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Spreading floorboards

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  • 11-03-2008 12:24pm
    #1
    Bald? er, dash!
    Registered Users Posts: 139 ✭✭


    We are having problems with floorboards in a number of rooms in our house. The boards are bog standard white deal(?) which were subsequently lacquered by a pro.

    Essentially, the boards have shrunk since they were fitted (in a new build) over 18 months ago. They have probably shrunk as far as they are likely to go at this stage...

    What we are left with in a number of areas are very wide (7 - 10mm) gaps between adjoining boards. In a few extreme cases, the tongue has separated from the groove and the board has lifted slightly above the FFL. IIRC, the carpenter nailed every 3rd / 4th board in place, so it is probably not possible to "squeeze" them together from one side of the room and insert a filler piece by the wall. So...

    1. What options do I have re. 1 nailing down lifting boards?
    2. What options do I have re. filling the large gaps between the boards?


Comments

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    #2
    RPGGAMER
    Closed Accounts Posts: 507 ✭✭✭RPGGAMER


    you'll have to pull them up and make sure to store the boards next time in the same room for a week before laying them.


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    #3
    mossym
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 8,766 Mod ✭✭✭✭mossym


    and this time i'd nail every one, we naled all of ours to every batton it crossed and none of them have budged. as mentioned though they were in the room for 3 weeks before being put down


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    #4
    Bald? er, dash!
    Registered Users Posts: 139 ✭✭Bald? er, dash!


    Thanks for the replies guys...

    I don't want to start ripping apart my (relatively) new house and as this currently is an unoccupied bedroom, I would prefer to find a remedy as a stop gap for a few years before eventually going the replacement route.

    Anyone have experience of an after-market product for the job?

    Thanks in advance!


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    #5
    loyatemu
    Registered Users Posts: 14,991 ✭✭✭✭loyatemu


    lay carpet.


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    #6
    mossym
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 8,766 Mod ✭✭✭✭mossym


    you can get fake wood filler, but sounds like you would need a lot, and if the gaps are too big it might be difficult to make it take. Also it might not match if the floors are finished, which you mentioned they are


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    #7
    Bald? er, dash!
    Registered Users Posts: 139 ✭✭Bald? er, dash!


    mossym wrote: »
    you can get fake wood filler, but sounds like you would need a lot

    Agreed: 7 - 10mm gaps are probably beyond the intended scope of fillers. The only other alternative is to fill the gaps with slivers of the original floor boards, but again, matching the existing finish would be a problem...
    loyatemu wrote: »
    lay carpet.

    I think this might be the best solution in the medium term...


    Cheers all.


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    #8
    blindman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 203 ✭✭blindman


    Start using this room as a junk room. You'll never have to see that floor again


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    #9
    hippychippy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 78 ✭✭hippychippy


    Buy a cheap laminate or semi solid and lay it over that floor. Are there many wide gaps?? If not you could cut out the two boards that are not joining properly and rip down three boards to fit into space left.


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