How to stop smells coming through floorboards

Question

There's a musty smell coming up through the floorboards in our living room. What's the fix? I think the house has a suspended timber floor and there's a void underneath

Alan · Answer

If you have boards sanded and all gaps filled it will stop a large percentage

Veaceslav · Answer

Hello . The best way to solve your problem is to: open 2 floor boards check if there is wet and put the hitter on or leave it open for a week . Then fill holes put underlay and new laminate flooring.

Elijah · Answer

A musty smell coming up through the floorboards usually means one of three things:

1. The subfloor void is too damp.
2. Something organic is decaying underneath (old timber, debris, dead animal, mould).
3. Air from the void is being drawn into the room through gaps in the floor.

The key is to fix the source of the smell first, rather than simply sealing the floorboards.

Can you describe the smell more specifically?

- Earthy/musty → usually dampness, mould, or poor ventilation.
- Sewage-like → possible drain leak.
- Rotting/meaty → dead animal.
- Mushroom-like → timber decay or fungal growth.
- Coal/tar/oily → old contaminants or historic building materials.

Aaron · Answer

Fill in all gaps, sand down and varnish/ floor paint

Mitchell · Answer

Improve the ventilation, such as unblock blocked air bricks as there may be some sort of damp soil or standing water underneath the floor boards itself

Mihai · Answer

My advice is to check first not to have any leaks then you can fill tge gaps with coloured sillicone or fillet pieces if you sand the floor. Or play it then carpet or otber floor on top 
Hope that helps !

How to stop smells coming through floorboards

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