Lockwood creaking improvement

[BigBrianB]

I have a 2 level Lockwood probably 1970s I have tightened all the nuts on the wall rods but the walls and ceilings still creak (slightly less now). How much difference would lining the walls make? Any other ideas?

[Aston]

I have a 2 level Lockwood probably 1970s I have tightened all the nuts on the wall rods but the walls and ceilings still creak (slightly less now). How much difference would lining the walls make? Any other ideas?

You will never totally eliminate the creacking of a lockwood. We're talking about the properties of timber here and timber is always contracting and expanding as it absorbs and expels moisture. If the humidity of the air were constant, which it is not, there would be no problem. All the timber is doing is trying to maintain an eqililibrium with the air. The tightening of the bolts can sometimes cause the creaking to be louder because you are actually making it more difficult for the timber to move one against the other. Lining the walls may muffle the sound but it will never eliminate it.

[BigBrianB]

Thanks Aston. Do you know anyone who has lined theirs? I'd love to know if they thought it was worth the effort to muffle the sound.

[Learning]

I grew up in a Lockwood home. We moved in the day it was completed and it creaked and groaned from day one. Got use to it pretty quickly.

[Sharon]

agree with all the above, also solid homes built to last.

[jimO]

Thanks Aston. Do you know anyone who has lined theirs? I'd love to know if they thought it was worth the effort to muffle the sound.

if its moving you will have issues with cracking etc if you gib

[Aston]

Thanks Aston. Do you know anyone who has lined theirs? I'd love to know if they thought it was worth the effort to muffle the sound.

As JimO says, if it's not done properly the gib can crack because of the movement of the timber. I used to have a Lockwood and I lined one room, I first installed aluminium battens and attached the gib onto the battens and there was no problem with the gib.

I think the creaking is something that you're just going to have to get used to.

[Viking]

the creaking is timber on timber. In the newer ones they put a strip of some sort with silicone that stops that.
Try spraying the joints with silicone spray. Tedious but could work.
Lived in one that was perched on a hill on poles. The crack would start at one end and go right along the house. Scary until you got used to it.