Large and small gaps in a wooden floor can appear due to the most various reasons: the boards were cracked, mice gnawed through them, the floor itself was laid incorrectly... But for a bathhouse, this is unacceptable. After all, cracks are not only bad smell from under the floor, but also drafts and a rather unaesthetic appearance. Therefore, this problem needs to be solved, and this article will tell you exactly how to seal cracks in a wooden floor. It is only important to initially determine the reason - and build from there.
How to seal cracks in boards that are “playing”?
In just such a floor, new cracks are not far away, even if good repairs have been made beforehand. Varnish with sawdust as a mixture will no longer work here - you need to use silicone. And the work itself will look like this: the surface is well cleaned and dried. Antifungal silicone is filled into a syringe and used to seal cracks in the floor across the entire width. This product is called siliconized sealant, or acrylic sealant; you can purchase it in special stores. It is sold in tubes and comes in different colors, it stays on the floor perfectly and does not crumble.
Gap between the floor and the wall: we can fix it!
To understand how big the gap is, you need to tear off the baseboards and take a good look at it. One of the options for solving the problem of how to seal cracks in this type of floor is to push more jute into such cracks, and sometimes you have to go through the entire floor.
So, if the cracks are large enough and reach 5 cm, it is better to fill them with polystyrene foam or simply foam them with polyurethane foam. For small gaps, 1-2 cm, it is enough to treat them with putty and install new skirting boards.
What to do with gaps caused by mice?
And here you can’t do it with ropes or glue alone - prevention is necessary so that the mice don’t gnaw their way out again. Therefore, before sealing the cracks in the floor from rodents, they are first filled with cement with broken glass for prevention, and only then the remaining space is filled with putty - for example, sawdust with PVA or just store-bought wood putty. After all these steps, everything is sanded and painted.
If the bathhouse is left unattended for a long time, then the cracks left by rodents can be sealed even more harshly - for example, with the same concrete mortar, only you need to take more cement in it, adding aluminum chips to it.
Repairing cracks using slats - step-by-step instructions
This method is good because there will be no problems even with uneven cracks - the slats coated with glue bend well and easily fit into almost any gap.
- Step 1. Mill the gaps between the boards and drive in dowels.
- Step 2. Prepare the slats - well-dried pine boards are most suitable for this, which can be cut into two types of slats - 5.5 mm each for a 6 mm gap and 7.5 mm each for an 8 mm gap.
- Step 3. Coat with glue - to be on the safe side, not only the slats, but also the gaps themselves. The most convenient way to do this is with a tube from under the old sealant, drilling two holes in the spout on the sides. It is this nose that needs to be driven in the gap - coating both boards with glue at once.
- Step 4. The slats and dowels are glued in, and small defects are filled with PVA and a mixture of sawdust.
- Step 5: Sanding is necessary at this stage. This must be done carefully with a planer - it easily scratches the floor, manual tape machine- long, and therefore most practical option- this is a Bulgarian with sandpaper. The only thing is that you will have to stock up on a respirator and goggles in advance - the work produces a lot of dust.
- Step 6. Now you need to hide the traces of repair - darker wood where the slats were inserted. But traditional stain and varnish are enough - the dowels will not be visible. It is better to apply stain and varnish in three stages, applying masking tape directly along the board so that the joint is not visible.
5 alternative methods for effective caulking
If you don’t have time to tinker with slats, you can try these proven options:
- Tow
To seal cracks, you can use ordinary tow, which is often used in plumbing today. It is measured to the length of the gap, placed in glue to get it wet and hammered into the gap. Once dry, you can paint the floor.
- Special solutions
If the gap in the floor barely reaches 1 mm, then you can treat it with a special solution for wood putty - for example, BONA ParquetGrunt, and then cover it with paint or varnish.
- Plywood
If the floor in the bathhouse is very old and there is nothing you can do about it except re-lay it, then for a while you can get by with this option - hammer small pieces between the floorboards. wooden slats, lay waterproofing on top and fill it with plywood, which will be held in place by the baseboards. You will get a smooth and warm floor without cracks. Although the surest option is, of course, to completely redo the floor in the bathhouse. That is, take it apart board by board and put it back together again - fitting them tightly to each other, and replacing the rotten ones with new ones. But it's expensive.
- Epoxide
This method is one of the most reliable. The epoxy is mixed with the hardener, and cement is added to this mixture 1:1 - until the consistency resembles sour cream. You just need to do all this quickly, and to prevent the mixture from spilling into large cracks that reach 8 mm, it is better to pierce them in advance with a rope cord, 1-2 cm deep. You need to pour it all in a small mound - after it hardens, it will settle a little. And then grind with a drill with an attachment. Of course, you will need to paint the floor - the sealed cracks will be black.
- "Grandfather's" method
This “old-fashioned” method of dealing with cracks has also been tested by time: a thick synthetic rope is driven between the boards halfway deep, which is first well soaked with PVA glue. And the remaining space to the edge of the boards is filled with putty from the same glue and sawdust. Moreover, there should be no impurities in the sawdust, and the thickness of the putty itself is like sour cream. Everything is poured so that there seems to be a bump on top - as soon as the glue dries, it can be cut off with a regular knife.
There are many options! The main thing is not to be afraid of work and do everything carefully.
For many centuries, people have been using wood as flooring in their homes. Certainly, modern options wooden floors have begun to replace high-quality materials, but many people even now, despite fashion trends, give preference to environmentally friendly and practical wood products.
However, wooden floors have their own characteristics, which are associated with the gradual formation of cracks in them. This feature entails a number of unpleasant moments associated with creaking, clogging of these spaces with household dust, and most importantly, the flow of cold air into the home. Therefore, those who decide to make a floor from wood immediately need to think through options for how to seal the cracks in a wooden floor. Fortunately, over many years people have learned to eliminate this nuance with the help of various modern methods and materials.
Process Features
The formation of cracks between the boards covering the floor is an inevitable process. The more often repairs and rearrangement of furniture occur in the house, the faster wear occurs. wooden covering. If you treat the floor with care, care for it, and ensure optimal temperature conditions in an apartment, try to distribute the load created by the weight of the furniture, then it will last a very long time. If used carefully, the wood will dry out, but not too much.
Small cracks can be easily repaired by performing simple cosmetic repairs to the floor. different ways accessible to almost every person. Close up large spaces that have formed long time, will be very labor-intensive due to the large amount of work.
There are several options for repairing wooden floors:
- cosmetic(does not require major interventions in the floor surface, it is performed only on its surface in the area of spaces);
- partial(involves local dismantling of boards);
- global dismantling(the coating is completely replaced).
Of course, no one wants to change their entire floor. But if we are talking about large gaps, damage to the battens on which the flooring is fixed, then complete dismantling – perfect solution. Using auxiliary tools, old boards are removed, inspected for defects and those that are suitable for reuse are selected.
Boards in which cracks are found are subjected to repair work. If possible, completely damaged floorboards are thrown away and replaced with new ones. Reinforcing joists are also inspected and dismantled if it is clear that they will not last long (the strength of the joists is essential, because it is their condition that determines the reliability of the floor itself).
When all the floorboards have been repaired and replaced, each of them is carefully adjusted to each other so that there are no gaps or differences in height. If necessary, such defects are smoothed out with a plane.
If the floor is damaged locally, these operations are carried out only in the area that requires replacing the floorboards.
Reasons for appearance
Gaps in wood - natural process at of this material. You shouldn't take this problem seriously. The main thing is to understand the reason why changes occurred in the wood, leading to the formation of voids and gaps, since repairing the floor can be a waste of time and money if the provoking factor is not eliminated.
The most common reason- drying out of wood due to low humidity. Despite the fact that it changes seasonally, and in the off-season, when the humidity outside is quite high due to a large amount of precipitation and the boards are also saturated with moisture, damaged floorboards, alas, cannot return to their original state, since they are irrevocably deformed.
The humidity problem can be eliminated with the help of special humidifiers and the right temperature. indoors, focusing on installed thermohygrometers.
The optimal moisture range for wood is about 40-50%.
The second reason for the drying out of the boards may be due to the initially incorrect installation of the floor covering. Firstly, it depends on the screed: if it is not properly dried, then residual moisture will be absorbed into the flooring and contribute to its deformation in the future. The screed must dry for at least a month. Its humidity at the time of laying the floor should not exceed more than 3-5%.
The durability of the flooring is influenced by the moisture content of the plywood placed under the boards.. Before installation, it must be properly dried so as not to release excess moisture into the plank floor.
The adhesive used to lay wood flooring also contains a large number of moisture. It easily evaporates from the wood during the drying period only if the floor is not yet varnished. That's why to avoid an unpleasant situation, you need to leave the floor clean for the glue to dry completely for about a week, and only then paint and varnish it.
If a wooden floor is laid in a private house, where the boards are more massive and thick, choose glue with minimum quantity solvents or without them at all, so that the thick layer of wood does not retain excess moisture. Whereas narrow planks (the floors of which can be found in old Khrushchev apartments) cope with this task more easily.
The third reason for the formation of cracks in a wooden floor is the type of wood. The most capricious in this regard are materials made from ash, cherry or beech.. They are able to easily release moisture when the temperature in the room rises and take it away under appropriate conditions. Such fluctuations inevitably lead to changes in the density and geometry of the board. For middle zone oak is the most resistant to humidity changes. Tropical tree species cope very well with this problem.
In any case, if a cracking problem occurs, you need to fix it.
It is important that floor restoration (sealing cracks, sanding, varnishing) will be most justified and effective when the room maintains stable humidity for a long time.
How and with what to troubleshoot?
Depending on the degree of damage to the floor, choose the most the best way its repair. The most famous method of cosmetic repair of small cracks and cracks in a wooden floor is filling them with special semi-liquid compounds ( construction foam, sealants, putty and other multicomponent mixtures). You can make them yourself or purchase them ready-made at a hardware store.
If the tree is severely deformed and wide cracks appear, they can be removed using foam plastic, narrow planks or rope cords. This is a rather labor-intensive method, but more durable than the first. Perhaps the most expensive and time-consuming floor repair is the complete or partial replacement of damaged floorboards.
Semi-liquid formulations
When dismantling the floors is still a long way off or replacing old boards is not possible, but the cracks are already causing a number of inconveniences, special semi-liquid mixtures are used to fill them.
When choosing a filling mixture for floor repair, you need to focus on those compositions that are suitable for woodwork. For sealing small seams You can use silicone sealant. Pigments are added to the composition of this material. This way, you can choose a sealant that perfectly matches the color of the floor. This composition has good adhesive characteristics to wood. Apply it with a rubber or plastic staple, evenly distributing and leveling the surface with its help.
After the mixture hardens, it turns out smooth surface, which does not absorb moisture and is not destroyed by exposure detergents. This, as well as the advantage that the material of this sealant does not crumble and is not removed from cracks throughout the entire service life of the floor, makes it very competitive.
Acrylic sealants are used similarly to this material.. The only difference is that the sealed cracks will have to be painted over, since no dyes are added to this mixture.
Concerning gypsum putties, they are also very popular when repairing wooden floors, mainly due to its low price. Like the previous mixtures, the putty is applied with a staple and wait until it dries. Then the application is repeated, since upon drying a large amount of moisture evaporates and the material shrinks.
After the final layer has dried, the surface of the seams must be sanded and painted over with the chosen paint. The putty material does not polymerize like the sealants described above, so over time it may crack and the seams will have to be sealed again.
Epoxy resin putties are considered more practical.. Due to the high degree of adhesion and low shrinkage coefficient, this mixture is widely used for sealing cracks and crevices up to 5 cm. After hardening, a very durable composition is formed that does not require re-processing.
Many craftsmen use self-prepared mixtures.
The most famous option is PVA glue and sawdust. Compositions with epoxy resin, cement and pieces of polystyrene foam or polyurethane foam are also often used. After drying, the seams are sanded and painted to match the color of the floor, then varnished.
Compaction method
When the width of the cracks is more than 3 cm, and the boards “walk” among themselves, they resort to the method of sealing the seams.
You can repair the “playing” floor with your own hands:
- To begin with, clean the cracks from dust (use a vacuum cleaner, brushes), carry out wet cleaning, and dry.
- Measure the width and length of the gap.
- Cut a wedge-shaped strip from a dense wooden profile.
- Apply wood glue to side surfaces made lath, and also fill the gap space with glue, generously lubricating the surfaces of the separated boards.
- The rail is driven into the gap with a hammer, the exposed glue is wiped off and left for a day.
- Afterwards, the surface is treated with a plane, sanded with sandpaper and painted or varnished.
Rope cord can be used as a masking element. Repairing a floor using rope is easy. This product is ideal for making repairs in wooden log houses And country houses.Choose thick polyethylene or tow rope, cut off desired length(you can use double rope for deep crevices). Drive the cord tightly into the space between the floorboards.
To make the repaired floor look neat, you can cover the surface of the rope with a thin layer of colored sealant and level it with a staple.
Replacing the coating
If on old dacha the floor is rotten or deteriorated due to moisture, very large cracks have appeared from which there is blowing, or rodents have “worked”, the methods described above are unlikely to be suitable. Of course, you can do without disassembling the floor by covering it with sheets of plywood, but this option is not always justified, especially when it comes to mice. It is best to re-lay old boards. This will not only get rid of cracks, but also eliminate mouse passages.
To get rid of the old floor, first remove the baseboards, replace damaged joists, and inspect the area under the floor for mold and mouse holes. If there are traces of mold, the surfaces are treated with special antibacterial and antifungal compounds. Places where rodents have entered are sealed with a mixture of cement and broken glass, and then they begin to replace the old coating.
If you need to change the boards locally, you need to pay attention to the joints of the old boards and the newly laid ones (if necessary, they are adjusted using a plane, putty, or smoothed with coarse sandpaper).
Eliminating squeaks
In case of careless operation and non-compliance optimal conditions the wooden floor inevitably begins to deform, creating an unpleasant creaking sound. The easiest way to eliminate annoying sound is to fill the cracked spaces with foam. This option is well suited for cracks under skirting boards, as they can hide uneven surface frozen foam. However, this method is short-lived: this material gradually deteriorates during use, and the floor creaks again.
If the task is to remove a squeaky floor forever, then this option is not worth the money spent. It is better to turn to more complex but reliable methods. The problem of a squeaky floor can be solved using the same wedge-shaped slats.
Another interesting and effective option that will allow get rid of floor squeaks - installing metal anchors. This type of product allows you to solve the problem only for a wooden floor laid on concrete base . This one is very effective method very labor-intensive, especially if the scale of the problem surface is impressive.
To install anchors, you will need a drill or hammer drill, dowels and the anchors themselves. A hole is made through the board through the log material into the concrete base. A dowel is driven in and the joist is reinforced with anchors. It is necessary to take into account the high cost of this method, proportional to the size of the room. When calculating the number of structures, it should be borne in mind that the distance between them should not exceed one meter.
If ordinary nails were initially used when installing the floor, it is possible that the creaking occurs as a result of friction of the wood against the body of the nail.
In this case, especially if there are many cracks in the floor, you should not skimp and update the old boards, and replace the nails with self-tapping screws that will not make such noise.
Disassembling the floor completely is a labor-intensive process, but removing deformed floorboards and old fastenings with nails will not only eliminate squeaks, but will also help insulate the room due to the absence of cracks.
From simple methods To combat creaking floorboards, use thick sheets of plywood on top of wood flooring. Such a floor will be quiet for some time, but it is not a fact that this problem will not recur later.
Painting
The process of restoring a wooden floor is completed by painting and varnishing it. Before painting, you need to check the condition of the boards again, and if there are cracks, carefully putty them.
When choosing paint for a wooden floor, you should consider:
- type of wood;
- indoor climate conditions;
- degree of wear;
- previous coating (if the boards are old).
When considering floor varnishing, you should know that this option will not work if:
- the previous covering of the wooden floor was treated with oil compositions such as drying oil;
- The humidity level in the room will be too high (for example, on open terraces).
There are several types of floor coverings: water-dispersion paints, oil-based paints and wax paints.
It is better to use water-dispersion paint if allergy sufferers or people with asthma live in the apartment.
The oldest method is considered to be the method of treating wooden floors with oil.. This method is distinguished by its efficiency and safety. Wood oils, refined soy and sunflower bases, as well as synthetic and natural resins are used as bases. Oil and resin have a bactericidal effect and soften the friction of the boards against each other. In addition, an oiled floor does not absorb moisture well (you won’t be afraid to flood the floor) and does not remove it very actively, so cracks will form less often.
After the floor has been coated with oil, it is necessary to seal the result with wax. Used to be everywhere in the rich noble houses used wax to polish the floor. A waxed floor can be found in “Stalin” buildings. And now old, strong but worn floors are being restored using wax bases to give them a fresh, updated look. Wax compounds made from oil base with the addition of beeswax and additional components that increase the elasticity of the composition. Wood treated in this way looks expensive and of good quality.
To effectively restore an old wooden floor, you need to take into account some nuances before starting such a difficult job.
Not every putty is suitable for sealing seams in wood in Stalin. For example, if you are repairing cracks in a cedar, beech or chestnut floor, you cannot use acrylic putty. When interacting with varnish, nitro solvents can cause blue stains on the surface of the boards, so when using such compositions it is advisable not to varnish the floors. Ideal option there will be colored sealant. It can be used to make simple repairs small cracks on almost any wood.
If the wooden flooring is badly damaged, but there is no way to replace it, you can cover and strengthen it with sheets of plywood, but you should first fill the deep cracks so that later there is no blowing from them.
It is not difficult to re-install an old wooden floor, but it is even easier to use it carefully, then it will last for decades and remain in excellent condition.
For information on how to seal gaps between laminate boards, see below.
People often encounter problems such as gaps between the floor and the wall. They appear over time or as a result of the unscrupulous approach of finishers when renovating an apartment. Such spaces need to be eliminated as soon as possible. It’s worth asking in advance about how to seal the gaps between the floor and the wall. In addition to the fact that they spoil the appearance of the apartment, dampness and drafts penetrate into the house through the cracks. The presence of voids can contribute to the appearance of cockroaches. They penetrate through all sorts of cracks. How and with what can you eliminate the gap in the space between the wall and the floor? More on this later.
Stages of work
Sealing cracks will not require much time and effort from residents. There are several stages of work:
- The size of the space, its depth and length are determined.
- The material for work is selected. It all depends on the size of the gap.
What materials can be used?
To seal a small gap, the size of which is no more than one centimeter, it is permissible to use such Construction Materials, like putty and cement. Mounting plaster is also suitable for use.
If the gap is from two to five centimeters, then it is better to seal it with polyurethane foam. If it is more than five centimeters, then the work will become more difficult. You'll have to buy other materials.
What needs to be done at the preparatory stage?
The filling of the resulting voids can be attributed to cosmetic repairs. How to seal the gaps between the floor and the wall depends on the type of damage, as well as interior decoration rooms. All preparation will depend on whether the walls and floors in the apartment are decorated. The plinth is removed, as well as the wallpaper. If the baseboard for the floor is high, it is worth attaching it back, then the seam will be completely invisible. When there is a layer of paint, it must be removed by stripping. Whitewash is washed away by water. Before starting work, the wall must be completely dry.
All accumulated dirt should be removed from around the work area. When a gap is sealed in an already renovated room, the wallpaper must be partially removed. If the coating allows, only the strip above the floor is removed. You need to buy a film and cover all places where dirt from work can get in. Protective coatings“save” floors from contact with polyurethane foam. The paint is difficult to wipe off the surface; precautions should be taken when painting. When planning work using water, it makes no sense to cover the area around with newspapers or papers.
What should I do to remove a large gap?
If it is necessary to seal the gaps between the floor and the wall and the voids are very large, then you can use foam or plastic. When you have unnecessary pieces of brick on hand, they are ideal for repair work. Large parts should be broken down into small components. The smaller the parts, the more evenly they will “settle” inside the gap. The entire cavity will be filled as a result. An important point there will be neat filling of voids. The task is to prevent further expansion of the resulting void.
Some people use alabaster in their work. This material is cheap and economical to use. Beginners in the repair business ask about how to dilute alabaster. The main thing is to follow the recommendations on the packaging and not make the solution completely liquid. How to dilute alabaster? It should resemble thick glue in composition.
The above materials significantly save your budget. How to seal the gaps between the floor and ceiling? Polyurethane foam will cost you a lot, and after “filling” the cracks with improvised materials, you will spend a maximum of one can of foam on upper layer. This amount of foam is used even for large cavities.
Experts advise choosing TechnoNIKOL polyurethane foam. It has proven itself on the market for a long time. Distinctive feature TechnoNIKOL polyurethane foam is of high quality and quick adhesion.
It is necessary to fill the void by one third, to a maximum of 50 percent. It is allowed to apply foam only in a thin layer; it is possible to apply several layers. It's worth waiting for the last one to dry before applying the next one. With this pouring method, there will be no excess foam and no flakes will fall out. Material consumption is significantly reduced.
How to fill a small or medium void between the floor and the wall?
The question often arises about how to seal the gaps between the floor and the wall if the space is small. To fill a small gap, you need to have precision movements and dexterity. Suitable for work soft materials. They must be flexible. It is important that the cavity filler has a high density. Such materials include construction felt. Tow is more often used. To prevent insects from settling in the cracks, they are treated with insect repellent sprays.
The material at hand should be rolled into rolls of small diameter, which is not very larger size cracks. The required filler is driven into the gap using a hammer. It's better to take a rubber one construction hammer. It will help to smoothly fill the resulting void. It is necessary that the material is solid and there are no small parts. Usually cracks form in them.
If the cavity is very small and the tow will not fit into it, then a gypsum solution helps in this matter. It quickly fills all the cracks. The solution fills the space as much as possible. You can also treat the surface of walls with it.
To avoid staining surfaces near the work site, you can purchase self-adhesive construction fabric. When the cavity is clogged, you can begin to decorate the seam.
What to do when cracks form during the wall repair process?
When a house becomes old, the walls become deformed. The wood floor begins to warp and dry out. What to do in such a situation? Professionals advise sealing the gaps between the floor and the wall. The faster the better.
There is acrylic sealant. They work with the help special device, in which the cylinder is placed. The spaces between the elements are treated with sealant.
How to use polyurethane foam?
In most cases, you have to use polyurethane foam, even if you only need a little of it. You need to know how to use it correctly. The gaps between the floor and the wall must be foamed immediately after the defect is discovered. Here are some tips:
- Before filling the space, you need to wet it with water. A special spray bottle is suitable for this. At home, you can take a bottle and make holes in the lid. After spraying, the foam is better fixed inside the cavity.
- We should not forget that foam tends to expand after filling the space. The moisturizing effect enhances expansion. It is necessary to carefully apply the foam in small portions.
- Most favorable conditions for sealing cracks with foam - this is a temperature from plus five to plus twenty-five degrees Celsius. You must first warm up the balloon in water at the desired temperature.
- Before starting work, the foam package must be shaken.
- You can only work with specialized glasses and gloves. It is important to remember that the composition of the foam is quite caustic. It settles firmly on the surface and on clothes. If hits on open areas could not be avoided, then you should wait until the material dries, after which it will be easier to remove. If the foam has not hardened, it can only be removed with a solvent. It is possible to remove the foam after drying with a construction knife.
How to repair a wall after repairing defects?
Ideally, after removing excess foam, a small depression remains. What do you do in this case? It is usually sealed with a thin layer of putty. Using a spatula, distribute the mass evenly. Plaster work is allowed. When the layer of mortar hardens, you will get an even seam. It can be covered with a plinth or the seam can be covered with wallpaper. It is good to choose a floor plinth with a cable channel, it is convenient to attach. Finishing with tiles or wood is allowed, depending on the design of the room.
When is the best time to start repair work?
It is worth checking for damage between the floor and ceiling before starting finishing works and close them quickly. In this case, damage to already repaired surfaces can be avoided. By following these recommendations, you can save money that is spent on Decoration Materials.
If you had to seal a seam in an already renovated room, then you need to follow all safety measures and try to keep the repair in its original form. Particular care must be taken when using polyurethane foam. After all, it can expand.
Conclusion
So, we found out how and with what to seal the gaps between the floor and the wall. As you can see, the operation can be completely done with your own hands. But in order for the work to be of high quality, you should follow the recommendations of specialists and prepare the solution correctly.
To seal the gaps in the floor between the boards, there are many options, you need to study them and choose the most suitable one. A wooden house is the most environmentally friendly and modern building for housing. It is pleasant and cozy to be in, however, there are a number of problems that the owners of this building face, for example, cracks in the wooden flooring.
Good to know: how to seal cracks in a wooden floor
Gaps may occur due to drying out of the wood. The tree dries within 10 years. Wood deformations are possible in the off-season. In winter, wood swells, and in summer it dries and decreases in size. This cannot be detected visually, however, in the microcosm, under a microscope, you can see how the fibers in the wood change over time.
Other possible reasons:
- Incorrect calculations by builders or incorrect installation of floorboards.
- Improperly prepared wood for use – low-quality paints and varnishes.
- Poor ventilation.
- Insufficient floor contact.
- The appearance of mice and termites.
Preparing your own grout for cracks in the floor is a very economical method, but it is not aesthetically pleasing and is used mainly in dilapidated housing or in the countryside
All cracks, depending on the size and location, are eliminated; you just need to select correct solution. There are many methods for fixing cracks in wood floors. Filling gaps up to 15 cm is done with sealant. In this case, two types of sealant can be used: silicone or acrylic wood sealant. Special wood sealants vary in color, which allows you to eliminate joints and cracks as discreetly as possible.
Sealants have a number of advantages: resistance to dampness, favorable consumption during the process of sealing cracks and long service life after eliminating defects in the floor.
You can fill the gap with wood putty. The choice may be acrylic-based, solvent-based, oil-based or water-based polymer putty. You can putty not only cracks and holes, but also uneven surfaces on plywood or wood, as well as cracks. You can seal the gap with foam. However, it is necessary to eliminate the cracks extremely carefully, without splashing the foam. Excess foam can be removed only after it has hardened.
Related article: How to choose a water heater?
Seal the cracks with polyester paste. There may be either one or two-component options. Suitable for sealing cracks and seams up to 5 cm. Sealing cracks with improvised materials, such as slats, tow with paint, glass wool, grout made from paste and paper, sawdust and making your own putty is also relevant.
High-quality sealing of cracks in wooden floors
Regardless of the size of the gap between the boards in the floor or in the parquet, before eliminating it, it is necessary to do dry and wet cleaning, remove dust and clean the gap area, and let it dry.
Sealing options:
- If the gap in a wooden floor is up to 1 cm in size, then it can be sealed with a rope, grout or filled with sealant.
- If from 1 cm to 3 cm, then a special putty is suitable.
- If the gaps are very large, then it will work well polyurethane foam, wedges or slats.
The most common sealing of large gaps in a wooden floor is polyurethane foam.
After the operations have been completed, it is better to cover the floor with sheets of plywood, the joints of which are also processed and leveled with putty. Small cracks or joints can be covered with self-prepared putty made from glue and sawdust.
The sawdust is selected in small fractions, poured with boiling water and mixed until smooth.
After the solution with sawdust has cooled, add PVA glue and apply it with a spatula to the location of the crack that has been cleared of dirt and dust. After the surface of the sealed crack has been leveled to the floor level, it must be left for a couple of days for the mixture to set and dry. After everything has dried, the uneven areas must be treated with abrasive and fire protection applied, and only then the selected paints and varnishes.
Need to know: how to seal a mouse hole
There are mice in both rural and urban areas. If there are any cracks in the houses, then mice can easily enter the living space; they will not only harm human health, as they are carriers of leptosperosis, toxocariasis, streptobacillosis and many others, which can lead to death, but also harm the room, its decoration, can penetrate into food products.
Related article: How to assemble a transforming coffee table with your own hands
The hole from mice, so that they do not gnaw a new passage in the wooden floor, can be sealed with concrete mortar, after placing metal shavings there
The most proven options for sealing holes in the wall from mice are:
- Glass wool sealing;
- Repairing the defect with cement;
- Polyurethane foam also helps a lot, mice don’t chew it, and it seals the hole tightly.
Expert advice boils down to broken glass being placed in mouse holes.
How and with what to seal the seams between plywood on the floor
On floor covering plywood you can often find seams and joints that need to be eliminated. You need to know that the most important thing in choosing a putty is elasticity, since plywood consists of wood veneer, and the wood is subject to seasonal deformation. Over time, the plywood dries and the joints become more visible. It is also worth choosing putty according to the color of the wood, as well as a special one, that is, for wooden material.
To seal seams, use:
- Acrylic putty;
- Elastic sealant;
- Hot melt adhesive;
- Sawdust with PVA and gypsum;
- Epoxy adhesive.
To seal the seams between plywood on the floor, you need to choose exactly the putty for wooden floors, since the other simply will not withstand the load
It is worth considering that chipboard and plywood must be well secured so that they do not move or vibrate, then the chosen putty (putty for wooden floors) will not crack and will hold tightly, closing the gap.
This work is also done for plywood, on which linoleum will subsequently be laid.
It should also be covered with putty or better silicone sealant, dents in plywood and all joints, cracks. Plywood needs to be coated with an antiseptic. Before laying linoleum, you need to pay attention to the evenness of the plywood and its cleanliness.
Types of putties for floorboards
Today there are enough wide choose wood putty. Before choosing putty, you need to decide on the price, scope, type and brand.
A wooden floor, along with many advantages, has one drawback - cracks can form between the floorboards over time. This problem can be solved in several ways, and most of them do not require large financial costs or special skills. Let's look at the most popular of them.
Repairing cracks with silicone
One of the simplest, yet effective ways to eliminate cracks
Remains of silicone must be removed immediately after applying it, since after it dries this will be quite problematic.
Sealing cracks with putty
Another simple one quick way, which, however, is applicable only in cases where the width of the gap does not exceed 0.5 centimeters, since otherwise the thick layer of putty will quickly crack and the work will have to be done again.
Putty is used only in cases where the width of the gap does not exceed 0.5 centimeters For work, you can use ready-made putties sold in construction stores, and a self-prepared mixture based on sawdust and varnish. To prepare it, you need to take a colorless epoxy-based varnish and mix it with sawdust in a ratio of approximately 1 to 4. The result should be a mass with a consistency reminiscent of plasticine. Both “store-bought” and homemade putty are applied to a previously washed floor using a regular spatula. After the putty has dried, the seams can be “straightened” by treating them with fine-grained sandpaper. Next, all that remains is to paint the floor, and the work of eliminating the cracks can be considered complete.
To save material, gaps in the floor can be filled to half their depth with cord or rolled paper.
Sealing cracks with epoxy resin
This method is similar to the previous one, with the only exception that epoxy glue is used instead of putty. True, given the special strength of this material, it can be used to seal even the widest cracks.
You can also seal the cracks with epoxy glue. The first step is to dilute the resin by mixing its base with the hardener. You can learn how to do this by watching the following video.
Video about preparing epoxy resin
Please note that epoxy resin It hardens quite quickly, so prepare the solution in an amount that you can work out in 20-30 minutes.
The resin can be applied to the gap with an ordinary spatula, but it is worth considering that the resin layer should form a small “slide”, since otherwise after the solution “shrinks” the gap will not be completely filled. If, after the resin has dried, there are raised areas above the floor surface, they can be removed using ordinary sandpaper.
Eliminating cracks with wooden slats
This is perhaps the most labor-intensive, but very effective and durable method.
The first step is to prepare the slats of the required thickness. They can be made from dry pine boards, previously loosened onto slats. Adjust the rail to right size You can use a knife or sandpaper.
Please note that the width of the slats should be slightly narrower than the width of the gap itself. So, for example, a gap 7 millimeters wide will need a 6.5 millimeter wide strip.
The finished slats are driven into the cracks using a mallet or a regular hammer with a wooden spacer.
The finished slats are driven into the cracks using a mallet or a regular hammer Now you need to coat the gaps between the slats and the boards with glue. This can be done with a brush, but it is better to use a tube with a thin tip. To make the glue flow better, it makes sense to make several small holes in the body of the tube.
The defects remaining after installing the slats are eliminated using putty or a mixture based on varnish and sawdust.
Repairing cracks with tow
This “old-fashioned” method has still not lost its relevance. To work, you will need ordinary plumbing tow and PVA glue (for greater strength, you can use wood glue).
The tow is soaked in the adhesive solution, after which the entire crack is tightly clogged with it. The tow is thoroughly moistened in the adhesive solution, after which, using a wooden wedge and a mallet, the entire crack is tightly clogged with it. When the glue has completely dried, the surface of the crack will need to be leveled using putty.. After it dries, the floor can be painted.
Covering cracks with plywood
As for the work process itself, everything is extremely simple. Sheets of plywood are laid on top of the boards and secured with self-tapping screws. The screw caps should be “recessed” a little, and then these places should be leveled using putty.
Sheets of plywood are laid on top of the boards and secured with self-tapping screws Please note that plywood cannot be laid close to the wall. It is necessary to leave a gap of 5-6 millimeters as an allowance for “drying out”.
Using the methods described above, you will certainly be able to get rid of cracks in the floor, and this work will take a minimum of energy from you. Funds and time. Good luck with your renovation!
