I've seen floors where people tried to fill the gaps with putty. Those
floors look awful.

Think twice (or three times) before you do that. It is more or less
irreversable...

KB

"Mac Cool" wrote in message
...
We ripped the carpet up in our dining room and found an oak floor.
Originally we were going to refinish the floor but the wife decided she
likes the patina of the old wood. The floor will have to have some sort of
surface treatment because it is worn almost down to bare wood.

Many of the boards have separated slightly and left gaps 1/32-1/16". I
would like to fill these cracks.

My wife just wanted to wax the floor but it needs a sealing topcoat.
Someone suggested oil, but oil offers nearly zero scuff resistance and no
moisture resistance.

My plan is to clean the floor very well. Use a wood filler that is
similiar to the existing color or slightly darker to fill the gaps, then
recover the floor with shellac. I chose shellac because it is easier to
work than varnish, doesn't smell much, dries very quickly, isn't finicky
about surface prep and is easy to repair.

Alternatives?
--
Mac Cool