Rot problem

[Smoo]

Hi, does anyone have any idea if this is wet or dry rot - or mine rot? - and how best to deal with it?

It is from a two up, two down1930s terraced house - and was found beneath a parquet floor that had been stuck down with something that looked like bitumen - with a laminated floor above it (which has recently buckled - thus revealing the damp/fungus below). The floor underneath these layers is solid concrete. The photos are of the flor in the living room which leads straight onto the kitchen. This is also shows a bit of the same white mould behind the cupboards (which have now been removed) - I think the back of the cupboard may have been touching the wall.

It's a very small house and I've had a quote of £6k plus to remedy which is a little scary! Any advice would be VERY gratefully received, thanks in advance.

 

[Smoo]

Just giving this a bump.

And a further question - is it safe to do most of the inital legwork myself to reduce costs (ie, rip up the flooring/remove skirting boards, etc - and leave the chemical stuff to a reputable company?)

Thanks in advance for advice.

 

[Matt Green]

Good grief, what a mess.





That looks like mine rot or a Poria type rot of some description. It's unlikely to be dry rot in parquet- the timber blocks are usually pretty dense and slow grown.

What you do about it is a tricky one. The laminate has expanded up, presumably because the paraquet beneath has expanded. Laying the laminate over the parquet was a pretty terrible idea so that can come up. After that I would employ the services of someone to repair and relay the parquet. No fungal treatment required for this- just clean off the mycelium.


M.

 

[Smoo]

Good grief, what a mess.



View attachment 15630

That looks like mine rot or a Poria type rot of some description. It's unlikely to be dry rot in parquet- the timber blocks are usually pretty dense and slow grown.

What you do about it is a tricky one. The laminate has expanded up, presumably because the paraquet beneath has expanded. Laying the laminate over the parquet was a pretty terrible idea so that can come up. After that I would employ the services of someone to repair and relay the parquet. No fungal treatment required for this- just clean off the mycelium.


M.

Yes - it is a mess, that I have inherited! Already resigned to parquet floor coming up - and I'm presuming I'll need to remove skirting boards and door frames to ensure there is no spread. My concern was that it was dry rot so your reply is heartening. Once everything is up, what is the advice for the concrete floor beneath - would a new damp membrane be advisable? Thanks for the advice, very much appreciated.

 

[Matt Green]

and I'm presuming I'll need to remove skirting boards and door frames to ensure there is no spread.

No, the only reason that floor buckled is because someone put a vapour-impermeable laminate floor over it. Remove the laminate, clean up and you can relay the parquet. Laying it on a membrane rather than bitumen might be a reasonable plan, it depends how much of the blockwork needs lifting. I would view it as an opportunity to renovate what looks to be a decent parquet.

 

[Smoo]

Thanks - great advice!