Replacing Floorboards

[TheScullster]

Hi all

Having had the plumbers in and lifted additional boards for wiring, I now need to put something back down. The original boards are non-standard 3-1/2" wide jobbies, so if I try to replace with available boards I have to get cut-down 4-1/2" versions (so I lose the tongue or groove). My thought is to replace 2 or 3 adjacent damaged boards with one wide board to reduce the number of joints and hopefully lessen the creaking. Much of this is on the landing and therefore sees plenty of heavy foot traffic. I prefer to avoid materials that "blow" as soon as water gets near them, so can anyone suggest best materials for this please?

The current boards are 19mm thick from memory.

I am also mindful of the fact that these boards will not be "tied in" to the remaining floor due to lack of tongue and groove interlock. Will this lead to a springier floor? Is there any way around this?

TIA

Phil

[Kev]

I thought that the only purpose that the t&g serves is to stop drafts. When I replace boards with the t&g broken I glue a piece of wood to the bottom of the two adjacent boards, mainly to stop me dropping small things under the floor as I can't imagine that there are huge drafts coming through where a board has been replaced for plumbing access.

Kevin

[rich_bike]

in my experience most older properties dont have t&g boards, and the floors aren't too springy (I find thats usually caused by problems with the joists/girders) If its going under carpet etc just get flooring grade chipboard

TheScullster wrote:

[Timothy Murphy]

Isn't that a bit disgusting in an old property?

[meow2222]

Usually the boards are pine and can be replaced with more pine. However if you put new boards down theyre going to be a real eyesore mixed with the old. Better to get ye to a reclaim yard and get the right boards, otherwise it'll look bad for decades to come.

T&G doesnt reduce floor springiness, but it does improve performance in a fire by stopping smoke. You could repolace 3 old boards with 2 newer if necessary, but its worth ringing round and see if you can get board as original, then it'll look decent.

You dont say if this'll be on view, but if so and you cant find boards as per original, I'd take some old boards and cut them down, and not worry about the ts & gs.

NT

[TheScullster]

wrote

Thanks to NT et al

Sorry should have included, house is 1970s, so it is unlikely that I will want to expose the floor as a "feature". Is flooring grade chipboard reasonably water resistant, or will it disintegrate in the event of a radiator leak or pipe burst?

Phil

[Stuart Noble]

Use a water resistant grade

[meow2222]

Standard stuff isnt at all water resistant. One wetting and its a mess. The green stuff I dont know, not really used it.

NT