what's this in a flag stone floor?

[Patsy1]

Hi,
today I began chiselling out the loose and damp areas in a very badly screeded floor.
The more I chiselled the more came away. What I am wondering is if I could take it all off back to the original flags (house is about 1850) but after only removing a small are I can see there is quite a difference in levels. I have two main questions. Is is possible to level these myself and the second question....what the heck is the brass thing with an earth wire leading off from it!?? In the pic you see the brass thing and last pic shows wire under layer of screed/cement, leading to outer wall
Any help would be much appreciated as I've not tackled anything like this before, though I am very willing to give it my all!

 

[pilsbury]

Firstly it look like the screed/self levelling compound is not well bonded to the flagstones anyway. A bonus for removing which it looks like you’re doing anyway.

Once removed you can reassess the situation like what condition they’re in. If they’re ok, there is the possibility you could carefully lift and relay level. But be aware you are opening a can of worms.... in fact with your damp floor the can is already opened.

I’ve just had a similar experience with my unlevel quarry tiles. You will very likely find those flag stones are layed on a crap concrete base or just earth. There is unlikely to be a damp proof membrane hence the moisture. I think quarrys or flags like yours are meant to be uncovered so water can evaporate off. You could let them do this, but if you’re lifting them you might as well go full hog, dig out, lay mot, sand blinding, DPM, insulation, concrete slab then your flags.

I’ve just rectified a 13sqm portion of my kitchen like this. £300 worth of material and a few days hard work.

The brass thing? An earth rod?

 

[Patsy1]

Thanks Pilsbury, an earth rod, yes, I think it is. I assume an electrician will need to relocate it?

My intention was to patch up the floor, but it's so loose in more areas than not, it has to come up.

I'd really like to restore flagstone floor (myself, as there is minimal to zero budget) but I'm concerned about the delamination...maybe that should be another thread?

 

[^woody^]

"Brass thing" looks like an earth rod for the electric circuits.

Ask in the electrical forum regarding removing/relocating it. You might be able to use the incoming water main for earthing instead.

 

[bernardgreen]

You might be able to use the incoming water main for earthing instead.

It is 99% certain an earth rod.

You cannot use the incoming water main as an earth. It may work as an Earth if it is a metallic pipe but because it may be now ( or will be later ) a plastic non conductive pipe it will not be a reliable Earth.

 

[pilsbury]

I'd really like to restore flagstone floor (myself, as there is minimal to zero budget) but I'm concerned about the delamination...maybe that should be another thread?

Why are you concerned about the delamination? What I was referring to was the screed delaminating from the flags. Works in your favour in this instance. Probably due to the friable surface of the flags not being primed before putting the screed down and the damp over time.

Get the screed up and then see what you have. The flags might be knackered so not worth saving.

As for the earth rod, where does the wire go? I’d check that as it might be old and obsolete if the wire goes nowhere. Otherwise it’s electrician time.

 

[Patsy1]

Oh, sorry, I thought 'delamination' referred to the top layer of the flagstone coming away...which has happened on a lot of the flagstones, leaving them porous and gritty/crumbly.
The earth rod leads to an osmosis damp proof plug!

 

[jason61c]

The earth is the older version of injected DPC rubbish. Just remove it.

I'd just clean them all back and see whats what. Worse case you can pull them up and flip them.

 

[mattylad]

Id confirm 100% where it goes before removing it.
Check for continuity to your electrical earth.

 

[Patsy1]

whatever it was, it's a ex one! as it just lifted away from the drilled hole in the floor, completely corroded!