I've just bought a brand new house but there are gaps between the planks. Is there any way to fix it without ripping out the whole floor? Thanks.

 

How big of gaps, and what is the humidity inside the home??

 

If the wood was installed before doors and windows were in and HVAC up and running to dry out new construction and if the wood was not acclimated (allowed to adjust to temp and humidity) in the rooms where it was to be installed then this can set you up for problems. When the HVAC is turned on, wood's moisture content begins to decrease and wood begins to shrink. It shrinks even more during heating months. Seasonal expansion and contraction of wood is normal, but if excessive it is likely that something was amiss. Too, installers should take a moisture meter test of wood and subfloor before installation. If a 2 1/4" strip floor, moisture content different between subfloor and flooring should be no greater than 4%. If wider plank flooring, difference should be no greater than 2%. Too, some species are more dimensionally stable than others. Harder, denser woods like maple can be very persnickety about moisture and humidity.

With seasonal expansion and contraction there will be some gapping in winter, but it is usually not too significant. By maintaining temperature year round at around 70 degrees and humidity level between 35-55%, hardwood flooring tends to experience minimal expansion contraction issues.

It is not recommended that gaps between boards be filled. This is due to expansion and contraction. Fillers tend to come loose, get pushed out, and look unsightly.

Again, how big are the gaps and what is your humidity level?

 

Often hardwood is installed in new homes under less than ideal conditions. Since a new home should come with a warranty, you should discuss this with your builder.

 

The gap is not big but noticeable. There are 3 gaps and around 2-3mm each.
As for the humidity, I'm not sure about it. I want to fix it because it doesn't look nice. It would be alright if the gaps are in the corners but they are not.

 

Humidity tends to vary from room to room. You can measure with hygrometer (sold where thermometers are sold). Solid hardwood does best when humidity is between 35-55% and temperature around 70 degrees year round. After testing humidity, if humidity is low, use a humidifier and see if that solves your problem.