Hello,

We have a very bad creaking chipboard floor. I would like to replace
it, two options:

1) Traditional floorboards, but I am worried that modern floorboards
will warp and then creak, all softwood I ever have bought has warped!

2) 22mm plywood, but this is not tounge n grooved, so two edges will
not be supported between joists, will 22mm be thick enough to support
heavy loads? Or will it sag over time?

Has anyone replaced a chipboard floor? If so any help most
appreciated.

Thanks,

Graham

On Jan 6, 6:07*pm, Graham Jones wrote:
Hello,

We have a very bad creaking chipboard floor. I would like to replace
it, two options:

1) Traditional floorboards, but I am worried that modern floorboards
will warp and then creak, all softwood I ever have bought has warped!

2) 22mm plywood, but this is not tounge n grooved, so two edges will
not be supported between joists, will 22mm be thick enough to support
heavy loads? Or will it sag over time?

Has anyone replaced a chipboard floor? If so any help most
appreciated.

Thanks,

Graham


If it is in good nick, just put a few additional screws in. No need to
replace it.

On Jan 6, 6:21*pm, harry wrote:
On Jan 6, 6:07*pm, Graham Jones wrote:





Hello,

We have a very bad creaking chipboard floor. I would like to replace
it, two options:

1) Traditional floorboards, but I am worried that modern floorboards
will warp and then creak, all softwood I ever have bought has warped!

2) 22mm plywood, but this is not tounge n grooved, so two edges will
not be supported between joists, will 22mm be thick enough to support
heavy loads? Or will it sag over time?

Has anyone replaced a chipboard floor? If so any help most
appreciated.

Thanks,

Graham

If it is in good nick, just put a few additional screws in. No need to
replace it.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I would be hard pressed to put anymore screws in! It has been badly
installed. It may even be the joists. So the whole thing has to come
up. I'm just wondering if replacing it with something else would be
better.

Graham Jones wrote:
Hello,

We have a very bad creaking chipboard floor. I would like to replace
it, two options:

You could try screwing the boards down, but in my experience, I never came
across a 'quiet' weyroc floor. Screw it down in one place, and it will
squeak (or seem to squeal like banshee) in another place.

1) Traditional floorboards, but I am worried that modern floorboards
will warp and then creak, all softwood I ever have bought has warped!

And will continue to do so. If you take that course, then if possible (to
lessen the risk of warping [1]), store the flooring in the room that you are
going to lay it for about a week or so - or if that's not possible, a room
near it.

2) 22mm plywood, but this is not tounge n grooved, so two edges will
not be supported between joists, will 22mm be thick enough to support
heavy loads? Or will it sag over time?

With 22mm plywood, that's the least of you worries. Assuming that you are
going to use 2.44m x 1.22m sheets, simply make sure that you lay the boards
with the 'long edges' on half the width of the joist and then nail (or
screw) down the boards.

If you have problems, simply bang a few cleats on the side of, and flush
with the top of the joists.

Has anyone replaced a chipboard floor? If so any help most
appreciated.

Yes, and usually with standard T&G boards.

[1] Most creaking T&G boards 'creak' because they are laid when still too
wet (board moisture more than around 12% to 15%) - or not floor-cramped up
properly before being fixed down, or improperly fixed 'traps' for access to
pipes and cables.

Cash

Thanks for the reply, you say

With 22mm plywood, that's the least of you worries.

Does that mean there are bigger things to worry about with plywood?

Graham Jones wrote:
Thanks for the reply, you say

With 22mm plywood, that's the least of you worries.

Does that mean there are bigger things to worry about with plywood?

Not in fixing Graham, but you may have in handling the stuff in confined
spaces - but you can always cut it!

Where you may have some trouble, is if the ends of the floor joists are
rotten - otherwise, it may be ideal for you, but make sure you buy plywood
with a good face (something like birch) and don't go for the 'shuttering'
quality stuff.

Cash

On Jan 6, 6:42*pm, "Cash"
wrote:
Graham Jones wrote:
Thanks for the reply, you say

With 22mm plywood, that's the least of you worries.

Does that mean there are bigger things to worry about with plywood?

Not in fixing Graham, but you may have in handling the stuff in confined
spaces - but you can always cut it!

Where you may have some trouble, is if the ends of the floor joists are
rotten - otherwise, it may be ideal for you, but make sure you buy plywood
with a good face (something like birch) and don't go for the 'shuttering'
quality stuff.

Cash

Thanks,

For plywood, what about where two sheets meet? Should I leave a tiny
gap to stop any movement creaks, or use some of that glue they use in
chipboard floors?

Graham Jones wrote:
On Jan 6, 6:42 pm, "Cash"
wrote:
Graham Jones wrote:
Thanks for the reply, you say

With 22mm plywood, that's the least of you worries.

Does that mean there are bigger things to worry about with plywood?

Not in fixing Graham, but you may have in handling the stuff in
confined spaces - but you can always cut it!

Where you may have some trouble, is if the ends of the floor joists
are rotten - otherwise, it may be ideal for you, but make sure you
buy plywood with a good face (something like birch) and don't go for
the 'shuttering' quality stuff.

Cash

Thanks,

For plywood, what about where two sheets meet? Should I leave a tiny
gap to stop any movement creaks, or use some of that glue they use in
chipboard floors?

Personally I would butt them and screw them down - but remember, no matter
what you do, as wood is a 'living' material it will always move and liable
to sqeaking.

My bedroom flooring (T&G) usually 'stays quiet' for around 6 months after
I've re-screwed them down during redecoration times.


Cash

On Jan 6, 6:07*pm, Graham Jones wrote:
Hello,

We have a very bad creaking chipboard floor. I would like to replace
it, two options:

1) Traditional floorboards, but I am worried that modern floorboards
will warp and then creak, all softwood I ever have bought has warped!

2) 22mm plywood, but this is not tounge n grooved, so two edges will
not be supported between joists, will 22mm be thick enough to support
heavy loads? Or will it sag over time?

Has anyone replaced a chipboard floor? If so any help most
appreciated.

Thanks,

Graham


Well if you useT&G be sure to dry it out and cramp it up as you nail
it down. (Special cramps are available for this purpose)
Not cramping it is the main reason for squeaks.
Cut nails are best but hard to get these days.

harry wrote:
On Jan 6, 6:07 pm, Graham Jones wrote:
Hello,

We have a very bad creaking chipboard floor. I would like to replace
it, two options:

1) Traditional floorboards, but I am worried that modern floorboards
will warp and then creak, all softwood I ever have bought has warped!

2) 22mm plywood, but this is not tounge n grooved, so two edges will
not be supported between joists, will 22mm be thick enough to support
heavy loads? Or will it sag over time?

Has anyone replaced a chipboard floor? If so any help most
appreciated.

Thanks,

Graham


Well if you useT&G be sure to dry it out and cramp it up as you nail
it down. (Special cramps are available for this purpose)

Not necessary to use "Special cramps". You can lay the whole floor (apart
from the last couple of boards against the wall) without using a set of
'pukka' floor cramp. simply lay the boards and using the last board
(temporarily tacked down - and several wedges), push the whole lot up into a
slight bow using the wedges - and then walk into the centre of the floor
(thus pushing the boards flat and tight onto the joists, and bang a few
nails in to hold 'em down.

Walk back to the board against the wedges, nail that board down, and then
carry on with the rest. A damned sight cheap than buyingthe cramps for a
single (or small) floor lay.

Not cramping it is the main reason for squeaks.

Nope, the main reason is the wood at the wrong moisture content. If it's
laid 'wet' then all the cramping in the world won't stop the wood from
shrinking during drying, causing loosening of the grip of the floor brad -
and ultimately squeaking.

And even when laid and cramped at the right moisture content - it will start
'moving' and ultumately squeaking after a time.

Cut nails are best but hard to get these days.

Floor brads are still easily obtainable, but in my opinion - ring-shanked
nails are far better for the job (a bit of a b*****d though when you want to
take a board up to repair a pipe etc).


Cash

In message , Cash
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writes

Well if you useT&G be sure to dry it out and cramp it up as you nail
it down. (Special cramps are available for this purpose)

Not necessary to use "Special cramps". You can lay the whole floor (apart
from the last couple of boards against the wall) without using a set of
'pukka' floor cramp. simply lay the boards and using the last board
(temporarily tacked down - and several wedges), push the whole lot up into a
slight bow using the wedges - and then walk into the centre of the floor
(thus pushing the boards flat and tight onto the joists, and bang a few
nails in to hold 'em down.

Walk back to the board against the wedges, nail that board down, and then
carry on with the rest. A damned sight cheap than buyingthe cramps for a
single (or small) floor lay.

Not cramping it is the main reason for squeaks.

Nope, the main reason is the wood at the wrong moisture content. If it's
laid 'wet' then all the cramping in the world won't stop the wood from
shrinking during drying, causing loosening of the grip of the floor brad -
and ultimately squeaking.

And even when laid and cramped at the right moisture content - it will start
'moving' and ultumately squeaking after a time.

Cut nails are best but hard to get these days.

Floor brads are still easily obtainable, but in my opinion - ring-shanked
nails are far better for the job (a bit of a b*****d though when you want to
take a board up to repair a pipe etc).

Hmm... I have a *groaning* noise problem with chipboard flooring. I
assume the builders used lost head wire nails and had intended to back
them up with screws. As it is an en suite bathroom I am a bit nervous
about finding pipes. I suppose there won't be pipes where there are
nails.....

Any particular screws best to use?

regards
--
Tim Lamb

On Jan 6, 6:07*pm, Graham Jones wrote:
Hello,

We have a very bad creaking chipboard floor. I would like to replace
it, two options:

1) Traditional floorboards, but I am worried that modern floorboards
will warp and then creak, all softwood I ever have bought has warped!

2) 22mm plywood, but this is not tounge n grooved, so two edges will
not be supported between joists, will 22mm be thick enough to support
heavy loads? Or will it sag over time?

Has anyone replaced a chipboard floor? If so any help most
appreciated.

Thanks,

Graham

Just one other option: lay down chip over whats there, gluing and
screwing it. You've then gone from 18mm chip to from 30-36m m, and the
joints are no longer moving relative to each other.


NT

On 07/01/2012 22:28, NT wrote:
On Jan 6, 6:07 pm, Graham wrote:
Hello,

We have a very bad creaking chipboard floor. I would like to replace
it, two options:

1) Traditional floorboards, but I am worried that modern floorboards
will warp and then creak, all softwood I ever have bought has warped!

2) 22mm plywood, but this is not tounge n grooved, so two edges will
not be supported between joists, will 22mm be thick enough to support
heavy loads? Or will it sag over time?

Has anyone replaced a chipboard floor? If so any help most
appreciated.

Thanks,

Graham

Just one other option: lay down chip over whats there, gluing and
screwing it. You've then gone from 18mm chip to from 30-36m m, and the
joints are no longer moving relative to each other.


NT

But you now have a step to sort out

On 06/01/2012 18:07, Graham Jones wrote:
Hello,

We have a very bad creaking chipboard floor. I would like to replace
it, two options:

1) Traditional floorboards, but I am worried that modern floorboards
will warp and then creak, all softwood I ever have bought has warped!

2) 22mm plywood, but this is not tounge n grooved, so two edges will
not be supported between joists, will 22mm be thick enough to support
heavy loads? Or will it sag over time?

Has anyone replaced a chipboard floor? If so any help most
appreciated.

Thanks,

Graham
You can indeed get plywood in 8*2 t&g for flooring but it is
eye-wateringly expensive compared to chipboard. If you want to lay
proper flooring on top (that is secret-nailed) then plywood is
essential. The only way to stop chipboard creaking is to glue all the
joints and glue it to the joists before nailing. This is how all new
houses are made because they use 22mm chipboard with 600 mm spacing of
the joists (or composite beams more likely). The creaking is caused by a
slight sagging of the flooring that allows the joints to come apart and
rub.
During very dry weather my chipboard flooring creaks far more than
during damp weather.

If you ever need to get the floor up for plumbing or leccy repairs then
a creaky floor is a good thing - you can lift parts of the floor more
easily because no glue was used.

Andrew