Inspection chamber cover big mistake - HELP

[SparrowHawk99]

I have fitted this new cover but there is going to be timber flooring on top of the concrete floor + underlay.

Should I have fitted the cover to be proud of the floor? I feel like crying the amount of work that's gone into this. How can I rectify?

 

[Blagard]

I would be thinking that if you are putting a laminate floor down then treat the situation as you would if it were carpet. It does mean if you ever have to access it, the laminate floor will have to come up. If the floor was tiled or had a bonded timber floor finish I would take a different view.

 

[SparrowHawk99]

I would be thinking that if you are putting a laminate floor down then treat the situation as you would if it were carpet. It does mean if you ever have to access it, the laminate floor will have to come up. If the floor was tiled or had a bonded timber floor finish I would take a different view.

You're the bearer of good news as always mate, I remember you helping me last time.

It is laminate thank Christ, I had plenty of time to think it through so can't put it down to a momentary lapse of retardation. I even filled it with concrete... I'll fit the floor as though it isn't there and hope for the best

 

[conny]

Any chance you could make a section of the laminate floor not inter-lock with the surrounding stuff? Maybe by cutting off the tongues but keeping it a very close fit to the surrounding stuff so it doesn't move about? Or even putting a rug of the modified section of laminate so its not visible?

 

[SparrowHawk99]

Any chance you could make a section of the laminate floor not inter-lock with the surrounding stuff? Maybe by cutting off the tongues but keeping it a very close fit to the surrounding stuff so it doesn't move about? Or even putting a rug of the modified section of laminate so its not visible?

Quite possibly, I might leave it for a decent floor fitter to do, I can't see myself making a good enough job of it especially since I've limited experience of fitting floors. I just didn't think it through as usual and it's cost me

 

[SimonH2]

I think in this case I'd be looking at doing as conny suggests. Have a section of the flooring where the ends of the boards have been cut square, and remove the lower part of the grooved side of the last board. Then you'll have a section where if you carefully lift up the side of one board, it'll lift up, followed by the next, and so on until the cover is exposed.

The big problem is that while with a normal boarded floor over joists you would screw the boards down, it'll be hard to get these removable ones to stay down. Perhaps a small amount of glue/sealant down the thin gap at the ends where you can get a thin saw blade in to cut it later ?


Otherwise, lay the boards down so that you minimise what will need to come up for access later. And make sure it's possible to lift it from that side (ie don't fit it and then put the skirtings on top etc). If you have to lift them, then stick some tape on with numbers/codes so you can put them down in the same arrangement.

And make a dimensioned drawing to put in "the house file". You'll thank yourself later when you've forgotten exactly where it is. And any future owner will (or should) thank you for it when you sell.

 

[loply]

What I've done twice in the past in this situation is to lay the laminate around the inspection chamber with a 'staggered' pattern at the ends. Carefully cut off the relevant tongue/grooves.

I then used two bits of lining paper selotaped together and made a pencil rubbing of the floor / area I hadn't put laminate on.

Then glue several bits of laminate floor together so they won't come apart, transfer the pencil rubbing to it and cut out really carefully.

I think doing it this way with a 'staggered' pattern doesn't stand out as much, though it would be simpler to just make a rectangle.

As others have noted the main problem is making this 'access hatch' of laminate floor stay flat to the ground. If it won't go just by itself then some double sided tape may help...?

 

[SimonH2]

As others have noted the main problem is making this 'access hatch' of laminate floor stay flat to the ground.

On the contrary, getting it to stay put is really easy - big tube of "stick yer b'stard" will do it. Getting it to stay put and be removable when you need to is the hard part