t+g chipboard floor wrong way up - does it matter ?

[huwbert]

Hello and I hope someone can give me some advise.

I am about to replace three t+g 18mm chipboard floor boards in an upstairs bedroom. I have carefully removed the old boards so not to damage the tongue /groves of the surrounding boards.

The only way the new boards will mate with the old boards is if I fit them the wrong way up.

Is it ok to fit the new boards this way or am I better fitting them in the correct orientation and removing the tongue/grove of both the new and existing boards and butting them against each other (with noggins if necessary) ?

Thanks
Huwbert

 

[AronSearle]

If you thoroughly glue them together it probably won't matter, look at the thickness of the top and bottom lips on the grooves, unless the top one is particularly thin, go for it.

 

[huwbert]

Thank's for your advise AronSearle.

Thankfully the groves look OK so I'll fit the stuff up-side-down.

 

[dhutch]

Presumably the rest therefore are upside down, and doing ok?

 

[huwbert]

Yes I'm assuming the whole upstairs of the house has had the floor fitted the wrong way up and it seems sturdy enough. There's a bit of creaking in places, but I guess that's normal.

The house was build around 1997 and may be it's normal but there are annoying things like the internal walls are built on-top of the chipboard flooring which potentially makes replacement awkward.

Of the few boards I've taken up there is no marking to advise which was the correct side, unlike the new B&Q ones I've purchased which have it clearly marked. Easy mistake to make I guess.