Help With UFH/New Kitchen floor

[ryanfitz1981]

Been on this site before and read lots and hoping for a bit of trade advice.

Ive had three rooms knocked into one to form a large 30m2 kitchen dinner. Now everything has been cleared its evident that the existing floor is moving all over the place.

The existing floor is Block and beam with 25mm polystyrene insulation with 18mm T&G chipboard.

We're looking to lay a limestone in the kitchen zone and solid oak floor in the dining area.

Now I'm wondering what route to take... I've lifted some boards/insulation and noted that there are lots of mortar snots etc bumping the floor all over the place therefore as a minimum I have to lift it all and clean it up.

However while I'm doing the work I'm thinking of upgrading insulation and have also looked at the polypipe overlay system.

My idea at the moment is as follows:

25mm celotex, 18mm polypipe overlay, limestone tiles over.

Are there any other systems anyone could recommend or any additional comments to the above as I'm worried about cracking and movement to the tiled floor once done but also have the problem of having 43mm + floor finish to play with!

Cheers!

Ryan

 

[Del W]

Anyone ?

 

[Daz]

Hi Ryan & welcome.

Your floor sounds as though it is a floating floor. Add to that the Polypipe overlay UFH (which will turn the most sound floor into a floating floor) and you do not have a good starting base for tiling, let alone limestone tiling.

My advise would be to invite a local professional tiler to view your floor and provide some sensible advise before you get too carried away and cause yourself some longterm issues. When you contact a local tiler make sure that you invite someone that has experience of the Polypipe system so that they provide accurate and not "guess work" advice.

I would suggest that this is not a task that even an accomplished DIY'er should attempt.

Good luck

Daz

 

[ryanfitz1981]

Daz,

thanks for the advise.

my idea is to remove everything up to the beam and block and start again. Only problem is the 43mm limit to match in with the other floor finishes!

I want to keep some insulation even if it is 25mm but wondered if the polypipe system would move about when sat on celotex/kingspan even when screwed down

if I don't go for the UFH then I'll still have to provide a new 25mm celotex with 18mm chipboard and glued and screw.

Its a bit of a pain beacuse eitherway I'm not going to get something i'd be totally happy with (65mm reinforced screed on 100mm celotex would be nice!!!)

 

[peteablard]

I'm with daz, sounds like a massive DIY project. I'd call in a pro tiler, in fact I'd call in several to make sure you find one who is experienced with this kind of work. (No disrespect but someone who has just come off a 2 week course will be out of their depth here) Ask plenty them plenty of questions, double check with people on here and don't just go with the cheapest quote as you may pay dearly in the future!

 

[Daz]

If I'm being honest Ryan, I don't think you can achieve a tileable substrate with the workings that you have outlined. There may be a way of making it happen but it will require an experienced person to physically view and provide sound advise (as Pete states, it may be worth a few opinions).
I haven't even touched on the need for a decoupling membrane for the limestone! (that will add 3mm).
Seek some local advise and then come back here to verify it, please.

Daz

 

[davemul]

I would take the lot up back down to the bock and beam

prime the blocks and use a flexible adhesive and lay marmox boards (they come in thicknesses of 4mm to 50mm)

then lay your ufh, self level and tile your limestone

flexible materials throughout