Which is better for floorbaord draught proofing?

Robokid40

I am trying to fill the gaps in my floorboards. I could either do it myself using draughtex(expandable) rubber or pay £150 more and get a pro to hammer in wedges. I don't really mind paying so more so long as it is more effective.

Which is more effective, draughtex or hammering wooden wedges for draught proofing. I am asking about effectiveness not looks.

tony6403

Both would have exactly the same effect.

mchale

Get some sawdust from a joiner's shop, mix with wood glue and fill the gaps then sand, cheap!!!

Arfa__

I just use a couple of tubes of brown silicone sealant. Squirt it in, then get a damp sponge to spread it neat and get rid of excess. Though only good if the gaps are less than 5mm ish. Making the nozzle hole bigger can help with widest gaps.

If the boards ever have to come up again, it just peels away as a big long snake of silicone, dead easy to clean up, ready to reapply when the boards are replaced. No sanding, so no damage to varnish/wax finish of boards either.

accountingbod

slightly different question but this is something that i have been thinking of doing as well...

If you plug the gaps in the floorboard does this cause a ventilation/damp issue at all?
I was worried that the air may not circulate as it should if this was done?

tony6403

accountingbod wrote: »

slightly different question but this is something that i have been thinking of doing as well...

If you plug the gaps in the floorboard does this cause a ventilation/damp issue at all?
I was worried that the air may not circulate as it should if this was done?

The floor should (and in almost all cases will) be ventilated from below and sealing draughts is extremely unlikely to cause any trouble.
Floorboards do move with changes in humidity and I would not use the sawdust + glue filler which is inflexible.

Yorkie1

I've used the rubber tubing from, I think, draughtex. It's not done a bad job but I found that there was often a little shrinkage at the ends of the rubber pieces - the smaller the gap, the more you have to stretch it out initially to make it thin enough to squash it down / into the gap with the wheel device. It's not always possible to keep the tension at the far ends so the rubber shrinks back a little.

That being said, I've been quite pleased with the sample I used (went further than I thought it would) and I'd consider getting more of it.

ROY47

expanding foam like this

http://www.screwfix.com/p/no-nonsense-expanding-foam-hand-held-750ml/75470

spray carefully in gaps and cut off the excess

providing you aren't leaving the floorboards exposed