Flooring guys (1 Viewer)

[Terminalxylem]

We have bamboo flooring, installed about 15 years ago. It’s been great, but my wife just noticed some separation of floorboards.

It’s a single row running roughly 10-15 feet, adjacent our open kitchen/dining area. The kitchen has tile abutting the wood several feet away from the boards which are separating. The gap is 1/8 inch, maybe.

I know moisture can do this, and we live in a tropical climate. But the rest of the floorboards look fine.

Of note, our foundation was settling, which we repaired right before the floor was installed. Despite spending $120K to stabilize it, I’ve noticed some evidence of continued shifting, like the front deadbolt being stubborn to lock.

Any suggestions?

 

[Ministry of Pain]

Just put in NuCore LVP, around the house and kitchen, looks like wood, liked it so much we just kept extending into the bedrooms with it and will be buying a lot of area rugs
Seems pretty solid thus far, cork underneath, waterproof as best I can tell, only $3 a square foot, hired the labor to install and loving the results so far
Not at all what you were asking but I thought I would share for anyone thinking of doing this when they are remodeling the interior of their home

 

[ChiefD]

Sounds like the foundation settling again.

They will always move. The three houses I have owned have all moved at times. Depends on weather, water in the soil…etc.

Your climate down there should be pretty consistent but you do live on a volcano. So things can move from time to time.

 

[Terminalxylem]

Sounds like the foundation settling again.

They will always move. The three houses I have owned have all moved at times. Depends on weather, water in the soil…etc.

Your climate down there should be pretty consistent but you do live on a volcano. So things can move from time to time.

That’s what I’m guessing. Big problem where I live is the soil. It’s clay they dredged into marshland, which expands/contracts according to moisture content. We’re also on a small hill.

Would prefer not to redo the flooring, and definitely not messing with the foundation, unless it really shifts. Wondering if wood glue or putty can fill the gap, with adequate aesthetic result?

 

[Gally]

Wondering if wood glue or putty can fill the gap, with adequate aesthetic result?

That likely is dependent upon how picky you are. Some probably can get away with it and others will always be drawn to it and it will drive them crazy.

 

[Ron Swanson]

Doing a little DIY research?

 

[Ministry of Pain]

Did you spend $120k on the problem already and now are still trying to fix it?
I kind of missed that part of it, seems important
I probably just don't understand but that's to be expected on home matters

 

[ChiefD]

Sounds like the foundation settling again.

They will always move. The three houses I have owned have all moved at times. Depends on weather, water in the soil…etc.

Your climate down there should be pretty consistent but you do live on a volcano. So things can move from time to time.

That’s what I’m guessing. Big problem where I live is the soil. It’s clay they dredged into marshland, which expands/contracts according to moisture content. We’re also on a small hill.

Would prefer not to redo the flooring, and definitely not messing with the foundation, unless it really shifts. Wondering if wood glue or putty can fill the gap, with adequate aesthetic result?

My first inclination would be to wait a bit. Sometimes things will shift again and it will go back to normal.

Had that happen all the time at my house in KC due to the soil heaving and shrinking depending on the amount of moisture in the soil. Very heavy clay mix down there.

 

[Terminalxylem]

Doing a little DIY research?

Absolutely. There’s a podcaster, Harvard-trained geologist and Muay Thai combatant, who sees this stuff all the time. It boils down to one’s chi being off balance, which unsettles the very foundation of the home. Thankfully, there’s an herbal tea which realigns homeowner and home.

I just purchased it from his website. Suck it, Big Floor!