Hello.
I've just purchased a reclaimed pine floor for installation in my living room (pitch pine, 5 3/4" boards). In my living room, however, is a bizarre underfloor that I could do with identifying.
My house is terraced, about 150 years old, split on 3 levels. The living room is on the middle floor (hence there are joists on which the floor is mounted). The underfloor (presently under a nasty carpet) looks very much like bitumen. It's a single piece, and extends to within a few millimetres of the skirting board on each side. I've cut a core with a drill, and it's about 20mm thick, and has some kind of wooden particles inside it, and a papery layer underneath.
What on earth is this stuff? Can I nail my pine boards to it, or must I take the lot up and fix my boards directly to the joists?
Thanks in advance for any advice.
I've just purchased a reclaimed pine floor for installation in my living room (pitch pine, 5 3/4" boards). In my living room, however, is a bizarre underfloor that I could do with identifying.
My house is terraced, about 150 years old, split on 3 levels. The living room is on the middle floor (hence there are joists on which the floor is mounted). The underfloor (presently under a nasty carpet) looks very much like bitumen. It's a single piece, and extends to within a few millimetres of the skirting board on each side. I've cut a core with a drill, and it's about 20mm thick, and has some kind of wooden particles inside it, and a papery layer underneath.
What on earth is this stuff? Can I nail my pine boards to it, or must I take the lot up and fix my boards directly to the joists?
Thanks in advance for any advice.
