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UER Forum > UE Main > Unstable Floors (Viewed 5657 times)
ChasingWhiteRabbits 


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Unstable Floors
< on 5/23/2014 2:13 AM >
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What are the best signs that a floor/stairs are too unstable to walk on?




DSomms 


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Re: Unstable Floors
< Reply # 1 on 5/23/2014 2:14 AM >
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If you can see through them then you should be careful.




Skye_Ann 


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Re: Unstable Floors
< Reply # 2 on 5/23/2014 2:16 AM >
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Take slow steps if you're unsure. Rotting wood, caving in floors, anything bowing.




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KD20 


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Re: Unstable Floors
< Reply # 3 on 5/23/2014 2:29 AM >
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Particularly with stairs, it's a good idea to test them with your boot before you put your full weight on them as you climb. Sometimes they can look perfectly stable when in reality they aren't.




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Flashyfashionfraud 


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Re: Unstable Floors
< Reply # 4 on 5/23/2014 2:36 AM >
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I find if there are holes in the floor, it's not super stable. My friend nearly put his foot through the floor at one point when we were exploring an old house. Holes everywhere and the idiot forgot to check before putting his full weight down.




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relik 


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Re: Unstable Floors
< Reply # 5 on 5/23/2014 2:45 AM >
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Keep an eye out for leaks in the ceiling above.




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jonrev 


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Re: Unstable Floors
< Reply # 6 on 5/23/2014 2:48 AM >
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That and be weary of floors made of exposed wood...




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Benched_it 


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Re: Unstable Floors
< Reply # 7 on 5/23/2014 2:59 AM >
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Here's a shot showing what NOT to do but I did anyway. I wanted the shot so I had to cross bad floors. I did it very slowly and softly...






https://www.flickr...otos/97792661@N03/
relik 


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Re: Unstable Floors
< Reply # 8 on 5/23/2014 3:05 AM >
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In my opinion, half the fun of exploring old factories is almost falling through the wooden floors! Nothin' like a few splinters in your leg to get your adrenaline pumping!




"When it rains, just find bigger drains."
Cracked 


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Re: Unstable Floors
< Reply # 9 on 5/23/2014 8:37 AM >
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Try and locate where the beams are and walk on those if at all possible. It’s usually possible to tell where they are from where the boards are nailed. Which doesn’t actually answer the OP’s question, I admit, so I’ll try and do that too. The answer is; it’s damnedably hard to tell sometimes. Holes in the floors aren’t necessarily the best indicators, as they can be caused by something else and not weaken the structural integrity of the surface. Moss or plants growing in or out of wooden boards is generally a bad thing (although that being said, I’ve crossed a floor that was made up entirely of grass growing on the top floor of a mansion house with no problems). Wet patches/drips from above are also good signs. Likewise if it’s bowing in the middle.

Generally if it’s wooden floors look for signs of decay or rot, on concrete floors look for worrying cracks (again though, you could be fine if it’s reinforced concrete, as even if it’s cracked all the way through. The steel rebar should hold a lot of weight) and on metal floors, look for large patches of rust. Any holes in metal floors are a lot more worrying than in wooden floors as, unless it’s individual sheets of metal, holes can weaken the entire structural integrity of the surface.

Tl;dr: use common sense, avoid holes and bowing boards, test your weight before committing yourself and if you don’t trust the surface, don’t walk on it. Simples.

(Edited for paragraph clarity/ease of reading)



[last edit 5/23/2014 3:36 PM by Cracked - edited 1 times]

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JasonJacksonPhoto 


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Re: Unstable Floors
< Reply # 10 on 5/23/2014 3:17 PM >
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^ Cracked pretty much nailed it. When I'm going up old stairs I usually tend to keep my feet towards the side of the stairs because I feel like the center is the weakest part





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Cracked 


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Re: Unstable Floors
< Reply # 11 on 5/23/2014 3:40 PM >
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^ This is also true. Wise words. I'll also add that if it's really quite dodgy, the three points of contact rule is a good one to follow (Always have three out of your two hands and two feet on or grasping something you believe to be solid-ish).




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Flashyfashionfraud 


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Re: Unstable Floors
< Reply # 12 on 5/23/2014 3:52 PM >
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Cracked had the best advice. We can all go home.




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-Rio- 


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Re: Unstable Floors
< Reply # 13 on 5/24/2014 8:36 AM >
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1.






It doesnt matter how you die.
But only how you live.
rainman8889 


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Bye for now.

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Re: Unstable Floors
< Reply # 14 on 5/24/2014 11:14 AM >
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Posted by -Rio-
1.
342185.jpg (78 kb, 450x600)
click to view






Naw, looks perfectly fine!




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rainman8889 


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Bye for now.

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Re: Unstable Floors
< Reply # 15 on 5/24/2014 11:15 AM >
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Posted by relik
In my opinion, half the fun of exploring old factories is almost falling through the wooden floors! Nothin' like a few splinters in your leg to get your adrenaline pumping!


But not so fun if those splinters wind up in your nut sack.




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telefontubbie 


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Re: Unstable Floors
< Reply # 16 on 5/24/2014 9:00 PM >
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If there are no visible signs of damaged floor but you feel like not giving a try, then just don't. Last summer i explored a large building where everything looked fine but for some reason i felt i shouldn't explore it. Returned there in autumn, 2 months later. The floors were completely collapsed from 3d to 1st floor. Then i realized it could have happen anytime..




HipsterKitty 


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Re: Unstable Floors
< Reply # 17 on 5/24/2014 10:07 PM >
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Posted by JasonJacksonPhoto
^ Cracked pretty much nailed it. When I'm going up old stairs I usually tend to keep my feet towards the side of the stairs because I feel like the center is the weakest part




Not entirely true, actually. The stairs themselves may be stronger than whatever is holding them up. The center is bad if the step might break in half, but the edges are worse if it could tear free. If possible, try to find a way to see how solid the stairs are, and if they're good then stay as close to the middle to balance your weight between the two sides.




jonrev 


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Re: Unstable Floors
< Reply # 18 on 5/25/2014 6:59 AM >
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I've tested floors with my tripod before - it's gone through on one occasion.




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Jap$plore 


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Re: Unstable Floors
< Reply # 19 on 5/25/2014 2:09 PM >
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Posted by JasonJacksonPhoto
^ Cracked pretty much nailed it. When I'm going up old stairs I usually tend to keep my feet towards the side of the stairs because I feel like the center is the weakest part




So true. It also makes less noise when you Use the side of the steps I used to use this technique all the time when I would try to sneak out of my house when I was younger.




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