kitchen floor half ply/half tiled - advice needed please.

[seasider]

Hi,

This is my first post - I had a look at some older posts and the sticky's but I couldn't find the right answer/advice so hoping someone can help and apologies if it has been answered before

Basically we are refitting our kitchen (it is a rectangle shape about 7*3m). The entire floor was level and it had tiles layed all over it so I lifted these.

The first 4.5*3m is exterior ply directly onto the floor joists.

The last 2.5*3m looks like an old lean to that has been incorporated into the kitchen. This floor had chipboard on it which was level with the ply in the rest of the kitchen. As it was chipboard I lifted this. Under the chipboard are old ceramic floor tiles. Under that it seems to be a solid floor and there is plastic sheet poking out so I think that suggests the existence of some sort of damp membrane.

Basically I want to know what I should do to get this part of the kitchen level with the ply again (it is about an inch out). Should I:

1. Leave the tiles and lay a thin layer of screed (to cover where there are any broken tiles) and then nail/glue some exterior ply on top.
2. Just nail/glue exterior ply directly on the tiles.
3. Lift the tiles and screed/ply?

If it makes any odds the final floor finsh we want is laminate.

 

[gcol]

I was assuming you were wanting to lay tiles until I read the last line. I could understand it if you were laying tiles but why exactly did you lift the chipboard if you're just going to lay laminate?
Just my opinion, but tiles are the way to go for kitchens - laminate will get a battering.

 

[seasider]

"but why exactly did you lift the chipboard if you're just going to lay laminate?"

In one word - the missus!! Managed to salvage enough of the old tiles to relay but she is worried it will be too cold (there's only room for one smallish rad (800*600 double) for a 3m by 7 m room. Saying that we are toying with the idea of putting electric underfloor heating so not sure if that puts a different slant on thing?

Also, I've been told chipboard can distort when wet and as the chipboard was in the area of the kitchen that will get wet then I thought it best to lift it.

So given that would I be OK to just put some ply over the old tiles to get it level?

Any advice would be great as need to get the job done this weekend...

Cheers

 

[WoodYouLike]

Installing melamine laminate won't help against cold-feet.

It's cold, noisy and as gcol stated: can't take a battering.

 

[seasider]

Unfortunately laminate is the way we are going - my better half won't be swayed. Not sure if the stuff we have picked is melamine - is there a quick way of telling without contacting the shop?

Regarding being cold underfoot we are toying with electric UFH for the really cold spells.

My real question is how to level the floor where I have removed the chipboard? A colleague has suggested laying marine ply over the tiles and screw it in to the solid sub floor.

 

[seasider]

seen the sticky explaining different types of flooring - so it is melamine we are going for.

So I guess all I am after now is some advice on what to do regarding the unlevel floor.

Marine ply sounds quite plausible - how sensible would this be. If an OK approach is it best to screw or glue to the ceramic tiles?

Cheers

 

[gcol]

Your house your decision. We learn from mistakes so I'll help you to make one by fitting laminate in your kitchen. Stick the ply down with gripfill.
If you think you might fit tiles at some time in the future (and I think you might), then stick the ply down using a powdered flexible tile adhesive that is suitable for porcelain tiles.
Good luck.

 

[seasider]

I've talked it through with my partner and visited a couple of floor places after the advice here. One was quite honest and said that laminate is never suitble for kitchens and if the washing machine leaked we'd be looking at a new floor. So we're gonna go for the tiled option.

Taking that into account you mentioned sticking the ply down with gripfill. Would exterior ply do or am I best to go for marine ply?

Cheers

 

[noseall]

Taking that into account you mentioned sticking the ply down with gripfill. Would exterior ply do or am I best to go for marine ply?

Cheers

w.b.p. is more than adequate.