Chipboard floor wet!!

[RichD1]

About 10 years ago I floated chipboard T&G over 50mm polystyrene in my garage. I believe that the chipboard was waterproofed flooring grade.

Unbeknown to me the felt under the corner of the roof tiling has failed letting water run down the inside of the garage and under the chipboard floor. This only came to light when I noticed a black mould patch appearing on the plasterboard ceiling in the corner.

Roof leak has now been fixed but is there anyway to dry out the flooring that doesn't entail stripping back the whole floor and replacing?

I've taken the vinyl tiles off the top and have got a large fan blowing across it and it has started to recede but is there anything else I can do?

The chipboard appears fairly strong at the moment but I don't want it to go soft and start disintegrating as the garage is home to two cars.

Is there any rot solutions that could be applied which would combine with the water and at the same time curing to make a strong structure?

Richard

 

[big-all]

once chipboard fails its had it
if its expanded its shot
it will not recover as it dries
so if you can put a screwdriver through it then replace the damaged area

 

[RichD1]

At the moment I can't get a screwdriver through it. It would mark the surface but no more. Have had a fan on it all day and its dried considerably.

Richard

 

[big-all]

how long do you think it has been getting wet ??

 

[RichD1]

I would think the best part of 5 years!!

That's when I spotted the mould on the ceiling but didn't think that it would also be in the floor.


Richard

 

[big-all]

be surprized if its not terminally damaged in one or more areas

remember the foam will be giving some support so it may not collapse under lighter weights but may sag under heavy point loading

 

[RichD1]

Going to keep the air circulating at every opportunity to see how it dries out.

Ronseal do a wood hardener for rotten wood. I was thinking that when its dried out drench it with several thin coats hoping this would absorb well into the chipboard to give it some strength.

But as I say it is fairly solid at the moment, I'm pretty sure it was the green flooring chipboard I used.

I guess it's just a waiting game and may need to be stripped out and replaced eventually.

Richard

 

[big-all]

don't waist your money
you cannot give it any strength back its a stabilizing solution basically holding the crumbly stuff together it gives no strength at all

do you have any pictures

 

[RichD1]

Cars are both in at the moment. One wheel is quite close to the wet spot and I can't see any signs of it break down. Next time there out I'll take some pics.

Richard

 

[big-all]

i wouldn't worry to much
as long as you don't put to much point loading like wheels or an engine lift
you will get some warning that its shot when the surface starts to break off or it sags

normally it will sag and a hole will appear but as yours is on foam this probably wont happen