OK – I have a puzzle I can’t solve, and I am looking for some ideas.
Here’s the situation. New house, 2nd floor bathroom, put down tile about two weeks ago, now the floor squeaks. More information – the joists are TJI’s 11-7/8 deep, spanning 6′-8″@ 16″ o.c. Subfloor is 3/4″ Advantech, glued and nailed with 8d ringshanks every 8″. Tile backer is 1/4″ Hardibacker, thinset to the subfloor and screwed every 12″ o.c. with 1″ stainless screws. Tile is 2″ octagon Dal-Tile with 1″ dots on a mesh backing, so it lends zero structural strength to the floor system. Tile is thinset with Laticrete and latex admixture. I thought I did everything right.
Now the puzzle – before the tile was installed, there were NO squeaks in the bathroom floor. None. Now that the tile is in, the floor squeaks. But only in front of the tub (a one-piece acrylic unit). I can’t get at the floor joists from below because it is sheetrocked. The floor doesn’t seem to have any deflection to it at all. I don’t get it. I don’t think that grouting the tile will solve the problem, and now I’m afraid to grout it because of the squeaks.
Replies
I think your problem is with the 12" spacing for the Hardiboard. There use to be little dots 6" oc for nailing the board down. In spite of the thinset you probably have a little give between your nailing.
Bing
Are you sure it isn't the acrylic tub that's causing the queaking?
roger
Well, that was one thought, but neither the backerboard nor the tile touch the tub. I left about a 1/16" gap.
Try filling the tub up with water and see if the squeak goes.
roger
Just guessing, but it might be a nail. It just takes one to squeak, I always screw the sub, even if it has been nailed. After I screw it, I pound in the existing nails.
Also, with tji's, adhesive should be placed in the saddle of the hangers to avoid squeaks. I've seen this detail missed more times than I care to admit.
After reading the thread, you've got a few places to look.What I like to call "a little CSI"
Pop one or two of the tiles over the joist and add two of three SS screws, 2 1/2" jobs, through the thinset into the joist below and check that squeek again.
Did you run the thinset right up against the tub? Could be the tub rubbing against the thinset as the floor deflects ever so slightly.
If not that, try driving a few trim screws through the grout lines. (Pre-drill holes through the thinset.)
But frankly I wouldn't worry about it.
A few thoughts -
The Hardi should be mechanicly attacjhed at 6-8"OC instead of 12"
Laticrete isn't the best thinset. Seems "meally" to me
Sometimes TJIS mopve in the saddle of the hanger if they are hung rather than platformed. Since you have a finished ceiling below, I assume platform so this is less likely. This goes back to the framers though and is likely to have at least hinted beforehand - tho the additional weight might be making the difference.
the weight might possibly be causing deflection to the point that something is binding at the tub. I can't see from here how it all works together or doesn't
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All of the feedback is telling me that this is a tub/floor interface problem. Funny you mentioned the Laticrete being 'mealy' - not quite the word I'd use, but accurate. The thinset under the Hardi was not latex-modified, and it is not very strong.
The squeak is not confined to one place. That tells me it's not just a nail. It's also in the center of the span. That tends to rule out the hangers (they are hung, not platformed). It's making noise anytime you walk anywhere in front of the tub. If you walk anywhere else in the room, there are no squeaks at all.
I'm going to attempt a diagnosis tonight and get back to this thread if I can find the culprit. I really dislike the thought of removing the whole mess, although I did a rather crappy tile job and it wouldn't break my heart to do it over.
I agree that your best option is to cut out a few tiles along the top of joists and drive some 2 1/2 screws through the hardi, and the advantech and into the joists. do one at a time till the squeak stops. The small octagon tiles will make the repairs disappear.
Something is rubbing on the tub.
Or the vanity perhaps?
I don't get why people get so freaked by squeaks.
There must be something important in your life besides this.
Sarcasm intended, but not meant to be disrespectful.
Eric
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Hey, I'm not freaked out by it. It's just that this is a new house, MY house, and I've put hundreds if not thousands of hours into it, most of it being very finicky. I'd like not to have the darn squeaking, but I've already decided to live with it. I'd like to get the stinking thing done already so we can move in.
I did my detective work. The thinset under the tile is indeed rubbing on the tub. It's a 'plasticky' squeak and not a 'nail on wood' squeak. I'm going to attempt a little remediation with a Dremel tool and hope it gets better or goes away. Should have left a slightly larger caulk gap anyway. I have another bathroom with identical construction, only a shower unit instead of a tub, and I left a decent gap (1/8" +/-) and it does not squeak anywhere.
Plastic acrylic piece of cr*p tub, but gotta have what DW wants (easy to clean) or else.... she can live with my lousy tile job too.
Thanks to all of you for your observations.
Sounds like you are on the right trail
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