New Floorboards Creaking

[mike1978]

Hi,

I've just laid new pine tongue and groove floorboards on the first floor of our house. The joists below were replaced a couple of years ago and chip board was put on top of them. I'm replacing the chipboard with the floorboards as its a period property and they'll be finished and exposed.

The problem is that it all looks great, but in quite a few areas, the boards are creaking! I used brads nail to fix them down two across the board at each joist and the floor didnt creak before with the chipboard.

Is there anything i might've not done properly? They are hammered in flush with the boards.

Thanks, Mike

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Did you pull the boards up tight with a floor jack/cramp or folding wedges?

 

[Nige F]

Maybe add ring shank nails next to ( or instead of - if removable ) the brad nails.

 

[mike1978]

hi, Thanks chaps - i didnt use any straps or jacks or anything, but then the boards slatted together reasonably easily. The one thing i thought was that in one part of the room near when boards are creaking there is an rsj running through the room which the joists are sitting one - unfortunately the builders that put the beam in and the joists have made it so that the beam is 2 or 3 mm higher than the joists which means that 2 boards had to slope up ever so slightly although i clearanced the back to help them sit flat. I have a feeling that the tongues are putting strain on the boards next to the ones sitting partially on the beam and then causing them to creak when stood on.

I'm tempted to run a fine saw down the join to these baords and remove the tongue joint and the connection affectively - i'll have a closer look tonight.

cheers, mike

 

[Deleted member 174758]

It would have been better if you could have hollowed out the backs of the pla ks whete they needed to clear the UB

 

[mike1978]

i did actually - i routed the backs of them out but obviously i didnt get it perfect

 

[foxhole]

Removing any timber from the underside will weaken and could cause more problems.

 

[mike1978]

Well I found the cause - it was really bugging me so I carefully took the floorboards up on the landing. I narrowed it down to joists being the culprit. Once the boards up, it was obvious that all the joists were pretty loose in the hangers. I drove some screws through the ends of them into the neighbouring joists and all nice and solid. No creaking now even without the boards re-nailed down yet
Pic attached if one that was particksurly loose - probably 3mm too short (and clearanced)

 

[Deleted member 174758]

The other thing I note is that the installer has skimped on twist nails. Most structural engineers insist on every single hole in a joist hanger being filled with a twist nail

 

[mike1978]

Yeah, i saw they were lacking a bit aswell - will probably bang a few extra in where it’s needed