Squeking and pinging chipboard floors..

[claireliddle]

Hi
I am hoping that someone out there who has maybe had the same problem or is in the know can help?
I have a 17yr old property (lived in 3yrs), that has chipboard floors that all squeak badly and have now started to ping as well, they are screwed down and i've also screwed them down time and time again with longer screws.
Would replacing the floor with proper floorboards help or do the joisits need attention too with this added pinging noise?
We are wanting to replace our carpeted floors with wood anyway so is the floorboard option good or bad?
Open to any advice as 3 kids running around with these floors is taking it's toll.

cheers..[/img]

 

[NickStone]

Claire, in my experience (of living in several houses/flats) chipboard is very prone to flexing and this will give rise to squeaking as it strains against its fixings. I've been told that ply is better. Btw, don't know how much you're planning to spend on your new wood flooring but John Lewis say they will sort out the sub-floor, too, if they lay the floor - which makes future problems their responsibility, not yours.

 

[WoodYouLike]

NickStone, I'm sure you have to read all the small print on John Lewis's offer, don't think they will be want to be held responsible for 'major' defects to an underfloor. If they are talking about a subfloor, they might mean: underlayment between underfloor and new floor.

 

[NickStone]

[ don't think they will be want to be held responsible for 'major' defects to an underfloor.]

Legally, they could indeed be held responsible if they'd laid a wood floor over it. If they agreed to lay the floor, it's their responsibility to ensure that the conditions are right for it. [/quote]

 

[WoodYouLike]

Oh sure, absolutely right in that respect. But I only questioned their 'offer'

 

[mattysupra]

Think they are talking about floor prep as in over boarding with plywood / screeding on concrete etc. Just as any retailer would do. As for squeaks that are already present caused by joists / chipboard moving etc, they not responsible for structure problems unless there being paid to sort this out as well. John lewis wouldn't fix this problem and the subfloor problem will be down to yourself to get a builder etc to sort out. As for the original question - Normal squeaks are caused by chipboard being nailed down and not screwed or ring shank nailed. You could also have alot of movement in the joists or it could be that not enougth expansion was left which could be the popping your on about. You would be best to install plywood or osb boards as more stable. Floorboards are not much better than chipboard unless using hard wood.

 

[NickStone]

Oh sure, absolutely right in that respect. But I only questioned their 'offer'

Thanks for alerting me to this. You could well be right. I'm probably too trusting. I do know one company that claims to sort out the subfloor and that's Element7. However, they charge around £100 per sq.metre (for fitting) and that seems a touch steep.

 

[mattysupra]

£100 sq meter for just fitting??? Was that ment to be £10 sq meter

 

[WoodYouLike]

100 is steep, 10 would be very, very low (or for melamine laminate?)

 

[NickStone]

It really was pretty close to £100 - something like £98. Add that to the cost of the floor, which is around the same price, depending on what wood you have and I'd have been looking at close on £200 per sq metre. I like quality (although recent post may have given a different impression but this was too much for me. The finished product does look wonderful, though.

 

[WoodYouLike]

NickStone, what kind of product did they offer then? Solid boards, design parquet?
Only interested, not prying.

 

[mattysupra]

If your paying me that kind of money you would be getting a full designer floor with boarder work, your name in the middel of it, the full works. 100 sq meter is very exspensive. Fair enougth you may have chosen a expensive wood but unless having major design work done that price is silly.

 

[NickStone]

NickStone, what kind of product did they offer then? Solid boards, design parquet?
Only interested, not prying.

They called it 'exceptionally engineered wide plank'. Their website is worth visiting (although I got their brochure): http://www.element7.co.uk/element7/index.htm

I'm sure they do a great job but . . .

 

[NickStone]

Fair enougth you may have chosen a expensive wood but unless having major design work done that price is silly.

They advertise in House and Garden. 'Nuff said

 

[WoodYouLike]

4mm top layer, 15mm pine backing. 340mm wide and 5 meter long.

£100.00 per sq m (must be for the widest and longest then?)

Our 'Duoplank' is 21mm thick with 6mm solid top layer, 15mm water-resistant-plywood and tested, approved by TNO (well known Dutch organisation that does test for various industries, like NASA) and hence guaranteed on UFH. Price, not £ 100.00. (more around half that)

And for installation costs, try around £ 20 - £ 25 per sq m, or for design parquet around £ 50 - £ 60 a sq m

Not sure what to think of Element7.