Pipes, Joists & Floorboards
 

Many years ago, I put down T&G floorboards in the bedroom. I've ripped up the
carpet in the landing to continue T&G into the landing.

The problem is that, when I did the bedroom, I used a 190mm, plain board to
avoid a joint over the pipes. It seemed a good idea at the time but, over
time, traffic has created a crack in stages, length-wise along the 190mm board.

Any suggestions as to how I can fix this, firstly in the bedroom and then
before I attempt the landing?


https://www.homeownershub.com/img/jr

Pipes, Joists & Floorboards
 

190mm seems an odd size for T&G? If you used a plain softwood board to make up the gap in the floor then I am not surprised it cracked eventually. Simple solution might be to replace it with an appropriate thickness ply. Personally as the pipes should be towards one wall of the room approx. one quarter of the joist length maximum from the wall then I would be tempted to rip the T&G up to the wall and re-lay it from the last board trimming the final board up to the wall.

Richard

Pipes, Joists & Floorboards
 

On 06/10/2019 16:14, Gummo wrote:
Many years ago, I put down T&G floorboards in the bedroom. I've ripped
up the
carpet in the landing to continue T&G into the landing.

The problem is that, when I did the bedroom, I used a 190mm, plain board to
avoid a joint over the pipes. It seemed a good idea at the time but, over
time, traffic has created a crack in stages, length-wise along the 190mm
board.

Any suggestions as to how I can fix this, firstly in the bedroom and then
before I attempt the landing?


https://www.homeownershub.com/img/jr

From the photo it looks like the wide board has cracked as a result of
being fixed at both edges. Wood will tend to expand and contract with
changes in humidity, and mostly across the grain. So the board got
drier, shrunk and split because its edges were fixed.

With wide T&G boards, you can often do hidden fixings by screwing at an
angle through the tongues. That fixing then also holds the groove side
of the adjacent board, but does not prevent it pulling away if necessary.

Moving forward you could use an engineered board - i.e. a 1/4" real wood
surface bonded onto a ply substrate. That won't exhibit the same movement.


--
Cheers,

John.

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Pipes, Joists & Floorboards
 

On Sunday, 6 October 2019 16:14:05 UTC+1, Gummo wrote:
Many years ago, I put down T&G floorboards in the bedroom. I've ripped up the
carpet in the landing to continue T&G into the landing.

The problem is that, when I did the bedroom, I used a 190mm, plain board to
avoid a joint over the pipes. It seemed a good idea at the time but, over
time, traffic has created a crack in stages, length-wise along the 190mm board.

Any suggestions as to how I can fix this, firstly in the bedroom and then
before I attempt the landing?


Is there a corresponding crack in the ceiling below?
If so, you have a problem.

Pipes, Joists & Floorboards
 

replying to Tricky Dicky, Gummo wrote:
It was a plain board which was hoped to be a permanent bridge over the pipes
but sadly lasted approx 20 years.

I like the idea of using ply - wondering what to ask for in terms of getting a
pine-like patina to match the T&G.

--
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Pipes, Joists & Floorboards
 

replying to John Rumm, Gummo wrote:
I have only 19mm to play with - I'd need 12/13mm ply beneath - does that exist?

--
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Pipes, Joists & Floorboards
 

replying to harry, Gummo wrote:
No - it's all down to the board and the notches below.

--
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Pipes, Joists & Floorboards
 

Classic plumbing error not considering how the floorboards are going back when notching the joists. Since this is upstairs I do not know why you have pipe insulation, I would remove it and see if you can bring the pipes together and fit some blocks in to narrow the notches so a single T&G board will span the pipes thus you can fix either side of the pipes. If the pipe diameters will not allow that then consider what I normally do which is to lift two boards and run the pipes on the centre line of each board, it will probably mean you will have to re-install some of the pipework and making good some of the excess notching.

Richard

Pipes, Joists & Floorboards
 

Tricky Dicky wrote:

Classic plumbing error not considering how the floorboards are going back
when notching the joists. Since this is upstairs I do not know why you
have pipe insulation, I would remove it and see if you can bring the pipes
together and fit some blocks in to narrow the notches so a single T&G
board will span the pipes thus you can fix either side of the pipes. If
the pipe diameters will not allow that then consider what I normally do
which is to lift two boards and run the pipes on the centre line of each
board, it will probably mean you will have to re-install some of the
pipework and making good some of the excess notching.

Richard

I believe building regs require you to insulate pretty well all water
pipes nowadays, for economy reasons rather then frost protection. This
does not adversely affect your second suggestion though.



--

Roger Hayter

Pipes, Joists & Floorboards
 

On Sunday, 6 October 2019 16:14:05 UTC+1, Gummo wrote:
Many years ago, I put down T&G floorboards in the bedroom. I've ripped up the
carpet in the landing to continue T&G into the landing.

The problem is that, when I did the bedroom, I used a 190mm, plain board to
avoid a joint over the pipes. It seemed a good idea at the time but, over
time, traffic has created a crack in stages, length-wise along the 190mm board.

Any suggestions as to how I can fix this, firstly in the bedroom and then
before I attempt the landing?


https://www.homeownershub.com/img/jr

Replace it with 1 side only t&G-ed, after adding extra support under it close to the pipe. Fix it nearish the non-t&g edge, permitting expansion/contraction movement.


NT

Pipes, Joists & Floorboards
 

On 08/10/2019 09:41, Roger Hayter wrote:
Tricky Dicky wrote:

Classic plumbing error not considering how the floorboards are going back
when notching the joists. Since this is upstairs I do not know why you
have pipe insulation, I would remove it and see if you can bring the pipes
together and fit some blocks in to narrow the notches so a single T&G
board will span the pipes thus you can fix either side of the pipes. If
the pipe diameters will not allow that then consider what I normally do
which is to lift two boards and run the pipes on the centre line of each
board, it will probably mean you will have to re-install some of the
pipework and making good some of the excess notching.

Richard

I believe building regs require you to insulate pretty well all water
pipes nowadays, for economy reasons rather then frost protection. This
does not adversely affect your second suggestion though.

Although I have insulated my pipes, I'd not be too worried about not
insulating central heating pipes upstairs - any heat lost will be lost
into the building.

SteveW

Pipes, Joists & Floorboards
 

On 08/10/2019 21:19, Steve Walker wrote:
On 08/10/2019 09:41, Roger Hayter wrote:
Tricky Dicky wrote:

Classic plumbing error not considering how the floorboards are going
back
when notching the joists. Since this is upstairs I do not know why you
have pipe insulation, I would remove it and see if you can bring the
pipes
together and fit some blocks in to narrow the notches so a single T&G
board will span the pipes thus you can fix either side of the pipes. If
the pipe diameters will not allow that then consider what I normally do
which is to lift two boards and run the pipes on the centre line of each
board, it will probably mean you will have to re-install some of the
pipework and making good some of the excess notching.

Richard

I believe building regs require you to insulate pretty well all water
pipes nowadays, for economy reasons rather then frost protection.Â* This
does not adversely affect your second suggestion though.

Although I have insulated my pipes, I'd not be too worried about not
insulating central heating pipes upstairs - any heat lost will be lost
into the building.


Wrapping the pipes can prevent them rubbing against the joists and hence
creaking. I would strongly recommend doing it.

Pipes, Joists & Floorboards
 

On 09/10/2019 17:02, Pancho wrote:
On 08/10/2019 21:19, Steve Walker wrote:
On 08/10/2019 09:41, Roger Hayter wrote:
Tricky Dicky wrote:

Classic plumbing error not considering how the floorboards are going
back
when notching the joists. Since this is upstairs I do not know why you
have pipe insulation, I would remove it and see if you can bring the
pipes
together and fit some blocks in to narrow the notches so a single T&G
board will span the pipes thus you can fix either side of the pipes. If
the pipe diameters will not allow that then consider what I normally do
which is to lift two boards and run the pipes on the centre line of
each
board, it will probably mean you will have to re-install some of the
pipework and making good some of the excess notching.

Richard

I believe building regs require you to insulate pretty well all water
pipes nowadays, for economy reasons rather then frost protection.Â* This
does not adversely affect your second suggestion though.

Although I have insulated my pipes, I'd not be too worried about not
insulating central heating pipes upstairs - any heat lost will be lost
into the building.


Wrapping the pipes can prevent them rubbing against the joists and hence
creaking. I would strongly recommend doing it.

If it is purely for noise, then simply wrapping at the joist will do that.

As I said, I have insulated my pipes, but only between the joists. Where
they pass through existing notches, there is just a very thin layer of
material to keep them from touching.

SteveW

Pipes, Joists & Floorboards
 

replying to Tricky Dicky, Gummo wrote:
Thanks for the tips.

--
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Pipes, Joists & Floorboards
 

replying to tabbypurr, Gummo wrote:
Will do - thanks.

--
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Pipes, Joists & Floorboards
 

You might be able to solve the landing problem without altering the pipes as you say you are going to T&G it. I would put your first board over the pipes, if you can secure it to the joists either side without hitting the pipework you can then use that board as the datum and then continue boarding either side towards the walls. The last two boards may have to be trimmed down to suit the walls. Even if you end up with narrow strips along the walls it will not matter as nobody walks on those areas anyway.

Richard

Pipes, Joists & Floorboards
 

On 09/10/2019 17:30, Steve Walker wrote:
On 09/10/2019 17:02, Pancho wrote:
On 08/10/2019 21:19, Steve Walker wrote:
On 08/10/2019 09:41, Roger Hayter wrote:
Tricky Dicky wrote:

Classic plumbing error not considering how the floorboards are
going back
when notching the joists. Since this is upstairs I do not know why you
have pipe insulation, I would remove it and see if you can bring
the pipes
together and fit some blocks in to narrow the notches so a single T&G
board will span the pipes thus you can fix either side of the
pipes. If
the pipe diameters will not allow that then consider what I
normally do
which is to lift two boards and run the pipes on the centre line of
each
board, it will probably mean you will have to re-install some of the
pipework and making good some of the excess notching.

Richard

I believe building regs require you to insulate pretty well all water
pipes nowadays, for economy reasons rather then frost protection.Â* This
does not adversely affect your second suggestion though.

Although I have insulated my pipes, I'd not be too worried about not
insulating central heating pipes upstairs - any heat lost will be
lost into the building.


Wrapping the pipes can prevent them rubbing against the joists and
hence creaking. I would strongly recommend doing it.

If it is purely for noise, then simply wrapping at the joist will do that.

As I said, I have insulated my pipes, but only between the joists. Where
they pass through existing notches, there is just a very thin layer of
material to keep them from touching.

SteveW

If you only do the bit where a pipe goes through a notch, expansion and
contraction of a number of years might 'relocate' it.

The slip-over felt-style insulation is cheap enough, surely ?.

Pipes, Joists & Floorboards
 

On 10/10/2019 21:02, Andrew wrote:
On 09/10/2019 17:30, Steve Walker wrote:
On 09/10/2019 17:02, Pancho wrote:
On 08/10/2019 21:19, Steve Walker wrote:
On 08/10/2019 09:41, Roger Hayter wrote:
Tricky Dicky wrote:

Classic plumbing error not considering how the floorboards are
going back
when notching the joists. Since this is upstairs I do not know why
you
have pipe insulation, I would remove it and see if you can bring
the pipes
together and fit some blocks in to narrow the notches so a single T&G
board will span the pipes thus you can fix either side of the
pipes. If
the pipe diameters will not allow that then consider what I
normally do
which is to lift two boards and run the pipes on the centre line
of each
board, it will probably mean you will have to re-install some of the
pipework and making good some of the excess notching.

Richard

I believe building regs require you to insulate pretty well all water
pipes nowadays, for economy reasons rather then frost protection.
This
does not adversely affect your second suggestion though.

Although I have insulated my pipes, I'd not be too worried about not
insulating central heating pipes upstairs - any heat lost will be
lost into the building.


Wrapping the pipes can prevent them rubbing against the joists and
hence creaking. I would strongly recommend doing it.

If it is purely for noise, then simply wrapping at the joist will do
that.

As I said, I have insulated my pipes, but only between the joists.
Where they pass through existing notches, there is just a very thin
layer of material to keep them from touching.

SteveW

If you only do the bit where a pipe goes through a notch, expansion and
contraction of a number of years might 'relocate' it.

The slip-over felt-style insulation is cheap enough, surely ?.

I've never had that problem. I am pretty sure that the covering holds a
lot tighter to the rough wood than it does to the the smooth metal, so
stays in place well. The existing notches are pretty tight, so anything
going over the pipes has to be very thin.

SteveW