Hello, I’m new here. Not a contractor, but a serious diy.
I have just sanded my hardwood floor, and am trying to figure out the best way to fill the small cracks before final sanding and finishing. This is a black walnut, large straight pattern parquet floor (circa 1930) that I salvaged and installed in my house. It is beautiful, but due to it’s age and very mild moisture damage it does have occasional small gaps. I have read about a couple ways of doing this. One way, getting a commercially made trowel-on liquid filler, and another making a home brew using the sanding dust. Due to the large area, and number of places to fill an ordinary paste spot filler is out of the question.
I have looked into the commercially made fillers and can’t find anything locally. I can probably get something online, but am a little skeptical of doing that since I can’t match the color visually before buying. I don’t even know if a matching color is available since it is not oak or pine. If you know of any sources, please let me know.
I have read a couple things on making your own filler, but the details aren’t with the articles. I like this idea because the color would be close since I have several pails of the sanding dust to use. But what do you mix it with? I heard sanding sealer or some other lacquer based product. Does this method work? or will it overly harden, crack and pop out over time? If this works, does anybody have a recipe that they can recommend?
Thanks in advance.
Replies
Reg, I'm not sure as to the concoction but I would like to caution you on the storage of that sawdust. Combustion is said to occur in those bags of dust. Be careful where you put it. And best of luck on your finishing.
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Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
make up a paste with the finish you will be using and the sandings from your first cut..trowel it on and work it in with a sponge float (cement finishing) and plastic trowels.. then resand your floors and start your finish..
there are commercial fillers too, but i haven't seen them used in about the last 20 years...
Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
I'm using regular gloss polyurethane for a finish. Will that work for this mix, or will it not sand properly? I envision a gummy mess and lots of clogged sandpaper. Would sanding sealer work better?
Like he said, use the same stuff you'll be finishing with. Once the poly has cured, it will sand as easy as anything else. Sanding sealer I use says right on the can, "Not to be used under Polyurethene finishes"Excellence is its own reward!
Reggie,
I started using Bona-Kemi trowel fill a few years ago and love it. It is compatable with all finishes is easy to work with can be thinned with water and sands and finishes very nicely.
Ditch