Steps To Refinish The Old Hardwood Floors With Gaps
The old hardwood floors are vulnerable to gaps. Wood filler can be used to fill the gaps in the floors but wood filler does not last for a longer time. With time when the planks shrink and expand wood filler gets damaged. The better way to refinish old hardwood floors with gaps is mentioned below:
Step 1: Sanding The Floor
To fix the gaps in the hardwood floors sanding is necessary. Sanding uncovers the wood and prepares the wood for treatment. If the floor has tough scratches then use a drum sander and if the floor has light scratches use an orbital sander. Also, remove dirt from the cracks. The sanded residue can be used to fill the cracks.
Step 2: Repairing The Gaps
Different materials are available in the market to repair the gaps in the hardwood floors. Some among them are mentioned below:
- Putty: It is a soft material that is used to fill the cracks in hardwood floors. When putty dries completely staining and sealing can be done on the floor. For best results clear dust particles from the gaps before applying putty.
- Wood-Fiber Paste: During refinishing large amount of sanding residue appears on the floor. The residue is combined with the oil-based urethane and a paste is prepared. Then paste is used to fill the gaps in the floor and allowed to dry.
- Rope: Jute and cotton ropes can be used to fill the gaps in the floor. Ropes are suitable for filling long gaps in the floor. A putty knife is used to insert the rope into the gap.