Refinishing hardwood floors filling cracks in basement

I just got my wood floors refinished and there are cracks forming. Refinishing hardwood floorsdiy flooringplank flooringwood. Defects in most hardwood floors stand out like a sore thumb or a pimple on a forehead because of the flat shiny finish you see on most hardwood floors. Begin by vacuuming the cracks using a hose attachment. Almost any kind of flooring is okay to install in a belowgrade basement. Hardwood floor gaps and how to fix them builddirectlearning. Try resealing and buffing engineered floors instead. Ordinarily, you can fill the gaps with wood filler, putty, or with pieces of rope and then finish with stain to match the floor. Fascinating refinished hardwood floors feel rough also refinishing hardwood floors filling gaps things you have to note when you plan to refinish hardwood floors all wood floors are protected by a clear coating that eventually becomes scratched, scuffed and dull. Over the years, many hardwood floors develop small splits or cracks in the surface of the wood. Hardwood floors, especially old ones, are prone to developing significant gaps. I very much appreciate the honesty about the cracks.

Soil that contains clay will expand when it becomes wet, creating enough upward pressure to crack and lift a slab floor. Though they require refinishing, preserving hardwood floors makes economical sense because they can last for hundreds of years, according to the national wood flooring association. Yes, you can refinish a hardwood floor let us show you how. Most often, cupping happens when flooring is installed over a wet basement or crawlspace. Refinishing wood should i fill gaps in floor when i. A reciprocating saw with a blade that will cut through nails is the easiest way to cut through nails. A compilation of wood floor refinishing fails by youtubers, complete with critical, yet bumbling nonsensical commentary. How to refinish a hardwood floor with large cracks home. Specialized in hardwood floor installation and refinishing.

Youll find that refinishing hardwood floors is a fraction of the cost. The boards are not nailed down due to the concrete. Even in the event of something as catastrophic as a water heater flooding the entire basement, these floors would dry out to their original condition. Filling gaps in prefinished wood floors you want to fill holes, cracks and splits but not refinish the floor, wood putty is a better choice than wood filler. But my finish will run into those gaps and fill them nice and flush, right. At svb wood floors, we use a stateoftheart dustless sanding method. If you find cracks in the concrete of your basement, dont panic. Rarely do you have to refinish the entire floor, but in certain instances its required. Filling gaps in floorboards with images diy wood floors. Hardwood floor repair in kansas city wood floor restoration. The theme is that these are all inorganic materials. As a hardwood floor ages, gaps often develop between the boards as they expand and contract.

Many individuals have called bill dehals company for refinishing services looking for a floor fixer. A few months after my wood floors were refinished to a darker color i started to. When it comes to choosing basement flooring, theres good news. Heres a step by step guide on how to refinish pine floors to enhance their natural beauty not their orange. Attempting to refinish laminate floors which arent made of wood could ruin them.

Cut the tip of the filler tube at a slight angle and insert it into the caulk gun. Wood filler is a wetter, more fluid product than wood putty. How to fill gaps in a wideplank wood floor this old house. With older tongueandgroove 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. Using a plastic trowel or a plastic spatula, lay the sawdustglue mixture into the cracks. When the gaps are all over, a refinish is undoubtedly a difficult task. How to refinish hardwood floors without breaking the bank. They are power nailed to the sub floor so there is no way you can pull the nails out by hand. Between each coat of stain or sealant, you must wait several hours before you can walk on the floors, maybe 24 hours if. Louis climate and our humidity, wood floors will expand and contract often causing gaps and cracks. A sanding block will help you achieve a good result with a flat surface.

I get it you dont want me to put filler in those cracks. Wipe the patch and adjacent flooring with a damp rag to wipe off any excess. What to expect when sanding and refinishing your floors. If your floors are set meaning that the gaps are consistent through out the year i would advise the following. We got a makeoversame awesome info, with easiertoread fonts and improved online.

I am buying a house that has old hardwood floors that look great. See more ideas about wood floors, refinishing hardwood floors, flooring. When a section of the basement floor cracks and heaves slab upward, then you have a problem. Hardwood gaps are generally caused by one of a few installation errors. This sort of damage suggests soil expansion beneath the basement floor. Minnesota doityourself homeowners are our specialty. In this video, this old house contractor tom silva explains how to fill gaps in a wideplank wood floor. I give my thoughts on sanding floors with orbital sanders or finishing. Click floating hardwood flooring lumber liquidators. Squeeze in a latex filler, and expect to apply several coats to fill the gaps.

How to fill gaps in a wideplank wood floor old wood floors. I want to lay laminate or engineered wood over tile anyone know a thing brand to avoid bulk. When the area is dry, sand the filler until its smooth and flush with the surface. Exceptions are solid hardwood flooring and laminate flooring made. I just had mine redone and im disappointed with the lumps and stray hairs that are stuck in. There is an addition that is newer and the hardwood is installed on a concrete slab. So you would cut out parts of the existing planks with a circular saw set to the depth of the wood so you dont cut other things and notch out a few planks dremel might. Use a 3foot or longer bubble level to see if any sections of the floor slope more than a halfinch in 8 feet. Wood putty has more of the consistency of damp clay and while it will harden some it does not fully dry. We have gaps in our dining room so wide that you can see light coming up from the basement. Feb 26, 2016 in my last column, i discussed ways to spottreat the worn finish on old wood floors. Should i fill in the depressions left behind by the tack strip nails when installing engineered wood flooring. Hardwood floors refinishing is a hurryupandwait process.

Eventually, the gaps become obvious enough to detract from the appearance of the floor, and its time for a refinish. How to fill gaps in floor boards, stopping draughts from floorboards and how to seal floorboards. Refinishing hardwood floors what to expect sanding and refinishing your flooring is like getting a facelift for your floors. Using epoxy putty to fill cracks in old plank floor. A reader wants to fill the gaps in this victorianera wood floor. Not only are they an eyesore, they can also collect dirt and dust. Hardwood floor refinishing jatc wood floors st louis. Installers of new wood floors spread a puttylike goop across the wood, scraping it into any cracks with a stiff scraper. Wood flooring, because it is a natural product and contains some level of water content at all times, will expectedly behave like a natural product, and not with the characteristics of plastic or.

How to repair hardwood floor cracks ask the builder. Gaps in hardwood floors can be a huge visual annoyance. I decided against it because of the possible problems already mentioned. This week, i want to talk about another wood floor pet peeve. Once the damaged area is clean, apply wood filler by pressing firmly with a putty knife. Dealing with gunk in the gaps in old hardwood floors the. Hardwood flooring for basements cracks in your hardwood floor. Although it may seem daunting, repairing cracks in your basement floor is something you can do without going to the expense of hiring a professional.

This will help remove any particles that may interfere with the filler s adhesion to the boards. And engineered hardwood, which has a layer of hardwood over a plywood core, isnt a much better candidate. The good news is the cracks can be fixed so the floor looks brand new. Basement and crawl space encapsulation companies also are set up for doing it. If you are not sanding and refinishing the wood at this time you will have to keep the. Most properly installed types of flooring can stand up to damp conditions and high humidity. Filling gaps in prefinished wood floors floor central. Dealing with gaps in hardwood floors one project closer. The problem is magnified when the boards were not tightly laid in the first place.

Victorian and had the original hardwood floors in the kitchen refinished. But basically, only floors with real hardwood throughout can tolerate refinishing. Once the raw wood is exposed, any necessary repairs can be made, such as filling old nail holes, repairing cracks, replacement of damaged planks, etc. Filling all the cracks individually with a putty knife prior to sanding is usually a big. What is the best method of filling the gaps in wooden floors. See more ideas about refinish wood floors, flooring and refinishing hardwood floors. These cracks are part of the natural drying process for concrete.

There are some gaps between the boards the short sides, some as big as about 12 inch. Solid wood floorboards shrink and swell with the seasons, but old boards can develop permanent if changing gaps. Wood filler tips epoxy wood filler hardwood floors mn. This angle will allow you to better control the filler and avoid uneven application. Any time you are considering refinishing hardwood floors, you have to weigh the cost to refinish hardwood floors against the hardwood flooring cost and the hardwood floor installation cost. Second to that would be ceramic or porcelain tile, sheet vinyl flooring, or plank luxury vinyl tile. Refinishing hardwood floors diy wood floor refinishing tips. Seeing cracking in wood floors is seasonal and common.