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Floorboards Popped Up!

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  • 05-10-2013 9:45am
    #1
    AlphabetSoup2
    Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭


    Hi

    We have wood flooring throughout the house, laid a few years before we moved in. I don't think there were any issues before this.
    In the last week or so, we could feel the floorboards were a bit "hilly" and then suddenly they popped up (see pic). The boards themselves look in good condition with no signs of damp or water damage as does the underlay. However, I'm running a dehumidifier in case damp is the issue. It hasn't had any impact yet.

    I was wondering if the problem could be with the way the boards were laid? They're in the hallway, but unusually, are laid across the hall and not parallel to the longest wall. They run along the hall and straight into the back room with no breaks - in total there are 86 boards laid side to side and are 6 inches wide each - is this enough room for expansion? I read that 27 feet was the max you should lay wood widthwise but this is 43 feet!

    They've popped up at the entrance to the bathroom but we always keep the door closed & ventilate while showering. That just happens to be the only spot with room for them to pop up as all other floorboards run straight into other rooms or are under the skirting on both sides of the hallway.

    Any ideas how I can fix this? Will they contract a bit in colder weather/with the dehumidifier so I can push them back down? They are very rigid at the moment.

    Thanks for any advice!


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    #2
    slimjimmc
    Registered Users Posts: 7,787 ✭✭✭slimjimmc


    Looks like you'll have to pull off all the skirting boards to check the gap. If the boards are fouling then you'll have to trim them to maintain a proper gap. Also check the boards are not fouling on door frames, stairs, pipes, or any other obstacle.

    Being laid across the hall shouldn't matter, timber expands the same % in all directions.

    PS have you been washing those floor tiles with a wet mop or a slightly damp mop. That could be a main source of moisture.


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    #3
    Slick50
    Registered Users Posts: 1,062 ✭✭✭Slick50


    AlphabetSoup2 wrote: »
    I read that 27 feet was the max you should lay wood widthwise but this is 43 feet!
    It looks like this is the problem.

    If you break the run, by cutting out an expansion gap under the door that the boards are running under in your picture, the boards should sit down again. You could cover the break with a joining strip similar to what you have under the bathroom door.


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    #4
    One shot on kill
    Registered Users Posts: 2,247 ✭✭✭One shot on kill


    slimjimmc wrote: »
    Being laid across the hall shouldn't matter, timber expands the same % in all directions.

    Sorry if I understand this correctly I think your wrong.

    Timber expands more in width than it ever can in thickness or lenght because of its structure.

    Your floor has expanded and it is wedged against a wall or door frame. As said above. So you can either remove skirting and recut your gaps around your floor or put a saw cut down the center on one of the joints.


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    #5
    tribalwings
    Registered Users Posts: 207 ✭✭tribalwings


    It looks like semi sold or engineered floor. There's not enough expansion under your skirting board between the floor and the wall. The boards will shrink and expand with the weather. Get a floor layer to have a look. He'll probably remove the skirting and trim the boards to make the gap as long as no boards were damaged


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    #6
    Odelay
    Registered Users Posts: 3,795 ✭✭✭Odelay


    slimjimmc wrote: »

    Being laid across the hall shouldn't matter, timber expands the same % in all directions.
    .

    Nope, it expands a far greater percentage across the width.

    OP looks like an engineered floor and a good one at that. Is there a moisture barrier installed underneath? can't see from the pics
    Unusual laying pattern, don't understand why it was laid like that.


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    #7
    slimjimmc
    Registered Users Posts: 7,787 ✭✭✭slimjimmc


    One shot on kill wrote: »
    Sorry if I understand this correctly I think your wrong.

    Timber expands more in width than it ever can in thickness or lenght because of its structure.

    Your floor has expanded and it is wedged against a wall or door frame. As said above. So you can either remove skirting and recut your gaps around your floor or put a saw cut down the center on one of the joints.
    Odelay wrote: »
    Nope, it expands a far greater percentage across the width.

    OP looks like an engineered floor and a good one at that. Is there a moisture barrier installed underneath? can't see from the pics
    Unusual laying pattern, don't understand why it was laid like that.

    Indeed, ye are correct on expansion of timber, but don't engineered boards expand more or less evenly due to the cross-ply structure?

    Again, I wonder if the proximity to those floor tiles is a factor. Cleaning a tile floor usually involves a fairly wet mop and could lead to moisture soaking under and into the ends of the boards. I've experienced a similar problem with bonded parquet.


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    #8
    tribalwings
    Registered Users Posts: 207 ✭✭tribalwings


    I can't see any dampness from water or washing the tiles from that picture. Can't tell if the frames are cut under either. Just looks like there isn't any expansion gap. And if the customer would like the floor in the hall to run into the room, it might end up the hall is in short boards


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    #9
    North West
    Registered Users Posts: 439 ✭✭North West


    Hi
    It is expansion related only. There are too many boards together without a break. The rule of thumb for most semi solid is as follows.
    1.5 to 2mm per running meter width


    the best way to sort it out seeing the floor is laid, is to get "T" strip same colour as floor and put in two or three along the floor. The T strip allows you to leave expansion both sides of T and will leave floor safe
    NW


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    #10
    tribalwings
    Registered Users Posts: 207 ✭✭tribalwings


    I know that's the practical way and the right way but nobody wants strips all over the place. They have an image in their mind and there's no talking them round


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    #11
    AlphabetSoup2
    Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭AlphabetSoup2


    Hi Everyone

    Thank you for all the replies. We have been really careful with moisture and don't mop the floors - we just spot clean and immediately dry when absolutely necessary.

    There is no sign of water damage or any moisture - there is a thick felt type underlay stuck to the underside of the boards but I've no idea if it's waterproof. The floor below that (to which the floorboards don't seem to be attached) is bone dry and there's no sign of damp.

    I'll look into getting a t-strip as suggested. Meanwhile is there anything I can do to counteract the natural expansion? I know boards will contract in winter - if I keep the dehumidifier on and turn on the central heating will that help? Or should I leave the heating off and keep the place as cool as possible?

    BTW there is underfloor heating under the tiled area. I know this would impact the wood but would it cause it to contract or expand?

    Thank you!:)


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    #12
    One shot on kill
    Registered Users Posts: 2,247 ✭✭✭One shot on kill


    I would of thought the under floor heating would cause it to contract.

    The only other thing I can think of at the min is,
    Because the floor is floating over time it has moved and caused it to jam around the which in turn caused it to cup.

    As said befor you need to create more space at the edge of the floor around the doors and around the walls under the skirting boards.


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    #13
    MicktheMan
    Registered Users Posts: 2,825 ✭✭✭MicktheMan


    AlphabetSoup2 wrote: »
    Meanwhile is there anything I can do to counteract the natural expansion? I know boards will contract in winter - if I keep the dehumidifier on and turn on the central heating will that help? Or should I leave the heating off and keep the place as cool as possible?

    Over the last number of weeks the rel humidity of the air have been very high and consequently all natural products including timber will have absorbed this extra moisture and expanded in size. Signs of this happening are for example door sticking and difficult to open/close.
    If you are sure there are no leaks in the floor slab then this high humidity might well be the problem combined with insufficient expansion gaps. You can artificially reduce the humidity by heating the space and using your dehumidifier.


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