Renovating old camp and pulling my hair out...

2878 Views 4 Replies 2 Participants Last post by b_kotoch, May 5, 2009

b_kotoch

Discussion Starter · May 3, 2009 (Edited)

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

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b_kotoch

Discussion Starter · #3 · May 5, 2009

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:

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b_kotoch

Discussion Starter · #5 · May 5, 2009

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

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