Chipboard Flooring.

[byyt]

I lifted the carpet in our bedroom to lay a wooden floor. What I found was the chipboard flooring in relatively small sections (no more than 1.5 x 1m) The boards were not tongue and groove and were simply laid on the joists. Most of the joins between the boards do not coincide with a joist so the join is unsupported. Some boards have a distinct sag which is not bad going considering their size. Surely this can't be right? have a horrible feeling brewing....Your thoughts gratefully received.

 

[AndyT]

How thick are the boards? I suspect your small bits could be a lightweight version intended for occasional use only in lofts.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

It sounds like the last owner bodged it plain and simple. You won't know the state of the joists without pulling that floor up of course but I think in a case like this you just have to have a stiff drink, hunker down and get on with it. I suggest you rip all that chip up, examine the joists, making good if necessary and then depending on finished height desired either put a better laid tongue and groove chip under floor down or lay your finished floor direct on the joists.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

A bedroom in the roof space with no building regs? That might explain the crepe floor.

 

[byyt]

Thanks for the replies. I bought the house when it was 2 years old. We bought it from the builder. From the moment we moved in, there were superficial things wrong but I didn't figure that it would be on this scale. Unfortunately the house was supported by a builders certificate (not NHBC) which expired 2 years ago.

The boards are 18mm thick. The joists are within the minimum width for this thickness. For some reason the small (50 cm x 30 cm) board underneath the doors is 5mm thicker!!!! The carpet kind of hid this. Is this right? (I think I might guess answer to this one)

The bedroom I am doing is the main bedroom and not a loft conversion. There is no water resistant coating on the boards and my main worry is that on top of everything, the boards are supporting a cast iron free-standing bath. The bath suffered a few bad leaks because the builder had not sealed the overflow so the floor under the bath has been wet. Tick tock.....

 

[Phil Pascoe]

:shock: Oh excrement!!!

 

[Hemsby]

Without stating the obvious, it would seem for piece of mind the best way forward it would be to remove all the small panels and replace with T&G moisture resistant floor grade chipboard. It is difficult to advise without seeing the odd “extra” thick piece by the door, but think it should be easy to overcome.

If you do replace with new chipboard would it not be possible to reinforce the area under the bath with and additional piece of board or plywood to spread the load.

The project would be easy enough to do although, we all know that when you are living in a property a job like this is always inconvenient

Best of luck

 

[MMUK]

Personally I would never use chipboard flooring in a bathroom. Either proper T&G planks or plywood, suitably treated.

 

[byyt]

The bath is in the actual bedroom. Seemed like a romantic idea, but with 3 kids running around, kind of loses it!

unfortunately, I was talked into laying the wood on top of the floor and its now half done. Nothing in my life is straightforward. The wood is fixed with a combination of nails and grip fill so its no easy job to take them up. Arrgh.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

If the new "wooden" floor is actually wood or engineered wood it probably won't be critical that the substrate is weak. Try to wangle some support for the bath, though.

 

[Hemsby]

Many more layers on the floor and your next job will be raising the ceiling :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[byyt]

Classic case of why you should follow you gut and not she who must be obeyed (despite what she read on a blog)

 

[byyt]

Thanks Phil. Yes its solid. Reclaimed pallet wood, mostly hardwood. Having said that, I wish I had taken the boards off and burned the lot! (even though I'm very much into reclamation)

 

[Benchwayze]

B.Y.,

IMHO, recycled pallet wood should be used for one thing only; making more pallets. Ordinary chipboard soaks up damp like a sponge. (DAMHIKT) It should be recycled; into a skip.

Bite the bullet. Go for tongue and groove floorboards, and make sure the joists are okay before you start.

This might help.

http://www.lets-do-diy.com/Projects-and ... oists.aspx

It's just a DIY page, but is helpful.

Hope it does help.
John

 

[byyt]

Thanks John. Unfortunately the budget doesn't allow for a contingency for floorboards, so I'll just have to do the best I can with my wood store

 

[Jimllfixowt]

B.Y.,

Bite the bullet. Go for tongue and groove floorboards, and make sure the joists are okay before you start.

John

Agreed