Got a squeeky floor.
Remodeled my bathroom.
Stripped floor down to the boards.
Put on 2 layers of 1/2 in durock (toilet flange protruded above floor quite a bit)
Mortared both layers of durock.
Put on elect floor heating system (Sunsetter). As per instructions, put mortar on it thick enough to embed the heater wires and get 3/8 trowel ridges, and set the floor tiles on right away.
After that set up I walked around on all the tiles to see if there were any loose ones. Didn’t get any squeeks out of the floor at that time. No loose tiles.
Installed the toilet and vanity. Now have a small area where the floor squeeks.
Any clue as to why it squeeks now? How to fix it?
Thanks!
General Contractor
Minneapolis MN
www.Handy-Werks.com
Replies
Ouch! Just be glad it isn't a shower pan. I recently built a custom handicapped-accessible shower and also put the electric heat in the drying area. I didn't want to take a chance on having the problem you are experiencing. To ensure a firm floor, I installed 3/4" T&G flooring over the original floor. I think the two layers of durock is not necessarily a good thing. Anyway, to continue with the shower story, I staged my Bosch rotary hammer at the job site. This was to have it ready in case there was a problem with my installation of the shower pan or the drying area. I had worked on this project for several months. I decided that the only way to get over a defective installation quickly and with the least emotion was to immediately remove everything, clean up, and start the new construction in the same day. Luckily, everything turned out fine and I didn't need to demolish anything.
I would be interested to hear how you solve your problem. I can think of only one solution. This would consist of two parts. The first would be to approach the floor from below and strengthen the joists by sistering new joists in the area of the squeak. Use construction adhesive and screws. 3/4" plywood might work even better than dimensional lumber here if you apply it on both sides of the joists. If you cannot get to the area from below, you still have the second part of the solution: Remove (by carefully demolishing) everything down to the subfloor in the area of the squeak. Place a single layer of backer board over a layer of thinset over a piece of expanded metal mesh which has been screwed or stapled to the subfloor. Place the board before the mixture has set. Screw it down on a six-inch grid. Let it cure for at least a day before putting any weight on the area. Once you are sure the area has cured, retile and hope for the best. This would be making the best out of a bad situation, but might work. If you prefer, you could put a half-inch layer of plywood in the area instead of the thicker layer of mud and mesh under the backer board. In this case, I would extend the plywood a reasonable distance beyond the squeaky area. Don't use OSB. Depending on the current thickness of your materials, you might still be able to embed the backer board in a layer of thinset on top of the plywood. This is a judgement call that only you can make. Once you start to demolish, you may come to the realization that it may be easier to just cut your losses and replace the entire installation, as I was prepared to do. Good Luck!
Thanks for the input. I'll probably try bracing from below.General ContractorMinneapolis MNwww.Handy-Werks.com
Put on 2 layers of 1/2 in durock
Put on elect floor heating system.
Mortared
set the floor tiles
Installed the toilet and vanity.
Remodeled my bathroom.
Roar! Bet that's one bathroom that's not getting gutted and redone for a small squeek!
My bet it's wood causing that squeek. The villian: the stool or vanity.
If you have access to the floor from underneath first try is the standard ol' light tap on a soft wedge between the joist and the floorboards near where the area of the squeek is. Sometimes old remedies work well.
Or maybe some kind of weird thing happened when you tightened down the stool that pulled a floorboard up a hair where you screwed the flange down through it.
But I'm just a homeowner so use the grain of salt.
and as soon as he fills out his profile...he'll get the RIGHT answer!
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations.
Edited 6/29/2004 4:40 pm ET by SPHERE
The Durock is not structural support. It would have been better to add 1/2 inch plywood, then Durock.
So what are the "boards" that you stripped down to? Were they plywood (good), OSB (bad), or a wood subfloor (bad)? How thick is the wood subfloor? 1 1/4" plywood (great), 3/4" plywood (good), 1/2" plywood (bad).
I agree with the others to try to do something from below if possible.
Billy