Well, we did it again–installed a shower and it squeaks when a person stands in it. The guy I work for did the floor and installed first 5/8″ plywood nailed to the joists, then 5/8″ plywood running perpendicular to the first layer (no glue between and joints on second layer not necessarily on joists–especially in the area under the shower pan), then 1/4″ plywood over that. He put roof felt under the shower pan (pan is fiberglas as are the sides). We noticed it squeaking right away and lifted the pan and put caulk under the “feet” on the pan. That seemed to stop the squeaks–until we finished installation of the whole thing. Now the owner wants it fixed.
I thought that using polyurethane foam under the pan (basically filling the space under it) would quiet the squeaks which I think are coming from either the joints on the middle layer of plywood rubbing (as they are unsupported) or by friction between the layers of plywood). My boss thinks we can fix it from below by screwing the plywood layers together from below (after removing the drywall on the ceiling). I hope this will work–even if the joint is what’s making the noise, as screwing it to the layer below will limit movement. Would still be a lot easier to foam it by drilling just a couple holes either from the access, or from a small hole in ceiling. He’s afraid the foam itself will squeak. Any suggestions? (I know, do it right the first time!)
Replies
You might both be right.
It depends where the sqeak is coming from.
It could be all those layers of ply rubbing together or rubbing on nials up and down. If they were installed with glue between and screwed, or with ring nails, there would probably be no sqeak there. The screws from below would be the right fix for that now.
If the squeak is between the FG unit and the plywood, the foam should take care of that. It would stick to thigns so I doubt that it would cause further squeaks. Since you have tarpaper between, I tend to think that there is no friction here causing the niase though, so I vote for the screws first, but it can't hurt to do both.
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Any chance the drain piping is chafing against something? I've seen that too...
Thank you PaulB and Piffin--Piffin is probably right as we did not glue layers together, but we did use a nailgun. At first the block "the boss" left under the drain so we could push against it while gluing it without shoving it through the ceiling seemed to be keeping the drain too high and the pan was sort or rocking in every direction around the drain--I lifted the pan and boss reached in with something and shoved the block out of the way--that helped that problem, but the squeaking persisted. I guess it's time to cut out the ceiling drywall and start screwing the plywood together!
PS--sorry for misspelling "squeaky" in title!
I never noticed the mis-spelling. I wasn't even too sure how to spell it myself.
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These shower bases are often set in a bedding compound such as plaster or mortar. Did you use any?
Al Mollitor, Sharon MA
No, we didn't use bedding compound. Someone also told me just plain sand would work.
What on earth are you guys sandwiching plywood for a floor like that? Any glue on the joists? No glue between layers as noted. Of course it'll squeak. It would have worked fine just to glue and nail one layer of 3/4" and then lay down a bed of plaster under the pan. Struct-o-lite perlited plaster is great for that application and the shower base will be absolutely solid after the plaster sets.
I guess I shouldn't be ranting... I get calls to fix stuff like that after other contractors do the original install wrong the first time.
I agree with your rant as I know better--no we didn't glue the plywood to the joists either.
Your boss should be working for you... but make sure you don't get branded with the same iron he's branding himself with.
Good point. The worst thing was that the job I'm talking about was at an old friend's house. Several times the wife asked "the boss" something and after he replied she'd look at me to see if I agreed. Mostly I did, but he did the floor while I was doing something else. Another person I did some work for on my own needs some remodeling done and I told her that my boss had more experience and she made it clear that she wanted me, alone. I said I didn't have a license and she said I should get one. So that's next on my to do list.
I worked for a year and a half with a framing carpenter who knew what he was doing, so I learned the right way to do a lot of things. My curren't boss disagrees with me on just about everything though, and since it's his ballgame, if he won't listen to my suggestions, I just do it his way. But I am chafing and want to be on my own--and more than that, I want to do jobs I can be proud of (or at least comfortable with!).
Sounds like you need to step out. Regardless how it turns out financially, you'll probably be a whole lot happier. Best of luck on the next step.
I never met a tool I didn't like!
Thanks to you and all of you who responded with support--and even criticism. I worked by myself for a while, but wasn't finding much work. When this guy offered to let me replace a helper who left, I did and we had quite a bit more work. The thing is on some jobs you need two people. I guess there must be someone else out there who could be my "assistant".
We've gotten to the point at our company that we are installing fiberglass shower bases and whirlpool tubs in mortar. Subfloor issues notwithstanding, that should keep them from moving enough to cause a squeak or at least insulate the noise to a good degree.Maybe they should buy a better quality shower base in the first place. Won't help you now though.Good luck. Squeaks are my least sympathetic homeowner gripe. I don't mind fixing REAL problems.