Hardwood floors can get cracked over time as they wear out and the surface becomes weak. In this state, if any extra pressure is applied on the floors they might start to crack at various points.
Accidental causes can also be the reason for hardwood cracking. However, a lot of homeowners turn towards replacing the planks due to this reason.
Whereas flooring specialists and professionals recommend fixing cracks in hardwood floors.
Using epoxy filler is the most suitable way to do so as they can be filled into the crack and allowed to solidify.
These fillers bond with the wood and make the structure robust rather than simply filling the gap.
Besides, they can also be found in colors which allows them to be matched with the color of the wood.
The process of fixing cracks in hardwood floors is very simple. Therefore, make sure you follow it to the end so your floors can also be fixed properly.
Table of Contents
Why Do Hardwood Floors Crack?
Hardwood floors crack when they are extremely dry and some force is applied or when something heavy falls.
Another situation where they can crack is when something extremely heavy, which has a relatively smaller surface area, is placed on the hardwood floors for an extended time.
For instance, the floors can crack if a heavy dumbbell is dropped or placed on a single plank for a long time.
Another example would be if you are standing on a chair to drive a nail into the wall, and your weight causes the legs of the wood to sink into the floor.
As wood is a natural product, it is not very robust on its own and can give in to conditions of the environment and other external factors.
Even if any of the incidents mentioned above do not happen, extensive traffic and pressure on the floors can cause them to crack after some time.
However, the major factors causing this are temperature and humidity.
Acclimation is a common process in hardwood floors that causes the wood to soak or give off moisture content depending upon the conditions of the environment.
This can lead to expansion and contraction in the boards. If the boards are not spaced properly, they can crack during expansion as the pressure would increase from all sides.
Apart from the changing weather, the insulation, heating system, or other factors such as fire or leakages can also affect the humidity and moisture in your house.
These factors can also target temperatures and cause the hardwood floors to weaken, leading to cracking or other problems.
While many argue that these factors are not as significant as the emphasis placed on them and do not affect the hardwood flooring much, reality begs to differ.
You might not see the results right away, but these processes can weaken the floors from within over time which can cause them to crack.
The hairline cracks might appear after a few years, which, once formed, will move into the wood’s structure and might even cause splintering.
To prevent further cracking, try to raise the humidity level in your home. You will then need to treat the cracks to prevent further damage and restore the appearance of your floor.
Also Read: How To Fix Gaps In Hardwood Floors?
How To Fix Cracks In Hardwood Floors?
Epoxy fillers are one of the most suitable ways to fix the cracks in your hardwood floors and restore their original form, which they had lost some time ago.
While other types of floorings can be treated separately, where removing a single board for repairs and gluing it back is possible, this is not the case with hardwood floors.
Hardwood plank cracking must be handled carefully and without pressure on the boards.
Improper pressure on the hardwood plank may cause it to snap or even be splintered and broken into pieces.
Hence, the hardwood floors must be fixed with an epoxy filler to fill the cracks and restore the wood.
Let us explain if you are wondering what epoxy fillers are and why to use them.
Epoxy fillers are semi-liquid adhesives used mainly for fiberglass as they solidify and hold the entire structure together in the case of cracks.
The same is the case with hardwood floors as the wood becomes weak from the insides; the epoxy fillers fill the gap and add strength to the structure so that the crack does not lengthen over time.
Besides, it fills the gap, forms a bond with the hardwood floors, and holds the structure together. This makes it durable enough to be used again, even under high traffic.
However, there is one drawback of these fillers; they come in colored form, and it can be hard sometimes to get the right color that matches the tone of your hardwood floors.
In addition, if you think you can get a similar color and stain it afterward, you are wrong, as the epoxy filler makes a nonporous surface once solidified, making it impossible to absorb any stain.
Therefore, it is necessary to try different shades and see which one matches the color of your hardwood floors the best.
Just as with stains, you can also mix various colors of the epoxy filler to get the right shade for your hardwood floors so that the cracked area does not stand out to stain the appearance of the flooring.
While many people prefer to take on this task themselves, we recommend it only if you have significant experience in DIY projects beforehand.
Furthermore, the DIY projects should be in the flooring niche as they would only benefit you.
However, if you have never performed a flooring DIY, it is best that you contact a professional to ensure that you do not mess up on the job.
Uneven application or any small mistake can result in a deduction from the strength and stability of your hardwood plank.
Don’t Miss: How To Protect Wood Floor Entryway?
Using Epoxy Filler To Fix A Crack
Fixing the cracks in hardwood floors becomes a fairly easy task using an epoxy filler. However, a certain procedure needs to be followed in this scenario.
But before we can dive into that, there are some tools and materials you would require for this project.
It is better to get those first so you don’t have to run around during the repair procedure. Here is a list of the items that you will need:
- Masking/painters’ tape
- Putty knife
- Epoxy wood replacement compound/filler
- Rubber gloves
Once you have all these items ready, it is time to fix the crack in the hardwood floors. Firstly, you need to ensure that the surrounding area of the crack is not disturbed.
Whether finished or not, it should be masked properly to ensure that any substance meant for the crack does not get in touch with any other surface.
You can do this using a cling film or even newspapers.
After this is done, put your gloves on, as you will need them to protect your hands from the sticky adhesives before starting the process.
Disposable rubber gloves are recommended as you don’t have to worry about removing the epoxy filler from them (if any comes into contact).
Epoxy filler comes in a kit that usually contains two chemicals. These need to be mixed in the recommended composition to make the fillers fix the cracks in hardwood floors.
You can find the instructions on the packaging and make the solution by following the guidelines.
Another important factor to remember is that it dries very quickly once the epoxy is made. This leaves you with a very short time window to work in and fill the crack.
Usually, this time is about 20 minutes, but it can vary depending on your product type. Only use a putty knife to apply the epoxy and fill the crack from all sides.
It is preferred first to get the epoxy coated in the sides of the crack and then fill it up so that the structure becomes stronger and more stable when it solidifies.
Make sure to get the epoxy leveled with the surface. A suitable way to do so is to use a comb and run it toward the wood grain.
This would also give the epoxy a texture on the top to not make it stand out completely.
If there is an excess of the filler, you can wipe it off using a knife and a clean cloth. After completing this process, you would need to give it some time to dry and harden.
Although the exact time might vary from product to product, leaving it overnight can be a good idea.
After this time has passed and the epoxy has dried, you might need to sand it down.
Again, follow the same procedure of protecting the surrounding wood with cling film or newspapers so you don’t sand it down accidentally.
Grind the epoxy with at least 120 grit sandpaper until it is fine in texture and level with the rest of the surface.
Once this is done, you can see for yourself as the crack would be filled and the surface would be as good as new.
Related: How To Fix Squeaky Hardwood Floors?
Bottom Line
Hardwood floors can get cracked and it is not something you should start to panic upon.
Besides, it is also not suitable to opt for the replacement of the damaged planks right away as these can be useful once they are repaired.
If you don’t know the right way to fix these cracks, you can follow the effective guide given above to ensure that your planks are kept in the best health possible.
In addition, fixing the cracks will not only save you money on a replacement, but it will also help you to prevent the boards from breaking.
Hence, if you also have cracked hardwood floors, you must fix them immediately using the guide above.
As a co-creator of FlooringFlow.com, Emma Sophia comes on board to answer all your questions related to any flooring problems. Together with John Henry, she’s gained extensive experience in fixing many flooring problems in their own house as well as in friends and family’s. Now, she wants to share her knowledge that she gained during floor remodeling, restoring, and DIY projects.
