Laying solid wood overlay onto a existing chipboard floor

[DIYTony]

I am considering laying a 10mm solid oak overlay onto and existing chipboard floor fixing it by secret nailing. What nails should I use? All the advice I have been able to find relates to fixing overlay onto wooden floorboards. Can anyone foresee any problems?
Thanks

 

[WoodYouLike]

Hi Tony

10mm overlay boards normally don't come with T&G so you'll have to glue the boards onto the (level and clean) chipboard - using normal parquet adhesive and a notched trowel, plus face pin (little pins-nails inserted - shot in with a tacker) the boards to make sure it bonds with the adhesive completely.
Then you'll sand the floor and fill the gaps and little wholes made by inserting the pins by 'plastering' wood-filler over the floor.

 

[DIYTony]

Hi Woodyoulike

I have located a supplier of 10mm overlay boards, random lengths, tongue and groove all round. Do your remarks still apply or can I secret nail these boards? If so what nails should I like
Thanks
Tony

 

[WoodYouLike]

T&G's on 10mm thick boards (in my opinion a kind of 'over kill') means the Tongue will be very thin and unsuitable to secretly nail (the tongue will split).

Any board of 10mm or thinner longer than 300mm should be glued and face nailed.

 

[SL]

I fitted 22mm oak floor over 22mm chipboard by using secret nails into the joists, but they squeak which drive me mad. The tongues are moving (up and down) in the groves. I wish I had glued them.


I wish I could do something to stop them from squeaking.

 

[WoodYouLike]

I fitted 22mm oak floor over 22mm chipboard by using secret nails into the joists, but they squeak which drive me mad. The tongues are moving (up and down) in the groves. I wish I had glued them.


I wish I could do something to stop them from squeaking.

Your problem IMHO has been caused by the chipboard. The nails have shot the chipboard to 'grits' and now the nails don't hold the boards in place.
Plywood is way better for these circumstances.

 

[SL]

Hi WoodYouLike,

If I stand with one foot on either side of the join, only the tongue edge moves / squeaks, the nailed side is ok. Floor has been down for about 18 months, do you think if will get worse?

Thanks