Dip In Floor: Structural Defect?

[tell80]

Just post on here when you are read - keep the thread together.

 

[^woody^]

Is that dip just at the end by the skirting, or does the floor dip in a line from that place to the other side of the room?

Is there one dip or others along the skirting?

 

[Jacob1571]

Is that dip just at the end by the skirting, or does the floor dip in a line from that place to the other side of the room?

Is there one dip or others along the skirting?

Will have to double check when back, but it dip goes down the room a little but not all the way to the other side (there presumably would’ve been a similarly large gap between the skirting board and carpet on the other side if so). This is the only dip in the skirting from what I could see.

Edit: though actually looking at some of the original photos from my first post, looks like there is a second small dip later on in the room? Nowhere near as large.

 

[^woody^]

As there is a ceiling below, then any post construction bowing of the joist(s) would crack the ceiling. OK, the ceiling may well have been re-boarded in the past (plasterboards would not tend to be original in Victorian times), but a bow would still show.

Try your level on the celling below. Also what is that room? just a bedroom?

But TBH, there could be several possible reasons, but fundamentally it would not be a structural concern.

 

[Nige F]

Some of the characters who come on here simply want to be big shots, (on a DIY site?) - they have nothing else in their lives - they want to make points to the detriment of DIY'ers questions.

?

]Thanks for all that effort.
Well done for laughing off that arrogant, cant bear to be challenged bit of sad sack.

[/QUOTE] Says the poster who has changed their name here many times and makes a habit of dissing the tradespeople. Make your own decisions as to who to take advice from.

 

[Jacob1571]

Just post on here when you are read - keep the thread together.

Got as many up as I could with those bastard cut clasp nails. F254 shows the area we’re working with. 9623D, Db4Da deal with the area left of the hearth, where the joist enters the wall. They show that there is only a minor slant in the joist from the wall, and 2DF2 and 5D355 show that joist. Looks alright to me?

The big gap (2AA2D) comes from how the concrete of the hearth is higher on the wall end than the other, explaining most of the dip. But the concrete is level on the lowest end still with its frame, so doesn’t seem to be slipping (could also slide a piece of paper underneath it from the joist, so the hearth isn’t touching the ceiling). The hearth frame (8AD3) is also diagonal under the floor board, but I measured it in the manner of 9A97 and, as shown in CF852, it’s straight so might have been cut diagonal at the top for some reason?

Will post pics of the joists connected to the hearth frame below.

 

[Jacob1571]

Just post on here when you are read - keep the thread together.

Continued from above. I looked at four joists related to the frame. E0211, 3EDBD, B855 look all connected and sit straight.

The joist closest to the wall (CAE7) is marginally lower, as in probably mms. It does, however, look a little less snug in fit (0DAA, 6682, E60BB), and it sits a little less straight (78D1) than the others next to it. However, it’s contribution to the dip seems marginal.

In sum, nearly all the dip is due to the unlevel concrete hearth! Any thoughts on whether it can be left like this or not?

 

[Jacob1571]

As there is a ceiling below, then any post construction bowing of the joist(s) would crack the ceiling. OK, the ceiling may well have been re-boarded in the past (plasterboards would not tend to be original in Victorian times), but a bow would still show.

Try your level on the celling below. Also what is that room? just a bedroom?

But TBH, there could be several possible reasons, but fundamentally it would not be a structural concern.

See above for investigation from upstairs. Directly below the bedroom, there is a ceiling bulge. Looks like it start sharply then quickly straightens out. Would be surprised if this is because the hearth were impressing directly on the ceiling as I was able to slip paper below the hearth upstairs so it is still suspended. And the joist connecting to the wall seemed fine.

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Saggy baggy joists almost certainly. If you've managed to check that the joist ends aren't rotten then it's just old age...not going to suddenly fall out the sky but wonky floors can be a nuisance

 

[Jacob1571]

Saggy baggy joists almost certainly. If you've managed to check that the joist ends aren't rotten then it's just old age...not going to suddenly fall out the sky but wonky floors can be a nuisance

Not sure how to identify rotten joist ends, but these didn’t look rotten at all! Will just have to live with the character maybe

 

[oldbutnotdead]

They all look good. The Septic (American) way for sorting wonky floors is get inch ply, rip it down to 6" wide strips, lift floor boards, sister ply to joists, relay floorboards.
The big pain is of course lifting the boards without wrecking them but it's well worth the effort for a flat floor