Cutting Chipboard Floor to Access Pipes

[diychicken]

Hi all,

I'm re-installing our en-suite. The old fittings have been removed.

I am moving the radiator and need to re-route a pipe that is currently coming out of the floor where the shower base will be - that pipe provides water to the toilet.

The floor is made from large tongue and groove chipboard on top of the joists. So, unlike normal floorboards, I can't just lift them as and when I need to get access as the boards go under the plasterboard on the outer wall and run under the walls to the adjoining rooms.

What's the best way to get access to the space beneath the floor? I was thinking that I could saw through the boards along the centre of the joists so that I could could lift the board and have the joist to lay it back down on.

But some boards where I need to cut are right by the soil pipe, other pipes and walls and my circular saw is too big to get near to the walls.

So what can I use to get saw the boards? Any ideas? I imagine that this must me a common problem.

Many thanks.

 

[jeds]

I've recently used a dremel in similar circumstances. I needed to cut through plywood sheet between timber studs to accommodate a shower valve. The studs meant I couldn't get a circular saw onto the ply. I used the dremel with a tile cutting bit. The bit has a diamond edge and cut through quite easily - a bit like using a router. Not cheap though. I wouldn't worry too much about cutting on the joists. If the holes aren't too big you can easily fix timber batten across the hole from underneath and slot the cut-outs back in place.