Replies

1. 
   Blue_Leader | Apr 16, 2000 03:05am | #1

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   As you don't say if this is seasonal or if there are other factors that may suggest that the planks may close up again, I'll suggest you go ahead with the owner's suggestion.

   Why couldn't you use good ole aliphatic white glue? It's cheap and has a good open time. I also suggest you put a slight bevel on the filling strips so you can more easily fit them into place. Make them just 1mm or so wider than the gap so you will have a tight fit. I'd rather sand them flush then have them depressed below the pine planks.

2. 
   Guest_ | Apr 16, 2000 03:05am | #2

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   The best thing to fill a 12 cm gap would be a 1x5. That's way too much to be caused by shrinkage, and any glued in strips are likely to look terrible. If you mean 12 mm (about 1/2" around here) I think it will still be tough to make it look good. Whatever you do part of your discussion with your client should be that wood will always move seasonally, and gaps of a few mm are going to happen. Don't try to get a perfect job or you are likely to have buckling if you do it in the dry season (when the boards are smallest, and so need to expand in the wet season) or new gaps if you do it in the dry season (when the rest of the floor shrinks).

   My suggestion is not to glue in your splines, to allow the wood some room to move. A lot has been written on filling in gaps in wood flooring here; check the archives using the keyword "gaps".

   Hope this helps - you have a tough but common problem. Good luck. Rich.

1. 
   Guest_ | Apr 16, 2000 02:15pm | #4

   *Yeah, what they said.Except that I think your choice of glue is a good one. Beveling, (at least one side), and sanding flush are good, if you do it during the wet season, this will make for smaller new cracks when the wood drys and shrinks again. And I would suggest you only glue one side of the strip.

3. 
   dan_seelig | Apr 16, 2000 02:15pm | #3

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   hello, well I am back with another question.I am repairing a 350 year old pine floor in an attic here in amsterdam.The floor has shrunk so much that are 12 cm gaps between the planks.Short of replacing the floor my client wants me to glue strips in the gaps.I routed the grooves to a more uniform size but I am not sure which glue to use.I think a polyurethane glue might work better to fill any small gaps and tighten things up..I remain as always thankful for your help. Dan