To seal the gaps in the floor between the boards, there are many options, you need to study them and choose the most suitable A wooden house is the most environmentally friendly and modern construction for housing. It is pleasant and cozy to be in it, 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 the cracks in the wooden floor
Cracks can occur due to drying out of the wood. The tree dries up within 10 years. Deformations of wood are possible in the off-season. In winter, the wood swells, and in summer it dries and decreases in size. Visually, you will not find it, however, in the microcosm, under a microscope you can see how the fibers in the tree change over time.
Other possible reasons:
- Incorrect calculations by builders or incorrect installation of floorboards.
- Incorrectly prepared wood for use - low-quality paints and varnishes.
- Poor ventilation.
- Insufficient floor adhesion.
- The appearance of mice and termites.
Making your own grout for gaps in the floor is a very economical method, however, it is not aesthetically pleasing and is used mainly in dilapidated housing or in the country
All cracks, depending on the size and location, are eliminated, you just need to choose the right solution. There are many methods for fixing gaps in wood floors. Filling of gaps up to 15 cm is done with a sealant. In this case, 2 types of sealant can be used, this is a silicone or acrylic sealant for wood. Special sealants for wood differ in color, which allows you to eliminate joints and cracks as invisibly as possible.
Sealants have a number of advantages: resistance to dampness, profitable consumption in the process of filling the gap and long operation after removing defects in the floor.
You can fill the gap with wood putty. The choice can be applied to acrylic-based, solvent-based, oil-based or polymer-based, water-based fillers. You can putty not only cracks and holes, but also irregularities on plywood or wood, as well as cracks. You can seal the gap with polyurethane foam. However, the gaps must be removed very carefully, without splashing foam. Excess foam can be removed only after it has hardened.
Close up the gaps and polyester paste. There can be both one and two-component options. Suitable for filling gaps and seams up to 5 cm. Sealing gaps with improvised materials such as slats, tow with paint, glass wool, paste and paper grout, sawdust and your own preparation of putty is also relevant.
High-quality sealing of cracks in the wooden floor
Regardless of the size of the gap between the boards in the floor or in the parquet, before removing it, it is necessary to do dry and wet cleaning, remove dust and clean the place of the gap, let it dry.
Termination options:
- If the gap in the wooden floor is up to 1 cm in size, then it can be sealed with a tourniquet, grout or filled with sealant.
- If from 1 cm to 3 cm, then a special putty is well suited.
- If the slots are very large, then foam, wedges or slats are well suited.
The most common filling of large gaps in a wooden floor is polyurethane foam.
The field of operations performed, 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 the actually prepared putty from glue and sawdust.
Sawdust is selected in small fraction, poured with boiling water and mixed until smooth.
After the solution with sawdust has cooled down, add PVA glue and apply with a spatula in the localization of the gap cleared of dirt and dust. After the surface of the sealed gap has been leveled to floor level, then it must be left for a couple of days for the mixture to take and dry. After everything is dry, the irregularities must be treated with an abrasive, and fire protection applied, and only then the selected paints and varnishes.
You need to know: how to seal a hole from mice
There are mice in both rural and urban areas. If there are any cracks in the houses, then the mice can easily enter the living quarters, they will not only harm human health, as they are carriers of leptospirosis, toxocariasis, streptobacillosis and many others, which can be fatal, but also harm the room, its decoration, can penetrate into food.
The hole from the mice, so that they do not gnaw a new passage in the wooden floor at all, can be sealed with concrete mortar, after putting metal shavings there
The most proven options for sealing holes in the wall from mice are:
- Glass wool filling;
- Elimination of the defect with cement;
- Polyurethane foam also helps well, mice do not gnaw it, and tightly seals the hole.
The advice of experts comes down to broken glass, which are placed in the holes of the mice.
How and what to seal the seams between plywood on the floor
Plywood flooring often has seams and joints that need to be repaired. You need to know that the most important thing in choosing a putty is elasticity, since plywood consists of wood veneer, and the tree undergoes seasonal deformations. Over time, the plywood dries up and the joints become more visible. It is also worth choosing a putty according to the color of the wood, as well as a special one, that is, for wood material.
For sealing seams, the following are used:
- Acrylic putty;
- Elastic sealant;
- Hot melt glue;
- Sawdust with PVA and gypsum;
- Epoxy adhesive.
To seal the seams between the plywood on the floor, it is necessary to choose a filler for wooden floors, since the other simply will not withstand the load
It is worth considering that chipboard, plywood should be well fixed so that they do not walk or vibrate, then the selected putty (putty for wooden floors) will not crack and will hold tightly, closing the gap.
These works are also being done for plywood, on which linoleum will subsequently be laid.
You should also cover up with putty or better with silicone sealant, dents in the plywood and all joints, cracks. The 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 floor fillers from boards
Today there is a fairly wide selection of wood fillers. Before choosing a putty, you need to decide on the price, scope, type and brand.
Elastic floor putty does not require careful preparation of the surface, it is easily applied and covered with other paints and putties
Putties are divided into types:
- Water-based polymer putty therefore does not emit chemicals into the atmosphere. It dries quickly enough, holds well and does not crack.
- Oily putty based on water, chalk and oils. It is one of the most reliable, however, after processing the gap, it takes a lot of time for it to dry completely.
- Acrylic putty is environmentally friendly and non-flammable, which is very important for wood.
- Solvent-based filler is ideal for parquet flooring but is not the most sustainable option.
- Elastic putty, ideal for floating crevices and joints. It holds its shape perfectly, has good adhesion to the surface.
- Pigmented wood putty, that is, various colors (white-birch, teak-red wood, wenge-dark oak, beech-oak). It should be noted that often the color does not coincide with the color stated on the package; a demonstration of the product or a stand with these putties should be required.
- Putty for wooden floors, which is used to smooth out irregularities, various defects and cracks.
The main brands of putty manufacturers are Dulux, Parade, Semin, Varathane, Axton, Neomid, Forwood, Rainbow, Tytan, Master's Choice. We must not forget that putties differ in basic types: finishing, leveling, filling, universal, sealing. Putty is applied with a spatula of the selected size, by pressing it into the depth of the gap. After the putty dries, it is necessary to level the surface using abrasive wood products.
How to seal cracks in a wooden floor (video)
When gaps appear, it doesn't matter, any gap can be repaired with your own hands, and the wooden floor is easy to install and repair.
A pure wood floor has a number of advantages: it is warm, environmentally friendly, durable and aesthetic. Like any coating, a wood floor wears out and deforms over time, cracks and cracks appear in it.
Why fill up gaps in the floor
Before proceeding with the elimination of gaps in the floor, it is necessary to find out why these defects have arisen.
- If the floor is covered with new wood, it is most likely drying out. The coating may need to be re-laid annually and will have to be carried out over a period of three years.
- If the cause of the cracks in the wooden floor was the active activity of rodents, it is necessary to take measures to eliminate their colonies, otherwise the holes will reappear.
- If the boards are installed incorrectly and vibrate relative to each other, only nailing them to the logs will help.
Attention! Oak and coniferous wood are considered good options for arranging flooring.
It is necessary to get rid of cracks in the floor so that the coating continues to perform its important functions:
- provide the necessary thermal insulation, keep warm in the room, do not let cold air masses pass through the gaps;
- protect from third-party sounds and noises - wood conducts sound waves well, so holes in the boards can aggravate the problem;
- protect the room from moisture penetration, the spread of mold and insect pests.
After competently sealing the cracks, the boards will not rub against each other and make unpleasant squeaks.
Attention! The wooden floor needs ventilation in the form of air vents. If a decision is made to eliminate them, it is necessary to conduct a ventilation hole through the room itself.
How and what to seal the cracks
When the main risks are identified and the causes of the appearance of cracks are eliminated, you can proceed directly to eliminate the flaws.
Repair with ready-made wood putty is the simplest option for embedding. Factory putty will free the master from the preparation of complex compositions, will help to quickly cope with the work.
The putty is suitable for filling small gaps. If the area of the defect is large, the composition can quickly crack and crumble. The ready-made putty can also be used when it is planned to lay another floor covering on the wood.
Work order:
- If necessary, the slots are widened with a spatula or screwdriver to make the solution easier to apply.
- Cracks are cleaned of dust and debris.
- Use a narrow or rubber spatula to grip some of the putty. Then it is applied to the crack, trying to press it as deeply as possible.
- After the putty has dried, after about 1-2 days, the surface is cleaned and sanded with sandpaper.
Attention! The disadvantage of factory putties is a rather limited color palette, which makes the seams visible to the naked eye.
Sealing the gaps with tow is considered the "old-fashioned" method and also does not require much effort. Oakum is traditionally used in plumbing to seal threads and pipe joints. This coarse fiber is a product of processing bast crops. It has a high degree of hygroscopicity, strength, wear resistance, and is safe for health.
To seal the cracks in the wooden floor, the tow must be moistened with an adhesive composition. Then the fiber is carefully driven into the gap, trying to fill the entire space. After the glue has dried, the floor can be painted in the desired shade.
The tow can be replaced with synthetic rope. It is impregnated with PVA glue and used in the same way. After drying, the remnants of the rope can be cut off, and the surface can be painted.
Construction foam for filling cracks
Polyurethane foam can be a versatile solution for filling holes in wood flooring. It is used mainly when processing the perimeter of the room - in the area of the baseboards.
Step-by-step actions:
- The skirting boards are carefully removed, being careful not to touch the boards on the floor.
- The surface is cleaned of old dirt, sand and dust.
- Pieces of foam are laid in large slots.
- The free space is blown out with construction foam.
- Wait for the time required for the mixture to harden, cut off the excess.
- The entire perimeter of the room is putty, and after the putty has dried, the plinth is installed in its original place.
Attention! It is necessary to use construction foam carefully, in minimal quantities, since a large volume of the mixture can raise the floor at the junction with the wall.
Sawdust with glue
An inexpensive but effective way to get rid of a crack in a wood floor is to use a mixture of sawdust and glue. The composition can be prepared independently according to a certain algorithm:
- Prepare small sawdust, pour them into a spacious container.
- Pour boiling water over sawdust until a thick homogeneous mass is formed.
- When the sawdust absorbs water, swells and cools, add glue. You can take ordinary wood glue or PVA as a basis.
- Stir the mixture thoroughly until smooth.
- With a spatula, scoop up a small amount of the composition and apply in the space between the boards. It is necessary to completely fill the gap, but do not tamp with force.
- Smooth out the filled mass, remove excess glue.
Such a homemade putty should dry out in 2-3 days. After drying, the surface should be sanded or sanded.
Another option for an adhesive composition - with the addition of cement:
- glue is mixed with warm water in a ratio of 2:15;
- 5 parts of sawdust and cement are added to the mixture;
- the components are mixed, insisted for 5-7 minutes.
Sealant
The main purpose of sealants is to create a durable, moisture-proof coating. Wood floors are best treated with indoor sealants:
- acrylic- they give a relatively large shrinkage, do not withstand temperature extremes, but acrylic lends itself well to painting and grinding to a perfectly even state;
- silicone- they are more plastic, resistant to compression and deforming loads, have good adhesion, but are not suitable for further staining.
Work progress:
- Clean the slots from dust and dirt, dry if necessary.
- Provide stable temperature and humidity conditions.
- Squeeze sealant into the space between the floorboards.
- Spread the composition evenly with a spatula, spatula or gloved fingers.
- Remove excess with a dry cloth.
Sealing compounds do not require special efforts when filling. The gun, with which a portion of the sealant is supplied, creates the necessary pressure and allows the holes to be tightly filled.
Each of the above methods for eliminating gaps in a wooden floor is proven and effective. In order for the result to meet expectations, it is necessary to carry out preliminary surface preparation and carefully observe the application technology.
Traditional natural wood floors are beautiful in every way - they are environmentally friendly, easy to install, beautiful and practical. However, of all materials, wooden boards are most susceptible to various deformations.
So, during operation, in almost any wooden floor, gaps appear between the boards. These crevices promote decay, a large amount of heat escapes through them, dust and dirt accumulate in them. If cracks appear, they must be repaired. What's the best way to do this?
Reasons for the formation of cracks
Gaps between floorboards can be caused by many factors:
- Thermal deformations. Due to regular temperature fluctuations, the tree dries out, the joints of the coating elements become wider. This is avoided by the material dried in the factory by a special method, in which all the water is removed from the cells of the tree using a vacuum. Ordinary boards dry for several years and during this time they noticeably change in size.
- Rodents that spoil wood. In this case, just patching up the flaws is not enough, you also need to get rid of the mice, or at least prevent them from gnawing the floor by getting a cat.
- Errors when laying boards. In this case, you need to securely fix the coating, and then cover up the cracks.
- Poor ventilation, as a result of which the tree rots quickly. In this case, having closed the joints, it will be necessary to equip a ventilation grill in the wooden floor.
Modern repair methods
Putty
It is easiest to cover the cracks in the wooden floor with putty, but this option is not durable. If the boards continue to move during use, the putty will quickly crack and you will have to do it all over again. In addition, the putty is very visible against the woody texture.
Sealant
If the gaps are dynamic, the filling material should also be mobile and have good elasticity. To ensure this characteristic, acrylic or silicone based sealants are used. The blurring process is as follows:
- the floor surface is cleaned and dried;
- the joints of the boards are filled with an assembly gun;
- the sealant is smeared with a spatula.
The silicone sealant can be matched to the floor. Acrylic based sealants are also a great option. They are resistant to temperature fluctuations and high humidity, easy to sand, paint and varnish. Tensile strength is very high - the gap can stretch twice without losing the integrity of the sealant.
Polyurethane foam
It is very easy to close the joints of the planks in the floor with this substance. All you need is a special gun and a plastic soft tube, which is compressed and pushed into the slot. The foam should be supplied evenly and with a low pressure. You need to act quickly, since the foam hardens almost instantly.
A narrow gap can be covered not from the inside, but by applying foam from above. It is not necessary to smear the foam with a spatula, since the material will stick tightly to the metal. Better to use a damp piece of wood, oiled with soapy water. Excess foam is removed with a utility knife after drying.
The disadvantages of foam are its ability to collapse under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, porosity and attraction of dust. But a layer of polyurethane foam works well as a heater.
Scotch
If an additional finishing layer of the coating will lie on the wooden floor, and the attractiveness of the seams is not important, you can simply glue the joints with construction wide tape. Its edges are fastened to the board with a stapler. Scotch tape will perfectly protect the room from drafts and cold coming through the joints of the boards.
Traditional methods
These methods of filling gaps have been proven over time and often turn out to be optimal.
Wooden slats
It is very simple to close the gap with a rail. The technology of the method is as follows:
- The edges of the boards are processed with a hand cutter.
- Slats are cut to a suitable size. It is best to take pine boards, as they are easier to process.
- The edges of the floorboards and the side edges of the slats are greased with adhesive.
- The rail is inserted into the slot and securely fixed. Remaining empty spaces can be repaired with a mixture of glue and sawdust.
- The resulting surface is sanded with a belt sander or by hand. In this case, you need to protect yourself with glasses and a respirator, as a lot of dust will form.
- Masking tape is glued to the joint.
- The renovated floor is painted and varnished.
- Putty from scrap materials
An old recipe for putty, according to which you can make a putty with your own hands, is a sticky composition of wood resin and sawdust.
You can also mix sawdust with PVA glue. The resulting mixture adheres perfectly to the wood, and after drying it becomes very hard and durable. The only downside is the roughness of such a putty; to give a decent appearance, you will have to carefully process it with sandpaper. In addition, this material darkens with use.
A similar recipe is a mixture of varnish and wood dust.
Floor covering with plywood, chipboard, plasterboard
Other similar materials can be used. It is recommended to close up the joints of the boards in this way in the case of very wide gaps, which can no longer be covered with anything. On top of a layer of sheets of plywood or other material, you can put any decorative coating.
On the old wooden floor, a frame is formed from miniature logs. To do this, you need to use a bar made of solid wood. Bars are installed in increments of 60 cm, depending on the thickness of the coating sheets. Under these elements, you need to put pieces of linoleum or roofing material in order to absorb the load on the floor.
It is worth considering that if the distance between the frame elements is made too large, the strength of the floor will decrease. Sheets of plywood or chipboard are attached to the frame with self-tapping screws, the caps of which must be sunk into the material, or at least made flush with the surface. Instead of self-tapping screws, you can use glue in tandem with nails, this will also ensure sufficient reliability of the coating.
The gaps in the frame can be filled with insulation - for example, mineral wool. Leave deformation gaps between the slabs, otherwise the floor will creak. After the installation is complete, all joints and screw-in points of the fasteners are sealed with putty. After it dries, the floor can be varnished, painted or a finishing coat can be laid on it.
Cord
This method is the fastest. Its essence is that a simple rope is placed in wide gaps in the wooden floor, which is then poured with a solution of epoxy resin with cement. After the mixture has hardened, you can paint the joints.
During the operation of residential premises in apartments or houses, situations arise when spaces of different sizes and depths are formed between the wall and the floor. It becomes necessary to close them up, but not only because they spoil the appearance of the living quarters, but also because they are a direct source of drafts, the penetration of dampness into the rooms, which carries hordes of insects, mold and is flexible.
Therefore, it is imperative that after detecting such a problem, immediately proceed with its elimination. Carrying out the work does not take much time and effort, it implies following several stages:
- Determination of the gap size - length and depth;
- Based on the scale of future work, a material is selected with which the hole will be sealed.
For filling very small gaps (about 1 cm), you can take mortars of putty, plaster of paris or cement. Larger gaps (2-5 cm) must be filled with polyurethane foam. If the damage is much larger (from 5 cm or more), then you need to resort to more serious work and the use of other materials. Below is a sequential technology for eliminating gaps between the wall and the floor of any complexity.
Preparation for work
Sealing such gaps falls into the category of cosmetic repairs. Preparation depends on what decorative elements your walls or floor are decorated with. If there is a plinth, remove it, remove the wallpaper, clean and remove the paint layer, wash the whitewash. In the latter case, let the wall dry completely. Remove all dust and dirt that may interfere with the quality fixation of the sealing materials.
If the embedding takes place in a room where you do not plan to carry out a complete renovation, then the wallpaper needs to be removed only partially, or try to carefully tear off the strip from the wall in order to glue it back after the end of the work, returning the wall to its original appearance. All surfaces that can get dirt during the repair process must be protected with foil, paper and securely fixed - this will avoid additional costs when putting things in order. Such measures will keep the floor and walls from polyurethane foam, plaster and paint. Paper or newspapers should not be used if there is a lot of water in the workplace - it is useless as a protective material in this case.
The target is a big gap
To fill the hole, pieces of brick, styrofoam, styrofoam, or plastic that are the right size are ideal. If the parts are large, then they need to be broken or broken - small filling components guarantee that they will fit inside the hole as tightly as possible and thoroughly fill the cavity. Be careful not to deform the existing hole and widen it when filling the gap.
These materials will help you save expensive polyurethane foam, which should be poured into the crevice after the previous materials. Practice shows that using bricks or other fillers, only one cylinder of polyurethane foam is required to repair even very large damage.
You should not fill it up to the eyeballs, because it tends to expand several times. Fill the remaining space by about a third, in very severe cases, by half. If the layer turns out to be very large, then apply it not at one time, but in parts, allowing the previous layer to fully expand and harden. This will reduce the risk of overfilling and subsequent loss of foam rags, and as a result, it will save its volume.
Target - medium to small size slit
The ideal option for filling such holes would be soft, plastic materials with a high density - tow or building felt. To prevent such materials from becoming a refuge for insect pests, before filling them, they must be thoroughly saturated with insecticidal substances, formalin most often acts in their role.
The material is rolled into small rolls, the diameter of which should be slightly larger than the size of the slot, and applied to the slot. Further, with the help of a small rubber or wooden mallet, the roll is carefully but surely hammered into the hollow space of the damage. It is advisable to fill the void with a whole piece of material, without small parts, so that unnecessary cavities do not form between them.
If the gap is so small that you physically cannot hammer in tow, then a soft spatula and plastic plaster mortar will come to the rescue. The technology is simple - apply a strip of plaster on the tip of the spatula and apply it to the damage, then gently press. This will allow the grout to fill the entire cavity and immediately fill the wall surface to minimize preparation for finishing.
To keep the surrounding space free from dirt, you can use a self-adhesive construction fabric (which will not work if you already have wallpaper glued on) or the above methods. After the gap is completely clogged, the formalin dries out - you can decorate the seam.
The gap between the skirting board and the wall or floor
It usually forms when old walls are bent or wooden skirting boards dry out. It is very simple to close such an error - with the help of acrylic sealant, modern stores provide a choice of any colors and shades. The cylinder is installed in a special device for the supply of sealant and applied over the distance between the elements.
Rules for working with polyurethane foam
Two-thirds of cases still require the active use of polyurethane foam, even in a small amount. Therefore, it is important to figure out how to use it correctly. The recommendations are as follows:
- Before filling the cavity, its surface must be slightly moistened with ordinary water. For this, it is advisable to use a mechanical spray bottle or a bottle with holes in the lid. This is done to better fix the foam inside the damage.
- When filling, keep in mind the expanding capacity of the foam. In addition, moisturizing the surface will only enhance this effect. The foam should be applied gently, carefully, little by little.
- The ideal working conditions with it are from five to twenty-five degrees Celsius. The cylinder must be warmed up in water at the appropriate temperature.
- Shake the container with foam thoroughly before use.
- Carry out work only in goggles and gloves - the foam is very caustic, firmly adheres to all things and objects. In case of accidental contact with the finished surfaces, it is recommended to remove the foam only after complete drying, while it is not yet hardened, it is wiped off with a special solvent.
- The hardened foam is removed with a sharp knife.
Finishing the wall after repairing the damage
Excess foam should be removed so that a small depression remains at the seam site. It will be filled with a small layer of putty or plaster with a putty knife and brought out flush with the wall. After the layer of mortar has dried, not a trace will remain from the gap. From above, the wall can be finished in all sorts of ways - attach a plinth, paint, glue the wallpaper, finish with tiles, plastic, wood, and so on.
Output
It is advisable to detect and repair such damage between the floor and walls before finishing work, so as not to damage the existing finishing surfaces during work. Thus, the work will be done faster and at a lower cost. If the embedding takes place in a clean room, then precautions cannot be neglected, especially when working with polyurethane foam.
Video
From the video you will learn in more detail how and how to repair cracks.
Nothing is eternal! Wood and concrete floors are no exception. Over time, both the one and the other can "overgrow" with cracks and cracks, which do not look aesthetically pleasing, and the cold is launched into the house. It is hardly possible to escape such a nuisance, because every day we live brings us and what is around us closer to old age. However, the floor can be reanimated using very simple techniques. If you do not know how to fill up the cracks in the floor, if the cracks in the concrete "attacked" you and you are already tired of fighting with them, then you can find the solution to the problem in this article.
No one is immune from cracks in the floor
How to repair gaps and cracks in a concrete floor?
It would seem that concrete floors are as strong and reliable as steel. But even they eventually lose their former become - cracks, chips, crumbly appear on the surface. There are many reasons for this:
- constant temperature drops
- improperly prepared solution
- mistakes made when pouring mortar
- misuse
Technology for sealing small cracks in concrete
- At the initial stage, using a hammer and chisel, you need to slightly widen the crack. This is done in order to reveal hidden chips, which can later turn into pits. If a piece of concrete falls off during the expansion of the crack, then it must be removed - the later obtained hole will be sealed with mortar.
Expand the crack with a hammer and chisel
- Next, using a vacuum cleaner, you need to clean the floor surface and cracks from dust. After that, we spill both the base and the crack with water.
- We prepare a solution from M-400 cement, water and PVA glue in the following proportion: cement - 2 parts, PVA glue - 1 part, water - so much that the solution is liquid enough to pour it into the crack.
- When the solution is ready, you need to carefully shed the crack with it. In this case, it is important that the level of the filling is higher than the level of the base of the floor, since after the mixture dries, it will shrink.
After pouring, smooth the liquid solution with a spatula
- After the mortar has dried, using a grinder, the former crack is polished to the floor level. If you don't have a sander, a regular abrasive wheel will do.
If the gaps in the floor are of very serious dimensions, then the technology for sealing them will be somewhat different.
- We expand the gap using a circular saw with a diamond disc. Quite simply - we cut off the deformed pieces of concrete.
Making slits in the concrete along the crack
- With a chisel and a hammer, we remove the excess from the formed cut.
We remove all unnecessary with a chisel
- We use a vacuum cleaner to collect debris and dust and spill the cut with water.
- We prepare a classic cement mortar from cement and water.
- We put it in the cut with a spatula and tamp it. A small slide should remain on the surface of the floor, which is compared with the level of the base with a scraper.
We level the solution
Sealing the cracks in the wooden floor
Wood is more pleasant to work with than concrete, but still there is enough fuss. First you need to remove all furniture from the room and thoroughly wash the floor. It is advisable to clean all the cracks of debris with a stiff brush. If the number of slots is large, you can mark them for yourself with chalk.
Let's look at several ways to get rid of cracks in a wooden floor.
Method 1. Using a rope
A rope or thin twine must be coated with wood glue and hammered into the cracks with a hammer or chisel. After the rope has completely dried, it is necessary to prepare a putty from pieces of linoleum (it must be natural and without a base) and acetone and rub all the cracks with it.
An ordinary rope in the hands of the master turns into a means of getting rid of cracks on the floor
Method 2. Using a mixture of sawdust and plaster
If you want to seal the cracks in the wooden floor so that not even a trace remains of them, then you can prepare a solution of gypsum and dry sawdust in a 1: 1 ratio. After mixing both components, add water to them. The amount of water is arbitrary, but in the end the solution should be quite thick.
Method 3. Using wooden inserts
For filling wide and deep gaps, it is best to use wooden inserts, since neither putty nor a solution of gypsum and sawdust will be able to revive the floor that has dried out from old age. The inserts must fit snugly against the edges of the gap and in no case should protrude above the floor surface. You need to hammer them into the cracks with a hammer, you can also help with a chisel. And for a greater effect, the chips can be greased with wood glue.
Sealing gaps with wooden inserts - a technique available to everyone
Method 4. Using sealants or polyurethane foam
If you decide to use wood sealants, then keep in mind that they are drawn in quite strongly, that is, after they dry, cracks may reappear. To prevent this from happening, you will have to carry out the procedure twice, or even three times.
Polyurethane foam does not shrink and does not draw in, therefore, the method of sealing cracks with it is much more effective and efficient than in the case of sealants. Foaming the cracks is simple, the main thing is that after the foam dries, carefully cut off the remnants so as not to damage the floor surface. By the way, after the procedure, you will most likely stop liking the floor, because all the cracks will be visible. Either covering it with linoleum or carpet will help to correct the situation.
Method 5. Using plain paper
This method is quite effective, although at first glance it may seem insane. Pieces of magazines or newspapers should be mixed with paste and an aqueous solution of carpentry or wallpaper glue. The resulting mass, similar in appearance to the composition for papier-mâché, is pushed into the cracks. After it dries, all holes, cracks and crevices will be filled with a durable material that can withstand even daily cleaning of floors.
Method 6. Using table gelatin
Another of the crazy methods. 400 ml of water and 50 g of gelatin must be heated over low heat until the gelatin is completely dissolved. After 30 minutes, when the solution acquires a homogeneous consistency, it is necessary to add 150 g of gypsum and 50 g of fine wood chips to it. Having mixed everything, you need to immediately seal the cracks with this solution, since it hardens very quickly.
After all the cracks in the wooden floor are sealed (no matter which method you choose), you need to remove the remnants of specially prepared solutions and sand the repaired areas with fine sandpaper. To make the floor uniform in color, it can be painted with enamel or oil paint, then the traces of your activity will not be visible at all. In addition, the paint will additionally strengthen the gaps you have closed and will allow you to preserve the effect of the work done for a long time.