Loft conversion - Creaky of not creaky.

PaulJM

Hi all,

We're having a loft conversation done, and overall, things have gone ok.

Most of the things that I have noticed are snags, and they can be put right.
My big issue is that I really think the floor and new stairs creak quite loudly.
I've told the builder - overall he's a very good joiner, and has put right every thing I've brought up. I can tell he thinks I'm a bit of a pain in the neck, and I think in some ways I am. I try to leave him to it, but I do write down a lot, and I don't think people in the trade work like that much.
He doesn't think the creaking is unusual - it's all been properly built - I've had the strutural calcs done myself, and BC have checked the installation of the steels, and they are fine.
I don't really know how to resolve this one. I am a bit of a perfectionist, and sometimes I find it hard to judge how much leeway I should give, so maybe he's right - but I've got to live with it!

I still owe him over half the money - 2 more payments and the recommended 5 % at the end....but I don't want to fall out with him by holding them back beyond our agreed pay points, as we get on pretty well, and have a decent relationship.

iamcornholio

Is it a chipboard deck? If so these are inherently creaky if not glued, and even then the glue bond breaks after a while

If there is bounce in the floor, then that is a case of fitting extra strutting or noggins tot eh floor joists

Pre-made stair flights should not creak though

But timber does and will always creak to some extent

27col

I spent two days refixing my chipboard floor in the bedroom. Including replacing all the nails with screws. As soon as the new carpet was laid, a creak developed right in the doorway where you step into the room. I've given up for the moment!

mysk_girl

I would second screwing the floorboards or chipboard panels down rather than nailing them. Our builder nailed, and before it was carpeted I made OH go back and double screw each floorboard to the joists. He went through 500 screws and 4 drill bits, but not a sound can be heard. His knees, on the other hand...

mikey72

mysk_girl wrote: »

I would second screwing the floorboards or chipboard panels down rather than nailing them. Our builder nailed, and before it was carpeted I made OH go back and double screw each floorboard to the joists. He went through 500 screws and 4 drill bits, but not a sound can be heard. His knees, on the other hand...

That's ok until you find a pipe.

mysk_girl

We knew there were no pipes as we had redone the plumbing as well. But point taken.

PaulJM

iamcornholio wrote: »

Is it a chipboard deck? If so these are inherently creaky if not glued, and even then the glue bond breaks after a while

If there is bounce in the floor, then that is a case of fitting extra strutting or noggins tot eh floor joists

Pre-made stair flights should not creak though

But timber does and will always creak to some extent

Yep it's chipboard.

He's screwed it all down and it's probably reduced x2 - still loud though!
I neglected to say that the joists, which go between the steels, are sort of slung under the steel by a u shaped fixing, which I think creaks a bit too!
Thanks for the suggestions, today I got the following back from my architect, who had the same issues whilst fitting out a shop with chipboard -

With T&G flooring, you do get some squeaking, it is inevitable as the male and female parts of the interlocking joint can squeak as they rub against each other, this happens in most joints in building

Also the joists are never perfectly level due to the nature of wood hence a bit of bounce here and there

The way to alleviate 95% of the squeak, is to either lay some vinyl floor underlay along each of the joists prior to screwing the boards down ( by the way I used the exact T&G joiner has used)

Or what I did run a load of PVA glue along each joist prior to fixing to make a rubber barrier / bed

You then need to brush out sawdust from the tongue and groove and add PVA along the joint prior to clipping together

Then you need to screw (not nail) them down securely with suitable screws for the job

Then what makes it better is to add a premium underlay for your carpet or clip flooring, this underlay spreads the load and alleviates the bounce

Also best practice is not to put a stud over the floorboard but to put the stud in and but up to the stud, leaving a small gap so rubbing at the edges does not occur

As for the stairs, they are handmade to measure, however the squeaking comes from the winder, which was numbered, so I expect he's nailled them together himself.

27col

mysk_girl wrote: »

I would second screwing the floorboards or chipboard panels down rather than nailing them. Our builder nailed, and before it was carpeted I made OH go back and double screw each floorboard to the joists. He went through 500 screws and 4 drill bits, but not a sound can be heard. His knees, on the other hand...

I certainly concur about the knees. I'm glad that I have a very old and very thick kneeler that I have been using since the 1970's.