Installed Hardwood And Before I Stained It Gaps Appeared

Winter in chicago.

Installed hardwood and before i stained it gaps appeared.

Avoiding hardwood floor gaps. Adding filler is not a good idea. Failing to keep boards straight when working. Hardwood takes on and loses moisture as the temperatures and the humidity rises and falls.

Gapping in engineered hardwood can be due to many factors including but not limited to the material s manufacturing changes in humidity and the type and quality of the installation. Hardwood gaps are generally caused by one of a few installation errors. Engineered hardwood flooring is designed to minimize gaps due to expansion and contraction of the wood. It may take years for gaps to show up in your hardwood floors.

Questions from our readers. Try to avoid gaps in the first place. Whether your floors are newly installed or you ve had hardwood floors for years you can use humidifiers to reduce the likelihood of gaps. The most common wood species we hear complaints about with gapping and cracks is maple.

Gaps in hardwood floors can be a huge visual annoyance. Failing to install the first board perfectly straight in a hardwood flooring installation. Yes it can still have gaps. Improperly acclimating the hardwoods prior to installation.

For normal gaps no repairs are needed. Expansion and contractions causes hardwood floor gaps. Not only are they an eyesore they can also collect dirt and dust. For larger gaps that don t close up call in a professional contractor who can repair floors properly.

Before installing hardwood floors it is important to acclimate the product to your home. It will get pushed out as the wood expands with moisture. But to answer a common question. Have the installer perform a humidity level test because either very high or very low humidity can cause bowing splitting and warping.