conservatory flooring

[hunkybob]

Hi.hope someone can point me in right direction..............
I've taken up the ceramic tiles in the conservatory to find some of the ply and floorboards rotting ( mostly in the corners).The conservatory is either stiffling hot in summer or freezing in winter as it only has one rad, which I'll change to a double.It's only used when it's comfortable.
Should I:-
1) replace the rotten floorboards only and stain them?
2) re tile
3) lay laminate flooring
or is there any other solutons worth considering?(I read someone on about engineered flooring. )
Grateful for any views as I don't fancy doing this job again..

 

[KillingTime]

Hi,

I'm not an expert, but I'm in the process of removing my bathroom chip floorboards which are rotten also. I've been told to do this becuase I want to lay tiles that will create a waterproof area.

After speaking to lots of people (tilers, bathroom fitters etc..) I was told that if I didn't replace the floorboards, the tiles would move (as the floor flexes becuase it's rotten). You can get a special tiling adhesive that will cope with some floor movement, but in the end, if you want your tiling watertight, the floor beneath has to be stable (if you're laying tiles).

It depends just how rotten the boards are and whats causing them to go rotten. If you don't sort out the cause, then it will just get worse.


Laminate flooring has the least potential to break up as the floor beneath moves...

What's beneath you floor? concrete / wooden joists etc?
How is the floor held down? (nails, screws)?
Is is overboarded with ply? if so this may have been stuck down with glue and screws to another floor beneath. The last time I took a floor up like that, I needed a circular saw and a large skip.
How much do the floorboards move when you step on them?

 

[hunkybob]

The floorboards are t & g and nailed down which are rotten at the corners as was the ply.I think the tile adhesive I used was a cement based one that didn't "give" and cracked allowing water in.
What I'm after is a once only solution.
Laying tiles again only to have this problem again is something I'm trying to avoid.

 

[KillingTime]

If you're laying tiles then you'll have to replace the floorboard that's rotten. Not all of it but just the parts that are rotten. I dont know how large your floor is or how much of it is rotten, but this should not be too much of a problem.

Set your circular saw to a depth short of the joist (or whatevers beneath the floor) cut.

If you put lyno down (with glue) then it will eventually ripple up where the floor moves (happened to me).

If it's only rotten at the corners then you should be able to get away with laminate. Asuming you dont spend most of your time walking on the corners, the floor won't flex there.

 

[hunkybob]

Thanks for that,
I had'nt htought of lino.If I plump for laminate can I seal the edges all around the floor space (cartridge gun) or must there be allowance for expansion?
Also I want to treat the floorboards to prevent any rotting occuring again
do you know what product to use?

 

[KillingTime]

I don't think you can treat rotten wooden floors. Once they've gone, they've gone.

You're meant to leave 1cm round the edges (all four edges) to allow for expansion in hot weather for the chip board stuff and similar for real wood.

Just keep an eye on the gap in hot weather for the chipboard stuff or in the weeks after you've put down the real wood. If the gap runs out....get ready with the dremel....or your floor will start to curl up at the edges.

The chip board I've used (8x2FT sheets) is already treated. It's green in colour and is called P5. This is what the building inspector will look for if you're putting down new floor.