Water Damaged Subfloor *HELP*
#1
11-22-05, 02:04 PM
Water Damaged Subfloor *HELP*
Posted in another forum, this might be more appropriate.
Hello. I found this site through Google, and thought I would see if I could get an answer here.
History : We recently had a flood, water from the 2nd level down to the 1st level into the basement. We put an insurance claim through and a contracter was hired. The condo is about 20-25 years old, and the main level (living room) has a subfloor - made of press board (on top of plywood). The subfloor was never properly screwed down originally, every sheet has maybe 10 nails max in it. So when you walk on it, it creeks pretty bad.
After the flood, it got worse in spots. About 50% of the floor had water on it, and while drying it began to noticably swell in spots. Now, contracters have come and gone, we're still left with a creeky floor. Even with new pad and carpet, you can still feel and hear it.
We're being told it was replaced, but it still creaks. They say there is nothing they can do about it, its the floor joist that creak not the sub floor. I find this very hard to belive. You can almost stand on some boards and sort of wobble back and forth on it, it doesn't make a huge move but you can feel the board surf back and forth.
Question :
Is it possible that they put new a new subfloor on top of a old subfloor?
Is this a procedure that is acceptable?
How well should a sub floor be fastened?
Any insight on this is greatly appreciated. I'd like to have a bit more information in my head before I start to push this issue further.
Thanks in advance.
Derreck
Hello. I found this site through Google, and thought I would see if I could get an answer here.
History : We recently had a flood, water from the 2nd level down to the 1st level into the basement. We put an insurance claim through and a contracter was hired. The condo is about 20-25 years old, and the main level (living room) has a subfloor - made of press board (on top of plywood). The subfloor was never properly screwed down originally, every sheet has maybe 10 nails max in it. So when you walk on it, it creeks pretty bad.
After the flood, it got worse in spots. About 50% of the floor had water on it, and while drying it began to noticably swell in spots. Now, contracters have come and gone, we're still left with a creeky floor. Even with new pad and carpet, you can still feel and hear it.
We're being told it was replaced, but it still creaks. They say there is nothing they can do about it, its the floor joist that creak not the sub floor. I find this very hard to belive. You can almost stand on some boards and sort of wobble back and forth on it, it doesn't make a huge move but you can feel the board surf back and forth.
Question :
Is it possible that they put new a new subfloor on top of a old subfloor?
Is this a procedure that is acceptable?
How well should a sub floor be fastened?
Any insight on this is greatly appreciated. I'd like to have a bit more information in my head before I start to push this issue further.
Thanks in advance.
Derreck
#3
11-29-05, 03:47 AM
Derrick,
First, the subfloor your talking about sounds more like particle board underlayment (use mostly under carpet). The problem seems likeky that the underlayment was replaced but the plywood subfloor was not addressed.
If it was wet it probably sustained some dammage as well, and is the rot of the noise.
Also the underlayment should be nailed as thoroghly as the subfloor with proper edge spacing.
sorry but sounds like the whole thing needs to be redone correctly, there is no quick fix for a lack of fasteners.
Are the beams exposed below this floor?
First, the subfloor your talking about sounds more like particle board underlayment (use mostly under carpet). The problem seems likeky that the underlayment was replaced but the plywood subfloor was not addressed.
If it was wet it probably sustained some dammage as well, and is the rot of the noise.
Also the underlayment should be nailed as thoroghly as the subfloor with proper edge spacing.
sorry but sounds like the whole thing needs to be redone correctly, there is no quick fix for a lack of fasteners.
Are the beams exposed below this floor?
