floors looking their best for years to come. Proper moisture control andfoot traffic distribution will help minimize annoying gaps.
Frequently Asked Questions About Fixing Hardwood Floor Gaps
What’s the easiest way to fix a small floor gap?
For small gaps less than 1/4 inch, colored wax sticks are the quickest and easiest filling option. Just rub the wax into the crevice and wipe away excess.
What should I use to fill gaps wider than 1/4 inch?
For larger gaps, wood splines, wood-fiber filler, or board replacement will give the best results. Larger spaces need fillers that can adhere properly when dry and withstand foot traffic.
How do I match the color of gap fillers to my floors?
Use fillers that are colored to match your specific wood floor stain. Putty, wax sticks, and wood-fiber compounds come in a range of wood tones. Always test in an inconspicuous spot first.
Should I remove baseboards before fixing floor gaps?
It’s recommended to remove base trim molding first since that allows you to work directly at floor level for the most seamless gap filling results. Replace baseboards after repairs are complete.
What humidity level is best for minimizing hardwood floor gaps?
Indoor humidity between 30-50% is ideal for minimizing expansion and contraction of hardwood floors that leads to gaps. Use humidifiers or dehumidifiers as needed to maintain humidity in this range.
Conclusion
Unsightly gaps between hardwood floorboards can occur over time due to moisture changes, settling, and wear. With regular maintenance and promptly fixing gaps as they appear, you can keep your floors looking pristine. For small gaps under 1/4 inch, colored wax sticks offer a quick fix. Larger gaps require more extensive filling with materials like wood spline or wood-fiber compound. Always match gap filler colors to your floor stain for a seamless repair. Monitoring humidity and distributing floor wear will also help prevent excessive gapping. With a few simple fixes and vigilant care, you can keep gaps from marring the beauty of your hardwood floors.