Cracks, scrapes, and scratches can appear on hardwood floors over time. Usually, these are caused by pets, wearing shoes indoors, or moving furniture.
Gaps can appear between hardwood planks when humidity levels change, creating too-wet or too-dry conditions. Gaps and other imperfections can be easy to fix in hardwood with the right wood filler or wood putty.
Keep reading to discover how to choose the best hardwood floor gap filler or wood putty for small, medium, and large-sized imperfections.
Wood Putty Vs. Wood Filler
Panel Town Flooring Pro, Santiago Triana, explains the difference between wood putty and wood filler:
“Wood filler is used for unfinished wood. If there are gaps that are about as thick as a quarter, you would use filler.”
And he says there’s two types of filler.
“You have the full trowel filler, which you use across the whole floor. Once it’s dried, you do a light sand to take off any excess. The other is the wood patch, which you can use on sections of the floor. Let it dry and give it a light sand after to take off any excess.”
Wood trowel filler is more viscous than wood filler patch because it’s formulated to be applied to the entire floor surface.
On the difference between wood filler and wood putty, Santiago says, “You use wood putty on a prefinished floor to cover any nail holes or gaps.”
Wood floor putty comes in different colors that you can mix to create custom matches. We also offer a kit that comes with a guide to create matching colors.
What is the Best Filler For Hardwood Floors?
We recommend Bona Pacific Filler, Woodwise Full Trowel, and Loba EasyFill.
When filling hardwood floors, choose a hardwood filler, as these provide deep penetration of the scratch/gap and a smooth finish. After application, the filled area should be sanded and re-stained/finished to match, seal the area, and ensure it lasts.
What is the Best Wood Filler For Large Gaps?
We recommend Woodwise Full Trowel for medium to large gaps in flooring.
This type of filler can be used on water and solvent-based stains or finishes. It can be used to fill cracks, nail holes, gouges, and any broken edges. Once applied, it’s easy to sand and refinish. Being specifically designed for hardwood floors, this filler takes stain better than most other wood fillers.
What Filler to Use on Wood Floors?
Choose a wood filler that best caters to the size of the imperfection in your wood floors.
FAQs
What’s the Difference Between Wood Filler Vs. Wood Putty?
Wood filler lasts longer than wood putty because it bonds tightly, fills smoothly, dries evenly, and hardens firmly once dry. It’s thin and light which ensures an even and deep penetration of gaps.
Wood filler, like Woodwise Full Trowel Filler, is designed for larger gaps and deep scratches. It’s long-lasting, with our products lasting 2-3 times longer than other fillers. Wood filler should be used before finishing floors or when you plan on refinishing floors after applying filler.
Wood putty is designed for filling smaller scratches, scrapes, and nicks. It comes ready to use in colors like gray, brown, tan, etc. to match your flooring. It’s easy to apply and provides instant coverage without the need for stain. Wood putty can be used on laminate, luxury vinyl, and other wood surfaces.
Wood putty is not generally recommended for hardwood floors. It won’t last as long or respond to hardwood floor stain as well as filler. Therefore, wood filler works better on hardwood floors compared to wood putty.
Why are My Wood Floors Separating?
Fluctuations in temperature can cause wood floors to separate. When wood gets too warm, it can shrink and cause gaps. Similarly, if there’s too much moisture in the air or the floors get very wet, hardwood can expand and contract, causing the floor to separate. This can be avoided with proper aftercare.
We recommend maintaining a relatively normal humidity level in the room of 40-60%. A dehumidifier can be used to remove moisture from the air, while a humidifier can be used to add moisture during drier winter months.
Never wet mop wood floors, including hardwood or laminate. Even waterproof flooring can be damaged when too much water seeps between the seams. Hardwood floors should not be steam cleaned to prevent damaging the finish.
We recommend cleaning hardwood by spritzing the floors lightly with a hardwood floor cleaner, like WOCA Intensive Cleaner Spray, then dry mopping with a microfiber mop.
Improper installation can also cause wood floors to separate. For example, measures should be taken when installing hardwood over radiant heat systems to prevent the boards from cupping, warping, and splitting. Learn more about flawless hardwood floor installation.
Is It Normal for Hardwood Floors to Crack?
It’s not normal for hardwood floors to crack, but it can happen. Wood flooring is a natural product, so imperfections should be expected in the wood, especially over time. The main reason hardwood floors crack is due to extreme fluctuations in air temperature.
Most homes maintain a suitable moisture level for hardwood floors to last decades without cracking. When levels go outside of the normal expected fluctuation, the wood can expand and contract, causing cracks. Heavy impact can also cause hardwood to crack. For example, if a hammer or large furniture item is dropped on the surface.
Should I Fill Cracks in Hardwood Floors?
Small cracks in hardwood floors should be filled as quickly as possible. Leaving cracks will impact the appearance of the hardwood, especially as dirt can get trapped inside. More importantly, however, cracks can get worse the longer you leave them. Filling cracks strengthens the boards and prevents further splitting. It also prevents moisture from seeping into the split wood and warping the floors.
Summary
Wood flooring is a natural product. It’s what makes hardwood so appealing, with every board offering a unique grain and aesthetic. However, being so natural, it can be subject to imperfections, like cracks, scratches, and scrapes. These are easy to fix with wood filler especially designed for hardwood floors.
Maintain the beauty of your wood floors for life with our hardwood floor care products.
