Gaps in unfinished pine flooring - filler???

[Autumn]

We are in the process of finishing a tiny cabin. There was already a pine
floor in it made from one foot wide boards screwed to the subfloor. The
boards have gaps between them, some somewhat large. We really do not want to
remove any of the floor - replacing the boards is really not an option since
the drywall is being done this week. We also don't want to go to the
expense, it is just a cabin.

I noticed in my daughter's home, who also has a pine floor, that the gaps in
it seem to be filled in with something. Her floor is stained, then varnished
and the filler took the stain more than the wood did. It looks like a fiber
wood filler. The spaces in the cabin floor are large enough that I want to
fill them with something or they will always be full of dirt. The cabin is
located in an area that is all sand.

We plan to rent a floor sander to level the floor then paint with
polyurethane, no stain. Is wood filler the answer? I am concerned if we use
filler we will loose the separation lines of the boards making it look like
a one piece floor. Is there anything liquid that could be poured into the
cracks to fill them to some degree? What do floor installers do? There just
can't be a whole cabin full of perfectly cut wood that fits together that is
not tongue and groove.

Suggestions please.

Thank you,

Autumn

[Craig M]

How wide are the gaps, can you rip down pine and patch in with that?
any filler you use, with have to be able to expand and contract with changes
in humidity.

"Autumn" <leaves_o...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:sRNVj.3483$nl7....@flpi146.ffdc.sbc.com...

[CWatters]

Lift the board's, cut T&G, refit, fill gap at edge.

[Autumn]

The most extreme would be about 1/4", but most are probably less than that.
It is not tongue and groove, just plain 1"x12" boards.

Does clear silicone take to polyurethane? That is all I can think of that
would expand and contract. This is a very good point since it will be closed
down in the winter, no heat, in the snow belt of our state.

Thank you for your reply, it is appreciated.

Autumn

"Craig M" <craig...@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:PIWVj.3158$17....@newssvr22.news.prodigy.net...

[Craig M]

If your gaps are that size or smaller, trying to fill them is going to be a
pain, there are some clear silicones that will take paint, but if the boards
expand, it will push it up, giving you a bead in the middle of the floor, I
would think of a filler strip there.

"Autumn" <leaves_o...@hotmail.com> wrote in message

news:ni6Xj.4686$nl7....@flpi146.ffdc.sbc.com...

[ransley]

When its 90% humidity and 90f the floor has expanded, gaps will be
less or none at all. If you fill it tight now it will likely buckle
this summer. There should be sold a filler strip that will conpress.