We've got some spaces between our engineered hardwood floors. Please see picture.
We don't know if those who laid the flooring did something wrong or if this has happened over time. (We have no idea how old the floors are.)

Any suggestions on how to fix this problem?

Thank you in advance.

 

How odd. About all you can do is pop off the base shoe on one or both sides, and try to pry the piece back over. Put wood glue on the tongue of each board as you slide them back together.

 

I was afraid that would be the case XSleeper. My husband wants to know if it will tear up the shoe molding when we remove it.

 

Assuming its wood, it can typically be removed without any problem if you are careful. If it is MDF, it may break. But its pretty rare to see MDF quarter round.

 

Thanks. I've looked up some YouTube videos of how to remove it carefully, so hopefully we'll be able to get it done. I'll try to remember to let you know how it goes if you're interested.

 

For a gap like that the planks had to simply slid down!

I'd first try to move the planks by hand, they have to be loose to move that much in the first place,

 

Luckily your moldings appear to be standard and are probably available at a local lumber yard or home center if you damage any when trying to remove it.

 

Try taping a piece of wood to the plank and tapping it lightly with a hammer to move it back into position. A small dab of wood glue in the gap at the joint may help prevent it moving again. Glue to the adjacent plank, not to the subfloor below.

 

2john02458 The boards aren't loose at all as one person suggested. We don't understand your suggestion of "taping a piece of wood to the plank and tapping it lightly with a hammer".

Is that only for if the boards are loose? If it will work otherwise, can you tell us what you mean? Thank you!

 

I have cheated once to fix a problem like yours. Be warned, this all depends on the finish and quality of your flooring. In an out sight corner I put a blob of hot melt glue on the floor. After it thoroughly cooled I scraped up the glue as a check to make sure it wouldn't leave a mark. Then I got a small block of wood and hot glued it to the strip that had moved out of position. After letting it cool I used a small hammer and gently tapped the block of wood to move the flooring back in place. Once it was in place I gave the block a decent whack to break it free. Then I scraped off the hot melt from the floor.

 

A less messy way to do what Pilot Dane suggested is to put some blue painters tape on the floor board. Glue a block of wood onto the tape. Use a hammer against the block to knock the floor board back into place. Remove the block with a scraper between the tape and the floor board to lift the tape and block off. Less likely to damage the floor finish than using hot glue directly.

Even if you think the board won't move it should. The board moved to get where it is unless it was installed wrong and was glued in that position originally. As you said:

but it is worth a try. Floors like that should have a gap at the wall under the trim and it looks like those boards just migrated out due to floor movement or temperature changes. It's called a floating floor installation and the gaps are to allow the boards to expand and contract along their length.

BTW: I just saw this tape trick in a YouTube video yesterday. Didn't know it would come in handy so soon.