In the old rowhouse I’ve been restoring I came across near-perfect hardwood floors when the ratty old carpeting was torn up. The only problem is in certain areas the seams between the strips has separated over time. My company provides housing for low income families and we are trying to go about this the most cost-effective way, but I’m at a loss for how to repair the flooring without having to tear some of it up.
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I am presuming you mean that the joints between the boards have opened up -- a common fault with old floors, but an easy fix if you intend to re-finish them.
When you have sanded off the finish, take a pass with the drum sander along the grain, using a very coarse grit -- 24 or 36. Collect the sanding dust, which will be in the form of fibres, and mix it with some of the coating you intend to use to form a putty and use that to fill any joint wider than 1/8".
Carry on sanding to the penultimate grit and take some of the sanding dust again -- it will be dust this time -- and mix it with the coating to the consistency of honey and use it to trowel fill the entire floor.
Do the final sand and coat the floor.
IanDG
Thanks a lot, that sounds like it should do the trick.-swisstology