Hi,
I'm a homeowner and I'm doing some work on my floor (Short synopsis of my
project: squeaky floor (sub floor is 1/2" ply, over that tongue & groove
oak). The downstairs ceiling is finished and I don't have access to the
floor from below. I'm putting in some Squeek-No-More screws to see if that
will help and will also put in some countersunk dry wall screws with wooden
plugs in strategic locations). I'm doing this project a little at a time (5
to 10 screws per day) but it's killing my back. Last summer I spend several
weeks removing staples & nails after ripping out 30 year old carpeting from
our downstairs oak floor (three rooms and a hallway) without any problem.
But I strained my back a little a week ago and working on the floor is
aggravating it. Any hints on how to sit / kneel / hold the tools to reduce
the strain?

Chris

I've been kneeling and holding tools for a long, long time. I use Lady
Spenco 3/4 length orthotic arch support and a gardeners kneeling pad, but
the most important thing is to not be overweight.

"chris jung" wrote in message
...
Hi,
I'm a homeowner and I'm doing some work on my floor (Short synopsis of my
project: squeaky floor (sub floor is 1/2" ply, over that tongue & groove
oak). The downstairs ceiling is finished and I don't have access to the
floor from below. I'm putting in some Squeek-No-More screws to see if
that
will help and will also put in some countersunk dry wall screws with
wooden
plugs in strategic locations). I'm doing this project a little at a time
(5
to 10 screws per day) but it's killing my back. Last summer I spend
several
weeks removing staples & nails after ripping out 30 year old carpeting
from
our downstairs oak floor (three rooms and a hallway) without any problem.
But I strained my back a little a week ago and working on the floor is
aggravating it. Any hints on how to sit / kneel / hold the tools to
reduce
the strain?

Chris

Maybe that's why there are drivers with long handles and strip-fed
screws to enable screwing down flooring while standing? :')

Let me suggest that you forget the brittle drywall screws. Think "deck
screws"- made of much tougher steel with thicker shanks, and typically
have "combo" drive capability. Can be driven with square/phillips/combo
driver bit. You'll have the devil's own time snapping one of them. And
you can normally drive them in flush without predrilling- Dewalt DW257
driver can drive them to set-depth same as drywall screws.

HTH,
J

On Wed, 18 Jan 2006 12:03:49 GMT, "chris jung"
wrote:

Hi,
I'm a homeowner and I'm doing some work on my floor (Short synopsis of my
project: squeaky floor (sub floor is 1/2" ply, over that tongue & groove
oak). The downstairs ceiling is finished and I don't have access to the
floor from below. I'm putting in some Squeek-No-More screws to see if that
will help and will also put in some countersunk dry wall screws with wooden
plugs in strategic locations). I'm doing this project a little at a time (5
to 10 screws per day) but it's killing my back. Last summer I spend several
weeks removing staples & nails after ripping out 30 year old carpeting from
our downstairs oak floor (three rooms and a hallway) without any problem.
But I strained my back a little a week ago and working on the floor is
aggravating it. Any hints on how to sit / kneel / hold the tools to reduce
the strain?

Chris


Give your back a rest/recovery period, maybe a month. Some daily slow
Tai-chi exercises help, but avoid movements or activity that induces
pain. Swimming is excellent. Never twist (your back) and lift
objects. Take time to heal--your back is more important than a few
squeaky floor boards.

"Phisherman" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 18 Jan 2006 12:03:49 GMT, "chris jung"

Give your back a rest/recovery period, maybe a month. Some daily slow
Tai-chi exercises help, but avoid movements or activity that induces
pain. Swimming is excellent. Never twist (your back) and lift
objects. Take time to heal--your back is more important than a few
squeaky floor boards.

Ditto. I've always had a strong back and last summer, threw it out for the
first time. I tried to work through it but just made matters worse.
Gave myself a week or two break from the heavy stuff and voila, back doing
back breaking work with no problems. The key is giving yourself
time to heal....
Cheers,
cc

"chris jung" wrote in message
will help and will also put in some countersunk dry wall screws with
wooden plugs in strategic locations). I'm doing this project a little at
a time (5 to 10 screws per day) but it's killing my back.

Don't use drywall screws. They are too brittle and won't take the stress
very well. Deck screw are the best. Check out www.mcfeelys.com for good
ideas on that. Knee pads are a big help.

"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in message
...

"chris jung" wrote in message
will help and will also put in some countersunk dry wall screws with
wooden plugs in strategic locations). I'm doing this project a little at
a time (5 to 10 screws per day) but it's killing my back.

Don't use drywall screws. They are too brittle and won't take the stress
very well. Deck screw are the best. Check out www.mcfeelys.com for good
ideas on that. Knee pads are a big help.

Thanks for the advice everyone. I'm doing a lot of walking (doctor's advice
is to keep moving - bed rest is the worse thing to do) and my back is much
better.

On a tangent, can anyone give me a web page explaining the properties of the
different types of screws/fasteners? I see on the McFeely's web site, they
list collated quickdrive screws for drywall and simple drywall screws for
example but don't explain the advantages or differences of one over the
other. Googling on "different kinds of screws" (and other variations with
the word "screw") just doesn't get me the right information - if you know
what I mean.

Chris

"chris jung" wrote in message

I see on the McFeely's web site, they list collated quickdrive screws for
drywall and simple drywall screws for example but don't explain the
advantages or differences of one over the other.

Yes, they are both intended for drywall, not for decks or floors. They are
not up to the task. Don't cheap out on something that requires so much
labor and will be difficult to repair in a couple of years when they start
to snap. Deck screws, Use deck screws.

Quickdrive required a special driver. You can call McFeelys for
information. They make Quickdrive DECK screws also.
http://www.mcfeelys.com/subcat.asp?subcat=20.1.2

You can see the system here
http://www.mcfeelys.com/subcat.asp?subcat=12.8.1

Can't give advice, but I know from experience that backs do heal, even
if it takes years. Mine got gradually better, after I jogged for 3
months with shoes that looked good but were crummy. (I'd never
actually seen good shoes.)

This time healing might have been delayed (I"m no longer sure in what
order these events happened.) by driving a car with a worn out bench
seat. (15 years old). I actually went to an orthopedist, and after he
took xrays and saw that there was no damage, he sort of seemed to lose
interest. I asked if having a bad chair at work could cause my pain,
and he said no. What about a bad car seat (It never felt right when
getting out of the car when I got to work) but he said No. What about
my mattress. No. My posture, No. And yet it hurt. Not sure if
getting the next car was what made the pain go away, but it did.

And again 15 years later after I repeatedly kicked a piece of sidewalk
to try to move it. Since I was sitting down at the time, I didn't
think I would hurt my back. Big mistake, but I stopped getting
twinges after about 3 months, except for maybe one every 4 months.
The pain has never been great-- I'm just concerned that either it
should get better or maybe that means it will get worse.

In the 60's I was led to believe that bad backs never got better.

On Wed, 18 Jan 2006 12:03:49 GMT, "chris jung"
wrote:

Hi,
I'm a homeowner and I'm doing some work on my floor (Short synopsis of my
project: squeaky floor (sub floor is 1/2" ply, over that tongue & groove
oak). The downstairs ceiling is finished and I don't have access to the
floor from below. I'm putting in some Squeek-No-More screws to see if that
will help and will also put in some countersunk dry wall screws with wooden
plugs in strategic locations). I'm doing this project a little at a time (5
to 10 screws per day) but it's killing my back. Last summer I spend several
weeks removing staples & nails after ripping out 30 year old carpeting from
our downstairs oak floor (three rooms and a hallway) without any problem.
But I strained my back a little a week ago and working on the floor is
aggravating it. Any hints on how to sit / kneel / hold the tools to reduce
the strain?

Chris



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