Cables under floor boards

[con1_uk]

Pulled up some floor boards at my house last night and they didnt look neat.

Should they be fixed to the joists or are they ok to just be loose?

Thanks,
Con1_uk.

 

[pcboffinuk]

Hi Con1,

While it is certainly neater and "a good thing" to fix them to the joists, I wouldn''t be too concerned. The main reason is to keep the cable away from nails being driven through the floor for some reason....

If the cable was run using rods, then its not possible to clip it along it's full length unless you are prepared to take up nearly every floorboard en route.

Add to that there is often an advantage in leaving some slack in the cable (neatly coiled is better of course) at certain points, so that in the future moving a socket or lighting fixture slightly is a very simple job.

Having just rewired large parts of my father's house, I can't say that I clipped the cable throughout - but then I didn't have a dumper truck in my toolbox to clear the necessary floorboards

Regards

Gavin

 

[rlc]

an aside but may prove useful in future or for other readers....I used a priory nail puller for lifting floorboards.....brilliant! ....saved me hours....bit hard on the palms at first but well worth it ....

http://tooltray.com/ViewProduct.asp?i=152261

~rlc

 

[dingbat]

Should they be fixed to the joists or are they ok to just be loose?

Yes, they should be fixed.

Loose boards may rattle or squeak and because the tongues have been removed they could warp. Screw them down at least on every other joist and on both sides of the boards. If you have got squeaky sections a bit of talc between the rubbing surfaces can help.

 

[con1_uk]

Nice tip thanks but I was on about the cables being loose sorry.....

 

[cleverspark]

nice tool tip
ive been recently pulling or at least trying to pull my floor boards up and would of loved to have one of those.
so are they really good for getting them horrible floor board nails up?

 

[DESL]

I've got one in the tool box - great bit of kit - will even grab nails that have been driven below surface of boards.

 

[RF Lighting]

What are those pullers like for damage to the floorboards?

The only type I have seen / used before are like these ones, which tend to also remove a chunk of the board you are trying to lift.

 

[con1_uk]

Thanks for the replys.

Just a quickie how do you drill a hole in a joist that is at 200 centres? How do you get the drill in?

 

[kevnurse]

You can buy drill chucks that work at right angles. Search the web; screwfix etc. They are available