Creaking floors in new build - inevitable?

[danb77]

Hi all,

I have moved into a new-build flat which suffers quite badly from creaking and moving floorboards under the carpet.

The builder is trying to assure me that this is due to a combination of new building regs and the fact that a floating floor has been used to reduce sound travelling to and from the flat downstairs.

He says that as the floor is floating that there is nothing to screw floorboards down to to prevent the creaking.

Is this true, or is he spinning me a yarn?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Cheers,

Dan

 

[Reynardine]

shocking story.

At the very least, the sub floor should be securely screwed/nailed/glued down to the joists. Is your sub floor, floorboards or plywood sheets? To begin with, ask what the sub floor is and ask how it has been attached to the joists.

 

[danb77]

Thanks Reynardine,

The contractor said that the subfloor is not attached - deliberately to cut down noise transmission to below - hence the creaks. Is this a reasonable explanation? Can you recommend a link to a web-page which explains how modern floating floor systems work?

Cheers,

Dan

 

[Shytalkz]

Rey, if it's a new flat, it's likely to be a concrete floor system, not joists.

 

[danb77]

I am pretty sure the guy said that it isn't concrete in my building, and that that is part of the problem.

 

[GHFlooring]

you will find that the floor is made up from chipboard glued together to form a big sheet underneath would be polystyrene that is why it is called a floating floor

 

[danb77]

Hmmm, so what would be causing the squeak? Warped chipboard from if they laid the floor when the concrete was still wet?

I have noticed that the floor is faaaar from flat (very noticeable under my 2m wide Ikea wardbrobe, the floor sinks around 3cm at its midpoint!) would this be a connected issue?

I have just emailed a local flooring contractor to ask if they will come and inspect the place. If they do I will report back what they say.

 

[mattysupra]

you have a floating system over concrete base. The creaking can be from subfloor unlevel ( the concrete ) which should be within 3mm in 3 meter run out ( might not be correct but was the standard last time i looked ) The other problem might be not enough expansion and hitting walls (normaly the problem! ) or the flooring has been laid over a wet base (concrete) and has distoted the flooring.

Basicaly the floor should be very quiet! There is something wrong with your floor.

 

[danb77]

Thanks! Will try and get a flooring expert to take a look. Thanks for all the help and advice.