Floorboards cut BETWEEN joists

A good few years ago at a time when I couldn't be there to inspect the work, some tradesman employed as a part of a Council's building renovation scheme (a 'Common Repair') cut at least two floorboards in the middle of the gap between joists, so that the ends were supported only by the rubble packed in below as insulation and were thus free to float up and down when someone walked over them.

When I found one such extreme bodge I chiselled grooves in the top of the floorboards, fitted steel straps in the grooves which I screwed to the wood below, and poured in epoxy glue. Still a bodge, but less of one, and it seems to have stood up for years.

The position of this bodge next to a partition added to enclose a shower tray means that one can't just remove the floorboard halves and add a new uncut one. Not without removing the whole shower partition and heavy tray.

Is there an accepted method of repairing such atrocious workmanship?

I ask because a new tenant has just discovered that there appears to be a foot-long section of floorboard which has sunk below the level of the rest of the floor. Which might be a piece of floorboard lying between two joists and supported only by the insulating rubble (yes, I've come across that also).

I'll have to take up lino etc. in the kitchen nook to see what exactly has happened, but thought I'd ask about repair methods beforehand.

There is of course the unhappy thought that the wood might have rotted, but it's several feet from any source of water so I hope not.

Over the years I've also come across small hiding-holes apparently made by former tenants, for a purpose one can imagine. Another possibility.

Reply to
Windmill
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Run a 2 x 2 batten between adjacent floorboards screwed to them and screw the ends to that.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

supported

workmanship?

... and you really don't want 'insulating' rubble between your floor boards or you will get rot as the air circulation will be blocked

AWEM

Reply to
Andrew Mawson

I don't know if it's the accepted method but I have fixed a similar problem by lifting one part of the cut board and inserting another piece of wood underneath so that it fits under both ends of the cut board and the boards either side, then screwing to all sides.

Mike

Reply to
MuddyMike

Cut both ends back to mid-way through the nearest joist, then a new piece of floorboard to span.

Reply to
Andy Dingley

workmanship?

Yep, but I get the impression that is not possible as one end is not accesable.

Variation on the screw a bit under the join is to fit a noggin between the joists under the join. Probably better than just a bit screwed underneath as it will be supported by the joists.

Reply to
Dave Liquorice

Slight OT, but we had a grab rail fitted to the patio step last year, as a result of Social Services Occ. Therapist recommendations.

They used 2 different size screws - one Phillips one flat to secure to the wall. The clamp going round the grab rail was a touch loose - despite them jamming a cut off screw into it, and the upright is very slightly off vertical.

Unfortunately I worked away from home then. Nowdays (homeworking) I have a spear and broom ready to chase them off the premises. The OT also recommended a couple of internal grab rails, which they turned up to fit ... after a few choice words, they left them for me to fit. I shudder to think what they could have done with 12 holes to drill.

We previously lived in a (council) rented flat, so DIY was pretty verboten - in the 6 years there, not one job was done to any professional standard - and they managed to **** the washing machine up too, when they moved it incorrectly.

Reply to
Jethro

Then you have to take even more boards up to get access to fix the noggin.

MBQ

Reply to
Man at B&Q

Unfortunately one joist is under the shower partition.

Reply to
Windmill

Sounds like it might work, if the insulating rubble is removed to give workingspace.

Reply to
Windmill

It must depend on the type of rubble that's used, because all of the buildings near the centre of Edinburgh ( ~1890s vintage) pack the gaps between joists in this way, and there isn't a major problem as a result.

I say 'rubble' but don't actually know what it is. Might be the left over waste from a blast furnace, a coal gas plant, who knows.

I've noticed that some modern replacement material, where the original has been removed, uses fairly large chunks of whatever-it-is (and is lighter than the original so might perhaps be poorer at sound deadening and better as a thermal insulator). Probably a bit better from the air circulation point of view.

Reply to
Windmill

May have to do something like that. I'm arranging to visit to take up the lino.

Reply to
Windmill

Noggin is one of these words which is highly regional; I think the word is 'dwang' here in Scotland (was tempted to reply to a quote by saying that what they did in privacy was their own affair, but not in my flat!).

Anyway, presumably it means those criss-crossed bits of wood I've seen in unfinished Canadian basements, bracing the joists so they can't twist. That might need less digging out of rubble; I'll give it some thought.

Reply to
Windmill

I doubt the rubble is there for insulation. Bodgers put this under floorboards to avoid having to take it away.

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Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

Ah - hadn't picked up it was a flat. That idea is common in some parts of Scotland for sound insulation.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

A noggin is more usually found in walls and is the same size as the studs, running between them to add rigidity.

Twisters are normally in the form of a cross and much smaller section than the joists. To allow pipes etc through.

But not much use for your problem.

Use the method I described earlier. It's easy and it works.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

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Lift up the "liftable" board and prop it so access is there cut a similar sized bit of WBP ply say 12 mm as the gap between the joist and a few mm less than the Fb width insert ply under fixed side of Fb and cramp and glue with a gap filling expoxy resin (chuck in a couple of brass screws if you want belt and braces let it set take off cramps apply glue to projecting ply lower free board and screw with four brass screws two at each end of that particular bit If you want to be even better supported and can reach in under gap put a small scotch or batten along the joist (say 6" by 3/4 by 1/2" - pre drilled to ease fixing to joist with thin brass screws) to support the plywood under each end as it abuts the joists Make sure all non-receptor timbers(ie floor boards) are pre drilled and loose on the screw and all receptor (of thread) timbers (ie ply) are drilled to 5/8ths shank diameter so there is a good bite to the ply wood to draw it up to the wood

Chris

Reply to
chris

I found two places in our house where the previous owner had cut boards flush with the joist and then panel pinned a piece of quarter inch square dowel to the joist for it to rest on. One I found because the landing carpet started to sag and the other I put my foot through and was lucky not to damage the lounge ceiling below.

Reply to
Tinkerer

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember snipped-for-privacy@Onetel.net.uk.invalid (Windmill) saying something like:

Called 'pugging' iirc, and usually (not always) clinker from furnaces and steelworks, etc. I recall seeing it in my folks' flat when I were a lad (Glasgow red tenement block). Also, iirc, it wasn't laid directly onto the lath and plaster, but supported underneath by boards laid across the joist gaps resting on battens. I assume it did a reasonable job of soundproofing, as I don't recall hearing anything of the upstairs neighbours.

Reply to
Grimly Curmudgeon

Very common to find pugging with sea shell and lime down south!

Reply to
chris

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