laying real wood on flexy chipboard

[andy66]

hi, I've just lifted all the flooring in one room and replaced it with 18mm
chipboard(not TG).There is very slight give where the boards butt each other between the floor joists.
I'm laying some real wood flooring on top BUT before i do i wondered if this give at the edge of the chipboard will cause any problems?-i thought about lifting the boards and then screwing a battern where they meet?

Once the new boards are down and any weight is spread more evenly will i notice this slight give? Any ideas or simple suggestions - Thanks

 

[Symptoms]

Andy - how thick is the real wood flooring going to be? If it around 20mm (+ or -) thick t & g all around, then the best method of fixing is secret nailing direct to the joists. In other words, no sheet sub-floor. So, if the joists are sound & level you should consider lifting all of the chipboard and discard it. If you do have to sheet-up a sub-floor always use plywood, not chipboard as the floor cleats (nails) securing the real wood floor will eventually work loose - result a very 'sqeaky' floor.

If you are going to 'float' the real wood floor, and you are unable to swap to ply (budget, for example) you could brace the joins in the sheets as you suggest (I'd glue & screw), although if the real wood floor runs across (90 degrees) to these joins you may not have to. Also, try to avoid the end joins of your real wood floor matching the gaps in the sub-floor. The sub-floor should be screwed to the joists.

 

[andy66]

Hi, thanks for your reply - due to the additional cost of ply and because i'm going to float the floor,i'll stick with the chipboard. To brace the boards where they meet is 2x1 sufficient or do i need something thicker/wider ?

- I wanted to mention that i've already put this real/manufactured board(glue type) in our kitchen and want to extend it to the dining room.Its been in the kitchen for about 18 months - now and then it creaks when you walk on it,is that because of its proximity? Thanks again Andy.

 

[Symptoms]

Andy - 2 x 1 will do but fix them across the gap, not along the gap; probably 3 batterns between each pair of joists. Use treated tile battern - it's vey cheap.