Holes in upstairs floor

[R. Caillet]

We are having a house built. The builder, a national builder, is not
going to put any floor coverings on. This is at our request, because we
can hire a flooring contractor for less than they want to "upgrade".

Anyway, we were in the house yesterday installing some low voltage
wiring and noticed several holes in the upstairs subflooring. All the
holes are about the same size, which is about the size of a nickel. For
the most part, these holes are in the middle of the floor. They are not
designed for wiring or plumbing. We are concerned that if we carpet
over the holes they will be noticable, or if the leg of a chair or
something is put directly over the hole, it may push through.

Is it normal to have these type holes in an upstairs floor? If not,
other than replacing the sheet of subfloor, how do you patch these holes?

Thanks

[dan]

They were probably drilled in the floor to allow water to drain while the
house was being dried in.Common practice around here.

[3rd Generation]

"R. Caillet" wrote in message news:3DFC86E0...@dallas.net...

Quick fix
fill hole with expansion foam (fire stopper)
liquid nail (no squeak) a piece of step flashing (aluminum) over hole

Long fix
cut a piece of subflooring larger than hole
place over hole and trace
cut out subfloor (set saw to desired height)
fill hole with expansion foam (fire stopper)
liquid nail patch (no squeak)
nail w/ 8p ring nail

[ameijers]

"R. Caillet" <rcai...@dallas.net> wrote in message
news:3DFC86E0...@dallas.net...

If you mean holes in the plywood layer, it is no big deal, although I would
have no idea why they would do that. A picky inspector may insist on a plug
as a fire stop. Whoever you hire for the finish floors will put another
layer of solid material over it, probably hi-density chipboard underlayment,
then the carpet. If the builder put the chipboard down, and that has holes,
I'd beat on the builder and insist on it being patched or plugged.
(Although chipboard is often not used under 'real' hardwood floors. Did you
tell the builder all rooms would be carpet/vinyl/pergo?) If you have some
strange 'all in one' flooring system that isn't supposed to need an
underlayment layer, not sure what to tell you. Being anal, I'd plug them.

aem sends.....

[davefr]

Just get a can of Bondo and mix it up and fill the holes.

If it's just a couple holes, I wouldn't worry. I've never seen chain
legs smaller than a nickel.

On Sun, 15 Dec 2002 07:42:56 -0600, "R. Caillet" <rcai...@dallas.net>
wrote:

[barry martin]

R. Caillet:

RC> We are having a house built. The builder, a national builder, is not
RC> going to put any floor coverings on. This is at our request, because we
RC> can hire a flooring contractor for less than they want to "upgrade".
RC>
RC> Anyway, we were in the house yesterday installing some low voltage
RC> wiring and noticed several holes in the upstairs subflooring. All the
RC> holes are about the same size, which is about the size of a nickel. For
RC> the most part, these holes are in the middle of the floor. They are not
RC> designed for wiring or plumbing. We are concerned that if we carpet
RC> over the holes they will be noticable, or if the leg of a chair or
RC> something is put directly over the hole, it may push through.
RC>
RC> Is it normal to have these type holes in an upstairs floor? If not,
RC> other than replacing the sheet of subfloor, how do you patch these holes?

We had an addition added this summer, also had our own people install
carpeting. No holes in the floor; there are some slight cuts where
they cut in the middle, maybe 1/16th of an inch into the plywood.

My guess is they pre-drilled 3/4-7/8" holes in 2x4's and drilled too
far (but all the way through?!). Personally I would have them plug
these holes somehow -- glue a dowel and cut flush? I'm not so sure a
furniture leg would go through but possibly stretch the carpeting is
the leg and hole happened to line up.

It is a good idea to monitor the construction as things go. Not to
say your people are cheating but may prevent problems later on. When
our guys did electrical they had to run it in a 'box' along with the
ductwork and plumbing. (I also ran my wiring: telephone, cable,
network cables, 2nd doorbell, etc., in it.) One of the electrical
wires was a liiiiitle too close to one of the water supply pipes (not
sure if was the hot or cold) for my liking. Secured it with a plastic
wire strap to the sewer pipe. May have been OK but I wasn't
comfortable with the way it was almost touching the copper pipe.

-
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