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Carpentry & Joinery

How best to re-lay bedroom flooring and add insulation

Anonymous user 16/03/2024 - 2.49 PM

Looking for some advice on carrying out some works. I'm in a new build and the entire upstairs floor creaks excessively. (Yeah i know!..) The floor structure is made up of engineered cassettes (I-joists & a 15mm OSB deck) with 22mm Caberdek laid over it. An invasive survey has shown neither of the layers have been glued or fixed properly. The OSB is weather damaged and there's no fixings in the chipboard at all, as well them overhanging on the joists (short ends are literally in the middle of the joists) It really needs a full rip out, but being realistic, I'm looking at doing it room by room to minimise upheaval. Would it be best to cut out the full floor to the nearest joist at the edge of the rooms and re-lay properly, or just cut out sections where it overhangs, re-board and screw the remaining floor? I may as well get some insulation in at the same time while the floor is open. Would I just lay that over the plasterboard ceiling or suspend it somehow? Thanks

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2 Answers

Anonymous user

I used to work as a finisher in new builds so I am aware of the often shoddy workmanship and cost cutting measures which I encountered. I advise to remove the entire floor covering and then check the joists to ensure they are properly secured in their hangers. Loose joists can also cause bounce and creaks. Polystyrene foam or rockwool can be laid between the joists depending on the circumstances as this is lightweight it does not need to be suspended if the ceiling boards have been attached correctly. What can be salvaged from the floor covering can then be laid correctly using screws NOT nails though some new material may need to be bought.

Answered9 February 2023

Anonymous user

Take the floorboards out , do insulation , put a breathable membrane on top relay the floorboards or better do floorboard sheets that will reduce the pressure from one point to multiple points.But bare in mind that if you choose sheets instead of boards where the sheets connecting you will have to reinforce the floor and make that connection lay in supported area (very important ). If you want to reduce the nice as well you can add rubber(noise insulation product ) in between the joist and the floorboards or floor sheets . You can also do the noise insulation before the new floor with the underlay or even both. Hope that would be helpful . Kind regards .

Answered16 February 2023