Screeding/dpm

[Seanla1]

Hi

So in replacing the flooring in my hallway (old laminate) and have just finished removing it and upon doing so noticed that rank damp smell, is this normal?

I'm going to level the floor as it's terrible and re-lay oak flooring, now would be the time to sort any issues, from what I can tell it's had an additional layer of some red type cement on top of the orginal floor.

I'd like to know if the smell is any thing to worry about or is it just where the underlay has gotten wet over the years.

Many regards
Sean

 

[Doggit]

I would anticipate that it's the water logged smell; let it dry out, and see if the smell goes, and then install the dpm and level the floor.

 

[adrian.groves]

I had a similar problem and it turned out to be the natural damp coming through an old floor. The solution that Doggit suggests worked for me (ie Damp proof membrane with a laminate floor on top)

 

[Seanla1]

Thanks for the advice, I done some more investigation and in the corners where it's been council bodged in the past you can still see the old floor and it's like course sugar nothing solid about it at all hence the new top layer, my next door neighbor said they had done it years ago in his place at the same time because the floors had crumbled just like the rest of the concrete/mortar/render in the house, I have no idea what they done when they built the houses on this estate but it's like there was a cement shortage so they used a 20:1 mix, any how the damp smell is coming from the corners where the old floor is still exposed.

Sean

 

[Doggit]

There are several dpms that you can use with laminate, but as the old stuff was so waterlogged, I suspect a more remedial action is needed. It may well require the re cement to be removed, a liquid dmp used with dry sharp sand thrown on it before it dries, and then use a flexible self levelling screed. You'll also need to take the dpm up the walls as well.

But this all begs the question of why the hallway is so wet. Is there a leaking pipe under the floor by any chance, or do you know what's causing the damp problem.

 

[Seanla1]

It's just the smell the old stuff I pulled up was dry to the touch.

Didn't explain properly the first time my bad, by getting wet over the years I meant someone split a drink it soaks thru dries out but sometimes you still get that smell abit like leaving the washing in the machine too long stills stinks when u dry it

 

[Doggit]

If the smell i coming from the corners where it's still damp, then that needs to be treated first.

 

[Seanla1]

What would you recommend? Digging up the floor would be a nightmare because of the stairs and electric/gas cupboard that I've just spent what feels like forever sorting out so ideally would like to avoid it.

Cheers Sean

 

[Doggit]

Post some picture please.

 

[Seanla1]

Sure, the gaps are not very big and kinda hard to see on a pic. if I disturb the corners it smells but left alone there's no smell.

 

[Doggit]

The skirting look a bit iffy, and if you're laying laminate, then it could be justifiable to remove them, discard any that have gone rotten, paint everbuild 908 on the floor, play safe and apply a laminate dpm layer, then fibreboard to warm the floor, lay the laminate, and the refit the skirting boards.

http://www.sealantsandtoolsdirect.c...amp_proof_membrane_25_litre_90825_P23731.html

 

[Seanla1]

All the skirting is already off in those pics, I'm fitting 167mm skirting so I just haven't painted that far down.

That sounds like a plan tho I'm gonna have to screed as I'm laying engineered oak boards on top and the current floor level is way out, it's like they dumped all the material in the middle and pushed it out to the edges leaving a bowl.

Cheers Sean

 

[Doggit]

Are you going to screed first, or dpm first.

 

[Seanla1]

Liquid dpm - screed - laminate dpm - underlay - boards

How's that sound?

Cheers Sean

 

[Seanla1]

Doggit do you have much experience with this blackjack stuff?

1st I tried to mix some with water for primer as per manufacturer instructions and either I done something profoundly dumb or the manufacturer has never actually tried to mix it with water! Basically I ended up with 6 litres of brown water and about a football size lump of rubber, the water reacts with the stuff instantly, so I gave up on priming the 1st coat has now been down over 30hrs and shows no signs of drying properly it's very sticky so much that if u walk on it - it sticks to ya shoes and stays there leaving pathces everywhere, no idea how I'm meant to apply 2nd or 3rd coat with out the previous coat ending up on the bottom of my boots, it's a nightmare area as it's in the hallway and you can't go anywhere in The house without passing thru the hallway

Many regards

Sean