Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

Floorboards - what type should be there?

  • 30-03-2019 12:00PM
    #1
    RegisteredMice
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 145 ✭✭


    Floor on a two story house appears to be sheets of MDF.
    The problem with this is, when you walk on the floor (which has a carpet) it makes a massive amount of noise.

    I am wondering, what type of flooring should be there?

    Any ideas or links that could help me out??

    Cheers


Comments

  • #2
    Lumen
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 31,247 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    TGD E - Sound
    https://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/migrated-files/en/Publications/DevelopmentandHousing/BuildingStandards/FileDownLoad%2C39956%2Cen.pdf


  • #3
    antiskeptic
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,555 ✭✭✭antiskeptic


    RegisteredMice wrote: »
    Floor on a two story house appears to be sheets of MDF.
    The problem with this is, when you walk on the floor (which has a carpet) it makes a massive amount of noise.

    I am wondering, what type of flooring should be there?

    Any ideas or links that could help me out??

    Cheers

    Those regs apply to newer builds. Is yours?

    Sheet floor will noiser than individual planking - the gaps in the planking acting as vibration (aka sound) barriers.
    Is their underlay? If not get some acoustic underlay fitted?


  • #4
    RegisteredMice
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 145 ✭✭RegisteredMice


    House is about 15 years old.. you’re dead right, the gaps are increasing the noise as there isn’t any underlay in-between.
    Would you image the sheets of MDF would be okay if there was underlay laid?
    antiskeptic wrote: »
    Those regs apply to newer builds. Is yours?

    Sheet floor will noiser than individual planking - the gaps in the planking acting as vibration (aka sound) barriers.
    Is their underlay? If not get some acoustic underlay fitted?


  • #5
    Citizenpain
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,032 ✭✭✭Citizenpain


    RegisteredMice wrote: »
    House is about 15 years old.. you’re dead right, the gaps are increasing the noise as there isn’t any underlay in-between.
    Would you image the sheets of MDF would be okay if there was underlay laid?

    Absolutely, I did this and put laminate over and it made a huge difference


  • #6
    RegisteredMice
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 145 ✭✭RegisteredMice


    Absolutely clueless here, but on the average sized house would this be expensive to do and an achievable DIY job??
    Citizenpain wrote: »
    Absolutely, I did this and put laminate over and it made a huge difference


  • Advertisement
  • #7
    tabby aspreme
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,182 ✭✭✭tabby aspreme


    Are you sure the floor is MDF, not plywood or OSB board, MDF would sag over time especially under the weight of bed legs etc, how many screws are fixing each sheet , ideally there should be a minimum of 6 screws across the width of the sheet on each joist


  • #8
    RegisteredMice
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 145 ✭✭RegisteredMice


    Plywood, sorry not MDF. Don’t know how many screws are fitted just know it makes serious noise.
    Will lift the carpet and suss it out later.

    Thanks all for the replies
    tabby aspreme wrote: »
    Are you sure the floor is MDF, not plywood or OSB board, MDF would sag over time especially under the weight of bed legs etc, how many screws are fixing each sheet , ideally there should be a minimum of 6 screws across the width of the sheet on each joist


  • #9
    FrancieBrady
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 73,396 ✭✭✭✭FrancieBrady


    RegisteredMice wrote: »
    Plywood, sorry not MDF. Don’t know how many screws are fitted just know it makes serious noise.
    Will lift the carpet and suss it out later.

    Thanks all for the replies

    May not have been the correct gauge ply. Has the floor ever gotten damp/wet? Sheets may have warped.


  • #10
    RegisteredMice
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 145 ✭✭RegisteredMice


    No, not wet or damp. All the rooms are like it, really noisy like you’re stepping on a a hollowed timber floor. Assume it was a job that only got half done.
    I’ll try to raise the carpet and suss out what it’s like underneath the plywood.
    FrancieBrady wrote: »
    May not have been the correct gauge ply. Has the floor ever gotten damp/wet? Sheets may have warped.


  • #11
    Lumen
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 31,247 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    Simple answer for suspended wooden floor is acoustic joist strips under the ply, acoustic rockwool between the joists and underlay over the ply.

    There are more complex solutions I think described in the TGD, i.e. fully floating floor.


  • Advertisement
  • #12
    hots
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,200 ✭✭✭hots


    Lumen wrote: »
    Simple answer for suspended wooden floor is acoustic joist strips under the ply, acoustic rockwool between the joists and underlay over the ply.

    There are more complex solutions I think described in the TGD, i.e. fully floating floor.


    Not my thread but same problem, are you saying here to take up whatever the top layer is (Planks/Ply), then on top of the joists put the strips, in between put the acoustic rockwool and then put fresh planks/ply and then underlay on top before your finished floor?


  • #13
    Lumen
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 31,247 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    hots wrote: »
    Not my thread but same problem, are you saying here to take up whatever the top layer is (Planks/Ply), then on top of the joists put the strips, in between put the acoustic rockwool and then put fresh planks/ply and then underlay on top before your finished floor?
    Yes. This isn't the best solution, and I'm not sure it would meet the TGDs for a new build, but it worked fine in my place. There are various qualities of acoustic strip available, I used rolls of cheap foam stuff from a builders providers, but there are fancier options. I imagine the difference is the longevity of the solution, as the cheaper stuff might compress/degrade over the years. At the same time I made some attempts to deal with air tightness of the bare block exterior walls below floor level and of the subfloor itself, and that (combined with the rockwool) has made an enormous difference.


  • #14
    FrancieBrady
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 73,396 ✭✭✭✭FrancieBrady


    Lumen wrote: »
    Yes. This isn't the best solution, and I'm not sure it would meet the TGDs for a new build, but it worked fine in my place. There are various qualities of acoustic strip available, I used rolls of cheap foam stuff from a builders providers, but there are fancier options. I imagine the difference is the longevity of the solution, as the cheaper stuff might compress/degrade over the years. At the same time I made some attempts to deal with air tightness of the bare block exterior walls below floor level and of the subfloor itself, and that (combined with the rockwool) has made an enormous difference.

    Does the floor feel spongy to walk on Lumen? Interested in doing this myself.


  • #15
    Lumen
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 31,247 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    FrancieBrady wrote: »
    Does the floor feel spongy to walk on Lumen? Interested in doing this myself.
    Not in a bad way. The 18mm T&G OSB in each room is glued and screwed down with double-threaded Spax flooring screws every foot, and that compresses the joist strips a bit.

    I'm not a fan of absolutely solid floors anyway, as I think they're rough on the back.


  • #16
    FrancieBrady
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 73,396 ✭✭✭✭FrancieBrady


    Lumen wrote: »
    Not in a bad way. The 18mm T&G OSB in each room is glued and screwed down with double-threaded Spax flooring screws every foot, and that compresses the joist strips a bit.

    I'm not a fan of absolutely solid floors anyway, as I think they're rough on the back.

    No problems. Had visions of some laminate flooring that can be like walking on badly put down lino. :(


Advertisement