Dirt in the cracks of Wide pine floors?

Hi! I used to have floors like that and they were frustrating. Until I replaced them, I used area rugs and runners. I tried wood putty, but, because wood expands and contracts, it always ended up cracking and looking worse. At least you could take rugs with you. Indoor/outdoor rugs are really pretty, now and are easy to clean, for example. Good luck and stay well!

You can try a product called no more gaps. Maybe do a test area first.

We have a friend in Vermont who redid his house and had the same problem as you are with your rental. He soaked rope in linseed oil and pushed it into the gaps between the planks. Beautiful effect.

https://www.thisoldhouse.com/21016795/how-to-fill-gaps-in-a-wide-plank-wood-floor

You said it was a rental. Whatever you do talk to the owner first.

Since.you are renting, I would vacuum the best I could and use area rugs.

Emilie: A rental makes things complicated. I'd opt for area rugs.

You will need to check with the landlord but if you do, I recommend using durham's. It's a powder that you mix to consistency that will fill the cracks. We have that in our farmhouse and I did the filler in the family room. In the bedroom that has it, we sealed with poly and it filled in the cracks.

If you want to invest in a good microfiber dusting mop, there are some that claim to "grab" the dust. I've seen a lady with those type of floors in a new build that uses a Norwex dust mop and it pulls it out of the cracks. But that's a lot to spend for a mop.

You can try using runners along the most trafficked areas of the house--this should help!

Wood putty needs to be sanded after you apply and you would have to redo the whole floor. So in short no. Use and area rug.

If you’re in a rental vacuum or roll out rugs to mimic wall to wall carpet can be your only solution.

Stiff porch broom would work.

Hi Emile, hope this helps you out, I found this on a DIY site

1. Clean the floorboards on both sides of the gap.
2. Apply a fine bead of wood putty to the gap, then work it into the gap with your finger, using circular motions to force the putty down into the gap.
3. Remove excess putty from the wood surface using a putty knife.
4. Let the putty set up, then wipe gently along the filled gap with a slightly dampened cloth to remove putty residue from the wood next to the gap. Wipe parallel to the gap, making as few passes as possible to prevent pulling putty out of the gap.
5. Let the putty dry completely before using the floor.

Hi there,

Get the Landlord to fix it if you are going to be a long term renter!