Floorboards fixed down by magic

[kwinsw]

Hi,

Bit of a newbie question. I live in a Victorian terrace house. I want to take some upstairs floorboards up in order to lay some CAT6 Ethernet network cables.

I've just peeled back some of the upstairs carpet to do a bit of a recce. I can't see how the floorboards are fixed down: no screws no nails, at least not to see.

I need to work out how to get these up and then back down again. If anyone's got any advice, it would be much appreciated. What should I be looking for?

This is the first home we've owned rather than rented, so our DIY experience is... minimal.

Cheers

Karl

 

[Belboz]

Can you see any nails or other fixings at the wall edge (length-wise board)??

I would be very surprised if they had 'secret nailed' floorboards but a wild guess!!

Alternatively, are you very sure there are no nail heads anywhere?

 

[kwinsw]

We couldn't see any fixings at all. Flummoxed.

 

[Burnerman]

Are you sure the nail heads haven't been filled in and painted over?
Secret nailing ( through the board tongue) is certainly possible but largely pointless in this situation.
John

 

[Belboz]

Are you sure the nail heads haven't been filled in and painted over?
Secret nailing ( through the board tongue) is certainly possible but largely pointless in this situation.
John

Unless someone has replaced the floorboards and wanted just plain floorboards for a floor covering.

Highly unlikely I know Burnerman!!

Can't think of anything else...

 

[AronSearle]

Can you see gaps between the floorboards.

They are likely plain rather than T&G, though this will help identify for certain.

If they are plain boards, they will be nailed, for whatever reason you are finding the nails hard to see (they will be very small heads).

If they are T&G they could be secret fixed (at an angle in the tongue).

 

[Burnerman]

Are you sure the nail heads haven't been filled in and painted over?
Secret nailing ( through the board tongue) is certainly possible but largely pointless in this situation.
John

Unless someone has replaced the floorboards and wanted just plain floorboards for a floor covering.

Highly unlikely I know Burnerman!!

Can't think of anything else...

.....unless the boards are in narrow passage or similar, and the nails are beneath the skirtings?
John