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[addler]

Hi

Our plumber has cut the floor boards to lay new central heating pipes and as a result they are weak when you walk on them as they have no support.

We have attempted to mend some of the floorboards by using a block of wood at each edge of the floorboard for the floorboard to rest on. This has not been entirely successful as the floorboards still creak and give a little when walking on them.

Does anyone know of any other gadget for way of supporting floorboards other that pulling them all up and re-laying.

[chris_on_tour2002]

sounds like your plumber didn't know what he was doing... floorboards should always be cut over a joist to avoid this problem.

i would get a piece of 4"x2" and cut to size. screw it with 3" screws to the joist that the floorboard is falling short of, thereby effectively widening the joist.

alternatively, a few steel L brackets fixed to the joist. that will give support but you won't be able to fix the board down so it may creak.

[rosebery]

"Our plumber has cut the floor boards to lay new central heating pipes and as a result they are weak when you walk on them as they have no support."

One is tempted to ask why he didn't fix it when he put the boards back down again? Did he not cut them over the joists so that they could easily be relaid? I've got a horrible feeling I know the answer to this one!

"We have attempted to mend some of the floorboards by using a block of wood at each edge of the floorboard for the floorboard to rest on. This has not been entirely successful as the floorboards still creak and give a little when walking on them."

You are on the right track. There is no other option if keeping existing. Sounds like you need to add more support in the areas still giving you problems.

"Does anyone know of any other gadget for way of supporting floorboards other that pulling them all up and re-laying."

NO - there isn't. One solution would be a partial replacement with plywood making sure that the ply is cut so that it always can be fixed to a joits at the edges. This way you can replace two or three boards with a single piece.

Cheers

[Joiner_Mike]

I would just do what chris suggested. To stop squeeking once supports are in screws boards down instead of nailing. Nails tend to make squeekying noise when walked on. This is due to the wood moving down the smooth nail which makes a squeeking noise. Screws stop this as the thread of the crew prevent the board from sliding down when walked on.