kitchen floor

[MetManMark]

All
Our kitchen floor is uneven and looks to have sunk in the middle. We have taken the tiles up to reveal that the screed stuff had cracked and sounded hollow. We have been taking more and more tiles off and I used my drill to chip off the loose screed. This was about 5 cm thick and came off quite easily to reveal a sound concrete base. We are going to continue to do this for the whole kitchen. My question is do we need to replace the screed or could we tile directly on the concrete base? The reason I was wondering is because the kitchen floor is currently about 5 cm higher than the floor in the hall. This means that countless people - myself included - have tripped going into the kitchen. If we were to tile directly on the concrete it would be the same height as the floor in the hall.
Cheers
Mark

 

[Lime]

The screed under your tiles suggests that the floorers had difficulties with the floor level.
Probably the cement base is not flat.
However you cannot lay a good floor of a lose screed so it needs to be removed anyway.
The best time to make the decision about what you can do when it is all up.

 

[Feltwell]

Of course the other option, depending on what the rest of the house is like, is to embrace the out of level floor and think of it as character! Yes, you can tile direct on the concrete - Loose screed is no good though, that's without doubt.

Have you got damp in the walls? A concrete floor may be making that worse.

 

[Flyfisher]

Of course the other option, depending on what the rest of the house is like, is to embrace the out of level floor and think of it as character!

Indeed. We have few rooms that don't require a slight step up or down when entering or leaving and quite a few floors with a very distinct slope, though it hasn't occurred to me to try to level them all. I've not noticed a particular trip problem, though we have a few other places that can inflict a bump on the head. Such things just seem to go with the territory in old houses.

 

[MetManMark]

Thanks all. The raised height isn't really a massive problem - it is just that if we do tile on the concrete it would be an added benefit, that is all. Once all the screed is up I'll see how level it is by pouring a little water on it. There isn't damp around this area of the house, unlike the office (see other posting). Better get cracking getting it all up...
Cheers
Mark

 

[MatthewC]

Once all the screed is up I'll see how level it is by pouring a little water on it.

Get a good long spirit level (1.5 metres or so) and check carefully in all directions. When we laid our kitchen floor from scratch, the screed was done nice and level (I thought) but then we found over 3cm difference across the room, which meant that our flagstones were laid on a far thicker bed than expected.

Good luck

Matthew
http://houseintheenchantedforest.blogspot.com/

 

[Lime]

Laser levels are so much more easy to use and they are not expensive.

http://www.screwfix.com/p/laser-gradient-level-600mm/79067

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Hand+Tools/Lasers/Self+Levelling+Laser+Kit/d10/sd2811/p88055

 

[Feltwell]

Any spirit level needs checking before use - a surprising amount are out of adjustment even when new. Extended across the width of a room, this can make a real difference.

How to check - very easy, and apologies in advance if I'm stating the bleedin' obvious here. Just pop the spirit level on any roughly level surface and take a reading - then pick it up, turn it round, and put it back on exactly the same spot. The reading should be the same, e.g. if the bubble was on the left first time round, it should be on the left by exactly the same amount the second time round as well!

You'd be amazed at how many people think that the bubble being on the right the second time round means their level is OK - because they've turned it round of course :wink:

I treated myself to a set from Screwfix a little while ago that was on offer - they're very good for the money, certainly cheaper than buying them individually. They're still on offer but look like they are being discontinued shortly.

http://www.screwfix.com/p/forge-steel-spirit-level-set-4pcs/59129

 

[AMc]

If there's no reason to remove the concrete base under the screed then you may choose to use a self leveling compound to get it properly flat to tile onto.
My builders used a self leveling compound to even up the screed over our underfloor heating before gluing the engineered oak boards.