Floating floor problems?

Discussion in 'Builders' Talk' started by Richlinesman, Apr 18, 2017.

  1. Richlinesman

    Richlinesman New Member

    Hi,
    New to this so be gentle!
    Had an extension built and the floor was laid with insulation and then screeded. Then i was told that the DPC was to low and the internal floor level would need to be brought up with a floating floor.
    Not being a builder i didn't know what this was and waited for it to be finished. The screed was quiet uneven but i was told this would be fine. Celotex was layers on the screed and then 18 t&g put on that.
    Now the unlevelness of the screed is causing problems with the floor!!!
    Is this a legitimate way of laying a floor??

    Thanks, Rich
     
  2. Jord86

    Jord86 Screwfix Select

    To be honest, no. Screed is a (should be) level finished floor surface, ready for carpet, tile, or whatever your covering. No point in screeding if to be covered with insulation then chipboard, should have insulated under the concrete oversite then screeded, or insulated on top of oversite then laid chipboard on top. If the builders couldn't even get the extension levels correct with the existing house, then it doesn't bode well for the rest of it. How out of level is the screed? Do you have any pictures showing your issues?
     
  3. Richlinesman

    Richlinesman New Member

    They followed the DPC height from the old part of the house but it turns out the old floor level is actually above DPC.
    The whole build has been a catalogue of issues but all have been sorted apart from this one. Really is rubbish.
    Flooring company has said i could lay think ply, screw down and then self level over top?
    Have fitted the kitchen now and really don't want to take it out!
    Will take photos tomorrow.
     
  4. Jord86

    Jord86 Screwfix Select

    You shouldn't have to touch the kitchen, apart from maybe rip the plinths down if you raise the floor level up. You'd be better off self levelling over the screed unless you've got huge dips and omitting the ply, at least from what it sounds anyways.
     
  5. Phil the Paver

    Phil the Paver Screwfix Select

    How far out was the screed, that they could get celotex and 18mm boards down. ???

    How comes it was low anyway, didn't the builder think to check the existing floor level before screeding. :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

    Why didn't they just screed on to the screed again sounds like there was enough depth.
     
  6. Richlinesman

    Richlinesman New Member


    That's exactly the problem. Nobody notices the issue with the levels until they came to screed it. They couldn't come higher with screed as would be above DPC so they did a floating floor.

    My issue is weather a floating floor of celotex straight onto the screed is a legitimate way of solving this issue? I would have thought a timber framework would be required to help support floor?
     
  7. Phil the Paver

    Phil the Paver Screwfix Select


    A floating floor is just that, floating, so not tied down in any way.

    But the excuse of coming above the DPC is a poor one, a vertical DPC against the wall would have solved that.
     
  8. Richlinesman

    Richlinesman New Member

    So if they had just left the bit of membrane that came out up the wall from the first screed then that would have been fine to do a further screed above DPC?
    Should that membrane have gone behind the plaster board before it was dot and dabbed?
    Sorry if questions are stupid but I'm not a builder and feel like I've had the wool pulled over my eyes.

    Thanks for any help.
     
  9. Phil the Paver

    Phil the Paver Screwfix Select


    Yes it would have help with the screed breaching DPC.

    Not necessarily up to DPC in the norm in this case, on New builds it is built into the DPC.
     

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