Browse Forums Flooring & Floor Covering 1 Jun 24, 2009 1:13 pm I am having red ironbark solid timber flooring laid throughout my new home. The installer is advising that the boards need to be laid at 90 degrees to the joists to avoid "slumping". Firstly, what is slumping? Horizontal separation of the boards or up/down separation? Secondly, my joists don't all run in the same direction! Those under my kitchen/dining run longways but those under my living area run the other way. I am told I must sign a waiver if I want them laid parallel to the joists. If I want them perpendicular, they need to put in expansion joints. I don't really want to contemplate the 3rd option of having boards running different ways in the same open-plan area What is the lesser of all 3 evils? Re: Laying floorboards perpendicular to joists 2Jun 27, 2009 3:56 pm Makes no difference if the boards are over particle board. If its dirctly over the joists there is no alternative than to perpendicular. Re: Laying floorboards perpendicular to joists 3Jun 28, 2009 8:13 am I'm not sure how the installer could even attempt to lay them parallel! What is he going to nail them to? They must be laid perpendicular to the existing joists, if you are nailing to the joists... Electrical Engineer... Don't hold that against me... And keen owner builder... Mainly the building part!! Re: Laying floorboards perpendicular to joists 4Jun 28, 2009 8:29 pm Sorry, yes, they are being laid over a particleboard subfloor. I now understand that if the subfloor is laid properly, there should no be no slumping. Even with this in mind, the timber floor company is still petrified about laying them parallel. Re: Laying floorboards perpendicular to joists 5Jun 29, 2009 12:35 pm If anything they SHOULD be parallel to the joists as the particle board sheets have to laid perpendicular to the joists then the flooring would normally (but not essential) be laid perpendicular to the particle board Hi All, about to commence a bathroom renovation and need some advice on subfloor works. Current subfloor is hardwood T&G floorboards on 90x45 joists, but intention is to… 0 5874 Thanks for all replies. I just noticed now the pictures I added to post right on top of page were wrong. I attached pictures showing "current" and my "suggested" floor… 9 14674 Houses have been framed on floor joists since settlement, chipboard flooring is only around for 50 years or so, so why would it not be satisfactory? However exercise skill… 3 16864 |