Bedroom floor - chipboard or wood?

[MadAlicesDad]

We're renovating our bedroom. I've lifted all the floor boards and removed the nails and was planning on replacing with chipboard to get a neat smooth draught free floor (it's a late Victorian house with thick stone/rubble infill walls and the wind seems to get through them into the underfloor void).
However, part of me says keep it original and many of the boards are still in good nick.
What do people recommend? Re-lay the old boards with screws and seal the gaps (a few new boards will be needed) or go for T&G chipboard (18 or 22mm)?
TIA
Mike

 

[abr]

Hi

Do you intend to cover it with carpet or keep it as bare boards? This decision will influence what you should do.

If you are not using carpet I have some suggestions. We were faced with similar problems in our living room - a 1930's rustic Art and Craft red brick cottage.

We had terrible draughts from the void under our suspended timber floor. The boards were traditional square edged boards with very large gaps. I hate carpet so this was not an option.

We lifted the boards, slung a breather membrane over and between the joists, inserted earthwool between the joists and finally covered everything with a vabour barrier before putting the boards back down. We then filled the gaps between the boards.

We recently sanded and dyed the boards with ebony dye before coating with Osmo hardwax oil.The effect is just amazing- old dented boards some with stiletto heel marks, with a patina of age and all with a very soft black/brown appearance.

It has been a long drawn out exercise but it has been worth it in terms of the comfort feel, lower energy costs and a beautiful floor.

Good luck

AMB

 

[JohnD]

chipboard is an awful material. It belongs on the bonfire.

If you have draughts, they are probably coming from defects in the brickwork, maybe where the joists go in or from a porch roof. Use expanding foam in any visible cracks or gaps and pack the gap between the joists with loft insulation

 

[MadAlicesDad]

Thanks for the advice to answer questions in no particular order:
It will be carpeted.

It's stone not brick and to fill all the visible gaps with expanding foam would be a lifetime's work! I'll have a go through. With the plaster removed you can feel the wind coming through the wall all over! Walls will be battened insulated and boarded.

It's a first floor room. By 'underfloor void' I meant the gap between the ground floor ceiling and the first floor. On the ground floor room below I intend to do as you suggest and insulate (as I have done in other ground floor rooms), but as it's the first floor, the draughts can only be coming through the walls, so is insulation between all the joists overkill?

However, I think I'm going to reuse the boards. Thanks for the advice.

Cheers,
Mike

PS I agree that chipboard is awful, however it doesn't burn very well!

 

[JohnD]

assuming the draught is getting in round the edges of the room, you only need to pack mineral wool round the edges. It will smother draughts. it does make a slight difference in muffling airbourne noise such as voices or tv if you pack the whole floor, but the loft insulation is very light, and denser batts are better for noise.

I only use the mineral wool with "Ecose" now, which prevents it shedding dust and fibres. It is brown in colour, not yellow, and much more easy to work with. It is made by Knauf but also sold by Wickes and some others with the own-brand on it, but will mention Ecose on the wrapper.

 

[MadAlicesDad]

It's taken some time but the room has been boarded and plastered and I'm about to fix the original floorboards down.
Should they be butted tight up against each other or should I leave a small gap? They are plain boards, not T&G.
Is two screws per joist (as with the original nails) overkill?

TIA

Mike