My rotten floor/s

JP_

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OK, so I went from considering underfloor insulation, to just sanding down my floors, in a couple of threads. Now, a bigger issue.

The floor is rotten. Both the wood that supports the floorboards, and the wood that supports that support. I am guessing that the only option is to replace a lot of wood at a huge cost.
The floorboards sink along about half the room, then seem firmer.

Here is a link to some photos. https://photos.app.goo.gl/SzWlcaKi61TSRvDY2

I'll add the main ones here too. A tad depressed. I think a similar problem under the living room too. Although, hopefully I am wrong - I need to see why that floor is soft underfoot.

This one, could have been caused by the pipe - I guess the mains water pipe, as no idea what else it could be. Maybe its all old and leaked ages ago? Somebody obviously inspected it - or maybe, the pipe that leaked was replaced? Who knows. The pipe seems a bit rubbery too - the original probably would have been lead or iron, so this could be a replacement after a leak?

Not really sure what to do now! It does seem reasonably dry down there at the moment, so maybe historic? Lots of photos - some taken looking left (from the first pic) and some looking down (along the front of the house). In one, the wall does look a bit darker.

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That all looks dry, so as you say, it may be a historic situation that's dried out, but they didn't bother to replace the timbers. But it may also be caused by the height of the ground outside, so check to make sure that it's below the DPC next.
 
Get a damp meter and poke it into the wall plates or the lowest wood.
Those photos could be our floor, the visibly wet ones came out over 50% dry weight and most came in over 20% . The joists mostly are 16%
The oversite looks generally dry but it seems that where the sleeper walls are it just comes up through the bricks and slate.
I can't even see your slate so that won't help. When was your house built? Age with the pp could be a historical long term leak or flood and the doc may be under the oversite.

In our case I either lifted the timber and inserted adpc, or laid new bricks and knocked out the old one. Then added insulation and air bricks.

Only one room to do which is the hall.
 
1930s bungalow.
What is pp?
Slate - does this mean there may be no damp proof?
There must have been a flood at some point as the skirting in the room next door is all swollen - looks like was a while ago though.
 
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Would a MDPE pipe feel a bit rubbery? Pipe must have been replaced.
 
Similar age to ours.
Pp is previous poster in this thread
Yes should/would have had slate or maybe bitumen dpc in those days
Mdpe pipe would be blue hard but b bendable plastic. Within the last 30 years replaced.
 
Ok, mad question, please bear with me .... if a lot of the wood was rotten and needs ripping out, rather than replacing with more wood, would it be possible/sensible/feasible/stupid to add new damp membranes all over floor and into wall, then put in insulation boards and concrete over?

I just Googled it, and some people do actually do this!
http://www.diydoctor.org.uk/projects/constructiongroundfloor.htm

I do consider this, hopefully, my forever home, so maybe the extra cost might be worth it. Although, I guess if new wood can be replaced, that might well last another 90 years ...
 
Just read the headline of the article, and I'd say it's easier and cheaper to sort out the cause of the rot, and then you'll be fine; it'll definitely outlast you once done. To repair the rotten wood problem will cost hundreds, but to concrete and add insulation will costs thousands. Have you checked the outside ground level yet.
 
Not yet - at work now. Will have a closer look tomorrow, get my tape measure out and go round the house. Not really been down the side much yet - all mine, but closed off with a fence at the front and a locked gate. Really should take a walk around my grounds!
 
JTo repair the rotten wood problem will cost hundreds,

That's a relief - I was thinking it might be a huge job and costs thousands!

As all that wood needs to come out, maybe a nice new floor would be in order...
 
OK ,probably thinking about this too much .... but some questions.

Is this a DIY task? Probably a daft question, but if I start removing all the floorboards and joists, will I need to remove the drywall too?

Also, if there is a risk for water getting in the the future, would plastic joists be an option? I Googled floor joists to get an idea of price, and these popped up:
https://www.envirobuild.com/products/plastic-lumber-joist-50x150mm

I was thinking of using plastic skirting boards already, and covering old fascia boards with plastic ones ... . Maybe plastic is the future?

Will it hold my weight though?!?
 
There is a bit in the first photo that is unlagged - that felt more like a rubber texture than hard plastic.
That's really strange :unsure: I wasn't being funny, some diy'ers would have felt the lagging. I've never come across any black plastic that felt rubbery - Maybe you have that bit covered in Armaflex lagging :idea: and the other yellow stuff. You definitely have damp oversite/ brick piers but I personally can't see any rot. It would be good for us all here to see your airbrick situation ( photos ) because that's probably the root of the problem.
 
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As it happens, I have ordered some bottle cleaners, with the intention to give all air bricks a good clean out. Will photograph and report back over the weekend!

can't see any rot - both joists in the first photo are soft - can pretty much poke a screwdriver in. the top one bends quite a bit under my weight. The 3 floorboards with pretty flaky too - very easy to prise out.
 

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