Floor Movement In Old Houses

Shims are available at any home center or lumberyard.

Floor movement in old houses. That s why early americans quickly learned to seal wood floors with whatever was available from homemade paint to wax and tung oil. Wood floors are an old house staple but in the harsh environment of the kitchen wood will splinter flake and warp when exposed repeatedly to water. Such movement occurs all the time and usually its magnitude is so small it passes unnoticed. Even structurally sound code compliant new floors can deflect or flex more than feels comfortable.

Push a pair of shims in lightly. You may want to get a small device called a hygrometer usually around 15 that will measure the relative humidity in your home. Best wishes to you. There are a couple of things to bear in mind about tiles however.

Most old buildings show signs of past movement such as wavy brickwork doors trimmed to fit distorted openings or sloping floors with strips of beading concealing gaps at skirting boards. In many older houses where subfloors were nailed instead of installed with wood screws and construction adhesive the nails can loosen over time. So if your house is very old it s probably a good idea to replace your subfloor while you re at it. Similarly victorian homeowners jumped at the chance to.

For example in a 100 year old house we may not pay much attention to moderate floor slopes but if the same house has a new bathroom with large cracks in the wall tiles we know that the movement has recurred or worsened since the new bathroom installation this may be a problem. Tom s house was built in 1765 but bouncy floors aren t just an old house problem. How to refinish a 100 year old wood floor. Slide a pair of shims into the gap for a snug fit.

Draw a line on each shim to mark the depth. If you spot a gap use the wood shim solution to stop floor movement. It is best for most floors to keep your home consistent between 35 55 relative humidity. One is that if installed over a floor that has structural movement ceramic tiles are prone to crack.

Subsidence settlement heave sway bouncy floors bulging walls cracks expansion and contraction are all forms of structural movement. If you drive them in you ll widen the gap and potentially create a new squeak. Whether you ve been admiring your old wood floor for years or you just discovered it hidden under some old carpeting refinishing it can be a feast for. The method or methods tom chooses depend as much on practicality as on effectiveness.

Tile and grout is especially prone to cracking when there is movement in the subfloor or walls.