Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Solid Floor - Cupping

Options
  • 02-01-2009 12:35am
    #1
    cathalcjb
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5 ✭


    Hi there,

    Had a solid wooden floor laid over part concrete and part raised timber ground floor in 1930s terrace 18 months ago.

    Fitter was a cowboy. He told me to hump it when I wanted him to re-do parts he did badly (before I paid him less than originally agreed in the end) and wouldn't come back when things started going really south later despite claiming he guaranteed all work before I got him.

    Floor has cupped badly in numerous places and has raised in others. In the severely affected places (raised about two inches from floor) I chopped out from the sides under the skirtings (he left no F-all room for expansion) and screwed down, hiding where I could. That's grand now but in other places she has cupped and I don't want to go pulling off skirtings and that if it won't have any impact.

    Just wondering:

    - once it has cupped is there any way it will re-level itself if more expansion is provided ( I tried getting another guy to do some repairs but he wasn't interested, wanted to take it all up - it's bad but I'd prefer to make sure all else fails first)

    At this stage I'm considering investing in a good rug - an awful shame.:(


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    RKQ
    Registered Users Posts: 2,292 ✭✭✭RKQ


    Sorry to hear it.
    Any good Carpenter will prefer to remove it all and start fresh as he won't want you coming back to him if the repairs don't work.

    Why is it cupping?
    If its getting damp then it might go back once its dries out (unlikely but it might) If its caused by no expansion gap, then providing an expansion gap might work. Hard to know without knowing the type of wood or seeing it.
    Hopefully someone here can give you some good advice.


  • Options
    #3
    gsxr1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,167 ✭✭✭gsxr1


    the Expansion problem and the cupping problem may well be 2 separate problems.

    I have found in the past that cupping where moister is present is inevitable.
    even polythene damp barriers let through a certain amount of moister. There is expensive Damp and moister barriers but cost as much as 8 euro sq M.

    It maybe the case where you floor fitter did not use any means of moister barrier.

    It sounds like removing the skirting and cutting may be the only way to save the expansion issue. Tis a very tricky and time consuming practice and often involves swearing and the destruction of a carpenters good chisel. I did it to a floor . But it saved the day in the end.

    Its a shame but it will cost money to fix.


Advertisement