Plywood upstairs floor extremely, extremely noisy

someissues · 19-10-2021 8:21am #1

Hi,

We got an extension done a while back. It basically consisted of a new upstairs room out over a downstairs sunroom. The room is sizable, 4.5m by 4m. The builder put down a plywood floor. It has been extremely noisy to walk on, kind of a freaking sqelching sound. It is especially loud downstairs and very very annoying.

The builder came back recently and pulled up the carpet thinking the carpenter had previously nailed down the plywood sheets, but it was previously screwed. They put in more screws and longer screws, so it is very well screwed down. The builder now of course is saying the floor was built to spec.

I'm wondering what could cause this? The joists were bridged for sure, the builder actually had to go back on the engineers request and put in bridging just after the ceiling panels were screwed on ( they had to take them off). Is it possible that the plywood sheets are too thin, or not suitable for flooring? Anything else?

Thanks!

muffler · 19-10-2021 8:45am

Were the joists replaced?

Staleturnips · 19-10-2021 9:01am

Assumed joist centres at 400mm then 18mm plywood or greater would satisfy strength wise.

The source of noise could be from a number of junctions: plywood surface to joist, plywood edges to plywood edge, the joist bridging, joist bearing.

No sure way to determine it other then lifting the carpet and sequentially walk the room while carefully listening to pinpoint the source.

TBH the builder not bothering to bridge the joisting until the engineer asked is a bit concern.

someissues · 19-10-2021 9:42am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118040497#Comment_118040497

It was extra bridging. He did have some in already but not enough

someissues · 19-10-2021 9:46am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118040497#Comment_118040497

Not sure on the thickness of the ply tbh, its one thing I am suspicious of. I'd say it is max that, maybe less. I would doubt if its more.

The carpet was rolled back when the put in more screws. Its ver hard to pinpoint where it is . The creaking pretty much happens on every step that I can see