Gap Between Floor Lines (by Lordzen [MA]) Sep 7, 2022 8:32 PM
Gap Between Floor Lines (by plenty [MO]) Sep 7, 2022 8:44 PM
Gap Between Floor Lines (by Hoosier [IN]) Sep 7, 2022 8:48 PM
Gap Between Floor Lines (by LordZen [MA]) Sep 7, 2022 9:19 PM
Gap Between Floor Lines (by LordZen [MA]) Sep 7, 2022 9:24 PM
Gap Between Floor Lines (by Hoosier [IN]) Sep 7, 2022 9:39 PM
Gap Between Floor Lines (by Hoosier [IN]) Sep 7, 2022 9:40 PM
Gap Between Floor Lines (by 6x6 [TN]) Sep 7, 2022 10:06 PM
Gap Between Floor Lines (by 6x6 [TN]) Sep 7, 2022 10:11 PM
Gap Between Floor Lines (by Robert J [CA]) Sep 7, 2022 11:14 PM
Gap Between Floor Lines (by LordZen [MA]) Sep 7, 2022 11:40 PM
Gap Between Floor Lines (by Richard [MI]) Sep 7, 2022 11:45 PM
Gap Between Floor Lines (by LordZen [MA]) Sep 8, 2022 12:12 AM
Gap Between Floor Lines (by Steve [MA]) Sep 8, 2022 5:43 AM
Gap Between Floor Lines (by plenty [MO]) Sep 8, 2022 8:54 AM
Gap Between Floor Lines (by Vee [OH]) Sep 8, 2022 8:39 PM
Gap Between Floor Lines (by DJ [VA]) Sep 8, 2022 11:26 PM
Gap Between Floor Lines (by Hoosier [IN]) Sep 9, 2022 1:06 AM
Gap Between Floor Lines (by DJ [VA]) Sep 9, 2022 9:46 AM
Gap Between Floor Lines (by plenty [MO]) Sep 9, 2022 9:51 AM
Gap Between Floor Lines (by LordZen [MA]) Sep 9, 2022 3:55 PM
Gap Between Floor Lines (by Steve [MA]) Sep 9, 2022 6:01 PM
Gap Between Floor Lines (by Steve [MA]) Sep 9, 2022 6:08 PM
Gap Between Floor Lines (by LordZen [MA]) Sep 11, 2022 10:16 PM
Gap Between Floor Lines (by Steve [MA]) Sep 12, 2022 6:43 AM
Gap Between Floor Lines (by LordZen [MA]) Sep 13, 2022 7:33 PM
Gap Between Floor Lines (by Steve [MA]) Sep 13, 2022 10:37 PM
Gap Between Floor Lines (by LordZen [MA]) Sep 19, 2022 1:12 AM
Gap Between Floor Lines (by Lordzen [MA]) Posted on: Sep 7, 2022 8:32 PM Message:
Hello everyone, hope you all are well and safe.
I will like to know what filler I can use to fill large gap lines in between the hardwood floors, this is the wood floor that had been there always since we bought the house. I read that during the Winter and Summer this can expand and contract, any ideas or recommendations? Gaps are like 1/2 or 1/4 inch, just in one bedroom.
Thanks in advance.
--98.216.xx.xxx |
Gap Between Floor Lines (by plenty [MO]) Posted on: Sep 7, 2022 8:44 PM Message:
What is the age of the house and the width of the boards? --172.56.xx.xxx |
Gap Between Floor Lines (by Hoosier [IN]) Posted on: Sep 7, 2022 8:48 PM Message:
Yikes, those are huge gaps! Do you know what is causing this? That is not normal. Are you looking for something that looks nice or just anything to fill them? Is there a subfloor visible below? If so, what is that material? What is the age of the house? Is this the entire room or only on 1-2 boards?
I think you'll struggle to find anything that looks good for that large of a gap. Backer rod is one option, it comes in different sizes and will sit in there but only if there is subfloor below...and it won't look very good.
What about buying some 1/4" and 1/2" thick strips of wood and gluing in, staining them before install? --99.92.xxx.xxx |
Gap Between Floor Lines (by LordZen [MA]) Posted on: Sep 7, 2022 9:19 PM Message:
plenty this house is from 1890, the previous owner said this is the original floors since he bought them, at the time I bought, it has another layer of flooring on top, I removed and left the original since that one looks nicer and I was staying on that floor at the time.
Hoosier, not really, I thought it was due to the weather issues, I was not able to see that detail during inspections because the 2 beds and dresser were covering most of that. I want a solution that is tenant friendly, I think this is a -B or C area, no, the subfloors are not visible, maybe is 1/4 inch or less, not that wide, I can stick the tip of my pinky finger on some of the gaps, not all of them. --98.216.xx.xxx |
Gap Between Floor Lines (by LordZen [MA]) Posted on: Sep 7, 2022 9:24 PM Message:
Sorry Hoosier I hit submit too quickly, is like half or less of the bedroom floors, like 10 lines, the width of these wood is like something like between 4-7 inches wide. The room measurement is 15' x 11'6" = 165 Square Feet (with my not professional measurement LOL).
I thought about buying strips, I just wanted to see if there are other methods LL here had used. --98.216.xx.xxx |
Gap Between Floor Lines (by Hoosier [IN]) Posted on: Sep 7, 2022 9:39 PM Message:
Thanks for added info. Backer rod is usually a dark gray or light blackish color so depending on the color of your floors if they are very dark brown you might be able to get by using the backer rod without it looking too terrible. It is like a thick foam that you can stuff down in the gaps. i’m afraid if you try to use wood it will end up causing more problems during the expansion and contraction cycles of the various seasons. --99.92.xxx.xxx |
Gap Between Floor Lines (by Hoosier [IN]) Posted on: Sep 7, 2022 9:40 PM Message:
If you do use backer rod keep in mind that it does tend to not stay in place very well. Maybe you just try one piece without any kind of glue or cement first just to see how it looks and then if you really like it or think it works well you could probably use some kind of an adhesive to keep it down in the slot --99.92.xxx.xxx |
Gap Between Floor Lines (by 6x6 [TN]) Posted on: Sep 7, 2022 10:06 PM Message:
"....it has another layer of flooring on top, I removed and left the original...."
It sounds to me like you removed the finished floor and are using the subfloor, is that right?
By chance are these bords at a 45 degree angle? --73.113.xxx.xxx |
Gap Between Floor Lines (by 6x6 [TN]) Posted on: Sep 7, 2022 10:11 PM Message:
If you put anything solid, like wood strips between these boards, as Hoosier said, this could cause more problems. It could even start pushing walls out of place during the expansion period. --73.113.xxx.xxx |
Gap Between Floor Lines (by Robert J [CA]) Posted on: Sep 7, 2022 11:14 PM Message:
If these are tongue and groove floor boards, then they are nailed in place and hard to deal with. Do you know the thickness of the floor boards. You'll have to check somewhere where it wasn't originally sanded down.
A good friend didn't use a nail and measuring tape to determine the original thickness and the current thickness. The hardwood was originally HALF AN INCH THICK. This means 1/3 is a sand able surface. So 0.5" / 3 = 0.166" or 11/16". Not much to work with and NOT worth fixing for a rental.
So my friend spent $2,000 sanding and staining the hardwood. He could have used that money to install new wood, engineered wood or a laminate. SO after 3 months of tenants the boards started to peal apart and catch the mother's foot, splints, etc. After thousands in medical bills and throwing $2K saving the old wood, the friend/owner lost $5,000 and then still had to replace the wood flooring, another $7K. So a 12K blunder all because he wanted the original crap for wood floor already was sanded down too much. SO MEASURE IT FIRST before deciding what to do. --47.156.xx.xx |
Gap Between Floor Lines (by LordZen [MA]) Posted on: Sep 7, 2022 11:40 PM Message:
Hoosier thanks to you for taking your time. They are brown but not very darkish, I will try the baker rod.
6x6 No, the previous owner had installed another flooring on top of the original floor, right now I don't remember if it was vinyl, so no is not the subfloor.
Robert J no I don't know the thickness of the floorboards, I will see if I can remove one of the things that cover the threshold and see if this way I can see the thickness.
Thanks for your advice, I will try to measure it 1st, when we move in, after removing the prior flooring, we had a company that sand it down and polish it.
--98.216.xx.xxx |
Gap Between Floor Lines (by Richard [MI]) Posted on: Sep 7, 2022 11:45 PM Message:
Did you say "C" area?
Go to a store that sells carpet and get a remnant that either fits the room ($50-75) OR a throw rug that's appropriate size. Put it down over the floor or the area with the cracks.
I'd use the throw rug.
Done!
This floor probably had this problem for a long time, hence the second layer. It will likely cost too much to deal with the old wood floor as whatever is causing this will require a lot of work. --24.180.xx.xx |
Gap Between Floor Lines (by LordZen [MA]) Posted on: Sep 8, 2022 12:12 AM Message:
Richard Thanks for the idea, that might work as well.
Yes, I am not a very old LL, I mean, I don't have many years being a LL, I read the description regarding the ABCD area in a previous thread but I am confuse myself, my apartment is in B or B- condition but the area I think is a C... LOL --98.216.xx.xxx |
Gap Between Floor Lines (by Steve [MA]) Posted on: Sep 8, 2022 5:43 AM Message:
LZ, how wide are the individual boards? Are they face nailed which means that the nail heads are visible & flush or a bit below the surface of the wood or are they blind nailed which means the nails are on the edge of the boards where you can't see them (usually these types of floors are tongue & groove).
I've owned several buildings of the same vintage & I think that what you have are most likely 4"-8" wide pine boards that were face nailed with square headed wrought iron nails into subfloors made up of similar pine boards. Normally these types of floors swell up with the summer humidity eliminating gaps & sometimes even causing slight humps in the floor. In the wintertime when there is less humidity they tend to dry out & make gaps between the boards. It seems strange that you're seeing gaps now especially with the hot humid summer we've had.
If you Email me some pictures of the floors, I should be able to tell you which kind you have & perhaps offer some possible remedies. --71.184.xxx.xxx |
Gap Between Floor Lines (by plenty [MO]) Posted on: Sep 8, 2022 8:54 AM Message:
We live in a period home and this is indeed original but as 6x6 write was never meant to be the finished floor. So go over it with some other flooring. Unless your doing a compete restoration your just being busy! Carpet covers lots of sins. Hardwood floor or even the wood look vinyl will give good results. Trust me we are working on such a floor at this time.thats why I asked the question on the first post --172.56.xx.xx |
Gap Between Floor Lines (by Vee [OH]) Posted on: Sep 8, 2022 8:39 PM Message:
I suggest using latex caulking, smooth it down with a plastic drywall and follow with a damp sponge which will result in the caulking being lower than the parent floor. --76.190.xxx.xxx |
Gap Between Floor Lines (by DJ [VA]) Posted on: Sep 8, 2022 11:26 PM Message:
An older (1925) house I used to own had wood floors about that width, nailed to the joists at 45 degree angles. That was the whole floor - no subfloor & finished floor, just the one layer (3/4"). I wonder if that may be what you have? They were face-nailed tongue & groove, but some had the tongues broken which created gaps.
For a quick fix in a "budget-focused" neighborhood, I recommend the caulk idea as Vee described. It will help seal out air & bugs, and be flexible for expansion/contraction. Choose a tan/brown caulk that is a similar color to the floor.
One day you might put another layer back on. That's probably why it was there when you got it. --68.229.xxx.xxx |
Gap Between Floor Lines (by Hoosier [IN]) Posted on: Sep 9, 2022 1:06 AM Message:
And I did not recommend caulk is because the gaps are so wide it may fall through to whatever is below and it will take an enormous amount of caulking. If you use the backer rod as I described and still have some space above it you could put a little bit of caulking over top of the backer rod as other people have described using a color of caulk that approximates the floor. --99.92.xxx.xxx |
Gap Between Floor Lines (by DJ [VA]) Posted on: Sep 9, 2022 9:46 AM Message:
When caulking a wide gap, I use strips of foam cut from pipe insulation as a backer. It's cheap, and you cut whatever size backer you need.
Cut it wide enough that it will hold itself in place with friction between the 2 pieces of (in this case wood). Then caulk on top. The foam will hold the caulk in place until it sets.
Another method to caulk kind of wide gaps is to fist stick a bead on each edge of the crack. A kind of smallish bead, really pressed on (with finger) so they stick & don't fall in the hole. There will still be a little space between them. Once they are set, run another bead in the center & smooth it out. The first 2 (or one if more narrow) beads will support the last one. --68.229.xxx.xxx |
Gap Between Floor Lines (by plenty [MO]) Posted on: Sep 9, 2022 9:51 AM Message:
If you follow old house huggers they say do not fill the gabs with caulk. --172.56.xx.xxx |
Gap Between Floor Lines (by LordZen [MA]) Posted on: Sep 9, 2022 3:55 PM Message:
I uploaded some pictures here
mrlandlord DOT com / picturepages / index.php?twg_album=LordZen&twg_show=x --98.216.xx.xxx |
Gap Between Floor Lines (by Steve [MA]) Posted on: Sep 9, 2022 6:01 PM Message:
LZ the first few pictures show pine boards face nailed with what appear to be square cut nails. Seeing as how the door threshold seems to be resting evenly on both the 2 1/4" hard wood floor & the pine floor, I'd say that they were both installed over kind of subflooring probably pine boards. An easy way to determine if there is a subfloor is to try to slip something thin like a knife blade or nail file down thru the gap between the boards. If it only can go down an inch or so, then they must be some kind of sub floor below it. You should be able to sand out the scratches then gently sand / scuff the rest of the floor and give it a couple of coats of poly to make it look good again. IMO there isn't any practical way to do anything about the gaps.
The narrower floors are definitely tongue groove oak installed with blind fasteners.
--71.184.xxx.xxx |
Gap Between Floor Lines (by Steve [MA]) Posted on: Sep 9, 2022 6:08 PM Message:
LZ, I forgot to add that I got your Email but pictures were password protected so I could access them.
If the spaces in the pine floors really bother you then you could use a five in one scraper or sharp putty knife & a shopvac to clean out the junk. Once they are clean you could cut up some strips of felt gasketing to pack in the spaces similar to using oakum to caulk the seam on a boat. ://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=caulking+boat+seams&&view=detail&mid=647D93B1EB02F2C45B18647D93B1EB02F2C45B18&&FORM=VRDGAR&ru=%2Fvideos%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dcaulking%2Bboat%2Bseams%26FORM%3DHDRSC3 --71.184.xxx.xxx |
Gap Between Floor Lines (by LordZen [MA]) Posted on: Sep 11, 2022 10:16 PM Message:
Steve thanks, I received your email, sorry I didn't reply before, I had been working on the 2nd floor with my father in law, I took the measurement you ask, is like 3/4 inch, not 1 inch and 3/4, just 3/4 inch deep thru the gap. --98.216.xx.xxx |
Gap Between Floor Lines (by Steve [MA]) Posted on: Sep 12, 2022 6:43 AM Message:
Based on you latest reply & viewing the pictures, I'd say that what you have are 3/4" pine boards that were originally fastened with wrought iron cut nails. I very much doubt that there are any cost-effective ways to deal with the seasonal gaps between the individual boards. IMO you should consider going with one of the following.
1. Lightly sand & refinish & do nothing to the gaps
2. Install either wall to wall carpeting which will also help reduce noise transmission
3. Install one of the click together vinyl plank floors --71.184.xxx.xxx |
Gap Between Floor Lines (by LordZen [MA]) Posted on: Sep 13, 2022 7:33 PM Message:
Steve thank you very much, I think I will go with the 3rd option, is that easy to do for a beginner like me ? --98.216.xx.xxx |
Gap Between Floor Lines (by Steve [MA]) Posted on: Sep 13, 2022 10:37 PM Message:
I've done them with the help of one of my 9-year-old grandnephews & have taught several of my female clients how to do them. The glue strip style is really easy, but I recommend using one of the better click styles from either HD or Lowes. I suggest that you stay away from the wider tile design & use the plank style for your first one. Something like this ://www.homedepot.com/p/Lifeproof-Sterling-Oak-8-7-in-W-x-47-6-in-L-Click-Lock-Luxury-Vinyl-Plank-Flooring-20-06-sq-ft-case-I966106L/300699284 or ://www.lowes.com/pd/ProCore-Plus-8-Piece-7-in-x-59-75-in-Meadow-Oak-Luxury-Vinyl-Plank-Flooring/1003091588 --71.184.xxx.xxx |
Gap Between Floor Lines (by LordZen [MA]) Posted on: Sep 19, 2022 1:12 AM Message:
Thanks Steve, we will try it to see. I had that Flooring from Home Depot --98.216.xx.xxx |
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