What should you use to fill the gaps in between the boards? The few wood fillers I’ve looked at say they’re unsuitable for such an application. 🙄

There be some kind of v-shaped thing that slips down between the floorboards which can then take a filler if you’re so inclined. Google for it. Haven’t experienced it firsthand though.

EDIT: If it works, then put it in place, then fill to below the surface with expanding foam, then use the filler. Alternatively, if you can lay your hands on a foam-gun, then just use this to fill the gaps, then press down below the surface after it’s dried, then fill. A gun will give you much more control over the flow of foam out of the gun.

when we did ours we used strips of wood to fill the gaps. used a sander and a serform (sp?) to get them to the right width.

another option is sawdust mixed with PVA glue. tried it on ours but it looked crap so we dug it out and stuck to wood strips.

Don’t do what a friend of mine did and fill the gaps with silicone and then try and finish it off with a belt sander. The result was, predictably, not what he was expecting, as I tried to tell before embarking on the project……

when we did ours we used strips of wood to fill the gaps. used a sander and a serform (sp?) to get them to the right width.

This was one of my thoughts too – a good plan though (and can look nice if done well) is to fit strips of a contrasting darker wood. That way, you get the look of the gaps without the drafts (or is it draughts..yes, I think it’s draughts). The idea is to have them a tiny bit wider than the gaps but to plane a leading edge on one side. Bang them in with a hammer (well with a block of wood between the strips and the hammer), then finish off with a plane and sand.

another option is sawdust mixed with PVA glue. tried it on ours but it looked crap so we dug it out and stuck to wood strips.

I can’t believe this is still recommended – it looks completely gash, as you found out.

Don’t do what a friend of mine did and fill the gaps with silicone and then try and finish it off with a belt sander

LOL. That’s just mental – he should have listened to you.

send them for re-saw or power planer to get them tongue and grooved?

If the gaps are that big then I’d consider pulling up the floor and going again. Of course that depends a bit on the existing floor. You might be talking about a 17th century listed building or some shoddy pineboards, you didn’t say. Good quality unfinished oak boards cost £40/sqm, about the same as carpet.

send them for re-saw or power planer to get them tongue and grooved?

Good idea – but I imagine buying new T/G flooring would be cheaper?

Good quality unfinished oak boards cost £40/sqm

I know someone who fits them too 8)

as they are retaining the original boards, guessed they were reasonably quality / had ‘charm’
or flip them, if no-one has done that already

New t/g may be cheaper, but may not be same timber quality

Gaps aren’t bad, TBH, just figured filling ’em would neaten (is that a word? Neaten – to make neat – I dunno – discuss) ’em up prior to varnishing.

Totally OT – I’ve just had a Crunchie for the first time in years – lovely!

as they are retaining the original boards, guessed they were reasonably quality / had ‘charm’
or flip them, if no-one has done that already

Aye, fair point. I, like Digimap, was assuming they’re your bog-standard pine boards. Re-machining will mean you need extra boards for the last few rows though – which means trips to reclamation yards to pay through the nose.

Use sawdust from the sander (or you may be able to get from a sawmill). Fine stuff is best. Mix it with PVA. Looks better than commercial stuff and is cheap as chips. One downside though is that you’ll need to give it a re-sand as all the PVA leaves a residue around the gaps.

I found PVA / sawdust could fill quite big gaps. Looks gash if the sawdust isn’t really fine. Dries to a dark brown finish and on my floor it matches the colour of the un-filled bits after varnishing.

toxic – i have a load of v shaped strips which i used to fill the gaps – look amazing – if you want them im sure we can agree a price – cost me 75 quid for three packs have 1 pack left. I did a room measuring 20ft x 22ft with two packs (i have a very large lounge!)