Floor direction for new hardwood over 1925 hardwood on sleepers?

[jsmith]

I’m having a new ¾” maple hardwood floor installed over my existing maple hardwood floors in my unit of a 1925 condo building. The existing floor assembly is:

joist @ 16”on center
¾” plank subfloor
1” sleepers (aligned w/ joists)
¾” Maple floor

If I bounce on one foot on my existing floor on the span between the sleepers, there is noticeable movement in the floor. The flooring installer is cautioning that the new floor must be installed perpendicular to ¬the existing maple finished floor, which would be parallel to the sleepers and joists. This rule I understand is so the seasonal moisture / thermal movement of the two floors doesn’t work together to exaggerate gaps in the new floor. But I’m wondering if running the new floor w/ the existing floor is better for stiffness given the sleepers / joists direction.

I should add that before the new floor goes in I am planning on screwing off the existing floor frequently (6” OC) along the sleepers / joists to tackle some of the squeak that is in this old floor.

Any thoughts / comments appreciated.
Thanks!

 

[DennisT]

Based on how I'm interpreting your description, when you walk on the floor the flex is occurring in the existing 3/4 maple flooring. You never stand on the subfloor as the sleepers keep you suspended over it. Essentially the maple is the floor. Running the new floor perpendicular will then stiffen it. Running it in parallel would stiffen it also, but not near as much.

If you pulled the existing floor then yes, you would want to place the new floor perpendicular to the joists.

 

[jsmith]

Dennis -
Perfect, thanks for your response!

 

[EliteFloors]

Or u could always install the new flooring on a 45 deg angle that would b the best of both worlds. Make it stronger & look amazing!!