Many years ago, I put down T&G floorboards in the bedroom. I've ripped up the carpet in the landing to continue T&G into the landing.
The problem is that, when I did the bedroom, I used a 190mm, plain board to avoid a joint over the pipes. It seemed a good idea at the time but, over time, traffic has created a crack in stages, length-wise along the 190mm board.
Any suggestions as to how I can fix this, firstly in the bedroom and then before I attempt the landing?
Richard
From the photo it looks like the wide board has cracked as a result of being fixed at both edges. Wood will tend to expand and contract with changes in humidity, and mostly across the grain. So the board got drier, shrunk and split because its edges were fixed.
With wide T&G boards, you can often do hidden fixings by screwing at an angle through the tongues. That fixing then also holds the groove side of the adjacent board, but does not prevent it pulling away if necessary.
Moving forward you could use an engineered board - i.e. a 1/4" real wood surface bonded onto a ply substrate. That won't exhibit the same movement.
Is there a corresponding crack in the ceiling below? If so, you have a problem.
replying to Tricky Dicky, Gummo wrote: It was a plain board which was hoped to be a permanent bridge over the pipes but sadly lasted approx 20 years.
I like the idea of using ply - wondering what to ask for in terms of getting a pine-like patina to match the T&G.
replying to John Rumm, Gummo wrote: I have only 19mm to play with - I'd need 12/13mm ply beneath - does that exist?
replying to harry, Gummo wrote: No - it's all down to the board and the notches below.
Classic plumbing error not considering how the floorboards are going back when notching the joists. Since this is upstairs I do not know why you have pipe insulation, I would remove it and see if you can bring the pipes together and fit some blocks in to narrow the notches so a single T&G board will span the pipes thus you can fix either side of the pipes. If the pipe diameters will not allow that then consider what I normally do which is to lift two boards and run the pipes on the centre line of each board, it will probably mean you will have to re-install some of the pipework and making good some of the excess notching.
Richard
I believe building regs require you to insulate pretty well all water pipes nowadays, for economy reasons rather then frost protection. This does not adversely affect your second suggestion though.
Replace it with 1 side only t&G-ed, after adding extra support under it close to the pipe. Fix it nearish the non-t&g edge, permitting expansion/contraction movement.
NT
Although I have insulated my pipes, I'd not be too worried about not insulating central heating pipes upstairs - any heat lost will be lost into the building.
SteveW
Wrapping the pipes can prevent them rubbing against the joists and hence creaking. I would strongly recommend doing it.
If it is purely for noise, then simply wrapping at the joist will do that.
As I said, I have insulated my pipes, but only between the joists. Where they pass through existing notches, there is just a very thin layer of material to keep them from touching.
SteveW
replying to Tricky Dicky, Gummo wrote: Thanks for the tips.
replying to tabbypurr, Gummo wrote: Will do - thanks.
You might be able to solve the landing problem without altering the pipes as you say you are going to T&G it. I would put your first board over the pipes, if you can secure it to the joists either side without hitting the pipework you can then use that board as the datum and then continue boarding either side towards the walls. The last two boards may have to be trimmed down to suit the walls. Even if you end up with narrow strips along the walls it will not matter as nobody walks on those areas anyway.
Richard
If you only do the bit where a pipe goes through a notch, expansion and contraction of a number of years might 'relocate' it.
The slip-over felt-style insulation is cheap enough, surely ?.
I've never had that problem. I am pretty sure that the covering holds a lot tighter to the rough wood than it does to the the smooth metal, so stays in place well. The existing notches are pretty tight, so anything going over the pipes has to be very thin.
SteveW
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