How to Fill Gaps between Floor Boards

After a significant period in time, gaps unfortunately begin to appear in floor boards. This gap is fairly common in wooden floors, and is mainly caused by climatic changes. For instance wood tends to swell up in the summer when humidity increases. The opposite happens in the winter, and the cold causes the floor boards to shrink. Moreover, such floors are susceptible to regular wear and tear from daily activities that occur in households. Since wooden floors are quite a heavy investment in terms of their cost, it is essential that they are kept in top notch condition by regularly repairing cracks or gaps that occur between the floor boards. Such gaps can easily be fixed yourself with just a little knowledge and a few basic tools on hand. Follow the detailed steps below to in order to fill in the gaps between floor boards.

Tools and Materials Required

•    Vacuum or broom (whichever is easily available)

•    Cleaning cloth

•    Masking tape

•    Wood putty

•    Wood stain (must be the same color as the floor)

•    Putty knife

•    Newspapers

•    Sandpaper

Step 1 – Vacuum out Debris from gap

In order to make the gaps visible between the floor boards, the first step is to clean the floor a thoroughly. Use a vacuum cleaner or a broom (whichever is more easily available), and remove all of the dust and dirt which has collected inside the gaps. Use the cleaning cloth to ensure all debris has been removed.

Step 2 – Mark Location of gaps with Masking Tape

By now, the location of the gaps in the floor boards should be apparent. Use a piece of masking tape, and carefully mark the exact location of the gaps with it. This step is beneficial as no wood putty or stain shall be wasted once the exact location of the gap is known.

Step 3 – Mix Wood Stain

Put on a pair of rubber gloves and the old clothing as the next steps might be a little messy. Do bear in mind that the wood stain should match the color of the floor. Now since the location of the gaps have been marked, mix the wood stain and start filling it in the gaps present between the floor boards.  Do this with the help of a putty knife. Fill in the stain generously, and make sure the entire gap is filled in. Wipe away the excess stain with a cloth. Apply a few more thin layers of wood stain into the gap if that seems necessary. Leave this stain to thoroughly dry off before proceeding with the next step.

Step 4 – Sand the Floor

Ensure that the wood stain on the floor boards has completely dried out before continuing with this step. The last and final step is to sand the floor. Using a sand paper, sand the floor lightly until the surface is smooth. By now, your floor boards should be free of all cracks, and should appear to be brand-new.

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