Layers under my kitchen floor

WillK

Yesterday I cut an access hatch in my kitchen. This one was different, I couldn't cut the whole way through and have an access hatch I could reuse. I just thought I'd share the layers. See below for pictures.

1) linoleum tile
2) tongue and groove subfloor layer 1
3) shims, at one end 1" at the other 3" (42" long openning)
4) rat poop layer
5) tongue and groove subfloor layer 2
6) 1942 newspaper layer
7) tongue and groove subfloor layer 3
8) tongue and groove subfloor layer 4

Attached Thumbnails

         

 

__________________
Please do NOT consider any "before" picture of my house as any kind of endorsement of any particular construction method. In fact, you should probably assume that if I post a "before" picture, I am posting it because I am soliciting advice on a proper replacement for one of MANY things done wrong by a previous owner.

joecaption

Sounds pretty normal for an older house where the DIY home owners wanted to "save time" and just keep adding on to the top layer.
One of the many reasons most of us here suggest not doing that.

WillK

Here's the completed hole.

Among the articles I could read, one spoke about a "war-hating actor" that was released from a conscientious objector camp so he could enlist in the Army medical corp based on an agreement that he wasn't going to have commit violence.

Visible in the openning are the main hot and cold water pipes and the gas pipe for the water heater. Other pipes are also present which are debris, including old PVC for the kitchen DWV (which should probably be DW since there was no Vent), some clay pipe, the old galvanized gas pipe for the water heater, some aluminum foil the rats collected... The dirt really stinks like dead rats.

I'm planning I'll have to reroute the pipes so I have sufficient access to dig.

Attached Thumbnails

 

__________________
Please do NOT consider any "before" picture of my house as any kind of endorsement of any particular construction method. In fact, you should probably assume that if I post a "before" picture, I am posting it because I am soliciting advice on a proper replacement for one of MANY things done wrong by a previous owner.

WillK

The real killer is the absence of foundation under this area. I've mentioned before in my description of the house, but the original 22x24 was built in 1917 then another 10' was added to the back. That's what the kitchen is in. This 10' addition is held up by concrete blocks under the joists, and these sit on dirt. They've sunk more than the rest of the concrete blocks. I think the sinking might have stopped when the next addition was put on, a 10x10 mud room was added which is on a proper concrete slab.

What complicates the story is that because of this brick addition, I would have a harder time jacking up the balloon framed addition, so instead I'll have to replace floor joists and cut off the bottom of wall studs and put in a new bottom plate underneath. When I get to the second floor, I'm thinking there will be new double top plates on all existing exterior walls.

__________________
Please do NOT consider any "before" picture of my house as any kind of endorsement of any particular construction method. In fact, you should probably assume that if I post a "before" picture, I am posting it because I am soliciting advice on a proper replacement for one of MANY things done wrong by a previous owner.

abracaboom

A hole right in front of the fridge . . . Your wife is a saint!

gregzoll

He is lucky. Mine is still living. Could not resist, due to have listened to Darby O'Gill http://darbyogill.com/ too many times.

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