Removing 56 sqM of flooring ......and starting again!

[boyyo]

Hello All,

Welcome all advice on the following project.

Family home is a 1890's Semi with NO insulation....anywhere but someparts of the loft. Luckily we are based close to Bournemouth so the weathers generally OK!!

Current ground floor is square edged suspended over dirt with a couple of feet below gaps range from 3-6 mm and it does get draughty!! so looking to lift the boards in the Kitchen (3.7 x 4.7), Lounge(3.7 x 4.70) and a large 'sun room' (3.5 X 7.5) and insulate then cover with a better set of flooring.

Sounds simple, but want to check the following....

a - lifting the boards should be OK and would use netting laid ontop and between joists filled with hollow fibre insulation 'stuff' ....is this OK and what insulation is best?

b - Do I need to fit a breathable membraine ontop of the insulation (warm side)?

c - Best way to deal with the edges of the room which is where the worst draughts come from at the moment?

d - is it best to fit thicker Engineered boards directly to the joists or is it always better to lay sheets of something else down first / add insulation again, and then add the top board?....height may be a problem here?

e - its 56 sq/m so not a small job and is not going to be cheap....any advise on sourcing any or all of the materials?

Last one......who wants to come and give me a hand

Hoping for some more great advice

Rod

 

[boyyo]

Hello,

Really would like any feedback....feeling elft out

 

[boyyo]

Has everyone started their hols already?!!!!.....anyone

 

[DevilDamo]

I don't "think" there any specific rules to bumping posts but there's no need to do it within 24 hours of eachother... is there? In your case, you left it 8 hours before "bumping" it.

Anyway, it depends to what extent you're wanting to go and whether or not you would attempt to bring the thermal properties in line with current u-values/building regultations, which are quite high? However, something is better than nothing.

a - lifting the boards should be OK and would use netting laid ontop and between joists filled with hollow fibre insulation 'stuff' ....is this OK and what insulation is best?

So the existing ground floor is a suspended timber floor? If so, then there's no harm in putting 100mm Celotex (or similar) insulation between the joists, fixed to the underside of the floor boards.

b - Do I need to fit a breathable membraine ontop of the insulation (warm side)?

As you'll be taking the floor up, there's no reason why you can't lay a memrane on top of the existing joists but below the floor boards.

c - Best way to deal with the edges of the room which is where the worst draughts come from at the moment?

Just make sure the insulation between the joists extends to the internal face of the external wall and seal the junction between the internal plasterboard and the floorboards. This diagram may be of some use...

d - is it best to fit thicker Engineered boards directly to the joists or is it always better to lay sheets of something else down first / add insulation again, and then add the top board?....height may be a problem here?

There's no reason why you can't just lay floor boards directly onto the joists.

e - its 56 sq/m so not a small job and is not going to be cheap....any advise on sourcing any or all of the materials?

Just a local builders merchants. They may offer some kind of discount for bulk buy.

 

[boyyo]

Hello,

Sorry if I seemed too desperate....I don't use forums that much and didn't appreciate that there were 'bump' etiquette. I used the Electrical forum and the guys there seemed to have time on their hands and answered within what seemed minutes!.....lucky to have the time I guess...

Thanks for the responses, I will probably come back with questions in a mo'

 

[DevilDamo]

That's ok. I wasn't implying there were such rules but just common sense really

 

[boyyo]

Hello again,

Feedback from another site suggested that you should only go with Engineered boards directly onto joists if they are 18mm or over...is this correct?

Also that there is a foil backed membrane / insulator that goes directly under the Engineered board that provides 'significant' thermal properties and may not require me to strip out all the Kitchen units!!....what do people think?

Also, with Celotex do you have to make sure that it is a perfect fit between joists, and need to cut each run to size taking much longer. Or is the use of a fibre based insulator easier and cheaper with little down side thermally?