Why Do I Have Gaps In My Hardwood Floor

Water logged wood will first swell then shrink as it dries out.

Why do i have gaps in my hardwood floor.

Engineered hardwood flooring is designed to minimize gaps due to expansion and contraction of the wood. Jasper hardwood canadian silver maple collection in montebello gray sku. Gapping in engineered hardwood can be due to many factors including but not limited to the material s manufacturing changes in humidity and the type and quality of the installation. Failing to install the first board perfectly straight in a hardwood flooring installation.

The problem is magnified when the boards were not tightly laid in the first place. Do all this if you expect your solid wood floors to stay tight. Failing to keep boards straight when working. They weren t there in the summer solid 3 4 hardwoods will expand and contract with seasonal changes in moisture.

Almost every wood floor will show some separation between boards particularly in the winter months when homes are heated and the air is dry. While humidity may affect your hardwood floor permanent cracking is also a possible issue. Repairing permanent floor cracks photo credit. Don t even think about repairs until the spring the floors amy have corrected.

The gaps that you have now are probably permanent. Not only are they an eyesore they can also collect dirt and dust. Adding filler is not a good idea. But to answer a common question.

In cases where the gaps aren t repaired by increasing the humidity levels you will need to fill these cracks. Large gaps in wood floors that do not close up during the summer months could be a result of excessive moisture check the crawl space below being located too close to a heating vent incorrect nail spacing or structural settlement issues. Hardwood gaps are generally caused by one of a few installation errors. Improperly acclimating the hardwoods prior to installation.

Gaps in hardwood floors can be a huge visual annoyance. For normal gaps no repairs are needed. Hardwood floor gaps cracks. In any case wait until spring before you do any filling and do it sparingly.

Why do we have gaps. If you do discover that your hardwood floor is beginning to gap in spots it s important that you take care of it sooner rather than later. With older tongue and groove hardwood or even wide plank floors gaps inevitably develop between the boards mostly because the wood shrinks over time as it dries out and loses moisture content. The wood shrinks because it loses moisture and gaps.

During winter months complaints usually start trickling in. Another exacerbating condition is water damage. Don t put any filler into prefinished floors it never looks good. It will get pushed out as the.

Yes it can still have gaps. Some finishes may also help reduce the risk of your hardwood floor drying.