I insisted on screws- nailed subfloors will eventually squeak.

Agree with tex about squeeking. Glue and screw..., although I have seen a glue and screwed ten years out squeeking bad enough to go underneath and screw more.

Jen

Screw and glue is certainly the most solid connection. That said, what's the problem with some floor squeeking? After all, it's a wood-framed house and that's what wood does, particularly as it expands and contracts with seasonal changes. I live in a house over 200 years old and the squeeks make the house better, IMO, adding to the character and appeal. Of course, it's not a new McMansion!

Good luck on your project.

Thanks for the replies, framers are using ring shank nails and I told them I'll be glad up come in hit the floor with screws with my impact drill this weekend. I'm with Virgilcarter where I'm okay with a little character. I still remember sneaking out of the house when I was younger and those squeaks were like walking through a minefield. Jeepers, now that I got kids of my own. I think I'm gonna insist nobody uses screws just for the security.

Glue, screws, and 3/4" Advantec tongue and groove flooring in my home.

In order, I have the subfloors glued, nailed and screwed. Inevitably, somewhere the nails or screws miss the joists, so using the two makes up for the misses.

Make sure the contractor uses the best sub-floor adhesive. Believe it or not, I've seen carpenters rolling on white glue, like it was an elementary school project.

This post was edited by worthy on Thu, Oct 24, 13 at 21:09

Duplicate

This post was edited by worthy on Thu, Oct 24, 13 at 21:10

I'm with virgilcarter. Houses that don't talk to you as you walk around in them are a little sterile and spooky.

OSB minimum thickness subfloors haphazardly nailed by minimum wage carpenter's helpers--the epitome of "character and appeal." Who knew!

Worthy, I'm not quite sure how me questioning the use of nails or screws led you to believe that I must be using both cheap labor and materials? It is indicative of why you might not see "character and appeal" in the same way some of us do.

I'm not quite sure how me questioning the use of nails or screws led you to believe that I must be using both cheap labor and materials?

Not my meaning at all! You're the one rightly questioning the contractor's flimsy excuse for doing it the cheapest way. However, do expect an upcharge for screwing and gluing.

VC was discussing what to expect from a home built when Thomas Jefferson was President . Though last time I was at Monticello, I don't recall a great deal of squeaking. (Hope Tom's descendants don't take umbrage and Twitter their outrage.)

Sorry if I misread you, these guys are doing a great job building. I'm using 3/4 T/G and a high-quality glue. They asked if I had problem with nails and were up front about the extra time it would take but never said it would cost more. I then asked of they had a problem with me following up with some screws for peice of mind and they said of course not. If anything I've asked them to tone it down a little bit on ruggedness after the 1st basement wall. They like to throw in that extra stud or two for support.

W, I thought Thomas Jefferson was a pretty good president, and his house is a pretty good design. I voted for him and he told me not to worry about squeaky floors. Better advice than from a lot of other U.S. presidents!

I'm with Virgil and the others who like character. However, I married a man who cannot tolerate squeaking floors and soon realized that if our marriage was to last I would have to give up my idea of owning an older home(I grew up in a big old house with lots of squeaks-never bothered me after I realized my brother was teasing me when he said it was old man Smith rocking in his rocking chair-supposedly he died in the house many years before we moved in-brothers!!!!). We will be using screws in our new house.

Ibewye

Is that adjustable steel post in the basement an afterthought? Typically, such posts are placed on poured reinforced columns --with the adjustable section down--and the floor is then poured around them to provide lateral stability. If the adjustable section is up, steel straps should eventually be welded onto either side of the post to provide support. (At least, that's what my P. Eng. has insisted on.)

Hey worthy, posts do have a 30"x30" footer underneath and at the time the pic was taken they were temporary held in place, there now anchored into concrete using 3/8"x6" wedge-bolts as far as being upside down-its quite possible but I can't see how it would be a huge difference. If I remember right the threaded part had a wider base (5") that would of stuck out of the 2'x4' wall it would be sitting inside of, the solid end had a narrower plate that wouldn't of put as much surface under the beam so we flipped them as it made more sense.

I'm probably missing something obvious here but if you put threaded end down and poured floor over it, are you still able to adjust it? Doesn't this mean your steel column is buried in concrete which means it'll be subject to breakdown from the moisture?

if you put threaded end down and poured floor over it, are you still able to adjust it?

No.

But now I see your situation differs. I always pour the floor last, so the posts are adjusted to the beams. You didn't have the choice.

However, the adjusting screw puts all the bearing on one spot and is less resistant to lateral movement than when the plate is welded to the column.

Where I put the adjustable sections on four columns was under steel I-beams. When I happened to mention this to the engineer, he was concerned and immediately drew up a fix: two pieces of strap steel, a minimum of 2' long connecting the column to top plate by welding.

Every situation differs. Maybe the loads on your columns are different than on the one I was dealing with. Maybe, even, you have approved top-adjusting columns. I have all my plans speced by a P. Eng. If there is an engineer involved in yours, you could check with him/her.

Adjustable Steel Column Showing Recommended Placement: adjusting plate down secured in concrete Source: Tiger Brand

This post was edited by worthy on Sun, Oct 27, 13 at 1:09

Makes sense, didn't know you were using steel beams. I switched from steel beams to LVL's but recall our eng/arch and code inspector mention having to weld the two together. Code man has approved and were onto the first floor. Thanks for the info and sorry to all for dragging off topic.

Yes, the columns are supposed to be welded to the I-beams. (Though I have seen subdivision homes where this is missing.) But I was referring to "column to top plate", as advised by the P.eng.

Code man has approved and were onto the first floor.

Just as the home I mentioned above passed all inspections too before I mentioned the issue to the engineer. Busy and sometimes ill-trained government building inspectors are not the be-all and end- all.

This post was edited by worthy on Sun, Oct 27, 13 at 1:13