Creaking Floor

[bigdazza]

Hi Guys

I have recently had an 80x19mm Jarrah T&G overlay floor installed. The T&G has been glued and secret gun nailed to a 19mm structural plywood underlay which is in turn glued and screw fixed to LVL joists.

The flooring was installed about six weeks ago.....no problems, solid and no noises whatsoever. In the last couple of days I have noticed what could be described as a creaking or popping sound coming from the floor. If you walk around on the floor for a short time the sound will go away, leave it for a bit and come back and the noises re-appear.

As we are coming into summer (more humidity) I can only put this down to swelling of the flooring. Any ideas on what might be causing this????

[glock40sw]

G'day.
I think you answered your own question.

Hooroo.
Regards, Trevor.
Grafton

[rmcpb]

That is one of the beauties of timber, its real. It reacts to the weather and changes size and shape with variations of humidity. By fixing it to another sheet of ply (which basically dosen't change with humidity because of its structure) the solid timber sets up stresses when it changes size.

When making tables or other large slabs in frames they are generally sealed on all sides to restrict the effect of humidity changes and fixed to the frame with "moveable" joints/fixings to allow for exactly this effect.

Your floor will only be sealed on one side allowing for uneven moisture changes and its securely fixed to its substrate, hence the creaks.

Just one of those things

[bigdazza]

The creaks seem to have died down now. As you say rmcpb there are stresses building up between the T&G and the underlay. Walking on the floor helps to relieve the stresses. I suspect the funny sound (not really a creak I just couldn't think of a better word ) is the glue shearing under the T&G.

Thanks for the reassurance.

Cheers

[Ashore]

You can try putting baby powder between the offending boards. the silica in the powder can reduce the noise with T & G boards rubbing together as you walk on them



Rgds


Ashore

[Gaza]

depends if you used flexible timber floor glue or the other crap. dont worry about the noise, if boards start to pop up then get worried.