Bathroom Flooring

[Fishter]

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....

[steve]

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

Steve

[chris French]

In message , Fishter writes

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.)

[Phil Addison]

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

NOSPAM from address to reply

[Fishter]

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,