Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
inNeedofHelp wrote:

We are planning replacing our floorboarded kitchen floor with
chipboard.

I'd advise against this. I've seen too many chipboard kitchen floors
that
have to be replaced through water spillage and subsequent swelling.

I'd fix the existing floorboards. It's unlikely they are all scrap.
You
might find decent secondhand ones at a reclaim yard that are exactly
the
same size - or plane down new ones to fit.

Screw all replacements rather than nailing. Then - as is inevitable -
they'll be easy to lift when required. Unlike T&G chipboard which is
near
impossible.


Replacing a dozen floorboards is cheaper and less work than reflooring
the lot in chip. And boards are vastly superior to chip. I dont call it
****board for nothing.


If you want the boards to look good, first wash them well. Mop and
bucket, water, weashing powder, and a few drops of bleach. Wet, wait 2
minutes, wash, and repeat this several times. Expect 1-2 hrs of
mopping, just keep on at it over and over until it looks good.

Second deal with the gaps. Lift and renail is easier than filling.

Third, varnish with floor grade varnish. Never use tinted varnish, ever
ever ever.

You now have a _good_ quality floor, nothing like ****board. It looks
good, feels good, has a great finish, and will last centuries. Chip
fails on all those points.


NT

Oh, flooring thickness... I saw 1/4" ply used once. It bent badly
underfoot Ply is much superior to chip, but is equally more
expensive.