The gaps are anywhere from 1/16 to 1/8 of an inch. Is this normal? New hardwood floor are gaps between boards acceptable how to prevent wood floor gaps in winter business magazine why your engineered wood flooring has gaps acceptable gaps s between plank rows general hardwood flooring. Often, homeowners and installers will assume that a floor will flow together and practically install itself after the first few boards are laid. Ill informed advice like this often leads to floor problems. Often, homeowners and installers will assume that a floor will flow together and practically install itself after … Solid 3/4" hardwoods will expand and contract with seasonal changes in moisture. Is there any good way to repair it? Over time, however, the putty hardens, chips, and flakes. Over about 60 sq ft, there are 7 such gaps. One thing to note about using fillers to fix floor gaps; as the humidity changes and the floor expands and contracts, the filler may actually be forced out when the floor expands to accommodate additional humidity. How many there are, their size, and how stable the floor feels will determine how to fix them. Gaps in wood floor are influenced by factors such as indoor humidity levels, weather changes, radiant heat below and negligibly by installation or milling errors. There is a very simple explanation for why some months of the year you see gaps in your floor and other months you don’t. In fact there must be a gap left between any vertical object and the horizontally placed boards. Gaps in flooring One of the most common complaints with wood flooring is gapping, or separations in between the edge seams of flooring. I moved into my house May 1st 2010 (Cypress,TX) and it was a new inventory home with hardwood floors in the downstairs. Huge Gaps In Newly Installed Hardwood Floor We have a client in Marstons Mills on Cape Cod with a random width wood floor and the filler is crumbling and coming out. Gaps in hardwood floors can be a huge visual annoyance. Not only are they an eyesore, they can also collect dirt and dust. There are in fact several factors that can contribute to flooring gaps. We have just moved into our new home and we had engineered hardwood floors installed about 1 1/2 months ago throughout the house except in the bathrooms, bedrooms and kitchen. Is this an installation problem or … 3 Steps to Fix Hardwood Floor Gaps Planks that have small gaps will need less repair than those with broader or too many voids, or if floors that are soft and bouncy. I laid a brand new three quarter, maple hardwood floor in August and I am starting to notice some gaps between some of the boards. A contractor started to install 5" hickory solid hardwood planks in my new house (nail down). The floor is only two years old, but was obviously installed improperly. Wood fillers are also not meant for use with large gaps. This happen when wood loses its moisture content. Gaps during floor installation: Milling or install issue? We receive many questions about gaps that become obvious during installation of hardwood floors. If not, and there are gaps between boards, the gaps are there for good, although they may shrink slightly during periods of high humidity. We are in the house 4 months and noticed wide gaps between the planks. Fillers are best used when the gaps are narrow and the floor is not riddled with them. Gaps in wood floors are normal and occur when the wood loses its moisture content. It is common to have gaps in hardwood floor after installation or when the floor gets old. Engineered hardwood flooring can be nailed down, glued down, or "floated" (not nailed or glued to the subfloor). Expansion Gaps - Contraction Of Hardwood Floors Explained "The flooring store said to leave one quarter inch gaps for expansion at the walls...now the boards are lifting off the floor." Why You Should Avoid Putty Fillers. A. During winter months complaints usually start trickling in. "They weren't there in the summer." I can see a good number of obvious gaps which I can slid in a credit card. Thoughts for Preventing Gaps in New Installations: There are a few things that can be done before a hardwood floor is installed that will greatly help with preventing gaps down the road… Make sure the wood flooring gets acclimated properly before installation. If you see gaps in your floorboards, it’s essential that you don’t delay having them repaired. There are gaps at some of the corners of the longer planks - wide enough to stick a credit card in the gaps. Why Do We Have Gaps? Gaps? Some I can even put a dime, nickel and quarter down the gaps.