DraughtEx

The Claim

DraughtEx claims to be a real improvement over previous draught proofing technology for your floorboards. The material fits between boards and contracts and expands with the floorboards, creating a perfect seam. The product claims that the extreme expand and contractibility of the product means it stays in place and does the job better than other materials.

How does it work?

The material is manufactured with lots of concealed air pockets, that means it can be compressed by 90% of its volume. This means that the product can contact and expand as the floorboards change through the cold and warmer weather, preventing gaps from forming. The product is also coloured to make it aesthetically pleasing, mimicking a shadow, in case you are using it on bare floorboards.

How did it work for me?

I have a house with original floorboards and it can get a little draughty. Floor insulation seemed like such a big job, but draught proofing seems much more straight forward and is supposed to pay back much more quickly, so I thought it was worth giving a product like DraughtEx a go. It has big claims, and is a little more expensive than other more basic draught proofing, but I thought that if it does the job it says, it would be worth it.

The installation was fairly straight forward, and there was little mess. The material fits to the width of the crack and it is really compactible, so that was never a problem, even though the gap between boards varied significantly.

The look of the finished product is impressive. It fits nicely between the boards and does not distract from the look of the floor. I also notice that the boards don’t squeak as much as well. The proofing is acting as a cushion cutting down on the movement of the boards.

Is it noticeably warmer? Well, it is summer time at the moment, but I can feel less draught in the room, so it should improve the situation in the winter and help cut my heating bills.