Floor Boards Separating In Winter

A 5 inch wide plank will shrink twice as much as a 2 inch strip.

Floor boards separating in winter.

Almost every wood floor will show some separation between boards particularly in the winter months when homes are heated and the air is dry. It is normal in the winter month for gaps to increase in general because the humidity in your house is lower and causes the wood to contract. In some cases these changes in the floor don t occur until years after installation. I usually try to keep my house around 40 in the winter.

Narrow boards will shrink less than wide boards for a given change in moisture content mc. So using engineered flooring may be an option for reducing winter time floor issues but check the manufacturer s recommendations and warranty. Often it s a floor owner concerned with new hardwood floors separating or gapping. Be sure to use natural rope such as jute or cotton because synthetic rope won t accept a stain.

They weren t there in the summer solid 3 4 hardwoods will expand and contract with seasonal changes in moisture. Filling large gaps with natural fiber rope is a traditional method commonly used on wide plank floorboards in very old homes. During winter months complaints usually start trickling in. If it was that big of gaps all over i would say it would not be normal.

Like jim mentioned you need to check your humidity level.