Floorboard fun

[CptFfolkes]

Hello,

I bought my first house two years ago which was built in 2005.

The biggest issue I've faced since moving in is that the vast majority of the upstairs floor creaks to such a degree that it bothers me daily. My initial research led me to think that it be a case of fastening the boards down or replacing nails with screws but sadly it's turned out more complex.

In pulling up the floor in two rooms so far, have found that the joists are 220x44 spaced at 400, floorboards are 18mm chipboard t&g which was screwed down.

In May I had the main bedroom floor lifted and replacd with 22mm t&g chipboard which was glued and screwed, six months later and the room is now pretty much back to where it was before. In the meantime before the main bedroom deteriorated, I lifted the floor in bedroom 3 myself with the intention of fitting new 22mm t&g, this floor is still up as I'm hesitant to put down the boards I've bought and end up in the same situation. The opinion of trades I've had look at this room is that there is probably some movement in the joists, but don't have any firm suggestions.

In the room which is up, I've found a few things that I need to fix but I'm unsure if they're a cause or red-herring:

•     Joists not nailed in hangers, can be seen in photos, though this is only the 3 short joists which only span that room where they meet the timber going across the end of the stairs
•     Noggin noise coming from the nails, almost the whole floor creaks so I don't believe this to be the root issue
•     Holes for cabling/pipes not done within regs

I'm stuck with how to proceed, ideally I'd like to have someone come and report how to resolve it, specifying materials, fixings etc which I can follow. A structural engineer I spoke to said they would be unlikely to be of much help.

 

My only idea was to firm it up with additional noggins and maybe fit ply.

 

 

Edited December 30, 2023 by CptFfolkes

[SteamyTea]

12 hours ago, CptFfolkes said:

this floor is still up as I'm hesitant to put down the boards I've bought and end up in the same situation

Try putting it down with the proper type of screws.

 

https://www.screwfix.com/p/screw-tite-2-pz-double-countersunk-thread-cutting-screws-3mm-x-12mm-200-pack/304FY

 

[TonyT]

Insulate the floor a bit more before putting the floor down

[CptFfolkes]

  

4 hours ago, SteamyTea said:

Try putting it down with the proper type of screws.

 

I'm planning on using spax floor screws, I also have 5 egger p5 boards and their glue sat waiting.

 

What I'm stuck on is how can I give myself the best chance of preventing the same issue that the main bedroom experienced where the creaks just returned. I've had suggestions of installing more noggins or heringbone struts to form a more stiff base for the floor. I'd also be happy to abandon the p5 and lay sheets of ply if it would help achieve a more solid floor.

[saveasteading]

All as above, just improve whatever you can. 

Put side screws into the hangers to keep the joists from rotation.

Screws like those shown where they clear a hole for themselves in the chipboard, then countersink themselves tight.

The bubbly, expanding kind of joint glue 

If the floor is bearing on the noggins then I think a screw through there too.

 

[CptFfolkes]

Thanks, I was planning on putting screws into the three unfixed hangers, for the others that don't look as tight, would it be wise to try and hit the nails in further or add screws or best to leave alone?

 

I think I'm going to noggin the long edge joins on the boards which may seem overkill but I'd like to put this issue to bed.

 

 

 

[CptFfolkes]

Got it done earlier in January, happy with the result, feels solid.

 

For future, I'd plan out sheets better to get a row of noggins in line down all joints.