Gap Filling
Resin or timber-sliver gap filling for warmer, cleaner floorboards.
Over the years, floorboards shrink and gaps open up between them. They can cause draughts, trap dirt and look untidy once the floor is sanded. Gap filling is a simple way to make a room more comfortable.
We usually fill gaps as part of a floorboards restoration, between sanding passes. This lets us sand the filler flush before finishing.
Two methods
Resin filler
Small gaps are filled with a resin mixed with your floor’s own sanding dust for a close colour match. It is quick and neat, and suits floors that do not move much.
Reclaimed pine slivers
For wider gaps, we glue tapered pine slivers into place and plane them level. Slivers move with the boards and generally last longer than filler in wide gaps.
Important: gap filling and our guarantee
Timber floors move — they swell in damp months, shrink when the heating is on, and flex with the structure of the house. Because of this, filler can crack or work loose and slivers can open slightly over time. Gap filling is therefore excluded from our service guarantee. The rest of your restoration — sanding and finishing — is still covered for 3 months.
Warmer rooms with fewer draughts
Stops dust and crumbs collecting
Gives a more uniform look
Our advice
Gap filling is optional. Some people prefer the authentic look of open gaps, others want a sealed, even surface. If gaps are very wide or boards are rocking, it is usually better to lift and re-lay the boards tightly together. We will talk you through the choices during the free survey. If draughts are your main worry, we can also discuss other ways to reduce them.
Timing
Gaps are filled after the first sanding pass, once the boards are clean and the true width of each gap is visible. Once set, everything is sanded level with the boards before finishing. In most rooms it adds around half a day.
Read more about the options in our guide to resin or slivers. Badly damaged boards are best replaced via our floorboard repairs. Prices are listed on our prices page.
Guide prices
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Floor sanding & oiling
Dust-free sanding back to fresh timber, finished with two coats of hardwax oil.
from £22 per m²
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Floor sanding & lacquer
Full sand and three coats of hard-wearing water-based lacquer.
from £24 per m²
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Parquet sanding & finishing
Multi-direction sanding for block and herringbone floors, with your choice of finish.
from £28 per m²
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Gap filling
Resin filler or reclaimed pine slivers between floorboards.
from £6 per m²
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Floor staining
Colour samples on your floor and an even stain before finishing.
from £5 per m²
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Stairs stripping & restoration
Paint and varnish removal, repairs and finishing of treads and risers.
from £45 per step
Guide prices — we confirm a fixed price after a free survey.
Questions about gap filling
Will filling gaps stop draughts?
It usually makes a real difference. Open gaps between boards let cold air up from the void below. Filling them makes rooms feel warmer and helps keep dust out.
How are your prices worked out?
The cost depends on the size of the floor, its condition and the finish. Our prices page shows typical starting prices, and we confirm everything with a fixed written quote.
What do I need to do before you arrive?
Please clear the room of furniture, rugs and small items before we arrive. We can help move heavy furniture if we know in advance. Our preparation checklist has more tips.
Why is gap filling not guaranteed?
Our 3-month guarantee does not cover gap filling. Wooden floors expand and shrink with the seasons and with movement in the building, which can open small cracks in the filler. We use the most suitable method for your floor to keep this to a minimum.
Can you restore boards that have been painted?
Usually, yes. Period pine boards sand up beautifully. We punch down nails, replace split boards and sand back to fresh timber. Read our guide to Victorian floorboards for the full process.
What is the best way to fill floorboard gaps?
Smaller gaps are filled with resin mixed with fine sanding dust, so the colour matches. Wider gaps get thin pine slivers glued in and sanded flush. Our gap filling guide compares the two.
What our customers say
Exactly what we hoped for
“The hardwax oil finish in our dining room is beautiful. The only small thing was that they arrived a little later than planned on day one, but they kept us informed and still finished on time.”
Long Ditton
Great work at our school
“They completed our classroom floors in a single half-term week. The team were careful, safe and tidy, and staff were really impressed.”
Hersham
A transformed hall
“They worked around our services and events, finished on schedule and left the hall spotless. The hall feels bright and welcoming again.”
Hinchley Wood