Floating floor replacement

[ARC123]

Hi.

I've discovered I'm the not too lucky owner of a Floating Floor, 18mm chipboard on 25mm insulation, supported by concrete "block and beam" I'm having a new kitchen and when the old tiled floor came up (slate on 18mm chip ply) we found the dreaded floating floor below. The old floor had flex in several places and some tiles were loose or cracked. All the advice I've seen so far is "Don't tile on it" ! So it's coming up and I need to replace it with something which will take 450mmx450mm ceramic tiles and last as long as I do. Going for alternative surfacing us not an option as I want the tiles to match those in an adjacent conservatory and they were bought on special order. The Difference in Levels between the rooms is not a problem as there are steps between the two.

Question is what to put down instead? I need to make a decision ASAP. All advice from those who have experience of this most welcome.

Andy

 

[Ian]

What height have you got to play with? Ideally you'd put 100mm insulation with a minimum 70mm screed (less if anhydrite is used, 40mm possibly), do you have that sort of room with doors etc.

 

[ARC123]

Hi Bri.

Thanks for the quick reply. Unfortunately I've only got around 60mm to play with , plus the tile bed and tiles.

 

[LM]

Have you checked out Hardie's 27mm engineered floor?

 

[ARC123]

Not yet but will do. Thanks. Andy

 

[Andy Allen]

Could use 50mm marmox boards

 

[ARC123]

Could use 50mm marmox boards

Thanks for the suggestion.


I've just checked these out , would you lay them directly onto the block and beam with a bed of tile cement or would you need to put a self levelling compound onto the block and beam first ?

There will be a 2mx1m island unit with a granite worktop going on this floor so it needs to be solid.

 

[Rizzle from the Portizzle]

block and beam floor simple expanding metal screed 30 mm lay tiles into wet screed should get at least 100 years + out of it you need to look for a tiler who has the know how no problem for them and it should be finished in 1 day with next day grouting fix kitchen two days later

 

[ARC123]

block and beam floor simple expanding metal screed 30 mm lay tiles into wet screed should get at least 100 years + out of it you need to look for a tiler who has the know how no problem for them and it should be finished in 1 day with next day grouting fix kitchen two days later

Hi. I can see how that would be very rigid but if I've got it right I'd not have any insulation under the floor and I'm not having under floor heating.

 

[Rizzle from the Portizzle]

What height have you got to play with? Ideally you'd put 100mm insulation with a minimum 70mm screed (less if anhydrite is used, 40mm possibly), do you have that sort of room with doors etc.

6 mm insulation board will give you the same insulation as 100 mm on a block and beam floor

 

[White Room]

I remember over 40 years ago screed straight onto block and beam....

 

[Rizzle from the Portizzle]

Hi. I can see how that would be very rigid but if I've got it right I'd not have any insulation under the floor and I'm not having under floor heating.

a block and beam floor is a raised floor not connected to the ground and vented so you have 30 mm screed
plus 100 mm of beam just how much perma frost do we get in the uk or did i miss somethink the beam is an insulater the screed is an insulater the tile is an insulater do you have snow and frost failing from your ceiling

 

[widler]

Problem with this country is its insulation mad .
I'm sure government has some kind of deal with insulation manufacturers like kingspan to use sell loads of the stuff, Christ my extension has more insulation than the bloody space shuttle personally I think it's all balls

 

[ARC123]

I'm now confused as the tiler contracted to the kitchen supplier (they are supplying all trades) says he's happy to overlay the floating floor with 18mm ply and tile with a 10mm bed of flexible cement. The tiles are 450x450 ceramic. After speaking to the tech dept at Marmox they felt that 40mm Multiboard onto the a screed on the block and beam was a good solution. Next question is who is liable for any failure ? As my contract is with the kitchen supplier and I'm only paying them I'm assuming they are liable for any defects.

 

[Old Mod]

No matter what the substrate, ply is not a suitable material to tile on to!
A professional tiler who is up to date with latest practises would know this.

 

[Dan]

You'll be retiling that a lot sooner if you ply it and tile it. Send the "tiler" to the forum for some training

 

[ARC123]

No matter what the substrate, ply is not a suitable material to tile on to!
A professional tiler who is up to date with latest practises would know this.

I'm not happy tiling into ply and I've made it clear I'm happy to pay to have the floor ripped out and replaced with Marmox at my cost! I want a job that is done correctly and 100% not to fail through inadequate substrate

Is the solution I proposed a sound one? I've seen this recommended in a few threads as a replacement for the Floating Floor.

 

[J Sid]

rip out and replace with insulation board is the way I go.
and at that point I normally recommend fitting wet ufh to clients which doesn't add to much to the cost.