wood flooring over chipboard sub floor

[SJRSJR]

Hello

I have a chipboard sub floor in my living room (30m2) with a laminate on top but I'd like a new floor that runs under the skirting. I've got information overload at the moment so could someone please tell me if I'm thinking clearly.

15mm engineered wood (£31 sq m) seems to be recommended over 8.5mm (£20 sq m) but this would put the level of living room floor higher than the kitchen (open plan). Taking out the sub floor could be an option but I think overall too costly. Also, once glued down it'll be impossible to get up and I may need access to electrics at a later date.

Tarkett Viva 8.5mm is becoming the likely option because:
it can sit on top of the chipboard
A click fit would make it easier to remover down the line

I also like the look of one of B&Q's Bevelloc range (£13 sq m) but am deterred by the snobbery towards them.

Questions
Am I being shortsighted by not going for the 15mm option? I don't plan to live here forever so the increase in value on the house would matter, however it's a terrace house in an okay area but will never be surrounded by designer homes.

Is there any advantage in 8.5mm engineered wood over laminate? -by all accounts you can't sand the surface anyway so would the plastic coating on the laminate be a better option than inevitable scratches on the wood. I've currently got an Ikea Tundra laminate floor which has served me well for 12 years so haven't had a bad experience, maybe because it was glued together so sealed better.

I know it's a personal choice in the end but value anyone else's tuppence worth. Thanks

 

[WoodYouLike]

15mm would be the better option, install it floating and use a 'ramp' as threshold to kitchen. The 15mm has a thicker layer of real wood.
(On modern chipboard you cannot glue anything down due to the water repellent layer on chipboard).

Real wood always adds more value to a home than any (even high range) laminate or thin veneer floors do.

 

[SJRSJR]

Thanks. I already have a tiled ramp at the level of the laminate which would make your suggestion very difficult, unless I could get the tiles up without damaging them.

 

[Deluks]

If you want to get really technical, you could remove the chip floor, and relay it in between the joists, supported on 2x2 battens fixed to the side and just below the tops of the joist. This will buy you back another 18 - 22mm , or whatever the chipboard is. While the floor's up, reroute the cabling. Plumbing could be trickier.