I realise this is a well discussed issue but I should still appreciate some advice on my particular job.
I have to cut an access slot in an 18mm chipboard floor layed in 1988 when the house was built. It appears to use T&G boards but I don't know whether they are glued or not.
Question 1 - are they likely to be glued dating from 1988?.
The boards (upstairs) were layed before a couple of hollow timber frame walls were built on top. The hole I want to cut is to install new electrical light cables (ceiling lights in kitchen below) and would be a slot about 15cm wide and about 3 metres in length crossing 7 joists (40 cm spacing). I'c leeked ar cutting circular access hatched but don't have the cutter, so all-in-all it looks like an expensive approach.
The hole would extend into a bedroom and also across the landing area. One the landing, one edge of the hole would run parllel to an upstairs timber-framed wall maybe just a few centimeters out from the wall. The other edge would more or less hit the join between adjacent floor panels. I have read loads of posts about using a circular saw set to cut less than 18mm etc etc, and that is the method I am inclined to use. Where the hole extends through the bedroom doorway on to the landing, the wooden step can be easily removed.
Question 2 - How can I tell whether the boards are glued? If they are glued, presumable all I can do is cut along the join?
Question 3 - If I cut along the join between boards, I am destroying the tongue of one board - I don't know which on at this stage. Does in matter?
Question 4 - When I replace the cut section of board, do I need to support the joins between every joist given that the T&G joint has been destroyed?
The boards are nailed down, so I expect there will be a problem lifting the nails. I don't want to hammer them through because this is likely to damage the ceiling below.
Any comments or advice would be appreciated.
I have to cut an access slot in an 18mm chipboard floor layed in 1988 when the house was built. It appears to use T&G boards but I don't know whether they are glued or not.
Question 1 - are they likely to be glued dating from 1988?.
The boards (upstairs) were layed before a couple of hollow timber frame walls were built on top. The hole I want to cut is to install new electrical light cables (ceiling lights in kitchen below) and would be a slot about 15cm wide and about 3 metres in length crossing 7 joists (40 cm spacing). I'c leeked ar cutting circular access hatched but don't have the cutter, so all-in-all it looks like an expensive approach.
The hole would extend into a bedroom and also across the landing area. One the landing, one edge of the hole would run parllel to an upstairs timber-framed wall maybe just a few centimeters out from the wall. The other edge would more or less hit the join between adjacent floor panels. I have read loads of posts about using a circular saw set to cut less than 18mm etc etc, and that is the method I am inclined to use. Where the hole extends through the bedroom doorway on to the landing, the wooden step can be easily removed.
Question 2 - How can I tell whether the boards are glued? If they are glued, presumable all I can do is cut along the join?
Question 3 - If I cut along the join between boards, I am destroying the tongue of one board - I don't know which on at this stage. Does in matter?
Question 4 - When I replace the cut section of board, do I need to support the joins between every joist given that the T&G joint has been destroyed?
The boards are nailed down, so I expect there will be a problem lifting the nails. I don't want to hammer them through because this is likely to damage the ceiling below.
Any comments or advice would be appreciated.
