We have stone floors in this very old house (16/17thC) the slate/sandstone slabs are laid on earth and have been there for 100 years plus. If I lift them (which is the proposal in the PP and LBC) I may well need to underpin along with membranes and insulation and moving, by hand an awful lot of rubble. As these floors have been serviceable for so many years and they will remain as stone, no carpet, can I just leave them as is - perhaps level one or two and fill in the gaps with a lime mortar. Is it really such a bad idea to leave them alone?
- Thread starter Socksitis
- Start date
We have blue lias flagstones laid directly onto the earth on a small bed of mortar. The only ones we have lifted are the broken ones to be replaced. They were then laid back as they were with replacements. We repointed all with a nhl 3.5 mix. Around the joints can get darker sometimes in certain weather...not necessarily if it's wet out, but when it's hot and the moisture is evaporating. They are obviously doing their job. So I'd say leave them if they are good. Oh and don't cover them with man made materials or they will sweat. They need air flow. You can use natural materials like wool though if it's a bit chilly under foot.
Flyfisher
Member
- Messages
- 10,168
- Location
- Norfolk, UK
I'd ask what are you trying to achieve by lifting and relaying them. As you've already said, they've been there for 100 years plus, are serviceable and you intend to keep the stone floor anyway.
You ask "is it really such a bad idea to leave them alone?" though you haven't really made a strong case against. One bad thing is that you would no longer be able to say you have a 100 year plus floor and instead you'd have a new floor made from 100 year plus stones - and anyone can do that. Might be a consideration?
Of course, if you're specifically looking for a back-breaking job that will leave you pretty much with exactly what you already have . . . . :wink:
You ask "is it really such a bad idea to leave them alone?" though you haven't really made a strong case against. One bad thing is that you would no longer be able to say you have a 100 year plus floor and instead you'd have a new floor made from 100 year plus stones - and anyone can do that. Might be a consideration?
Of course, if you're specifically looking for a back-breaking job that will leave you pretty much with exactly what you already have . . . . :wink:
88v8
Member
- Messages
- 3,131
- Location
- Glorious Gloucs
Unless they're badly broken and need replacing, leave them. Even then, you could just replace.
Otherwise you're in for a lot of upheaval and expense and even then you'll have to have a breathable floor so the general humidity level in the house will be the same. It is what it is.
The cost of insulating a floor such as this far far exceeds any gain.
Turkey rugs can look well on stone floors. The real thing, not those made of artificial fibre.
https://jenningsrugs.co.uk/
With felt underlay. This is as thick as I'd go under a rug - about 3/8" - otherwise it makes a big bump at the edge.
https://www.carpet-underlay-shop.co.uk/collections/carpet-underlay/products/envirolay-33oz-felt-15-07-m2-from-1-76-per-m2
Together they make for a breathable covering.
Ivor
Otherwise you're in for a lot of upheaval and expense and even then you'll have to have a breathable floor so the general humidity level in the house will be the same. It is what it is.
The cost of insulating a floor such as this far far exceeds any gain.
Turkey rugs can look well on stone floors. The real thing, not those made of artificial fibre.
https://jenningsrugs.co.uk/
With felt underlay. This is as thick as I'd go under a rug - about 3/8" - otherwise it makes a big bump at the edge.
https://www.carpet-underlay-shop.co.uk/collections/carpet-underlay/products/envirolay-33oz-felt-15-07-m2-from-1-76-per-m2
Together they make for a breathable covering.
Ivor
Thank you one and all for your sound advice.
The reasons for lifting were to level out the floor - but that is not a strong enough reason. In one room the slabs have been overlaid with concrete - I am aiming to remove the concrete - goodness know how much damage that will do, but will try my best to keep what is underneath. In another room, which is a step up, there is concrete, this room is a problem room as there is water ingress through the wall, a French drain behind, but we are taking the bank back and sorting the drain, but the concrete floor? This one may need to come up and be sorted - will know more when a sample is removed. The porch has concrete over stone - so it may well be have a look, whilst the back kitchen has a concrete floor, again I suspect over stone.
I think you are right, if it works leave it. I will try to keep to that wherever possible.
The reasons for lifting were to level out the floor - but that is not a strong enough reason. In one room the slabs have been overlaid with concrete - I am aiming to remove the concrete - goodness know how much damage that will do, but will try my best to keep what is underneath. In another room, which is a step up, there is concrete, this room is a problem room as there is water ingress through the wall, a French drain behind, but we are taking the bank back and sorting the drain, but the concrete floor? This one may need to come up and be sorted - will know more when a sample is removed. The porch has concrete over stone - so it may well be have a look, whilst the back kitchen has a concrete floor, again I suspect over stone.
I think you are right, if it works leave it. I will try to keep to that wherever possible.
Flyfisher
Member
- Messages
- 10,168
- Location
- Norfolk, UK
Ah, you didn't mention someone had spoiled things with concrete - what a great shame, though sadly not uncommon it seems. 
JanJonWestWales
Member
- Messages
- 141
- Location
- Carmarthenshire + Cardiff
We have had this dilemma in a few areas
A Hallway with original slabs - The floor was uneven with a few slabs broken, and concrete pointing (layed on earth) - It was also damp.
Pulled them up , found some replacements, and layed them back onto a limecrete floor - worked atreat ( dry as a chip ) and looks great
But it was a small area (8'x 8') so not such a huge job
Similar problem in an inglenook - Mix of ruabon red/black tiles, conctreted areas and a real mess
Dug out the broken areas and replaced with reclaimed Ruabon tiles - laid onto a Lime base (NHL5) - no membrane
looks great
We have a lower hallway, which is tiled (ruabon blues) - but isnt damp - so will leave alone
So my advice - If you dont need to - leave as is (agree with all revious comments)
If you are going to lift, then take care to save as many as possible.
If you are just doing it to make the floor even , and replace concrete/broken flags, then dont bother with membrane, but do use Lime(NHL5 or 5Z)
For the best damp proofing result - dig down further and lay a limecrete floor (much bigger job, but worth it - if it is danp)
A Hallway with original slabs - The floor was uneven with a few slabs broken, and concrete pointing (layed on earth) - It was also damp.
Pulled them up , found some replacements, and layed them back onto a limecrete floor - worked atreat ( dry as a chip ) and looks great
But it was a small area (8'x 8') so not such a huge job
Similar problem in an inglenook - Mix of ruabon red/black tiles, conctreted areas and a real mess
Dug out the broken areas and replaced with reclaimed Ruabon tiles - laid onto a Lime base (NHL5) - no membrane
looks great
We have a lower hallway, which is tiled (ruabon blues) - but isnt damp - so will leave alone
So my advice - If you dont need to - leave as is (agree with all revious comments)
If you are going to lift, then take care to save as many as possible.
If you are just doing it to make the floor even , and replace concrete/broken flags, then dont bother with membrane, but do use Lime(NHL5 or 5Z)
For the best damp proofing result - dig down further and lay a limecrete floor (much bigger job, but worth it - if it is danp)
Ours were, and still are in some places, covered in concrete. One room had a bitumen layer on the flags then concrete on top which came up quite easily but in other rooms the concrete was laid onto the flags. This came up ok but the flags are badly damaged. They take a lot of work to get nice. Took me 3 months to do one room and now I dread doing the next rooms. Good luck.