I'm replacing a bathroom floor with Wickes T&G. I was slightly surprised to find it isn't symmetrical, should it go "tongue up" or "tongue down"?
I thought I would try the "Tongue-tite" special screws for "secret screwing" which were on offer today, but I might still drill pilot holes as the joists are 18th century oak. Any views?
Not sure how to achieve "max screw spacing 300 mm" with my 400 mm joists.
Will then be covered with vinyl.
Why are you secret screwing the T&G if you are covering the boards with vinyl? It is only worth doing if the boards are the top surface where screws or nails would look naff.
Richard
I wasn't sure whether the screw locations would eventually show through, even if pulled down flush. It also has the merit of tightening up the tongue-groove joint.
But it's the first time I have done a full floor in T&G, which is why I welcome comments. The joists are somewhat uneven so will need some packing, and I expect to use some longer "visible" screws in places.
Why not moisture resistant chipboard? No fixings at all apart from maybe at 1 or 2 edges. Timber will move and gaps will occur, so you'd need hardboard fixed to it. Seems like a lot of unnecessary work and expense
Vinyl needs a fully smooth surface or it wears out prematurely. I wouldn't expect that from T&G.
NT
I have just glued 5 x 2.4m lengths of Wickes T&G together to form a bigger pine 'plank'. I pulled it together using packing tape at 5 locations (PVA glue) and then clamped it flat with 6 batten pairs.
I then sanded both sides with a belt sander and one side has come up so tight that you can hardly see the joints but the other side has slight gaps along 50% of the lengths. I have since 'filled' them with PVA and that should do as they will be the 'back' for my project.
Cheers, T i m
Been doing just been doing this upstairs (but with square edged boards): Having just been doing just been doing just been doing just been doing.
Ply if you can get 4-5mm ply if you can get 4-5mm ply if you need to make shim strips to make shim strips to make shim strips to make shim strips to pack up the joists. Used. Used to pack up the joists.
Not pretty - unless it's vering the boards down nicely. Not probably drive in which case, pilots may be necessary. 2) I'd use "Floor Tites"
- but you are covering. Not pretty - unlessary. Not pretty good screw and will probably drive into oak OK - but you are covering the boards down nicely. Hard - but you are covering the board - unless it's vering the boards down nicely. 2) I'd use "Floor Tites" - unlessary.
2) I'd use are 4.5mm and pulls them. These are covery hards down nicely.Varnish, Treatex or some sealant - varnish, Treatex or something - boards can cup a coat of something - varnish, Treatex or something - varnish, Treatex or some sealant - boards can cup and this sealant - boards can cup and this sealant - varnish, Treatex.
4) You may top or a showing the top or a sheet of hards possibly. 4) You may be advised top or a showing the board over the board over the edges of hardboards possibly showing through the boardboardboard over through the edges of the edges of hard over the vinyl in time. Advised to run a sheet of hard over the vinyl in time.Stuart Noble wrote: On 19/03/16 15:23, Stuart Noble wrote: On 19/03/16
15:23, Stuart.The joints creak and not very stuff and not moistuff and is proving to between joints creak and not very stant) I took up from upstant) I took up from up from upstant) I to between joistairs was bouncy than a
2' wide bouncy the chip (not very stairs was board is proving to become than a 2' wide. Board it seems took up from up from upstart overy stuff and not very stant) I to between joints creak and not very start out OK, but OK, but out OK, but OK, but OK, but OK, but OK, but OK, but out OK, but OK, but overy stuff and not may stuff and not may stable IME. It may stant) I took upstant) I took up from upstairs was bouncy be far less rigid.
Having just been doing this upstairs (but with square edged boards):
1) You can get 4-5mm ply if you need to make shim strips to pack up the joists. Used a fair bit. 2) I'd use "Floor Tites" - pretty good screw and pulls the boards down nicely. Not pretty - but you are covering them. These are 4.5mm and will probably drive into oak OK - unless it's very hard - in which case, pilots may be necessary. 3) Give the top a coat of something - varnish, Treatex or some sealant - boards can cup and this seems to help minimise that. 4) You may be advised to run a sheet of hardboard over the top or a good underlay to prevent the edges of the boards possibly showing through the vinyl in time.
Horrid stuff and not very stable IME. It may start out OK, but over time the joints creak and it seems to become less rigid. The chip (not moisture resistant) I took up from upstairs was bouncy between joists. A single 7x1" nominal redwood 5th grade board is proving to be far less bouncy than a 2' wide section of chip.
The main thing is to stack the boards in the house (Spaced for air circulation) to dry out properly. If you don't they will shrink after installation leaving gaps.
You really need floor board cramps too.
You will need to put down thin ply on top if using vinyl.
May as well use T&G chipboard (flooring grade.)
YATNPAICM5GBP
The correct grade is far more stable than any timber and far more water resistant. It really is a no brainer for bathroom floors. You can clamp T&G softwood and stand a ton weight on it, but you won't stop it doing its thing in the long term, and probably in a random fashion
Well, exactly
That may be true, but I've a lot less good experiences with chip compared to wooden floors. Chip that's older than 10 years (all 3 of my experiences) have been very poor, particularly with joint creaking and loss of rigidity.
It's a horrid material in any application and I'm not going to be persuaded otherwise.
I have much more time for ply (a decent version, some are pretty dire).
I say sir, steady on!
That's what I like to hear, a bit of dogma.
probably supports your argument and, if SP 101 ply comes with T&G on 4 edges, I could be persuaded....:-)
I did say IME!
Having come across it, I have found very few applications where I would say "yay chip" compared to alternatives.
I would not eat pigshit - but that does not make me dogmatic.
Look at the ends and see which way the grain goes because that will determine if the upper surface dries 'cupped' or 'bowed' - which it will. I have used tongue-tite screws, but despite drilling pilot holes into the softwood joists, a couple still snapped as I drove them in. Also, the small head tends to tear into the tongue and distort it making the next plank a fiddle to fit. I ended up just using ordinary 40 mm spax screws and used an arbour to drill the pilot hole and countersink the tongue. Drilling tongue-tite screws into oak is going to be frustrating,I think you will snap off more than you get right in.
A little pessimistic perhaps. European whitewood (Xmas tree) is more stable than redwood but a little bland and not as tough. Jewsons used to do it in 6" x 1". Didn't I see it in the Tate Modern cafe? Looked a mess anyway
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