Installing floating Flooring Tiles Build in wall unit

[Gofinn]

Hi all

Wife has decided she wants timber floors. That’s where my problems begin.

 Currently I have carpet in bedrooms & lounge, tiles in hallway & kitchen.

Pulled carpet up have raw Radiata pine floors with fair amount of knots. 

Tiles 50m2   Carpet 50m2

1. Hall has tiles glued onto cement sheet (getting tested for asbestos) height is 15mm from floor.
2. Lounge has Build in wall unit seating on carpet (I want to keep it).
3. Sliding door 1,  level with tiles    (will be replaced)
4. Sliding door 2, level with carpet  (will be replaced) no photo

Plan was to remove tiles and carpet, sand & polish whole house. Cutting the tiles (kitchen) & wall unit carpet, close to existing kick boards (is it possible ?) and to cover with an additional kick board.

2nd option especially if asbestos is found

Install floating floor over tiles & lift carpeted areas with a 15mm chipboard (what type?)

How best to cut the carpet around the wall unit

How should the sliding doors be done, as the floor will add  ??mm

What type of flooring

If veneer can it be re-polished

Will the same style be available in waterproof for kitchen/laundry

In UK floating floor is installed by cutting or grooving the kick boards to fit floor boards, instead of using quad to finish the ends, is that available here.

[MitchellMc]

Hi @Gofinn,

I can't think of any reason why cutting the tiles and carpet back wouldn't be possible if you were then to cover the height difference with a taller kickboard.

Did you want to add the chipboard over the carpet, leaving it in place, or remove the carpet and raise the sub-floor with the chipboard? Yellow tongue would normally be used as flooring, though it is 19mm thick. The carpet pile is likely to compress some amount with the additional chipboard weight.

Any utility knife would be suitable for cutting the carpet back close to the wall unit.

The sliding doors can be removed and cut down to suit the height difference. You should trim the down on the top and bottom instead of just the bottom. This will ensure the structural timber surrounding the door is not overly compromised on just the bottom. Alternatively, you can just the bottom and install a new strip of pine at the required height and glue the skins back to it.

Laminate or Hybrid vinyl flooring can be laid over tiles and chipboard, and an appropriate vapour barrier underlay should be used. You'll need to make sure the tiles are in good condition and level. Hybrid vinyl flooring is suitable for waterproof and suitable for the kitchen/laundry.

I am not aware of the grooving method for kickboards. If you post an image, I'm sure we can advise it that is possible. The easiest method might be to install your floating floor up to the existing kickboard and then cut the new one to suit and install it on top of the floating floor.

I look forward to following along with your project. Please let me know if you have any questions or need assistance.

Mitchell

[Gofinn]

Thanks Mitchel

I intent to remove the carpet, cut it close to wall unit and use spaced packing under the kickboard to maintain it's position.

Since chipboard is available in 16mm that may be close enough, will have to try a sample.

Re: sliding doors I want to replace them, but the flooring will be adding another 15-16mm

Where and how should the flooring end, ready for the new sliding doors.

[MitchellMc]

I'd imagine the floating floor should be a similar thickness to the tiles @Gofinn. So, if the tiles are being removed, the flooring should finish at a similar height. It will depend on the door's style as to whether you can get a flush fitment or if a dressing bead needs to be installed to cover the edge. Or, were you planning on laying the floating floor over the tiles next to the sliding doors?

Mitchell

[Gofinn]

I need to remove the Hallway & kitchen floor tiles

in order to either polish or install floating laminate flooring.

they are on Radiata pine timber floor, tiles are glued onto non asbestos cement sheet.

a) Would the cement sheet be nailed or glued to the floor

b) What method is best to remove them

c) would the damage caused by removing them be minor or severe (able to be polished ?)

     12mm Laminate floor install

      In other areas where carpet has been removed now there is loose boards causing cricking

d) Over 2m area there is a 10mm floor unevenness,  would that have to be leveled

 

[MitchellMc]

Hi @Gofinn,

It sounds like a couple of your questions will only be answered once you've started the exploratory process. It's a bit hard to know whether the sheeting would have been glued and nailed down, and the fixing method will probably dictate how much damage is done in the removal process. I'd suggest using a rotary hammer drill in chisel function mode would be a quick and effective way of removing the tiles. Hopefully, once the tiles are up, you'll be able to pry the sheeting away with minimal damage.

If the sheeting has been glued down, you'd be looking at sanding the floor to remove the glue remnants. We offer floor sanders for hire, and they will be a lot less strenuous on your back than trying to remove the glue with a hand sander. Once they are sanded, you'll be able to polish them.

It's always best to start with a level surface when laying a floating floor, as you'll then know the result will be perfectly flat. I wouldn't expect a 10mm sloping fall over two meters to be an issue when laying the floor. Just bear that in mind when you are looking at doing the skirting. You might need to take the fall into account with measurements and cuts.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell