Learning to fill gaps in wood floors might as well be a survival skill. In 2019 alone, businesses pumped over 18 million cubic meters of hardwood into homes and offices. People are becoming wood enthusiasts without even knowing it.
Hardwood creates some of the most timeless pieces if we’re not counting the rustic floors. But, floorboards will shrink and expand as humidity levels change, causing wide gaps in hardwood floors. Luckily, there are a few tips and tricks you can use for filling floor gaps.
Read on as we explore some effective products you can use to fill gaps in wood floors.
| Product Image | Product Name | SimpleWoodWorking Rating | What We Like | What We Didn’t Like | Link |
 | Elmer’s E855 Carpenter’s Wood Filler | Best Hardwood Floor Filler for Red Oak Flooring | – The cleanup is hassle-free – It leaves a smooth finish – It doesn’t shrink or crack – It is free from solvent | – It may be toxic in unventilated spaces – It may dry up if improperly stored | Check Price Here |
 | Gorilla All Purpose Wood Filler | Best Hardwood Floor Filler for Adhesion | – Super strong adhesive – It is water resistant – It is easy to use and beginner friendly – It leaves a natural finish and is barely noticeable | – You may need a putty knife for better application | Check Price Here |
 | Woodwise White Oak Wood Patch Filler | Best Hardwood Floor Filler for White Oak Floors | – Its higher solid content makes it ideal for large projects – It can be easily thinned by adding water – It comes pre-made as a perfect match for white oak | – It may crack with improper use – It may be hard to clean | Check Price Here |
 | Woodfilla Water-Based Wood & Grain Filler | Best Multi-use Hardwood Floor Filler | – It is eco-friendly – It is perfect for beginners and professionals alike – It is water-based without sacrificing quality – It maintains consistency in freezing temperatures | – Batches may vary in shades – It has a strong pungent odor | Check Price Here |
 | Abatron WoodEpox Epoxy Wood Filler | Best Beginner-friendly Hardwood Floor Filler | – It has a low odor profile – It does a clean job of mimicking the hardwood floor – It is best for beginners and first-timers | – It may lack density – It may be tricky to stain | Check Price Here |
Best Hardwood Floor Filler for Red Oak Flooring – Elmer’s E855 Carpenter’s Wood Filler
Gaps in red oak flooring are arguably more noticeable than in darker hues, making them even more uncomfortable to see. Elmer’s Carpenter’s Wood Filler is perfect for leveling these gaps and holes and creating a smooth finish.
Asides from seamlessly covering chips, Elmer’s Carpenter’s Wood Filler is easily sanded and painted over. So, gaps in your red oak flooring don’t end in nonuniform fill-ins. Instead, it offers a camouflage that is resistant to cracks and shrinking.
The filler is free from solvents, and with soap and water, you can easily clean it. However, you should only use it in a well-ventilated area because it may contain toxic compounds. And, you should store any leftover wood filler in a ziplock bag to keep it from drying out.
What We Like
- The cleanup is hassle-free
- It leaves a smooth finish
- It doesn’t shrink or crack
- It is free from solvent
What We Didn’t Like
- It may be toxic in unventilated spaces
- It may dry up if improperly stored
Best Hardwood Floor Filler for Adhesion- Gorilla All Purpose Wood Filler
One of the biggest perks of Gorilla All Purpose Wood Filler is its adhesion, which is unsurprising when you consider the manufacturer’s reputation. Its strong and durable nature makes it perfect for repairing chips and cracks in your hardwood floor.
The Gorilla All Purpose Wood Filler uses a unique formula to create a smooth and natural finish on hardwood floors and kitchen cabinets. The finished fill-in is resistant to cracks and shrinking, making it perfect for professional hardwood projects.
The filler is also easy to stain, paint, and sand, making it ideal for beginners and first-time projects. Plus, it is thick and water resistant, allowing it to hold against weathering from humidity and water damage.
What We Like
- Super strong adhesive
- It is water resistant
- It is easy to use and beginner friendly
- It leaves a natural finish and is barely noticeable
What We Didn’t Like
- You may need a putty knife for better application
Best Hardwood Floor Filler for White Oak Floors – Woodwise White Oak Wood Patch Filler
The Woodwise White Oak Wood Patch Filler is the best choice for filling cracks and gaps in white oak floorboards. It is a pre-mixed product, meaning you can use it for filling gaps in old wood floors immediately after opening.
It has a higher solid content, which makes it perfect for filling large areas without any hassle. To make it easy to spread, you can thin it with water to create a full trowel filler. Simply combine 1-2 cups of water per gallon of Woodwise White Oak Wood Patch Filler.
The filler takes stain and paint at rates similar to hardwood, so you can avoid the worry of color imbalances. Staining won’t be a problem because the filler is pretty easy to sand and seal. Plus, it also has impressive adhesive abilities, so you can patch chips and cracks easily.
What We Like
- Its higher solid content makes it ideal for large projects
- It can be easily thinned by adding water
- It comes pre-made as a perfect match for white oak
What We Didn’t Like
- It may crack with improper use
- It may be hard to clean
Best Multi-use Hardwood Floor Filler – Woodfilla Water-Based Wood & Grain Filler
The Woodfilla Water-Based Wood & Grain Filler is the best wood floor crack filler for all-around projects. Its unique formula never shrinks, cracks, or sinks, making it the right pick for all project types. You only need to apply once, and the filler will accept any pigment, stain, or dye.
Since it is designed for professional and domestic use, the Woodfilla Water-Based Wood & Grain Filler is water-based and trowel-ready for immediate use. Compared to fillers that harden with time, it has an unlimited shelf-life because it refreshes with time and will easily thaw.
Asides from being beginner friendly, the Woodfilla Water-Based Wood & Grain Filler is completely a zero-waste, green, non-toxic product. Plus, unlike many water-based fillers, it maintains its consistency and quality over varying temperatures.
What We Like
- It is eco-friendly
- It is perfect for beginners and professionals alike
- It is water-based without sacrificing quality
- It maintains consistency in freezing temperatures
What We Didn’t Like
- Batches may vary in shades
- It has a strong pungent odor
Best Beginner-friendly Hardwood Floor Filler – Abatron WoodEpox Epoxy Wood Filler
If you are looking to fill gaps in wood floors for the first time, the Abatron WoodEpox Epoxy Wood Filler should be your pick. At the base, it is a wood putty that does a fantastic job of repairing gaps caused by age, accidents, moisture, and pets.
Unlike the Woodfilla Water-Based Wood & Grain Filler, this filler has a low odor, making it more manageable when you need to fill gaps in wood floors. Beginners will enjoy the Abatron WoodEpox Epoxy Wood Filler because it can easily be mixed and applied by hand. And, the filler easily bonds to the damaged wood substrate and mimics the original surface.
What We Like
- It has a low odor profile
- It does a clean job of mimicking the hardwood floor
- It is best for beginners and first-timers
What We Didn’t Like
- It may lack density
- It may be tricky to stain
Our Top Pick to Fill Gaps in Wood Floors: Woodfilla Water-Based Wood & Grain Filler
After reviewing the top wood fillers in the market, we settle on the Woodfilla Water-Based Wood & Grain Filler to fill gaps in wood floors. Its consistency and eco-friendly properties set it apart, and make it a flexible gap filler for wood floors. It is hardy and effective, save for the pungent odor, which can be managed with proper ventilation.
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