Do-It-Yourself

Q Our older house has beautiful wood floors that we want to sand and refinish, but we are looking for a solution to the gaps between many of the floor boards. Any suggestions? -- D. Penn

AThere are several approaches to repairing gaps between floor boards, none of them very satisfactory. The gaps are caused by shrinkage in the wood, and the boards will continue to shrink and expand slightly depending on climate conditions. Moisture causes wood to expand across the grain; drying out shrinks it.

Any of the so-called solutions often suggested for this problem will detract from the appearance of the floor. They are also an enormous amount of work and might cause other problems. For example, filling the gaps with matching wood filler is sometimes recommended. This doesn't work well because the shrinkage and expansion of the boards will cause the filler to crack and fall out. Another suggestion is to cut narrow wood strips from matching wood and glue them into the gaps. I think this is impractical because the gaps vary so much in width that it is next to impossible to make attractive fillers. Either of these approaches requires smoothing and sanding the filler and refinishing it to match the boards.

A third approach is to take up the floor boards and reinstall them without gaps. If the boards are of the tongue-and-groove type often used for flooring, many of them will be badly damaged or ruined.

The best option is to learn to live with the gaps. Vacuum frequently, or dirt will collect in the gaps and make them more conspicuous.

We recently had a cedar fence installed and noticed that the nail heads are sunk into the wood, leaving small holes. Will this be a problem if moisture gets into the holes? Also, should we apply a protective finish to the fence?

-- D. Young

Small black streaks sometimes develop under nail heads in cedar. If they bother you, they can be removed with a deck cleaner. If you want to fill the holes, use exterior-grade wood filler, sold at most home centers and hardware stores.

I have had a cedar fence for about 30 years without any finish, and it still looks okay. If left unfinished, the wood will turn gray. It can be restored to the original color by using a deck cleaner.

If you want to finish the cedar, use a deck stain. A semi-transparent stain will let the wood grain show through; a solid-color stain will hide the grain but usually lasts longer.

How can I remove pine sap from my car? It's on the paint and windshield. -- C. Huggins

Several solvents will soften pine sap so that it can be removed. Moisten the sap with a solvent, using a rag, and let it work for several minutes. When the sap has softened, scrape off as much as possible with a plastic windshield scraper. Work carefully to avoid scratching the surface. Remove residue by rubbing with a little more solvent, then rinse with water. Test any solvent first in an inconspicuous place to make sure that it doesn't damage the surface.

Among the solvents that should work are Goo Gone, a multi-use solvent sold at many supermarkets, mineral spirits (paint thinner) and denatured alcohol.

Some people say they have successfully used household products to remove pine sap. Among them are mayonnaise, butter and Crisco.

Questions and comments should be sent to Gene Austin, 1730 Blue Bell Pike, Blue Bell, Pa. 19422. Send e-mail todoit861@aol.com.