Flooring in 50 year old house, replacing it

[snadge]

Hi all

we bought a house and it needs q bit doing to it - bricks have gaps with cement coming away but worst of all the flooring is uneven and bouncy and in kitchen it stinks of mould and its all over the house and our clothes stink - we ripped up the lam flooring in kitchen where washer and sink is and looks like theres been a huge washer leak, right down to cooker there was mould under the lam flooring.. its gone now but smell is worse since ripping flooring up, i ripped up the MDF floorboard and it seemed dry underneath, i cant notice the smell but she can and she been told her clothes stink...so i believe her...hehe anyway the washer bounces all over the place too and in living room the floor is raised in center - so we have started in kitchen to try and combat the smell - the MDF square boards need replacing...

....what is the best wood to replace with? - the same MDF boards or is there other better type? - im good at DIY but ive never replaced actual "floors" before so dont know whats best, so here Iam seeking advice as we need to get it replaced and sealed up... there are 5 air bricks in front of house and 3 in back so it gets plenty air underneath so I think its the rest of the LAM flooring that I cant get up yet under units that may have mold (smell) aswell- stinking out the house...

thanks in advance[/b]

 

[Deluks]

MDF should never be used for floors so I assume you mean tongue and groove chipboard. Which is rubbish for a kitchen.

Rip it all up, lay down some plywood and tile over it, or lay some lino/vinyl.

Use this as an opportunity to also insulate between the joists, use EPS (polystyrene) boards, or loft insulation roll suspended on chicken wire.

If the joists are bouncy use 25mm plywood or as JasonB recommended on another thread recently, 22mm T&G plywood.

Insulated solid floors are best for kitchens, more work though, means filling the void with hardcore, insulation and concrete.

 

[snadge]

MDF should never be used for floors so I assume you mean tongue and groove chipboard. Which is rubbish for a kitchen.

Rip it all up, lay down some plywood and tile over it, or lay some lino/vinyl.

Use this as an opportunity to also insulate between the joists, use EPS (polystyrene) boards, or loft insulation roll suspended on chicken wire.

If the joists are bouncy use 25mm plywood or as JasonB recommended on another thread recently, 22mm T&G plywood.

Insulated solid floors are best for kitchens, more work though, means filling the void with hardcore, insulation and concrete.

yeah its T&G chipwood sorry - thanks for the advice... our lass was hoping to put laminate flooring in - is this a big no no in kitchens? (as weve experienced) - theres about 2-3ft void underneath

thanks

 

[Blagard]

Deleted

 

[snadge]

..also, what about other rooms - im gunna be replacing in living room but hoping to avoid the passage - the T&G Chipwood is 20mm thick so if I want to keep some of it im gunna have to get 20mm plywood..can i get that?

thanks for your help

 

[Deluks]

Laminate isn't so good in a kitchen, yes you can get commercial grade stuff which is fairly water resilient but as you have experienced, a leak will leave moisture trapped underneath which eventually goes a bit moldy. Tile it or vinyl (single sheet of vinyl not the stick down tiles)

As for the other areas , you can get ply in 18mm or 22mm, either should do as 2mm will make a negligible difference to floor height.

Your 20mm might actually be 18mm stuff that's swelled up with moisture.

You'll get away with 18mm in the kitchen under a tiled floor as long as you put in plenty of noggins.

 

[snadge]

Laminate isn't so good in a kitchen, yes you can get commercial grade stuff which is fairly water resilient but as you have experienced, a leak will leave moisture trapped underneath which eventually goes a bit moldy. Tile it or vinyl (single sheet of vinyl not the stick down tiles)

As for the other areas , you can get ply in 18mm or 22mm, either should do as 2mm will make a negligible difference to floor height.

Your 20mm might actually be 18mm stuff that's swelled up with moisture.

You'll get away with 18mm in the kitchen under a tiled floor as long as you put in plenty of noggins.

thanks i really appreciate your help - i suppose it be cheaper to go down to wood yard than B&Q? - the noggins for extra support and something to screw down to yes? - i mentioned you plan to her and she twisted her face cos she wants laminate all downstairs throughout - I will talk her out of it cos she already experienced the problems it poses ...women eh?

thanks again

 

[Deluks]

mentioned you plan to her and she twisted her face cos she wants laminate all downstairs throughout - I will talk her out of it cos she already experienced the problems it poses

Great! Ask her if she wants laminate on the walls too? and the ceilings? Laminate plates and cutlery? why not cover the lawn with it?
A nice hat made from the offcuts?

Yeh, proper timber merchants will sort you out. Arm yourself with B&Q's prices though in case they try to pull a fast one on you for not being a proper tradesman (Travis Perkins do this!)

 

[snadge]

thanks for the tip...

 

[geraint]

MDF should never be used for floors so I assume you mean tongue and groove chipboard. Which is rubbish for a kitchen.

Rip it all up, lay down some plywood and tile over it, or lay some lino/vinyl.

Use this as an opportunity to also insulate between the joists, use EPS (polystyrene) boards, or loft insulation roll suspended on chicken wire.

If the joists are bouncy use 25mm plywood or as JasonB recommended on another thread recently, 22mm T&G plywood.

Insulated solid floors are best for kitchens, more work though, means filling the void with hardcore, insulation and concrete.

if the joists are bouncy.. putting a thicker floor on top will not stop the bounce.. will only make it worse... and insulating a suspended floor is in my opnion an absolute waste of time....

 

[snadge]

I was thinking about putting some more support bricks under the joists to stabalize it a bit more... will this be a good idea?

why is the insulation a bad idea?

I was just gunna put some more supports under joists, then use noggins to fix the joists together a bit and create more firm support and also more support and places to screw in for new flooring - using screws as old floor has nails and has crept up / squeaks/moves when walk on it
then Im gunna price some boards up - was even thinking about planks instead as it might be firmer? will it? or is boards the best answer?

cheers

 

[Deluks]

I was thinking about putting some more support bricks under the joists to stabalize it a bit more... will this be a good idea?

why is the insulation a bad idea?

I was just gunna put some more supports under joists, then use noggins to fix the joists together a bit and create more firm support and also more support and places to screw in for new flooring - using screws as old floor has nails and has crept up / squeaks/moves when walk on it
then Im gunna price some boards up - was even thinking about planks instead as it might be firmer? will it? or is boards the best answer?

cheers

Extra noggins, good.
Probably not worth putting bricks under joists, as the ones that are already there likely have half sensible foundation underneath, your's will be going onto the oversite so won't have the same support.
screws, good.
Wbp ply or t&g floorboards, either are suitable. Ply would be my choice. I've never heard of a plywood floor failing due to woodworm.

Feel free to follow Gerain't advice not to insulate....if you enjoy giving money to your gas supplier.

 

[snadge]

I was thinking about putting some more support bricks under the joists to stabalize it a bit more... will this be a good idea?

why is the insulation a bad idea?

I was just gunna put some more supports under joists, then use noggins to fix the joists together a bit and create more firm support and also more support and places to screw in for new flooring - using screws as old floor has nails and has crept up / squeaks/moves when walk on it
then Im gunna price some boards up - was even thinking about planks instead as it might be firmer? will it? or is boards the best answer?

cheers

Extra noggins, good.
Probably not worth putting bricks under joists, as the ones that are already there likely have half sensible foundation underneath, your's will be going onto the oversite so won't have the same support.
screws, good.
Wbp ply or t&g floorboards, either are suitable. Ply would be my choice. I've never heard of a plywood floor failing due to woodworm.

Feel free to follow Gerain't advice not to insulate....if you enjoy giving money to your gas supplier.

righteho - im gunna insulate - she not bothered but Iam - more so for living room and dining room as we never heat the kitchen/passage - or would it pay to just get it all done? how much is that likely to cost? were lmited on money at mo as im on sick and have kitchen units to buy, plasterer etc etc - no money saved and paying off monthly may use credit card

 

[Deluks]

Loft insulation roll works as well as anything, try and a get at least 100mm in. You can get this on eBay or freecycle, people usually end up buying too much and have rolls left over.
Most of the sheds have deal on at the moment, I seem to recall wickes doing a buy1 get 2 free on loft roll. They probably overprice it to compensate though but worth checking out.

You can use chicken wire to support, or galvanised or garden wire zig-zagged across the void. Put screws in either side to wrap the wire round.

 

[snadge]

Loft insulation roll works as well as anything, try and a get at least 100mm in. You can get this on eBay or freecycle, people usually end up buying too much and have rolls left over.
Most of the sheds have deal on at the moment, I seem to recall wickes doing a buy1 get 2 free on loft roll. They probably overprice it to compensate though but worth checking out.

You can use chicken wire to support, or galvanised or garden wire zig-zagged across the void. Put screws in either side to wrap the wire round.

good idea with garden wire

where would you shop for 20mm Plywood for the floor?
Ive just learnt my local woodyard IS a Travis Perkins so im put off going after what you said... we are going to be buying it in next week or so

thanks