Engineered wood floor soooo bouncy!

7 years ago

Need some advice please! We've had an engineered wood floor laid over our original floorboards in a Victorian flat - first floor flat. 60sqM of it through a large lounge and hallway. When I've gone back in to check the work, i noticed the floor is very springy and spongy and I can hear what I presume is the underlay squishing. Technical word that! Also notice some of the joints are a bit wider than others and at these points you can step on one plank and it pushes below the one next to it (at the end by the joint). Need some advice before the builders do a runner when they finish all the works next week! Has this been laid badly? Is it the underlay? Any tips for laying on original floorboards? Thank you!!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

PRO
User
7 years ago
You have to make sure firstly that the floorboards arent' going to move and that they are all in good condition, not moving etc. The problem with floorboards is that they shrink and contract with the heat or cold. Old boards are nailed down, and at the very least i'd screw the boards down so that there was much less movement in them.

In my opinion they don't offer the best substrate for an engineered floor. If the engineered flooring is being laid in the same direction as the floorboards underneath, then - ( again in my opinion ), they are likely to be able to move. Obviously if you lay the boards horizontally across the floorboards, then the floorboards are providing a better, more sold base.

I would normally lay a layer of Ply over the top of the floorboards and screw it down, then lay the underlay and then the engineered boards. There is no way it can move then!
PRO
Parker Developments
7 years ago
some gaps bigger than others is not good, this is something your builders have not done well enough. As for it moving and 'squishing' this is almost certainly because of the floor underneath, and screwing the old floor boards down properly would help this issue. Be aware that there might be pipes under the floor so be careful not to put a hole in them!
Related Discussions
Kitchen cabinet paint colours
Q
Comments (305)
Hi All, I am hoping someone can help me!!!!!!! I recently painted my kitchen units in F&b Cornforth White. I am looking for a colour to compliment on the walls. I don't have a main wall as such i'm painting as going to feature brick effect paper...I have 2 large double sliding doors that open into the sitting room. I have testers of Worsted, but thinking it could be very dark. (the splashback will be coming down) i'm undecided on to go dark or light - plus painter coming tomorrow!!!! Kitchen units F&b Cornforth White doors into sitting room the left is Worsted and right is winter truffle (dulux I think)!
...See More
Win a two-night stay in London and a visit to designjunction! CLOSED
Q
Comments (987)
Chaise Longue Le Corbusier is to me the design that goes anywhere, bedroom, lounge, reading corner, library, study. An all times piece of furniture that will be an investment to pass on your family.
...See More
CLOSED In need of a makeover? WIN a bespoke design for your space!
Q
Comments (90)
Houzz competition I know the deadline has passed but I would like for you to see this. (The photos are not uploading properly) As embarrassing as it has been for myself and my mum; over the course of my life, I have lived in such a beautiful neighbourhood in the Blackfriars area for over 22 years and the only renovation or decoration that was done was in our kitchen by the council which was lovely. We also got a really nice gentleman to fix our blinds in the kitchen for us however only one side was done because he mentioned that the measurement was not accurate for the other window area so for months one side has been an open view which at times I don't mind, but everyone loves privacy from time to time. When it comes to the rest of the house - 1. The corridor - the walls are damaged by paint and mould so the walls feel quite rough with cracks which at times Ive hurt myself with small scratches... the corridor is sky blue but I also imagined my corridor in a yellow/magnolia colour with white borders and my mum even bought the paint but till now it was not done. 2. The doors in the corridor that lead to each room are off white and the doors don't shut properly anymore. 3. The toilet is separate to the bathroom it's really old and green colour is very boring, the toilet itself is faulty, the wall between the toilet and bathroom by the window is quite thin so it has ripped a little bit. The pipes are cracked and the mould is showing and I was thinking to get the council to wrap it up in some kind of polystyrene wrap. 4. The bathroom has ABESTOS around the window area as the ventilation is so bad and because the window is high up it is quite hard to reach to always open and close it. The bathroom was repainted white at one point but the colour didn't stay for long. Now it's mouldy and black. The pipes are bad and mouldy and the sink area is cracked around. I had an idea of painting it with the theme white and gold accessories or blue white and gold (which my mum purchased blue paint) but we never got around to doing anything. The bath itself sounds like it's about to fall through and many times there have been leaks downstairs into my neighbours flat. The council just used a cardboard/wooden barriers to cover the bath. 5. The front room had wallpaper before and was painted over. Now, on one side of the room a little bit of the wall paper is coming off very randomly as if it's shrinking (I don't remember taking off anything). The carpet was taken off completely but nothing was done to it. This area has become store space too (due to clutter and books). We have some nice brown/gold curtains which I visualised my living room to have a boutique type elegant brown/gold/cream theme. 6. Bedroom no. 1 has not been dealt with for years and so it has become a clutter room for clothes as well as the corridor. The room colour is sky blue but would love for this room to be an elegant green theme something classy for a mother. 7. Bedroom no. 2 is a baby pink room with the intention of painting the room white with splashes of colour. I started taking some things out and taking out my bed area but it's not complete as you can see by the photos. Overall this interior design is definitely needed because of how long it has taken for the decor process to be done. This is the conundrum that is needed to be solved.
...See More
Dilemma with floor plan / renovation / design ideas - Please help
Q
Comments (15)
Hi Dalida! Yes, your flat needs a renovation, specially in the bathroom and kitchen. The wooden floor looks nice. Before starting the redising, it will be necessary you make a 'wishlist'. I would recommend a bigger kitchen . Have you considered having only 1 bigger bathroom? How many peple wil be living in the flat? How many bedrooms do you need? Is the kitchen entrance as nice as the main one ? Would you consider turning the kitchen entrance onto de main entrance to the flat? Then you'd be able to enter to the kitchen space ( it can be an attractive open-plan design - look at this one we fitted in a small apartment) Imagine that where the mirror is, is where your window is. If you turn this entrance onto the 'main one', you'll be able to have a big bedroom on the other side of the flat ( where the main entrance). You can keep the entrance and use it, but not for guest ( not nice to have visitors entering through your bedroom). As you can see there're a lot of options to discuss. I would recommend you to contact a profesional that helps you with the process, because if you meet him/her you can design together a really nice flat. Which style do you prefer? Would it be posible to change the position of the gas boiler? How much storage space do you need? For the new bathroom I would recomend to have storage space, and a large mirror will help to make the space feel bigger. As you can see, there're a lot of questions and lots of decissitions to take. Don't hesitate contacting a profesional to help you in the process it will sabe you money and headaches! We're based in South of Spain, so we're not close to help you with the renovation, but I hope my comments help you! Good luck with the renovation, Sara Leiva Architect @ Mirasur Proyectos SL PS- My recomnendation is not to divide the flat into 2 smaller ones - it will be much more expensive, messy, and you'll have 2 non- attractive tiny flats
...See More
PRO
The British Wood Flooring Company
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Unfortunately builders prefer to lay engineered floors as they are relatively straight forward and by doing so the builder can include this in his scope of works without employing an expert.

When laying on existing floorboards, either lay at right angles to the old boards or if they are to run in the same direction, use a sheet material (plywood ideally) and screw this down. In both instances, using a flexible flooring adhesive will bond floorboards in place (rather than floating as I suspect is the case here), the adhesive grabs the board but also allows for seasonal movement, an expasion gap should be left under the skirting boards
PRO
Worxzone Ltd
7 years ago
I agree with the British Wood flooring % 100. Floating the floor is easiest and cheapest way of installing wood flooring but defiantly not a professional way. I would ask the builder to glue it down, if the hight is not an issue than using plywood is even better,

Engineered wood floor soooo bouncy!

Comments (4)

User

Parker Developments

Related Discussions

The British Wood Flooring Company

Worxzone Ltd

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US