Loose floorboard

cosmowillie53 · 23-04-2019 9:48am #1

Hi folks..
I have one loose floorboard t&g in upstairs bedroom. The board is in the centre of the door way and runs under the saddle board. ( approx 2' onto landing)..both areas are carpeted.
I'd like to avoid taking up boards and as I'm not sure where pipes/wires might be I was thinking I might simply glue the board in a few places.
Q: Any idea if that would work and if so what would be a good glue to use..
Also any other ideas welcome.
Thanks in adv.

recedite · 23-04-2019 10:19am

Glue can't work unless you take up the board, in which case you'll know where the wires are anyway.
Use 2 screws, without lifting the board. Work out that the length of screw will penetrate about 20-25mm into the joist, because any original wiring/pipes will be lower down than that. So about 40-50mm screws.

Don't put any screw in the middle of the floorboard because any retrofitted wiring/pipes should be sitting in notches lined up with the midline of the floorboard. Hence the two screws, one on each side.

You'll be 99.9% safe to do this.

For the other 0.1%, take up the floorboard.

antiskeptic · 23-04-2019 10:24am

You could pin it to boards either side using oval nails that aren't long enough / set at angle so as not to penetrate the boards. Pin starts on loose board and angles sideways and down so as to pick up but not penetrate the adjacent board. You could predrill for half the distance with a tiny bit to set the angle for the nail to follow.

You might find the tongues have been cut to remove the board to lay cable/plumbing so glue has nothing to grab.

However, you'll be removing the carpet so can remove the board to find out what stuff and where beneath. Its not hard to lift a loose board.

antiskeptic · 23-04-2019 10:27am

recedite wrote: »

Glue can't work unless you take up the board, in which case you'll know where the wires are anyway.
Use 2 screws, without lifting the board. Work out that the length of screw will penetrate about 20-25mm into the joist, because any original wiring/pipes will be lower down than that. So about 40-50mm screws.

Don't put any screw in the middle of the floorboard because any retrofitted wiring/pipes should be sitting in notches lined up with the midline of the floorboard. Hence the two screws, one on each side.

You'll be 99.9% safe to do this.

For the other 0.1%, take up the floorboard.

I'd say safe but not 99.9% safe. I've seen stuff laid off centre and far shallower than a fixing screw would extend to. Indeed, have seen wide notches with elec and plumbing in them. Its the non-standard you have to be wary of. The diy-er there before you ☺

salmocab · 23-04-2019 10:29am

If it’s loose it’s likely been up before. If it was up before there are likely wires or pipes under it but it should also be easy to lift to see. The squeak is probably caused by it rubbing on the hoist which probably wouldn’t be sorted by glue. If your lifting the carpet any way it won’t be a big deal to lift or to check if nails or screws were left out.

hesker · 23-04-2019 11:36am

antiskeptic wrote: »

I'd say safe but not 99.9% safe. I've seen stuff laid off centre and far shallower than a fixing screw would extend to. Indeed, have seen wide notches with elec and plumbing in them. Its the non-standard you have to be wary of. The diy-er there before you ☺

Not just the diy-er to be wary of. Brand new housing estate near me. Local flooring company was telling me heating pipes were barely covered by concrete in downstairs floors.

Calahonda52 · 23-04-2019 2:07pm

Anything less than lifting the board is, as listed above, fraught with risk of either a leak or death.
Used with care, a multi tool, with a semicircular saw blade, some times in lidl/aldi, will allow you cut the tongue only.
The saddle board should come up easy enough
https://www.ie.screwfix.com/milwaukee-m18bmt-0-18v-li-ion-cordless-multi-tool-bare.html
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/100mm-Semi-Circular-HCS-Segment-Saw-Blade-Oscillating-Multi-function-Tools-Power-Tool-Accessories-for-wood/32816936116.html

jack of all · 24-04-2019 2:14pm

100% agree with words of caution above- it isn't just the unwary DIYer that'll cut corners when it come to placing cables or pipes in a floor. I see lots of old buildings in my job and you must assume nothing when it comes to construction. I've seen twin and earth cable loose laid under carpet and underlay- if you could believe it!

cosmowillie53 · 27-04-2019 10:04pm

Thanks for the help folks...
I got it sorted out..
The problem was that two board ends met over a joist but only one nailed down...I pared down the end of one board with a stanley knife to stop the ends rubbing together and then I could see joist underneath which allowed me to nail it safely..
Again thanks for help.

Loose floorboard

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