I live in a house with wooden floorboards. The floor boards have probably shrunk over time (built 1972) and are letting cold air through the tonge and groove joints. Would it be sensible to remove the carpet and fill the gaps with a sealant, or would it be better to fit a layer of hardboard, or both?

"daverok" wrote in message
...

I live in a house with wooden floorboards. The floor boards have
probably shrunk over time (built 1972) and are letting cold air through
the tonge and groove joints. Would it be sensible to remove the carpet
and fill the gaps with a sealant, or would it be better to fit a layer
of hardboard, or both?

daverok


Sealant is the expensive option, so I'd say go with the hardboard. Remember
to leave any pipe tracks or hatches under the boards accessible, just in
case. Hardboard is best laid when damp, so that it expands and shrinks
tight on the floor. Use SureGrip (Annular) nails to fix it down, as normal
nails have a tendency to work loose over a short space of time. SureGrip
nails have wider heads and barbs worked into the shaft of the nail, so they
don't pull out easily.

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/13237/...0mm-0-5kg-Pack

Wet the boards with a mop on the rough side while they lie flat, allow them
to expand for an hour or two, then lay them shiny side up while still a bit
damp. Hardboard is flimsy and flops about under carpet, but if you fix them
and allow them to dry flat, they tighten and go more rigid and feel a lot
better to walk on.

Anyway. Have fun, and keep warm.

daverok wrote:
I live in a house with wooden floorboards. The floor boards have
probably shrunk over time (built 1972) and are letting cold air
through the tonge and groove joints. Would it be sensible to remove
the carpet and fill the gaps with a sealant, or would it be better to
fit a layer of hardboard, or both?

daverok,

Are these floorboards on the ground floor and over something like a cellar?

Without seeing the state of them first hand, my first instincts would be to
put a good quality, thick underlay (such as Cloud 9) under the carpet and
fixing the carpet with grippers around the walls (if not already done)
rather than filling the floor joints or laying hardboard - especially if
various pipes and cables are under the floor.

Cash

Cash wrote:
daverok wrote:
I live in a house with wooden floorboards. The floor boards have
probably shrunk over time (built 1972) and are letting cold air
through the tonge and groove joints. Would it be sensible to remove
the carpet and fill the gaps with a sealant, or would it be better to
fit a layer of hardboard, or both?

daverok,

Are these floorboards on the ground floor and over something like a
cellar?
Without seeing the state of them first hand, my first instincts would
be to put a good quality, thick underlay (such as Cloud 9) under the
carpet and fixing the carpet with grippers around the walls (if not
already done) rather than filling the floor joints or laying
hardboard - especially if various pipes and cables are under the
floor.
Cash

If it is just to stop draughts, wouldn't gaffer tape over the joints work
just as well (As there is carpet going over it anyway)?

Toby...

In article , BigWallop
writes


Wet the boards with a mop on the rough side while they lie flat, allow them
to expand for an hour or two, then lay them shiny side up while still a bit
damp. Hardboard is flimsy and flops about under carpet, but if you fix them
and allow them to dry flat, they tighten and go more rigid and feel a lot
better to walk on.

Shiny side down, rough side up to stop the underlay/carpet slipping
around. Tape the joints with gaffer tape and use sealant to seal the gap
under the skirting/to the hardboard to catch the final draughts.

Don't forget that the room does need some ventilation to prevent
condensation and allow you to breathe but draughtproofing allows you to
control the amount of ventilation.
--
fred
BBC3, ITV2/3/4, channels going to the DOGs

In article , daverok daverok.379fac7@diy
banter.com scribeth thus

I live in a house with wooden floorboards. The floor boards have
probably shrunk over time (built 1972) and are letting cold air through
the tonge and groove joints. Would it be sensible to remove the carpet
and fill the gaps with a sealant, or would it be better to fit a layer
of hardboard, or both?





We had this problem and filled the gaps with clear silicone sealant used
Two tubes IIRC so less then 20 quid, and you still get that cool gappy
floorboard look with none of the draughts...
--
Tony Sayer

Thanks everybody for your thoughts.

It looks like the sealant route is not preferred and I should get some sheets of hardboard. I never thought of the gaffer tape idea. I would have thought that the ventilation situation would end up the same as how it would have been before the floorboards shrunk.