Which screws for laying floorboards?

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At last, I have lifted the carpet and underlay on my first-floor landing to sort out the cracked/broken/split floorboards.
The house is 1930's and the poor condition of the flooring is due to a gaggle of heating engineers and electricians pulling them up over the years and generally mistreating them when an extension was built some 20 years ago. They are tongue and groove (softwood) in that area - about 18mm thick.
Until I take them up tomorrow (we are not talking about a huge area) I won't know whether to replace with T+G or square edge or mix and match to fill the gap (widthwise)
To the point
Which screws to use? the type with thread all the way to the head or the more traditional screw with a plain shank below the head and then threaded to the point.
There might be a preferred option otherwise I will just use whatever I come across in the shed I would prefer not to use the square or hex head as if I ever want to take them up, I will never find the square/hex bit.
Hoping not to start a huge debate what's the best please?
cheers
Hello
I would start by going through the screws you have in your shed. Forget nails and cut nails they are only used where you would not want future access. You want a good strong steel screw which will remain in situ and be easy to remove. It needs to have a countersunk head. Forget about using some of the modern spider type screws many of which don’t have the thread all the way along. A lot of these screws are designed to be used in man made wood and power drivers. If you use these they will split your wood and ruin it. It is important you get the correct screw, pilot drill and then countersink head. Use a candle on the thread and it will go in and out easily when needed to be removed. The type of head you use doesn’t really matter, cross head or slotted but if you are using a 12V screwdriver then cross head would be my choice. My shed probably like yours is full of GKN slotted CSK screws……the important thing is enjoy doing it and do it right,
Regards
 
You know Bodgit and Scarper plumbers have been there when you see a braided flexable pipe used under the floorboards, what a mess. When I do any work under floorboards I leave nothing behind and will hoover out, I hate seeing bits of wire and shiette that people have just discarded. The attitude seems to be out of sight out of mind, the code of the bodger.
 
Are plastic pipes now really OK for Central Heating; at least in the UK?

I can see the benefit of using them when installing a run and not wishing to simply lay pipes into a cut out on a joist...; Equally I have seen them used for hot water tap feeds - but for a CH installation?
 
You can use plastic on central heating but need to make sure it is barrier pipe so it doesn't permeate oxygen. Not sure if it's all barrier now but it certainly wasn't not that long ago. Also a no no if there is a chance of rodents getting at it. I generally prefer copper but plastic is useful sometimes if the run is difficult and a decent coil can mean fewer fittings.
 
No problem, but from my point of view and regularly having to deal with shocking workmanship such as these examples:

View attachment 148720View attachment 148719

I look to the most efficient and practical resolution.
That’s not unlike our house. TBH I wish I had bitten the bullet and gutted the top floors rather than try and lift and relay chipboard sheets (all glued at the joints when put down) deal with the uneven and chopped about joists and re-lay. It took forever. The upper floors still creak and the ceilings below still crack at the pb joints.
Of course it’s horses for courses on all these jobs just sometimes the apparently radical solution is the easiest in the end.
 
At last, I have lifted the carpet and underlay on my first-floor landing to sort out the cracked/broken/split floorboards.
The house is 1930's and the poor condition of the flooring is due to a gaggle of heating engineers and electricians pulling them up over the years and generally mistreating them when an extension was built some 20 years ago. They are tongue and groove (softwood) in that area - about 18mm thick.
Until I take them up tomorrow (we are not talking about a huge area) I won't know whether to replace with T+G or square edge or mix and match to fill the gap (widthwise)
To the point
Which screws to use? the type with thread all the way to the head or the more traditional screw with a plain shank below the head and then threaded to the point.
There might be a preferred option otherwise I will just use whatever I come across in the shed I would prefer not to use the square or hex head as if I ever want to take them up, I will never find the square/hex bit.
Hoping not to start a huge debate what's the best please?
cheers
It depends on weather or not you want to drill a clearance hole in to the floorboards before screwing it down. If you do then either type of screw will do, if you dont then use a part threaded screw. The clearance hole or the part threaded screw will allow the floorboard to be pulled down to the joists.
Good luck
 

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