[b_kotoch]

Hi everyone,
I am renovating an old camp. It sits on old oaken pickle barrells filled w/cement w/cinder blocks all around for the foundation, 18 inch crawl space at best.

My current problem: the room in the middle of the house(kitchen/dining room) is 13 x 20. In the center at 10' runs the main support beam through the house. From that point to the sides of the room, the floor drops about 2 inches. I have removed all the multiple layers of flooring and now down to the 6 x 6 old pine boards. I sister-boarded the joints for strenghth but does nothing for leveling. What should I use for moisture barrier and what layer should it be applied?

I don't know where to start. Floor leveler? roofing felt? felt paper? Gypsum fiber underlayment? Plywood? I'm a mess.

I'm planning to install vinyl floor titles because reg.tile too cold in winter.

I need advice......anyone out there?

Brenda
[email protected]
Massachusetts

 

[Just Bill]

From what you describe for the foundation, I would not be too worried about level floors. Do you mean the sub floor is 1x6 T&G?? If yes, go over that with full sheets of 3/4 plywood(BC or better) and you are ready for any finished flooring you want. You may have to seal the joints for sheet vinyl.

 

[b_kotoch]

Camp renovation ??'s

HI Bill,

Thank you for replying to my ???about renovating this place.

The original flooring is 6 x 6 x 1 not T & G. Some boards have shrunk over time and have as much as a half inch gap between them !!

1. Should I using chaulking to seal the gaps between the boards before I start anything?

2. Should I try a "self leveling" pour on product for the lowest points before the plywood? or after? I'm not looking for perfect, but I don't want it to look like the ocean either.....

3. Can I put Tyvek down before the plywood to help with the dampness that comes from the crawl space?

4. Should I build a "frame" around the outside walls and work off of that?

I'll listen to any and all advice...... thanks for taking the time to respond.

Brenda :wink:

 

[Just Bill]

You say 6x6x1, don't you mean 1x6, 3/4" lumber 6" wide, by 'x' feet long?? I read 6x6 as a chunk of wood 6"x6". 1x6 is normal for subflooring in older construction, usually laid on the diagonal.

1. I would not be too concerned about sealing the subfloor, but you could use backer rod to fill wider gaps. Backer rod is foam rod used to pack large gaps so caulk will not run all over the place.
2. You could never use self leveling compound on that subfloor, it would all leak out. If you insist on having a level floor, consider fixing the foundation first. But leveling compound could be used on the plywood after install felt or some waterproof membrane and sealing ALL holes where the compound could leak out.
3. Do not put down a moisture barrier between subfloor and plywood. Rosin paper is OK to reduce squeaks. Take care of moisture problems from underneath. I am assuming the subfloor is not rotted just old and shrunken?? You want it to stay that way. A moisture barrier will cause it to rot.
4. Not sure what you mean here. A frame would raise the floor up requiring considerably more support work and material.

 

[b_kotoch]

Camp renovation ??'s

good morning,
Yes, you are correct...they are 1 x 6 old boards...they are not rotted,just old.

One contractor suggested to "picture frame" the outside perimeter of the room and use that as a guide to level the floor....everyone is telling me something different here and I just don't know what the correct thing is to do.

I am not looking for perfectly level floor but the final outcome will only be as good as the base I put it on and I do not have the funds to correct the foundation (which is the proper thing to do) so I'm looking for the best "bandaid" for the problem.

One last question: where should be moisture barrier be installed? should I go in the crawlspace under the house and staple it to the floor joints over the insulation? I don't need any more problems....:huh:

Thank you again for your time and advice,
Brenda