Hi,

I am faced with a problem with my bathroom floor. Here's the basic story:

Half of the floor is original floorboards and the other half is chipboard
sheets. I think the chipboard was laid sometime in the last 4 years when
the bathroom was extended. However, the chipboard sheets do not lie flat
next to each other. They seem to be curling up at the edges. I've tried
screwing them down, but this doesn't cure the problem.

Does anyone have any suggestions for a solution? I'm not terribly keen on
replacing the chipboard as they have a bath, sink and toilet sitting on top
of them, but if that is the only option....

--
Fishter
unhook to email me | http://www.fishter.org.uk/
I bet they can graph your brain's activity with a single dot

"Fishter" wrote in message
...

I am faced with a problem with my bathroom floor. Here's the basic story:

Half of the floor is original floorboards and the other half is chipboard
sheets. I think the chipboard was laid sometime in the last 4 years when
the bathroom was extended. However, the chipboard sheets do not lie flat
next to each other. They seem to be curling up at the edges. I've tried
screwing them down, but this doesn't cure the problem.

Does anyone have any suggestions for a solution? I'm not terribly keen on
replacing the chipboard as they have a bath, sink and toilet sitting on
top
of them, but if that is the only option....

Screw some thin ply over the top off the whole lot. Watch out you don`t
screw into any pipes or cables :-0

Steve

In message , Fishter
writes
Hi steve
In you wrote:

Screw some thin ply over the top off the whole lot. Watch out you don`t
screw into any pipes or cables :-0

Would ordinary ply be alright, or is marine ply a better option for the
damp environment?

WBP (water and boil proof?) ply will be fine - which is what most
standard ply seem to be now adays

I've had WBP on my bathroom floor for a few years and it's fine (I've
got some that has been outside unprotected for at least four years and
it hasn't started delaminating at all.)
--
Chris French, Leeds

On Fri, 25 Jul 2003 14:26:21 +0100, Fishter
wrote:

Hi steve
In you wrote:

Screw some thin ply over the top off the whole lot. Watch out you don`t
screw into any pipes or cables :-0

Would ordinary ply be alright, or is marine ply a better option for the
damp environment?

I think the reason the chipboard has started to curl up is because it gets
damp and is not treated in any way.

Quite right, but it's not just "curling up", what is happening is that
wet has got at it and it is expanding and disintegrating. Water
resistant grade should have been used, or preferably wood floorboards.
You will have to replace it sometime, either now or when someone's foot
goes through it!! At least find out why it's getting wet and put a stop
to that in the meanwhile. Since the sanitary ware is in place on it,
fitting ply (of dubious merit) is at least as difficult as re-doing the
job properly.

--
Phil Addison
The uk.d-i-y FAQ is at http://www.diyfaq.org.uk/
Remove NOSPAM from address to reply

Hi Phil Addison
In you wrote:
I think the reason the chipboard has started to curl up is because it gets
damp and is not treated in any way.

Quite right, but it's not just "curling up", what is happening is that
wet has got at it and it is expanding and disintegrating. Water
resistant grade should have been used, or preferably wood floorboards.
You will have to replace it sometime, either now or when someone's foot
goes through it!! At least find out why it's getting wet and put a stop
to that in the meanwhile. Since the sanitary ware is in place on it,
fitting ply (of dubious merit) is at least as difficult as re-doing the
job properly.

Having lifted a small section of the boards earlier this week I have now
discovered the source of the dampness. One of the hot water pipes
supplying the bath has a leak, but only when the pipe is hot. Hence the
funny smell around my flat - no baths from now on ;-)

The board I took out was rotten to about half way through the board, and it
took some extracting, as the pipework was installed in two stages, first
without the floor and then with. If I ever find out who put this in I will
throttle them!

Anyone got any rough ideas on the costs of replacing about 2sqm of
chipboard, and reinstalling sanitary ware? I would love to be able to
tackle the job myself, but I've never attempted plumbing before. Any hints
n tips would be gratefully appreciated.

Cheers,

--
Fishter
unhook to email me | http://www.fishter.org.uk/
And your point is?