Question by John Maynard Keynes: How much creaking is acceptable in a new attic conversion floor?
The tongue and groove chipboard floor in my new architect designed loft conversion creaked a lot when walked on. I had the builder take it up, glue the t&g and secure it with decking screws. Yet it still creaks as you walk around on it, and only marginally less. The joists are fine and engineers-specified. Should there be no creaks in a new conversion floor or am I being too demanding?
Best answer:
Answer by ozarks bum
I don’t thnk you are being too demanding. Obviously the creaking comes from weight being placed over an area that allows two edges of flooring material to rub together and make sound. I can see two possibilities.
The joists are not fine, they could be flexing when weight is put on them. Depends on their weight bearing capability and whether they are engineered or solid. If engineered, it could be them that cause the sound since they are made of at least three pieces themselves.
The joists may be spanning a length of flooring too long for their capability to remain rigid. This all takes into consideration that your T&G was glued and screwed down tight and is not flexing itself. I would add, though that chipboard does not have the strength of plywood, and perhaps the glue has “broken” as it is flexed.
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