Another Stupid Question - Peeking Under Laminate Flooring

I've nver had anything to do with laminate flooring - I don't actually like it but can't afford to replace it at the moment. So, in the entrance hall, how can I peek underneath to see what's there? It's possible that there are some Victorian Mosaic tiles as there are in the porch, but I can't tell. How can I remove a piece of floor to take a sneaky peek? ! It's just the glueless interlocking type I believe with joiing strips between the two ajoining rooms.

Reply to
Maria
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Just rip it all up. Whatever is there will look better.

Reply to
Andy Hall

I expect the Fein has a laminate section remover tool

Reply to
Stuart Noble

Also it will not be so loud!

Reply to
Broadback

I agree, but have some reservations as the house (a terrace on a hill) has obviously subsided at some point and there is a large gap between the floor and skirting at one end of the rooms, so I have left the laminate in the living and dining rooms for now. I'm not sure how you address an uneven gap like this...relocating the skirting to hide the gap at one end will lead to an obvious problem. Aside from ripping up the floorboards and relaying the floor so that it is higher at one end, I can't see how else to do it.

Reply to
Maria

Surely the skirting will then be sloping like the floor is!

Reply to
Maria

Move the skirting?

Reply to
Andy Hall

Nah, they don't make Kango breakers.

Reply to
Andy Hall

Ah, OK, different problem.

Since the whole room now won't be square - - it probably never was - it becomes a case of repairing what needs to be repaired, truing up where possible and then making adjustments after that for a reaasonable visual outcome. You might not be able to achieve all of those.

Assuming that the structure of the house is now stable, it would then depend on the floors underneath and what you want to do. If they do turn out to be mosaics that you want to keep then that would define and limit options in that area. However, more likely is to have suspended timber floors. You could lift the boards of those and pack the joists to make up the gap. The boards could be cleaned up (or not) and put back or they could be replaced with new wood. People even put in concrete floors. It would probably be a good idea before doing anything substantial to get a structural engineer to take a look.

Like all these things, you need to decide what you are willing to spend before starting.

Reply to
Andy Hall

How big a slope is there? How big is the gap? Is the skirting level all the way round? If so, the walls presumably haven't subsided - just whatever is supporting the floor joists. To make a *proper* job, you really need to take up the floorboards and pack the joists up level - making sure that there is something solid under them. Are you sure that the joists haven't partially rotted on one side of the house, and sunk onto their supports - rather than subsidence per se?

Reply to
Roger Mills

The simplest way to peek is to jump on the floor. If it bounces slightly its suspended timber, if its as hard as rock its concrete, with or without tiles.

Lam might have been put down for fashion purposes, or it may have been put down for a sensible reason.

NT

Reply to
meow2222

The skirting is level (it's recently been replaced before we moved in) and the laminate appears to be chocked up at one end - the visible skirting board narrows by 1 - 1.5 inch over 10 feet distance.

It's hard to tell - we had a vertical 2 inch wide settlement crack on an interior wall adjacent to the front wall of the house. The front of the house shows no signs of settlement at all - it's all inside on the adjoining wall with next door. Looks like the bit of the house (the main bit!) behind the front wall as dropped. Same upstairs where there is no laminate, there is a one inch gap between the skirting and the floor at the same end of the room.

That's what I thought.

Can't see any rot, but not sure until I've removed the laminate!

Reply to
Maria

It's timber floors in the living and dining rooms, but definintely solid in the entrance hall - it could just be concreted I guess.

We weren't planning to spend anything on this! We didn't notice it before we purchased...still it's 120 years old and these things are bound to happen, especially on clay on a steep hill like this. It's quite difficult doing major work because we have 5 children and so the house is always full...I might just grit my teeth and ignore it!

Reply to
Maria

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