Now that my little house plans are coming, I've got a question. When putting down the plywood for the floor, do you pre-drill the screw holes?
Jared
QuoteNow that my little house plans are coming, I've got a question. When putting down the plywood for the floor, do you pre-drill the screw holes?
Jared
I would. It allows you to draw up the plywood tight against the 2x's, preventing squeaks etc. In my trailers I even put down a bead of glue.
The key is to have a clearance hole. For the average drywall screw I use either 11/64's or 3/16ths.
Mike...
P.S. I even use a combo bit, which contains a drill, countersink and counterbore. 1 pass and you are done!
I used to predrill totally. When predrilling I used a 1/8" bit, and depth gauged so that the bit would barely enter the joists. Used glue along with decking screws.
Now I first glue, and use cement blocks to hold the plywood down ... or shims to hold it up, as required. Use just enough screws (with predrilling) to keep the plywood from skidding about on the wet glue. Next day, I finish out the scews ... no predrilling.
No you don't pre-drill unless you've got a lot of time to waste. Use the screws where the threads end about 3/4" from the head and they will draw the sheathing tight to the joists.
Elastomeric adhesive, and 8d ring shank nails shot from ye trusty nail gun. Snap lines for each course to be double safe that you get them lined up perfectly, if you don't, they will migrate into a v pattern, and gaps will appear like crazy! Measure from the edge of the sheet to the four foot mark, and put the joist in the middle of that sheet, this way, the next course, (staggereg) will line up with the joist. secure with one nail at the edge of the sheet on each joist (be careful not to nail through the groove), after the whole floor is sheeted, go through and snap chalk lines for all the joists, and finish nail them. Probably more info than you were after, but I figured that other people might want to hear. Anyway, lots of elastomeric, or urethane, and ring shanks, and if you have proper sized subfloor, you shouldn't have any squeaks there. ;)
If you really want to screw it, rent one of those autofeed guns with the extension so you can stand upright, and finish screw it this way. I would suggest using nails as above to lay it all though before renting the tool.
I'll concure w/ Hobbist's adding only one other point . Interior partions that run the same direction as your floor joist should be glued and screwed down , the ones that fall "off center" to the joist , if nailed will sqqqqqqqqeeeeekkkkk , when walked along side if only nailed . The rest of the floor glue and ringshank nails will do the job.
If your deck sheathing has taken a lot of weather pyror to installing , and is warped , / cupped / tweakie , hand nail it with 8d Galvies , drivum home hard to pull that sheet into submission / tight to the joist , There is alway's another way , another situation, well it seems :-/
If your goods are dry / clean , it's not raining goats and sheep , the gun nails will work with the const. Adh. Make sure your not over driving , nor under driving , The latter is easy to fix , with your handy hammer , give er a whack :) Over driven , reset pressure or driver depth adj. drive again .
BTW wash that glue off with paint thinner , clean your tape measuer and handle of your saw at the same time , if it bothers you . It will wear off in a few days either way ;)
Good luck , PEG
I'll add to say there are places the over sized pre drill is a asset . When you install your cabs . Pre drill ever hole thru one cab , it will pull the other up tight and out of sight 8-).
Pre drill your cab to stud holes , style to style contections , inside corners , scrib strips , etc .
So there is a place , more than I mentioned I'm sure, where the pre drill action will GREATLY help , sub floor ain't one IMO . Good . luck , PEG
Good point about the interior walls parralell with joists. And about cleaning the glue off right away. Especially important with the tape measure, lest it get glued shut (the glue usually gets on the hook, or a few inches from the end).
A big thumbs up to all the experienced input here. :) Very valuable hands on info... for all of us.
Also shows you that reasonable people doing quality work aren't always doing exactly the same thing. Somehow I find this comforting 8-).
John, there are as many different ways to do one thing as there are opinions. Something I could never get my former welding and fab boss to understand. He would get so mad at me if he just told me what the end product needed to be, instead of telling me every little step and me doing it his way, whether or not it made sense. Thats one of the greatest parts of the creative process though, is learning all the little tricks that different people employ, then seeing if they work better for you than the way you do it. My rule of thumb is, whatever is fastest, safest, and most personally pleasing to arrive at the same result. Funny though, sometimes the easiest way, is the hardest way. The shortest way is the longest way. Why? Because many people spend too much time thinking about the process, instead of working toward the outcome.
Another thing that James F. Lincoln -(think that is right) founder of Lincoln Electric -welders- said in one of his books is that the welds only need to be of a quality sufficient to accomplish the task they were intended for - in reference to cost control - no space shuttle welds necessary on a barbecue-etc. Apply the same to building -within reason - finish quality cuts are not required on framing - good is good enough. Time is money too, especially in DIY.
Pick up any of the framing books by Larry Haun. Tons of great stuff in there. Studs should be fairly close to the same size. Hopefully no more than 1/4" difference. Top and bottom plates should be exact within an eigth, but double top plates can be 1/4" short where they butt to allow you to suck the walls tight to eachother. There are a bunch of little tips like that in this guys books.