What Is Under Your Floorboards?

Underneath wooden floorboards, you can find:

• Joists
• Water pipes
• Electrical cables
• Soil (if it’s the ground floor)
• The ceiling of the room below (if it’s an upper floor)
• A lot of empty space (and perhaps even a bit of “dark matter” humorously speaking)

The Reality of Restoring Floorboards

We often receive requests to restore floorboards. A common part of these inquiries is, “There are a few loose boards that JUST need securing.” However, it’s never just a simple fix.

The Risks Involved

There’s a significant risk of damaging something underneath if you blindly screw or nail the boards down. If you’ve done it yourself at home without incident, consider yourself lucky. This is a rare task for most homeowners, but it’s our daily routine, and we cannot afford to take those risks. The math doesn’t lie.

Proper Procedure for Floorboard Restoration

To properly address this issue, we need to:

1. Lift the floorboards
2. Ensure there’s support underneath
3. Verify there’s enough space for a screw or nail

Remember, we’re often dealing with boards that are 50, 70, or even 100 years old, and there’s a high chance they will break during the lifting process. What seems like a 5-second job can quickly turn into a more complex task that involves buying a new board, cutting it to size, and securing it properly.

A Word of Caution

Next time you ask for a quick fix, please keep in mind it might not be as simple as it seems. If you want to do it yourself, either take a chance or inspect it properly first. Typically, landing areas are junctions for these concerns, but this issue can also occur in other rooms.