Fitting timber floor over carpet

Builderfromhell

I need to fit a floating Engineered (laminated) timber floor onto a concrete floor. The concrete floor already has an industrial type carpet glued to it. The type of carpet typically fitted in apartments, offices etc. This carpet is difficult to take up. It occured to me that I could leave it there and the timber floor could be laid directly on to it.

Any comments welcome.

In another room I will need to put down carpet over concrete floor with same glued carpet in place. I've never heard of someone putting carpet over carpet.

Joey the lips

If its fixed solid it should be fine. I done it in the showroom of my job. It does get the spoongy feeling though but be careful. I started in a test area and realised that the underlay and carpet are too spongy and might break the floor apart. I layed directly onto the carpet.

In an ideal situation you could lay marine ply do on the carpet but I suppose how think do you want the floor to be.

Builderfromhell

Thanks Joey.
I've found conflicting info on line.
I can see how it would be unwise to pay a thin laminated timber floor over a thick carpet with underlay as there would be too much flexing.
However, I am thinking about putting a thick engineered timber floor over a thin, dense industrial type carpet that is solidly stuck to the floor.
One advantage is that I will get a small bit of extra insulation by leaving the carpet there. I am thinking of laying thin sheets of plywood over carpet first and then lay timber floor.

Joey the lips

Builderfromhell wrote: »

Thanks Joey.
I've found conflicting info on line.
I can see how it would be unwise to pay a thin laminated timber floor over a thick carpet with underlay as there would be too much flexing.
However, I am thinking about putting a thick engineered timber floor over a thin, dense industrial type carpet that is solidly stuck to the floor.
One advantage is that I will get a small bit of extra insulation by leaving the carpet there. I am thinking of laying thin sheets of plywood over carpet first and then lay timber floor.

with due respect your name and notion is not painting a nice picture!

teepee

ever here for good building practice .:eek:

Poor Uncle Tom

Please expand, teepee...

teepee

the saying (good building practice) , is common in the building industry for the term of best practice . Fitting of flooring should be as per manufacters instructions , side track from that and you have no come back on any of the flooring . ps taking from exp .

Poor Uncle Tom

That is a more fitting response then your earlier post. Anyone associated with the building industry is familiar with the term good building practice.

In this case, as the OP has described, the carpet is glued tightly to the floor and is very thin, and as long as it is spotlessly clean, it should not cause any problems.

PirateShampoo

Your going to have to plan all the doors down so you can open and close them. And your gonna have a slight step in any of the rooms ur not fitting the floor.

Builderfromhell

Appreciate the views and opinions.

It turns out the 6mm dense carpet is glued to terracotta tiles and is level to withinn 5mm over 4m.

However, it is difficult to gauge the moisture content of the floor in this old building. For that reason laying a timber floor over carpet which may be absorbing even small amounts of dampness is risky.

I've decided to rip up carpet (firmly glued so not easy), paint on a liquid DPM over terracotta tiles, then Timber floor on foam as normal.

NOTE; had considered laying timber floor on plastic on carpet but this might trap moisture permanently in carpet which would then rot.

Mellor

Builderfromhell wrote: »

Appreciate the views and opinions.

It turns out the 6mm dense carpet is glued to terracotta tiles and is level to withinn 5mm over 4m.

However, it is difficult to gauge the moisture content of the floor in this old building. For that reason laying a timber floor over carpet which may be absorbing even small amounts of dampness is risky.

I've decided to rip up carpet (firmly glued so not easy), paint on a liquid DPM over terracotta tiles, then Timber floor on foam as normal.

NOTE; had considered laying timber floor on plastic on carpet but this might trap moisture permanently in carpet which would then rot.

I think this is likely the best option, there is a lot of scope for diaster laying floor over carpet

muffler

Mellor wrote: »

I think this is likely the best option, there is a lot of scope for diaster laying floor over carpet

+1.

It may never cause a problem but can you take a chance on it though?