Hey everyone, I recently replaced my kitchen subfloor and sistered the joists to help level everything out before laying down new hardwood. However, I noticed that the contractor (or possibly their subcontractor) used some bad wood, which I suspect they took from a garden bed, for sistering the joists. I'm worried this might lead to mold issues down the line since the new subfloor and hardwood have already been installed. Is there a way to replace the bad wood without needing to tear out the floors? I can access the joists from the unfinished basement, but I'm feeling pretty stressed about this. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
2 Answers
Totally get why you're stressed! It’s critical to fix that before it leads to mold or structural issues. If you can get to it from the basement, try to carefully cut the bad wood away and replace it with new, good-quality lumber. Maybe use some construction adhesive along with screws to ensure it’s safe and secure. It might be tricky, but it's doable without removing the flooring above. Just do it carefully to prevent any damage to your new installation!
Wow, that's frustrating! It looks like the contractor really dropped the ball on that one. From what I can see, the joists aren't even properly sistered. If the bad wood is just hanging there and not securely fastened, it won't provide any structural support, which could lead to more problems. As for replacing it without disturbing the flooring, one option might be to cut out the bad wood from underneath and use proper lumber to replace it. You could add blocking in the area to ensure stability while doing this. Just make sure the new pieces are well attached! Good luck with it!
That sounds like a solid plan! Just be cautious while working under there since you won't want to disturb anything major.
I hope you manage to sort it out! It’s crazy what some contractors will do. Stay safe!