A month ago, I installed an unfinished red oak floor but the installation did go well. After, I had finished installing the floor, I realized that there alot of gaps in between the planks. It was all over the place. I felt like I wasn't patient when installing it because when I went over the floor. I realized that I installed alot of mismilled planks which threw everything off. Now, I am thinking about removing everything and then reinstall properly. Or should I trowel the entire floor to fill in the gaps? If so, will it look good? The gaps I'm talking about is not more that 1/8". I'm a little paranoid that the trowel fill will pop out later and the floor will look messy. Any advice on what I should do will be appreciated. Thanks

can somebody help?

Hard to say without seeing it. Pro's fill floors all the time and having it pop out is always a problem when the floor moves. I'd make sure the moisture content is at your seasonal median before filling. Where are you located maybe somone here knows.

I will assume the gaps are on the ends. If so and there aren't a million of them I would cut the boards out and cut new ones to fit better.

Thanks guys for responding. I really appreciate your responses. Okay, they gap is all over the floor. I wouldn't have mind if it were just few. I think I will just go ahead and reinstall. My installation is only about 240 sq ft. So that been said, If I get the unfinished hardwood, when do I start installation. Some people talk about the moisture content. Can some break this down for me. Does installation begins when the moisture content of the sub floor equals the moisture content of the hardwood plank? Any explanation will be good. Thanks

Don't finish it until the humid summer months, when the wood has gained the moist moisture it is going to, in seasonal swelling.

Then fill and sand and spot fill as you go through the grit sequence.

ok floorguy, when you said I shouldn't finish it, does that mean I should leave it unfinished till summer time?

You are going to need to sand it either way.

See what happens to the gaps, come summer time, They may be gone.


What is the moisture content of the wood flooring now, with acclimation and installation with the heater running, this winter.
Or are you in a very mild area and not been running the heater?

I'd pull it up and do it over. You'll never be satisfied if you don't and always be wondering. Plus living with filler popping out. If you fill it in the summer then it dries down then what are you going to be looking at?

Get your wood and subfloor within 2% MC. Use a humidifer and try and hit the median year round MC.

ok floormeintucson, can you help me out with this so called Moisture content thing. How does this works? I have the moisture meter in hand. Could you explain how to get the MC right

Really? Prey tell what meter you have in hand?

Here is a start. May not be in your city though. http://www.woodfloorsonline.com/techtal ... e_map.html

Then onto the moisture map:
http://www.woodfloorsonline.com/techtal ... p.html#map

Read this:
To calculate the expected dimensional change in wood flooring, you will need to determine the current moisture content of the wood flooring, using a moisture meter. Then calculate the expected change in moisture content, using the equilibrium moisture content chart above and the climate data for the location in which then flooring is to be installed. Finally, you will need to know the dimensional change coefficient of the species to be installed. With that information in hand, you will be able to perform a simple calculation that will tell how much the wood flooring is likely to expand or shrink. That calculation multiples the change in moisture content by the change coefficient, multiplied by the width of the flooring boards. Change coefficient x moisture content change x board width = dimensional change For example, let’s say that climate data for the location indicates that the maximum moisture content for the wood flooring will be 9.1 percent (relative humidity of 50 percent and temperature of 80°). Let’s also say that the wood flooring currently has a moisture content reading of 6.1 percent. That means the wood is likely to experience a change in moisture content of 3 percent (9.1% - 6.1%) from dry season to humid season. In the example, let’s say that the wood flooring to be installed is 5-inch plank red oak. Red oak has a change coefficient of .00369. We now have the data we need: Change coefficient = .00369 Moisture content change = 3% Board width = 5 inches
The following calculation would apply: .00369 x 3 x 5 = .055 inches


Now use this as a reference:

http://www.woodworkerssource.com/moisture.php

You can access change coefficients on pages 16 - 17

http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/fplgt ... ter_13.pdf

If you really want to understand wood movement you should probably read the entire Wood Handbook.

lol. sorry, am a newbie. this is the link to the moisture meter am using. http://www.lowes.com/pd_78059-56005-MMD ... facetInfo=

Thanks for the explanation.

Not the meter I would choose but a start. You have lots of reading to do. Get back to us when you have any more questions. I did edit more info into the post above.

ok floormeintucson, I live in MD. I will be installing a 3-1/4 red oak floor. so i have to check the moisture content of the subfloor, then check the MC of the hardwood, then the subfloor MC should be within 3% of the hardwood MC. If not I can't install the floor, right? Then I have to do the calculation you explained to me. What does the result of that calculation determines? Thanks

the calculation will tell you how much the floor will shrink and or expand during different seasons. installing a wood floor with a low m/c in late winter in a place that gets humid during the summer is a sure fire recipe for a cupped floor. You can install the floor but you have to leave expansion gaps in the field as well as along the walls or get a humidifier in there and get the m/c up to where it will be during the summer.