Water damage - chipboard flooring

[thoughty]

Hi, we've discovered that our new home has recently had water damage (presumably from a washing mashine) as the floors downstairs have started to swell and curl in the kitchen (presumably under the cupboards too), in the hallway outside the kitchen (under laminate) and next to that under the stairs.

I'm not really sure of the extent of the required repairs. Would anybody be able to help with this?

1. I'd presume I'd need to take out the kitchen in its entirety, at least the lower cupboards and work top. If so, would I be able to put them back again?

2. I presume again that I need to take the floor up. Would I need to remove more than just the swollen/wet bits?

3. What would be an appropriate replacement for a ground-floor, erm, floor?

I'm unlikely to attempt this myself (unless it's as easy or moreso as putting in a kitchen... my DIY yay in my last house) but I would like to have an idea of what might be in store.

Many thanks for your help with this information.

 

[JohnD]

while you are pulling out the cupboards, find and fix the leak. look for and deal with any rot.

put all the chipboard in the skip, or advertise it on Freegle for someone with a woodburner

refloor with 18mm WBP ply. Nog under all unsupported short joints.

chipboard is such an awful material that you may as well pull it all up and refloor the whole room. While it is up, you can clean out the rubble from under the floor, insulate the pipes, do any plumbing or cable laying, clean out the airbricks to prevent damp, and insulate between the joists to prevent cold and draughts.

if there is crawl space, add a trapdoor for any future underfloor access or for a hidden safe store.

lovely job.

 

[big-all]

heeelllooo and welcome thoughty

did the leak happen during your time there ??
was the dammage obviouse??
are you insured ??
is it your house or rented ??

 

[thoughty]

Thanks for that JohnD. Brilliant.

big-all, thank you very much for the response; I'm fine where knowledge of legalities/insurance is concerned, that's not a problem at all. I was just after information as to the exact nature of appropriate repairs.

Thanks!

 

[big-all]

grand johnd has covered it eloquently

 

[mattylad]

I think he has.

I hate chipboard floors.

 

[jadzy]

i'd agree that chipboard makes a poor floor.

redid the floor in one room a few years ago. it was two thirds floor boards, one third chipboard. broke a chipboard sheet by stamping on it! wasn't a particularly hard stamp either.

better one was xmas eve also a few years back, moved the sofa to change the room layout a little ready for santa. found the sofa leg had gone through the floor when i moved it and was only really being supported by the carpet! Took the carpet up a few days later to find about a 1ft square bit of chipboard had given up. i'm guessing it got wet a few times by drinks being knocked over.

iirc i found there are a few grades of chipboard you can get. think i went with p5 graded? was a higher density and water 'resistant'. intended for use in bathrooms and kitchens where spills are likely.

 

[JohnD]

my old chipboard floor cracked in front of the sink where people often stand; and at the bottom of the stairs where kids tend to land after running down, and on the landing which has frequent traffic, and just inside the living-room door. I'd never fit it.

 

[mointainwalker]

@JohnD

I'd never fit it.

And I would never burn it in a stove because of all that glue that would end up as air-pollution.