Hello All, I can't believe I missed this forum, I'm looking to install either 18mm Engineered board or something like Karndean throughout ground floor, 62sqm in all, with wet UFH. Two rooms are at same level and I need to raise the other floor by approx 130mm to meet it and make the entire floor mobile friendly for my missus, who unfortunately has a developing medical challenge, which probably means wheelchair etc.. Its an old 1910 semi with suspended floors and no insulation, the floors are well ventilated with floorboards installed on 400mm joists. I'm looking to do the following. 2 rooms (high level) ...each room 5x4m approx lift boards and between joists... insulate using 70mm Celotex and tape up add 25mm pre-routed UFH panels with spreader plates and pipework add 18mm T&G ply and bond Flooring guy adds feather layer Lay Karndean looselay long board 1 room (lower level now)...approx 3x8m...create a floating slab floor keep existing floor as is and its good condition etc.. add 70mm celotex and tape up add 25mm pre-routed UFH panels with spreader plates and pipework add 18mm T&G ply and bond Flooring guy adds feather layer Lay Karndean looselay long board through from the other two rooms...there are two doorways into this room from the others. We originally looked at Engineered board but it's going to involve adding quite a few layers and levels become a pain, so Karndean or the equivalent has come up. But we don't really like the lengths of board that seem to be on offer as we reckon they'll make a room thats 8m long look really busy if you get my drift? So the long board by Karndean then popped up. A fitter we've used before and trust has said its expensive, but he's fitted a fair amount in the past 6 months and it goes down well. Questions Is it any good? Am I OK to lay this on the floor detail above? If I went for a stick down version, is the above floor detail OK to use? How easy is it to find 18mm T&G ...because I've looked online and builders depot is the only place I can see with it which is miles away from us...!? If I have to use 18mm T&G chipboard then I've got to top it with 6mm Ply which means floor levels are a pain again!...is there something else? Cheers to anyone who can help out with advice...
Thanks Spacey & Dazlight, I'll look at Moduelo...also anyone any ideas on Parador? I get that sticking a floor down is the norm, but why is looselay something to avoid...have you had specific issues with it? Also, I can't seem to get 18mm T&G ply anywhere locally, TP / Jewsons...etc... is it something that's not a normal product? If I cant use T&G ply that would mean using Chipboard which is crap for thermal transfer and then adding 6mm of ply on that for the LTV...which isn't really what I wanted to do.
Have you tried looking at cement board? Probably a better heat conductor and you could takifi the looselay direct to it. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Thanks merit, No I hadn't looked at cement board, is that the same as dry screed board? Just looking ...and its flipping expensive stuff!....I'm looking at 25mm because it would need to be structural I guess?
LVT will try to expand or contract with temperature changes so if it's not fully stuck with the correct adhesive it's going to do so
That’s true, loosley will expand and contract like mad with any temp change. Bout as much use as a chocolate tea pot. Who invented this stuff anyway. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Thanks gents, I'm learning here, as I don't want to get this wrong! I've read on this forum that, because people were really sceptical on the looselay, that somebody actually did some independent tests heating and freezing some looselay tiles.... and surprisingly they found no change in the tile size....is that correct? Also, the missus is now looking at having ceramic tiles and LTV in the same room, so is there any problems in running this through a room whether I go with stuck down Van Gogh or Loose lay? I was looking to lay 18mm Ply direct onto Joists, above UFH spreader plates, and then the LTV....my problem with fitting ceramic tiles would be that I'd want to do it within the 18mm + LTV height (21mm total?). So fitting a 6mm tile and 6mm adhesive only leaves 9mm of subfloor on joists...which I'm guessing wont be enough? Any ideas?
Well Karndean state you can install loosley over ufh without sticking it down so you would like to think it won’t move but to be honest if you do get a issue they will find something else to blame it on. You could try a company called Lionvest for t and g ply. They supply a insane amount of plywood products. If your going full stick you really should 6mm ply over chipboard Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Thanks merit, Is there anything else that is regarded as a structural floor other than T&G...and is about 20mm thick that I can tile directly onto?...I've seen 20mm screed boards, can you tile directly to them?
24mm ply in 8x4 sheets would do the job I'd imagine, I'd also not recommend loose lay products, fully stuck on ht or a fibre glue myself.
Cheers fellas, Just found 18mm T&G ply at Arnold Laver @ £12.50 sqm....its a distance away to deliver (2hrs) but the closest I could get. They also do 22mm but its 30% more...do you think I need the extra thickness for what I'm looking to do?
