Floorboards

[pompei595]

We moved recently and our front room has stripped and stained floorboards which look very attractive. However, they are draughty where the boards have been taken up and refitted in the past, and the tongues have been damaged.

Any suggestions on how I might fill or block these gaps, so as not to spoil the look of the floor? I've looked at thin timber strips in the diy stores, but these are too thick.

Thanks

[teash]

Can you gain access under your floor, i.e stand up??

[pompei595]

Not unless I take up some more boards ...

[teash]

You could always take a few up thats enough for you to squeeze through the floor joists and tack some kind of plastic sheeting (visqueen or something similar) to the underside of the floor board. Just a thought

[heathfield]

Paper mache is the traditional way, or rope for larger gaps! But there are various 'Floor Fillers' available. See Google. One tip if you have to stain a filler - leave the filler slightly lower than the top surface of the floorboards, (as you would the grout on bathroom tiles). That way the stain colour won't wear off as people walk on it.
More here.

[PAUL55]

If the house isnt very old the floorboards were never meant to be stripped, Unfortunately they would have been fitted damp and then shrunk to there present state. I would suggest a nice quality laminate floor with a good underlay.