|
I'm currently considering my options with regds to insulating the floors of my ground floor rooms.
My current flooring is suspended 19mm T&G chipboard (according to old plans I've got) with most rooms having just underlay and carpet laid over the top of it. The kitchen has adhesive tiles and the floor FREEZING this time of year! The house was built in 1993 and I bought it 6 years ago of the guy who had it built.
The plans I have state:
Floor construction : 19mm T&G flooring grade chipboard
type 2/3 to wet areas on 175x50mm SW joists at
400mm c/c on 100x50mm wallplate on dpc on
honeycomb sleeper walls off 400x150mm conc strip footings
100mm oversite conc on 100mm min limestone hardcore. Top of
oversite to be at or above adjavent ground level.
Ventilation to be provided to sub floor void by means of 215x150mm airgrates at 1200mm c/c and within 900mm of corners.
To say i'm a total novice is probably an understatement, but from what I've learned the past couple of days (on here & google!) would I be right in saying the following.
1 - Beneath my current T&G flooring there is a ventilation space with a concrete base, ie if I took the flooring up i'd see a concrete floor?
2 - Removing T&G flooring is not for the faint hearted!
3 - The insualting properties of 19mm T&G chipbaord are practically nil with carpets and underlay only making a fraction of difference.
Would it therefore be possible for me to install some kind of insulating boards (eg Kingspan) over the existing floor to improve the overall insualtion? Do you also think this effort worth while? My ceiling height is 2500mm.
Thanks in advance and I hope my post makes sense !!!!!
|
|
1) yes you will see concrete but not necessarily very level or flat and you are sure to see some rubble and rubbish too.
2) it is easy to take up the chipboard -- a club hammer is a good tool and a wrecting bar usefull too, and a hammer to remove the fixings.
3) They do provide some insulation but not much.
Please see some threads on the old forum about this.
My recomendation is to take up all floors and insulate underneath with say 200mm quilt suspended on strawberry nets. Polyethene vapour and draught barrier over the joists and trapped behind the re-fixed skirtings after the floor is laid again.
|
|
Thanks for the reply Tony. I went through the old forums last and have done it again tonight just in case I missed anything. :o)
To be honest, the thought of taking up the floor does scare/worry me (a lot!) which is why I asked about overlaying it with something else like kingspan. Some people on here have said that taking up the T&G board will damage it. Is this the really the case or will I be able to re-lay the boards afterwards?
I would imagine that the way you've recommended would be far cheaper and while also leaving my floors at their current levels. Might just need to recruit my DIY handy Dad to help me out, I can see his face now! :oD
|
|
If you use a nail puller then the chipboard can be reused. Really I was assuming of new flooring as chipbeard is a bit naffish. Even with the cost of new chipboard it is still cheaper my way and better as you finish up airtight too. The way you were thinking of is expensive on materials and the reduced door clearances could be a big (for tall people) problem.
Nice you have a handy dad!
|
|
Yeah, my Dad's too handy for his own good ! Not sure he'll be too keen on the project i'm thinking of recruiting him up for now though. :oD
I'm sold on your idea now anyway, as what you've said makes perfect sense now I've thought about it. In terms of replacement flooring what would you suggest as an alternative to my current boards and why? Are you just thinking in terms of aesthetics or is there more to it than that?
With regds to the insulating quilt Tony, is going any further than 200mm depth worth while or is it simply the case that after that depth any gains made are only minute, especially compared to the extra outlay involved in doing it?
Thanks again.
|
|
Cheapest new flooring is probably t & g chipboard and is ok. Best is t & g plywood and second hand floorboards are prety nice -- new boards tend to shrink a lot. Imported floorings from the eastern block are nice too. Being realistic and pragmatic you will be ok with t & g chipboard but it is going to be worth paying the extra for 22mm green.
There are better things than 200 mm of quilt but on ballance thats what I'm segesting as it gives good insulation with no danger of impeeding free air flow in the floor void and is the most cost effective. You can go as deep as you like and if its easy go for it. The law of diminishing returns applies and many would say 100 or 150mm was plenty. Under mine i have the equivalent of 250 mm of quilt but I was stuck for depth so used rigid board insulation. It makes a big difference and if you do the polyethene (you only very thin cheap stuff) then you will be the only other person in the UK with an airtight suspended wooden floor!
|
