I know there are already oodles of threads about floor levelling and engineered wood flooring. However, I'm not sure if my specific questions have been answered. Apologies if they have...
I have just taken up ceramic tiles from the (1970s concrete, with black - bitumen? coating) kitchen floor, and also the brown 'council' vinyl tiles that were under these. What is left is a seemingly pretty level floor (not sure how to really check this except by running my spirit level over it) but with bits of tile cement stuck on, and one area - where a cable (in metal conduit) runs for about 40cm in a channel that is 4cm wide and 1.5cm deep.
A tiler was going to use a levelling compound to get rid of any irregularities left by the tiles, and then lay fresh ceramic tiles over this. However, we now plan to lay engineered wood flooring in the hallway, running into the kitchen (both floors are the same level). I am now wondering whether I can simply use compound to fill the above-mentioned channel, then chisel up any tile-cement before laying an underlay-cum-membrane and sticking the wood down as a floating floor.
I guess that's a long-winded way of saying, just how level does a concrete floor have to be for an underlay/wood surface? My guess is, not quite as level as for a lino or even ceramic finish?
I don't really want to have to use leveling compound over the entire kitchen and hallway if I can get away without it.
Another question (which I know has been answered in connection with laminates): is it really, really inadvisable to not use a threshold between rooms? The hallway is less than 5m2, and the kitchen is probably about 6m2. If I leave an expansion gap at the edge of the rooms, any thoughts as to whether I could get away with running the boards between rooms ok? And a related question, which way should I run the board? I reckon that as you come in the front door, they should run lengthways away from you down the hall, then I would follow this same layout as it runs into the kitchen.
Finally, I'm thinking about ripping off the skirting, in order to replace it over the flooring, thereby hiding the expansion gap. I really don't like the moulded strips that get used. Is this often done? Or is it a bizarre idea.
If anyone has managed to read this far without nodding off, thanks! Any advice gratefully received.
I have just taken up ceramic tiles from the (1970s concrete, with black - bitumen? coating) kitchen floor, and also the brown 'council' vinyl tiles that were under these. What is left is a seemingly pretty level floor (not sure how to really check this except by running my spirit level over it) but with bits of tile cement stuck on, and one area - where a cable (in metal conduit) runs for about 40cm in a channel that is 4cm wide and 1.5cm deep.
A tiler was going to use a levelling compound to get rid of any irregularities left by the tiles, and then lay fresh ceramic tiles over this. However, we now plan to lay engineered wood flooring in the hallway, running into the kitchen (both floors are the same level). I am now wondering whether I can simply use compound to fill the above-mentioned channel, then chisel up any tile-cement before laying an underlay-cum-membrane and sticking the wood down as a floating floor.
I guess that's a long-winded way of saying, just how level does a concrete floor have to be for an underlay/wood surface? My guess is, not quite as level as for a lino or even ceramic finish?
I don't really want to have to use leveling compound over the entire kitchen and hallway if I can get away without it.
Another question (which I know has been answered in connection with laminates): is it really, really inadvisable to not use a threshold between rooms? The hallway is less than 5m2, and the kitchen is probably about 6m2. If I leave an expansion gap at the edge of the rooms, any thoughts as to whether I could get away with running the boards between rooms ok? And a related question, which way should I run the board? I reckon that as you come in the front door, they should run lengthways away from you down the hall, then I would follow this same layout as it runs into the kitchen.
Finally, I'm thinking about ripping off the skirting, in order to replace it over the flooring, thereby hiding the expansion gap. I really don't like the moulded strips that get used. Is this often done? Or is it a bizarre idea.
If anyone has managed to read this far without nodding off, thanks! Any advice gratefully received.
