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The Daily Insight

How do you fill gaps in wooden floorboards

Author

Dylan Hughes

Published Feb 22, 2026

You can use putty, wood filler, caulk, or even long pieces of string or rope stained to match. These methods not only fix the gaps but can also prevent drafts from coming up through the floor. If done correctly, these fillers – made of putty or paste – can fill in gaps to give your floors their original smooth finish.

Can you fill gaps between floorboards?

Traditional floorboard gap filling techniques and products are time consuming, messy to install and will often fall out over time. DraughtEx is a proven floorboard gap filler, designed to reduce the cold draughts and improve the comfort and energy efficiency of your home.

Should I fill gaps in hardwood floors?

For normal gaps, no repairs are needed. Adding filler is not a good idea; it will get pushed out as the wood expands with moisture. For larger gaps that don’t close up, call in a professional contractor who can repair floors properly. The best times to repair hardwood floors are April and October.

What is the best wood filler for floors?

  • Best Overall: DAP Plastic Wood All Purpose Wood Filler. …
  • Best Multi-Use: Minwax Color-Matched Wood Filler. …
  • Best Exterior: 3M Bondo Wood Filler. …
  • Best Interior: Elmer’s Carpenter’s Wood Filler Interior. …
  • Best for Flooring: Coconix Professional Floor and Furniture Repair Kit.

How do you fix timber floor gaps?

  1. Clean the gaps of the floorboards.
  2. Apply putty on the gap in a circular motion to force the putty.
  3. Allow the surface to dry while the remaining can be wiped by using the damped cloth. Make few passes to prevent the putty from coming out.

Which is better wood filler or wood putty?

Let’s clear up the confusion right now: Wood fillers can be sanded and stained and are best used on unfinished woodwork. Wood putty is best for repairing cracks and small holes on finished woodwork.

Can you use expanding foam on floorboards?

There are many ways that spray foam is an effective sound insulator for your floors: Spray foam is a flexible material and is easy to apply to difficult to reach areas. This means that it can be used to fill floor spaces, without necessarily needing to remove all of the floorboards.

How do you fix separated floorboards?

  1. If your floor isn’t fixed to the subfloor, you could try sliding the boards back into place. …
  2. Use a dust and resin mix to fill the gaps. …
  3. Insert filler strips into the gaps. …
  4. Use a colour-match acrylic filler.

What is the difference between wood putty and wood filler?

So what is the difference between wood putty and wood filler? … Wood filler is applied to repair the wood from the inside. Because it hardens, it helps the wood maintain its integrity. While wood putty is usually applied only after the finishings are done since it contains chemicals that may damage the wood.

Can I use caulk instead of wood filler?

Caulk is great for On the other hand, caulk is terrible for filling nail holes and other holes in wood because over time it will shrink and cause a divot. And wood filler is a terrible choice for filling gaps in trim – it would take forever to apply and sand.

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How do you fix cracks in hardwood floors?

You can use putty, wood filler, caulk, or even long pieces of string or rope stained to match. These methods not only fix the gaps but can also prevent drafts from coming up through the floor. If done correctly, these fillers – made of putty or paste – can fill in gaps to give your floors their original smooth finish.

What is plastic wood filler?

Plastic wood filler is ideal for patching small holes and gouges in furniture and interior woodwork prior to finishing. … You can use plastic wood filler on exterior woodwork, as long as you paint over it. Plastic wood filler shrinks as it dries, and larger holes may require more than one application.

How big of a hole can wood filler fill?

However, it does have its limits with how much it can cover. Anything more than 3/8-inch isn’t advisable. Aside from that, you can sand, paint, and wood stain putty after it hardens.

Is it normal for wood floors to separate?

Every hardwood floor endures some separation between boards. In the winter months when the home is heated and the air is dry, wood flooring releases some of its moisture and therefore shrinks. When this happens, thin cracks appear between boards. This is normal and is acceptable.

How do you fill gaps in floorboards with sawdust?

  1. Start by sanding down the surface.
  2. During the sanding process, collect as much loose saw dust as possible.
  3. After the initial sanding, add a layer of PVA glue into the gap between your floorboards.
  4. Sprinkle sawdust over the PVA.
  5. Push the sawdust into the PVA until it is level with the top of your flooring.

How do you seal gaps between wood floors and walls?

An easy way to remedy this is to fill the gap between the wall and subfloor with caulk. The caulking should be rated for moisture and mildew resistance. It also must be flexible to allow for movement when the structure shifts. An exterior-based caulking is sufficient.

What can I use to fill gaps between floor and wall?

Use silicone caulk to create a waterproof seal. If you’re fixing a gap between a tile floor and wall, such as in a shower or a bathroom, go with a silicone caulk so you can create an airtight, waterproof seal. Look for silicone caulk at home improvement stores, hardware stores, and online.

What is the best wood filler?

  • Bondo Wood Filler. First on our list is the Bondo 200082 Home Solutions Wood Filler. …
  • Minwax Wood Filler. …
  • Elmer’s Wood Filler. …
  • Aqua Coat Wood Grain Filler. …
  • DAP 00585 Latex Wood Filler. …
  • Famowood Wood Filler. …
  • GoodfIlla Wood & Grain Filler.