Gloucestershire House
Member
- Messages
- 7
- Location
- Gloucester
Hi,
I'm looking for some advice about timber flooring in our 1880s Victorian semi.
The whole downstairs has previously had concrete put down. In the dining room there is a lovely wooden floor made from reclaimed boards (previous owners too).
What we didn't notice / was partially concealed / was that it is riddled with woodworm in certain places. I treated the affected areas last year, but it hasn't completely solved the problem.
Upon further inspection, I was surprised to discover that the boards aren't suspended. My theory was that moisture in the room (high due to poor ventilation - now partially solved), was getting under the boards, condensing, and creating a breeding ground for the worms.
Today I have removed a board in the corner. The boards have been screwed down directly into the concrete, with a blue foam underlay. In some places there is a very small gap between the bottom of the board and the underlay, a few mm max.
I was surprised that it wasn't actually moist at all under here, and there wasn't much sign of worm holes underneath.
Is this an acceptable way to do wooden flooring? It doesn't seem quite right to me due to lack of ventilation. We are aware the previous owners had clearly got some cowboys to do work for them, so I wouldn't be surprised if this is another c*ck up.
We are thinking of taking it up and replacing with wood effect porcelain tiles, however, I would like to avoid the cost and effort this entails if possible. Would treating again and making sure the wood doesn't directly abut any walls be enough?
Any opinions?
The worst part of worm action is where the floor meets the patio doors, and the wood was very close to the bricks. I imagine if I chopped off the affected ends of these planks and found some solution for this transition, that could sort it?
Thanks very much. I would be grateful for your collective wisdom.
I'm looking for some advice about timber flooring in our 1880s Victorian semi.
The whole downstairs has previously had concrete put down. In the dining room there is a lovely wooden floor made from reclaimed boards (previous owners too).
What we didn't notice / was partially concealed / was that it is riddled with woodworm in certain places. I treated the affected areas last year, but it hasn't completely solved the problem.
Upon further inspection, I was surprised to discover that the boards aren't suspended. My theory was that moisture in the room (high due to poor ventilation - now partially solved), was getting under the boards, condensing, and creating a breeding ground for the worms.
Today I have removed a board in the corner. The boards have been screwed down directly into the concrete, with a blue foam underlay. In some places there is a very small gap between the bottom of the board and the underlay, a few mm max.
I was surprised that it wasn't actually moist at all under here, and there wasn't much sign of worm holes underneath.
Is this an acceptable way to do wooden flooring? It doesn't seem quite right to me due to lack of ventilation. We are aware the previous owners had clearly got some cowboys to do work for them, so I wouldn't be surprised if this is another c*ck up.
We are thinking of taking it up and replacing with wood effect porcelain tiles, however, I would like to avoid the cost and effort this entails if possible. Would treating again and making sure the wood doesn't directly abut any walls be enough?
Any opinions?
The worst part of worm action is where the floor meets the patio doors, and the wood was very close to the bricks. I imagine if I chopped off the affected ends of these planks and found some solution for this transition, that could sort it?
Thanks very much. I would be grateful for your collective wisdom.