At first my wife loved the new hardwoods. Now she's looking closer and has noticed that some of the treads have slight gaps while others do not. It doesn't look like it takes much gap width for the human eye to tell at least not when your looking for something. Question, how much gap width is too much? and what should be expected as "normal". The steps are split-entry style and skirtboards butt up to drywall on both sides. treads are almost 6' lengths. Thanks and should/can anything be done?

NOFMA Technical Information Publication "Gaps between strips in Hardwood Floors" states:

NORMAL GAPS
The term “normal gaps” can have various definitions depending on the width of the strips, whether boards or
parquet patterns, the size of the room, and the severity and duration of the low outside temperatures and hence
the intensity of the indoor heating.
Gaps between strips that occur seasonally and close during seasons associated with higher humidity or the
non-heating season are considered normal gaps. Normal gaps may vary in width from “hairline” gaps (thickness
of stationary) to more significant gaps (up to or greater than the thickness of a quarter) depending upon the
size of the strips of flooring. The larger gaps are expected in geographical areas associated with an extended
dry heating season, and warm, mild, humid summers that require little air conditioning, i.e. the Great Lakes or
New England area.
In addition, plank or strip floors sometimes “panelize” due to movement of underfloor construction and reflect
gaps directly associated with the subfl oor movement. To further complicate matters, normal wintertime seasonal
shrinkage may be concentrated into only a few gaps if the fi nish glues individual boards into panels. Other joints
between these larger gaps generally remain tight. In this event, some gaps may be considerably wider than the
thickness of a quarter but still considered normal if the larger gaps nearly close during the more humid season.
Plank floors, because of widths involved, can shrink individually up to three or more times as much as 21/4" wide
strip floors. Therefore, normal, seasonal gaps found in those fl oors can be much larger than in a strip floor. Again,
if the fl oor expands so that gaps disappear during the humid non-heating season, they should be considered
normal. For parquet patterns, seasonal shrinkage and movement at ends of units may be quite noticeable. Also,
the installation procedures may leave gaps in the fl oor to maintain pattern lines. Therefore, some permanent
gaps in parquet may be necessary. In addition, normal gaps between 3/4" thick parquet units installed in mastic, can
remain near perimeter walls if cork expansion joint filler is omitted. (See NOFMA’s Installing Hardwood Flooring.)

Ray, he is talking about stair treads with gaps on the end cut next to the skirting. Not wood flooring swelling and shrinking in the widths.


Bad craftsmanship, not up to your expectations. Caulk it!!

Fortunately, my installer was on site today replacing the red oak tread with a matching white oak tread. I only brought up the "tread end gaps" because my wife was abit overboard about it. He wasn't a big fan of caulking as a solution nor was he about to start ripping out treads for 1/16" gaps. I told him don't worry about it as I wasn't bothered by 1/16" gaps. Hey, We saved over $1,500. going with this guy and got a great deal on the Qtr & Rift sawn white oak. Give the installer a break. Sometimes you got to educate people ---even if it's your own spouse!! Honey. Just remember, When your heads in the lions mouth-----pet him!

btw I forgot to mention the $1,500 savings was just on the staicases. The savings was really more like 3-5 thousand on the whole job.

Floorguy,
Wood is wood. Gaps are gaps.
Whether it is a stair tread or 2 1/4" strip......... it's still wood and wood shrinks and swells... That 1/16" gap may close.
We don't know if that gap was there during installation. But also,,,, maybe IT SHOULD be there?
What would happen if the tread swelled up with no place to go?

Ray, the board is cut. It is dead. It is not going to continue growing. Ray, study your wood sciience notes about swell and shrink in longitudinal direction. Your stating radial and tangential directional concerns.


A 1/16, that ain't bad. Painters caulk everything before it is painted. If the skirts are painted white, white caulking is the ticket. Color matching wood filler also works.

That's what I said to my wife! 1/16" isnt that bad. The treads, risers & skirt boards are all white oak with swedish finish. My installer is not a big fan of caulking and for now I'm going to do nothing. I think my wife will forget about it with some time. If in the future she is still bothered by the gaps I can always caulk at that point.

With all that matching wood, color matching wood filler or putty, if she gives you grief.

Your wife has good reason to be bothered by that gap. There should not be any gap at all, especially when when you have oak meeting oak.

That's my take too Jerry. I've seen both. It's a matter of workmanship pride.

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I'm sorry perry,
I did not see where he stated the gapping was at the end walls.. Still dont'

It is highlighted for you...


They still let you drive?

Jerry Said


Ken Said


Gentlemen,

In theory, I agree with you. Ideally, one does not want gaps where the treads meet the skirt boards. However, since I've installed very many, many staircases where a solid tread needs to be cut net to skirt boards on both sides of it, I can tell you how difficult this can be. First, many skirts are installed poorly. They are out of plumb and out of square with the rest of the stairs. This necessitates the use of jigs to measure the tread well. I use a Stair Wizard, the best manufactured one out there. The downside to using jigs they don't accommodate warped and bowed skirts. A tip I learned on Floormasters is to make your own jig/template for each tread with hot glue and wood strips, similar to the way countertop fabricators do. I have yet to try this. And even when you get the jig just right, then you still have to transfer that to the tread and cut it just so. Then the other problem comes up of getting it in place. I have, on many occassions, cut the tread perfectly with a 2 degree back bevel, only to have it not go in because the skirt tapers up narrower, not allowing the tread to be fitted. Now I can beat the skirts up (they often get scratched up a little anyway) and beat the tread in, forcing the skirts apart, which can affect any previously installed treads. So I head back to the saw to trim a minimum off the ends in hope that the next try, it will fit. And sometimes, after the fourth or fifth trip to the saw, I'll cut slightly too much off. Of course, this bothers me. But what to do? Throw a perfectly good tread away and start over? I don't think so. I'll check and see if I can use that tread on the next one and so on, but if I cannot, install it I will and either caulk or putty those small occasional gaps. I hardly consider these efforts "lack of pride". In all reality, you do the best you can, knowing full well that we are only human and not without fault. To expect absolute perfection in this highly competitive world, is unreasonable, IMO.

I am trying not to be overly critical of anyone. I just don't believe you are going to leave a job with a 1/16" gap... oak to oak... that's an 1/8" counting both sides. His man is getting paid for this, if the homeowner did it I would not have made that comment. I would have said... looks good .

Could be I do it different, but I square up and shim the skirt boards before I cut any treads or risers. That's one of the things I had to teach myself.