How to fill gaps between floorboards

PBA

We've got rid of the carpet in the front room of our house and are trying to restore the original floorboards. Unfortunately the floor is over 100 years old and wasn't laid particularly well, and there are gaps of up to 5mm between the boards. I've tried looking in DIY books and at products in B&Q, but can't seem to find anything suitable to do the job. Was wondering if anyone else has had this problem, and can recommend a product that will do the job!

wolfehouse

i'm sure i heard that you mix pva with sawdust (from sanding the floorboards) to fill the gaps. maybe someone more professional will be along soon.

Sobraon

wolfehouse's method worked fine for me. But try to keep the PVA off the top of the boards as much as possible, or remove as much as you can before it is dry as it is a pain to sand off.

bobinbognor

This is a difficult one for you. Trying to fill the gaps will almost certainly lead to bits of filler dropping out as the boards move. If the gaps are wide enough to take a slat of wood glued in edgeways then this would be OK and the slats could be sanded down to floor level when the glue is dry and stained along with the boards. Alternatively you can buy or hire a floorboard nail removing tool which looks a bit like a burglars jemmy which easily lifts out bedded in nails. When all nails are out you will be able to push all the boards together and make up a new board to fill the one large gap left at a wall. Hope this makes sense. good luck, Bobinbognor

stilernin

PBA wrote: »

We've got rid of the carpet in the front room of our house and are trying to restore the original floorboards. Unfortunately the floor is over 100 years old and wasn't laid particularly well, and there are gaps of up to 5mm between the boards. I've tried looking in DIY books and at products in B&Q, but can't seem to find anything suitable to do the job. Was wondering if anyone else has had this problem, and can recommend a product that will do the job!

I have just paid a king's ransom to have Victorian boards sanded, stained and varnished. The gaps were filled with brown decorator's caulk before sanding. As it is flexible it doesn't pop out like solid fillers. A very shallow dent was created along the join with a wet finger to make it look like a gap.

Finished job looks great.

pboae

I found this stuff online ages ago http://www.stopg-p.co.uk/ it sounded ideal but I have never got round to trying it. If you do try it, let me know whether it's any good!

PBA

wolfehouse wrote: »

i'm sure i heard that you mix pva with sawdust (from sanding the floorboards) to fill the gaps. maybe someone more professional will be along soon.

Actually, someone in the trade suggested this to us last night. We didn't do a full sand though, used chemical stripper to remove the old varnish, so don't have enough sawdust!

bobinbognor wrote:

When all nails are out you will be able to push all the boards together and make up a new board to fill the one large gap left at a wall.

This is the suggestion that's in the DIY books. Would probably give the best look at the end, but unfortunately our room is a bit of an odd shape with a couple fireplaces sticking in to it, so moving the boards would mean most of them would end up the wrong length.

stilernin wrote:

The gaps were filled with brown decorator's caulk before sanding.

Believe me, I'm wishing I'd shelled out on a professional, then the job would have taken a week or so not 2 months! This sounded like the perfect solution, until...

pboae wrote:

http://www.stopg-p.co.uk/

This looks like exactly what we need. The website says it's on 3 week back order, but it looks like I can get on with the varnishing now and just put this stuff between the boards when it arrives. Will post back to report when I've got it.

stilernin

This looks like exactly what we need. The website says it's on 3 week back order, but it looks like I can get on with the varnishing now and just put this stuff between the boards when it arrives. Will post back to report when I've got it.[/quote]

I know that you want to get on with this job, but you might want to think about varnishing after you've done the gaps. I think you will get a better finish. The filler will be sealed in too.

mrke

I used traditional old fashioned string. Not the bright white dyed stuff but traditional sisal.

Dependant on the width of the gap twisting 2 or 3 lengths together to fill correctly. Pushed in to below the finished surface level with a screwdriver or similar.

Once done carefully squirt pva over the string with a squeezy bottle, the pva soaks in sealing the string in place.

When dry varnish the floor and the joints which helps seal the floor to keep out draughts.

No guarantees with this method but it worked for me, not heard of this being done before either.

Also string is cheaper than the other product mentioned...

Good luck whatever you decide.

tstodart

I used this for the big gaps in one room.

http://www.oldpinecompany.co.uk/acatalog/Slithers.html

A bit harder work than the plastic stripping though!

kruez

i brought some of this stuff www.gapseal.co.uk found it quite easy to fit, and has made the rooms a lot warmer and less draughty.