Hi,
Ive been dipping in and out of DIYnot over the last couple of years, and boy has it been helpful. Now is the time for me to ask a question and Im hoping someone can clarify something for me. There seems to be alot of chat about lying floors onto concrete but not onto old timber boards, and this is my next job.
Im about to lay a new ply floor onto an existing boarded floor in a top floor flat, in a listed building (1840's).
The existing floor has been partially reboarded by a previous owner due to rootwork being carried out to the joists, so some of it is pretty level. The floor slopes along its length, but I can live with that, it all adds character after all, and there is a slight 5-8mm dip in a section of the older flooring that I will level out as much as possible, by packing out between the joist and board.
My final floor finish will be 18mm high quality ply, cut into 406mm squares and biscuit jointed together, I plan to remove the skirting board to run the new floor underneath.
My main query is this.
After looking through alot of posts its seems that the best way to create a more level surface, and to also sound proof it, is to first sheet out the floor with either a 6mm ply, or hardboard, overlay this with a good quality fibre board, and then lay the 18mm ply over the top. Is this the correct order of layering though?. Might the fibre board be better direct onto the existing boards to take level out the nooks and crannies? Do I really need the 6mm ply/hardboard? Im not sure.
The other query is what would be the best way to fix the top layer down. Can I just glue the biscuit joints and leave it at that or should I screw them down as well (need to screw, not nail, for access to services underneath if the worst were to happen)? How would the expansion work with this, or as its ply do I not need to worry about that so much.
Id really appreciate some input on this as its the last part of a two and half year refurb project and the novelty has well and truly worn off.
Ive included a pic of the current state of the floor to help.
thank you so much to anyone who can assist.
Ive been dipping in and out of DIYnot over the last couple of years, and boy has it been helpful. Now is the time for me to ask a question and Im hoping someone can clarify something for me. There seems to be alot of chat about lying floors onto concrete but not onto old timber boards, and this is my next job.
Im about to lay a new ply floor onto an existing boarded floor in a top floor flat, in a listed building (1840's).
The existing floor has been partially reboarded by a previous owner due to rootwork being carried out to the joists, so some of it is pretty level. The floor slopes along its length, but I can live with that, it all adds character after all, and there is a slight 5-8mm dip in a section of the older flooring that I will level out as much as possible, by packing out between the joist and board.
My final floor finish will be 18mm high quality ply, cut into 406mm squares and biscuit jointed together, I plan to remove the skirting board to run the new floor underneath.
My main query is this.
After looking through alot of posts its seems that the best way to create a more level surface, and to also sound proof it, is to first sheet out the floor with either a 6mm ply, or hardboard, overlay this with a good quality fibre board, and then lay the 18mm ply over the top. Is this the correct order of layering though?. Might the fibre board be better direct onto the existing boards to take level out the nooks and crannies? Do I really need the 6mm ply/hardboard? Im not sure.
The other query is what would be the best way to fix the top layer down. Can I just glue the biscuit joints and leave it at that or should I screw them down as well (need to screw, not nail, for access to services underneath if the worst were to happen)? How would the expansion work with this, or as its ply do I not need to worry about that so much.
Id really appreciate some input on this as its the last part of a two and half year refurb project and the novelty has well and truly worn off.
Ive included a pic of the current state of the floor to help.
thank you so much to anyone who can assist.
