Backyard Blitz builder, Scott Cam, was helping out at home when a floorboard gave way beneath his foot! Floorboards often fail because of damp rot or termite attack. However, in this case the floorboard had become loose and slipped off the joist underneath. Scott said that a broken floorboard can easily be replaced and is no cause for panic.

What to do

1. Remove the broken floorboard and take it with you when you go to a timber yard to buy a replacement piece of timber. If you are planning to sand the floor the new piece of timber must match exactly, otherwise the repair will be obvious. Scott was able to find a piece of matching timber from under a wardrobe in one of his bedrooms.
2. If you have tongue and groove flooring, use a hammer and chisel to remove tthe bottom edge of the groove on your new floorboard so that it will slip easily into place.
3. Trim the ends of the replacement timber so it will fit exactly into the floor. Scott used a circular saw for this job but it could also be done with a handsaw. As the problem piece of floorboard had slipped from the existing joist, Scott used a small block of wood as a dummy joist to hold the new floorboard in position.

(Tip: it is easier to start driving in the nails before you place the block of wood in position under the floor.) If the floorboard had been rotten or eaten by termites it would be advisable to check, and if necessary replace, surrounding floorboards, joists and bearers beneath the floor. Nail the new floorboard into position.

(Note: when using hardwood or old, well-seasoned, brittle timber, drill out the ends before nailing, otherwise the timber will split.)

Copyright CTC Productions 2001