Whether to fill gaps when restoring a wood floor

katejo

Later in the year, I am having an original wood floor sanded, restored and oiled. I have to  decide whether I want gaps filled between boards. I have seen photos of both but not close up. Any advice on this please? Has anyone chosen either option and then regretted it? How much benefit is there for saving heating costs?

FreeBear

If you have gaps between the floor boards, there will be cold draughts coming through (assuming ground floor). The gaps will also allow small objects to disappear in to the void - If you have children, they will love stuffing credit cards, coins, and other thin items of value in to the gaps.

Have/had gaps between a few floorboards in my lounge - Have since covered the floor with underlay (wood fibre & foam) and then put a carpet down. Has made a huge difference in being able to heat the room and stay warm during the winter.

katejo

I already have the original wood floor with the gaps. Just trying to decide whether to fill them in or not. Carpet not suitable because of  a step down to the kitchen. The edge would get grubby/scruffy very quickly. No kids so I don't have that issue. I am just wondering how it would look when filled in. 

Grenage

You can buy pine slithers online for this very purpose.  I would probably fill them in.

FreeBear

katejo said: I already have the original wood floor with the gaps. Just trying to decide whether to fill them in or not.

Fill them - It will kill the draughts and reduce your heating bills (which was the point I was trying to make).

theoretica

I have a floor with narrow gaps where tongue and groove don't fit together totally - really good at crud or small things going down them and I would rather sweep/wash the floor without needing to vacuum too, not to mention dropping small things I actually want back...

MalMonroe

katejo said:

Later in the year, I am having an original wood floor sanded, restored and oiled. I have to  decide whether I want gaps filled between boards. I have seen photos of both but not close up. Any advice on this please? Has anyone chosen either option and then regretted it? How much benefit is there for saving heating costs?

My friends renovated their floorboards and they filled the gaps. They've now been in their house for 26 years and have never regretted it. Their wooden floors still look great.  Not sure about their heating costs but their home is always cosy in winter without being too hot. 

MalMonroe

Grenage said:

You can buy pine slithers online for this very purpose.  I would probably fill them in.

*slivers not slithers. Sorry I know it's pedantic but I can't help it, that's one of my pet hates. As is 'lead' when it should be 'led'. Sorry again. 

Grenage

MalMonroe said:

Grenage said:

You can buy pine slithers online for this very purpose.  I would probably fill them in.

*slivers not slithers. Sorry I know it's pedantic but I can't help it, that's one of my pet hates. As is 'lead' when it should be 'led'. Sorry again. 

I'm going to blame gesture typing on my phone for this.

Bendy_House

I get the feeling that Kate is asking for purely aesthetic reasons? The answer is probably, on balance, that not filled looks more 'authentic', in the same way that, when choosing a laminate or LVT floor, the presence of a 'bevel' is essential for many ( eg me). 

But, real wood floors are not so critical imo, as they tend to have that extra character in any case. And, let's not forget, when that T&G floor was FIRST laid, there would NOT have been any gaps, so by filling them you are not doing anything that they weren't already.

And when you factor in the other reasons for filling them - draught-proofing, anti-dirt, etc - I'm pretty sure I'd do this.

ChilliBob

I've got a reasonable amount of experience in this having faffed around with it for ages in my old house..... my tuppenceworth:

1. Slithers - Are a massive pain in the !!!!!! - putting them in, planing/getting them level....... Then as the usual expansion and contraction happens you find they can pop up, and, if the gaps narrow and they're too think they can crack. They do look really great at first. If you go down that route take extreme care putting them in - I'd probably use something stronger than PVA, and avoid in gaps of say 1mm or less. 

2. Leaving the gaps - this was probably the best option tbh - we didn't find it that draughty or cold really in the rooms we did. We did finish around the skirting with a quarter bead of wood - which was okay, but taking off the skirting and refitting might look better - but we didn't want that hassle.

3. Some v shaped bit of plastic -  I can't remember the name, but this was actually really decent - basically you cut to length, unravel, push in using a credit card - you still *see* the gaps, but they're 'filled' so to speak so less dust/draught. We tried this and it was decent, but then we didn't bother in the smaller room we did.

Unrelated to gaps, but related to floors:

1. Knot holes - a bit of a pain - I ended up lifting a board, gluing something under - like wood - then filling with epoxy resin - it actually looked decent. There's other ideas - cork, wood filler etc - but holes all the way through need consideration - especially with children.

2. Gaps and children - my brother had this, and his son liked 'posting' stuff like credit cards in the gaps - eek, a right pain! 

3, Bona Gap master is pretty good for some gaps too if you want a filler based approach.

4. Depending on finish you want there are lots of options - but Osmo Polyx oil is what I'd recommend - it was great stuff and looked awesome. 

5. Don't even consider sanding it yourself with a belt sander - I still have a Matika one and about 3 dozen belts of different grades in the shed - we did an area about 50x50 cm and it took ages - we got a bloke in with a machine, way better! Obviously you can hire these yourself, but I believe you need to know what you're doing or you can really mess stuff up.

Lastly...... be aware of cables for say alarms, speakers, coax, internet etc - ours got cut through by the sanding guys, bit of a pain!