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That's a great vid. Have a tub of PVA in the garage so I'll use that too. Thanks.
Squeaky chipboard floors - any experience?
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Please be EXTREMELY careful screwing/hammering through a floorboard without knowing what is underneath. You could easily hit gas, water or electricity. Trust me, if you've just put 20 screws in to the length of floorboard and the last one goes through a waterpipe, the ceiling will have collapsed beneath before you have a chance to get them all back up again.
Do your due diligence and remove the boards first, or enough to see what is below and then mark, with a sharpie or similar, on top of the boards so you know what is where. This will help you not only now and in the future, but also if you have any works carried out by a laborer.
Do your due diligence and remove the boards first, or enough to see what is below and then mark, with a sharpie or similar, on top of the boards so you know what is where. This will help you not only now and in the future, but also if you have any works carried out by a laborer.
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Does removing the nails and screwing back through the same holes not massively mitigate this risk?
The boards that have pipes underneath are screwed in, whilst the boards with nails in are good to go with further reinforcing. The big issue is extracting the nails as T&G floorboards are an absolute pig to lift and refit, especially when stud walls are placed on top.
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Could you explain that please? I don't get it.
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Well I spent 2 hours yesterday afternoon pulling out nails and replacing them with screws.
Not all of the screws grabbed because the nails were a similar diameter, so sometimes I had to risk going right next to the nail instead.
My hammer is obviously rubbish as the nail puller ruined the claw.
Anyway there been a significant improvement, but there's still one particular place at the bottom of the ensuite architrave that creaks badly as you walk around the room. This has to be joist movement.
I think this is the abovementioned problem of the stud wall soleplate nails creaking, so today I'm going to whip off the skirting and put screws through the soleplate into the chipboard.
Not all of the screws grabbed because the nails were a similar diameter, so sometimes I had to risk going right next to the nail instead.
My hammer is obviously rubbish as the nail puller ruined the claw.
Anyway there been a significant improvement, but there's still one particular place at the bottom of the ensuite architrave that creaks badly as you walk around the room. This has to be joist movement.
I think this is the abovementioned problem of the stud wall soleplate nails creaking, so today I'm going to whip off the skirting and put screws through the soleplate into the chipboard.
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Wow! Just took the skirting board off and put 4 screws through the soleplate down into the chipboard, which has made an ENORMOUS difference!
The creaking and squeaking has gone and it's now just minor groans from the occasional section of the rest bedroom floor. So pleased with this tip about nails through the soleplate.
I'll do the rest of the floor when we have the carpet done.
The creaking and squeaking has gone and it's now just minor groans from the occasional section of the rest bedroom floor. So pleased with this tip about nails through the soleplate.
I'll do the rest of the floor when we have the carpet done.
Wow! Just took the skirting board off and put 4 screws through the soleplate down into the chipboard, which has made an ENORMOUS difference!
The creaking and squeaking has gone and it's now just minor groans from the occasional section of the rest bedroom floor. So pleased with this tip about nails through the soleplate.
I'll do the rest of the floor when we have the carpet done.
Fantastic need to know how long it lasts, was on about this problem to a work colleague last week, he said he did all this took the floor up and wedged the walls etc etc, but the noises come back after about a year, fingers crossed its worked for you
Soldato
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What is the soleplate? I thought stud walls only had noggins further up.
I did the same but located the joists from the screw/nail line and screwed the sole plate / baseboard through into the joists using 6” screws. Stopped the squeaking almost instantly and has held up for 18 months.
A sole plate is the bottom rail or timber that a timber stud wall sits on. If it is only nailed onto the underlying floor, as the beams flex it pulls the nails out and they squeak. By screwing through the sole plate, with long screws, through the floor boards, into the joists, you tie them all together.
A sole plate is the bottom rail or timber that a timber stud wall sits on. If it is only nailed onto the underlying floor, as the beams flex it pulls the nails out and they squeak. By screwing through the sole plate, with long screws, through the floor boards, into the joists, you tie them all together.
Soldato
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Soldato
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That's my lesson for the day then, I didn't realise stud walls had anything top or bottom.
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That works when the soleplate runs perpendicular to the joist, not when it's parallel (unless it just so happens to be in the same spot).
Sometimes there's little choice but to only go through the floor, unless the installer has fitted noggins beneath the soleplate (lol).
In my house, the floorboards are all nailed down, except for the ones where heating/water pipes run directly underneath. These boards are screwed in (assuming to allow for easier access).
I've just used those Spax screws today and have cured around 10 squeaky/creaking floorboards. I've also reinforced the staircase with them, but unfortunately I am not sure where the stairs are fixed underneath so it is not that effective at stopping the noise. The floorboards upstairs are world's apart! Absolutely brilliant!