What to do with this subfloor

[enigmatic]

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IMG_0098

• enigmatic
• 25 Sep 2015

IMG_0097

• enigmatic
• 25 Sep 2015

Hi guys

Got a problem I'm hoping someone can help with.

Basically we are about to settle on purchasing a hardwood floor and it will transition from the living room into the hallway and possibly the kitchen if i find the subfloor just needs a self levelling compound.

But onto the question in point.

In the hallway there is old quarry tiles they are pretty beat and where copper pipe was laid previously by crappy tradesmen its had it.

I want to get the tiles up but i don't know what i'll face underneath i'll show some pictures and hopefully someone will shine some light on what best to do.

I have been advised against putting down a screed as the moisture content is no good for hardwood flooring so perhaps concrete is best? But in either case I've been told that it will take a month or more to fully cure and be a good enough moisture content to board onto.

Any thought?

Thank You

 

[ree]

What is under the tiled hallway - concrete? I assume that its a solid floor?

The quarry tile appears to have been laid in a wet cement mix/"adhesive". Can you remove the cement topping and expose whats below it?

Is there any sign of damp below the tiles or in the walls?

What is the "copper pipe" for, and where is it laid?

Your joist tails from the inner room will rest on that dividing wall - have you crawled under the floor to examine them for damp or fungal conditions?

Is there good under floor thro ventilation from the front of the house?

 

[theprinceofdarkness]

First off all, how thick is your new floor compared to the tiles? This will give you a figure that you will have to make up. The copper pipes inside the ribbed sleeves, these need to be buried in a groove cut in the concrete base. If you put each one in a tight groove then you can floor straight over them. Depending on the height you have to make up, You could use self levelling compound,hardboard, plywood. . .
Frank

 

[enigmatic]

What is under the tiled hallway - concrete? I assume that its a solid floor?

The quarry tile appears to have been laid in a wet cement mix/"adhesive". Can you remove the cement topping and expose whats below it?

Is there any sign of damp below the tiles or in the walls?

What is the "copper pipe" for, and where is it laid?

Your joist tails from the inner room will rest on that dividing wall - have you crawled under the floor to examine them for damp or fungal conditions?

Is there good under floor thro ventilation from the front of the house?

No signs of damp anywhere and the inner room has recently been rewired and no signs of damp on the suspended floor as it is completely dry which i was pleased about!

Would the cement have to come up or would i be able to re cement over this to bring level?

The copper pipe is redundant and has been cut off back at the understair cupboard. The new copper pipe previously run from the kitchen i believe is now capped off as we do not have a fireplace. So what you see in the plastic casing is HDMI cable and power which i need to bury as stated.

Thanks for the advice as I'm pretty lost on what to do. Have contacted a few trades people but they are fully booked up until next year. I had 1 out of 5 people offer to come round next week and take a look so fingers crossed he does else i'll have to attempt it myself

 

[enigmatic]

First off all, how thick is your new floor compared to the tiles? This will give you a figure that you will have to make up. The copper pipes inside the ribbed sleeves, these need to be buried in a groove cut in the concrete base. If you put each one in a tight groove then you can floor straight over them. Depending on the height you have to make up, You could use self levelling compound,hardboard, plywood. . .
Frank

I was thinking if i took up the tile could i actually screw down plywood and floor onto that? That has me thinking of two issues one with movement and the other with moisture so I'm assuming some DPM has to be laid in order to prevent damp?

Not sure as you can tell already

Thanks

 

[ree]

I still dont know whats under the cement adhesive?

 

[enigmatic]

I still dont know whats under the cement adhesive?

I will try to investigate that tomorrow but i don't know how far down i go or what I'm looking at frankly. Any advice?

 

[ree]

Just noticed:

What happened to the piece of ply in the hallway mat well from a previous post of yours? How come you disappeared from your own post?

You seem to have a history on here of asking questions and ignoring answers. Your door lining is obviously wrong, and your stored pics of cables and copper pipes is also well wrong.