More Hardwood floor advice

Continuing on from my previous post . . We have discovered that the water culprit was a defrosting fridge/freezer. RELIEF!!

So all the carpet is up and the 6387 staples have been removed. The boards are all in pretty good condition.

My question is regarding the gap between boards. Each board is nailed with 2 nails to the joists with a relatively consistent spacing. The biggest being about the thickness of 20cents. I have only seen relatively new hardwood floors where they are butted right up to each other.

1. Is it acceptable to leave like this? Yes I know all sorts of crap will get in there which leads to
2. Should I fill it with something? If so suggestions?Attachment 415861Attachment 415860Attachment 415859Attachment 415858

Alternatively should I just go get some cheap carpet and throw it into there until I can afford the time to rip it up and start again. And the ripping up and starting again is even an option down the track whatever way its finished now.

Really appreciate any advice.

Thanks
Shane

Glad to hear it was just a defrosting freezer/fridge... that will be a big relief.

As for the floor boards, they most likey were butted together and then in time, the timber has seasoned more and shrunk.

Some timber floors weren't designed with the intention of sanding and polishing, just as a flooring substrate.

I'd just recover it with carpet and look at it in the future, as you have just moved in if i recall from the first thread and haven't really had time to work out a complete renovation theme or what would really work for you.

thats just my opinion, one of my old architectural lecturers, pointed out that if renovating, you should at least live there for a while until you experience the 4 seasons then review your original ideas.

I tried it on an old house i brought, you can look at sun paths, but each location has a macro climate, your next door neighbour might get prevailing breezes, but his dwelling might block yours to the extent, your breeze is limited, same goes with sun.

also goes with internal spaces, try it and then lock at what you don't like in a years time.

Then when planing a renovation, it can be a well rounded attempt with similar materials and a better outcome, and you often save money with a better reno plan in the long run.

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Done a bit of rough sanding. Any one hazard a guess on species. House estimated to be built in 60's or early 70's.

I would say it looks like good old Cypress Pine. Its flooring that was very wide spread in the housing booms of the 50s, 60s and even the 70s before wide sheets of partical board was introduced.

With the wide partical board flooring so dominant in the housing industry it takes the pressure off the Cypress trees so making them available for a lot longer for the future. That also goes for the Radiata Pine being heavily used there by letting our native trees last longer too