How to Fix Hardwood Floors That Are Separating

Hardwood flooring expands and contracts with climate changes, which can cause gapping in the middle of the floor over the years. It may be tempting to simply fill those gaps with wood putty or some other material, but the problem is, that gap isn’t likely to stay at the same size. Since those gaps are going to change with the seasons, they need to be filled with something that will expand and contract along with the wood. This is a property of hemp rope, which can be stained to match the floor before you fill in the gaps.

Vacuum with hose attachment
1-inch-thick hemp rope (braided)
Utility knife
Wood stain (to match the floor)
Plastic bucket
Newspapers

Instructions

- 1
  Vacuum out the gaps between the boards, using your hose attachment. The gaps should be totally free of debris.
- 2
  Measure the first gap from end to end. Use your utility knife to cut a piece of rope to that length.
- 3
  Unwind the braided rope to get a piece that’s about half-again wider than the gap. Example: If the gap is 1/2 inch wide, the rope section should be about 3/4 inch.
- 4
  Repeat for each gap in the floor, cutting and separating rope to fit in each of the gaps.
- 5
  Pour a few inches of wood stain in a bucket. Soak the rope pieces in the stain. Let them soak for one minute. Lay them out on newspapers to dry overnight.
- 6
  Lay the first piece of rope over the gap for which it was cut, laying it lengthwise to cover the whole gap. Press the rope firmly into the space with your fingers. Press down until it's entirely in the gap, and the surface of the rope is even with the surface of the floor. Repeat for each piece of rope and each gap.

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