There’s a gap in my kitchen hardwood floor. Only a single board exhibits the problem. Not sure what’s causing it. Any suggestions for fixing it?
Wood – Gap in floor boards
flooringhardwood-floor
Related Solutions
Your vapor barrier needs to extend beyond the edges of the floor to prevent moisture from getting to the floor. Install in accordance to manufacturer's recommendations.
The expansion gap needed also depends on the manufacturer's recommendations - different materials expand at different degrees. The point of the gap is to give it room so it doesn't end up buckling. If you can't find a solid recommendation then use 1/2" for the maximum protection - and if the trim you install doesn't cover the gap, use quarter round.
For close cutting, either horizontally or vertically in very close quarters, I recommend a multitool.
It has different blades for wood, metal, and can do some limited grinding and tight sanding. You do need clearance of at least the width of the blade plus about 1/4 inch.
If you do not have that much clearance, you may need a Dremel-type rotary cutting/grinding tool. It can cut or grind down to very small widths.
Failing that, or if you are hand tool inclined, you can use a chisel.
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Best Answer
Cause: maybe there was a machining flaw in one of the boards that prevented them from mating tightly, or the wood shrunk, or the floor installer was hung over. Hard to say.
Solution: none (unless you want to pull up the floorboards and reinstall them). Don't try to fill the crack with wood putty - it'll wind up looking even worse. You'll just have to learn to live with it. Gaps in wood floors are pretty common, and yours really isn't that bad.