levelling quarry tiled kitchen floor

[plasticpigeon]

Hello people. I would appreciate some advice.

I have recently bought a 3 bed slightly roughly constructed terraced house built in 1904. The back addition has subsided on the rear corner due to the rainwater downpipe for the whole roof being directed onto the paved area at the back rather than down a drain making it very wet, and also because of broken drains. These 2 problems were addressed shortly before it went to market (or at least I hope the drains were fixed properly, I have receipts).

The quarry tiles on the kitchen floor were covered by 2 layers of lino and were very wet due to the wet ground underneath. After having removed the lino, lowered ground levels and opened air bricks and ventilation bricks most of it has dried out but damp persists around the edge. I am going to get the drains CCTVd just in case. Also the floor has a slope and every builder that has seen the floor wants to level it by putting in a concrete floor with plastic membrane. I am worried that naturally occurring damp under the floor, which at the moment slowly evaporates through the porous tiles, will get sealed in as it did by the lino and risk making the walls wet and rotting the floor joists which sit in the wall in the adjoining room. I am not keen on limecrete as I don't want to be without a kitchen for too long, it seems expensive and nobody round here knows what it is. Would you think it would be acceptable to take up the tiles, level the ground or ash or whatever is underneath and relay the tiles again, perhaps with a layer of sand to level????? Also does anyone know of any sub floor insulation that I could use that wouldn't seal in damp??? Lastly is there a quarry tile surface treatment that isn't a sealer and what should be used for grout???

Any advice will be gratefully received.

Jerome

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Jerome,

Welcome to the forum. It sounds as if you've done many of the right things and understand well the dangers of sealing damp in rather than resolving the causes.

I would have a couple of comments - are you sure the remaining damp is not residual and just needs a little longer to dry out? Time is the key thing with damp, and drying out is a slow process.

Secondly, is the slope such an issue that you need to "solve" it? The non-flat/non-square nature of period properties is often an intrinsic part of their appeal. That said, it it really is a problem, then lifting, levelling and relaying in sand is a reasonable approach. If you brush sand/lime over the top into the joints, you could just apply water afterwards and have a breathable grout. I have applied linseed oil to tiles - breathable and a lovely finish after a few coats; it has to be expensive pure stuff though. Some caution against this, in case the oil goes dark/mouldy but I haven't had a problem.

Others will be along shortly to advise. They may even subtlely suggest that newcomers are often encouraged to post pictures of their houses, just to satisfy their insatiable appetite for PPUK porn.

But you wouldn't catch me making such a suggestion. Oh no. :wink:

Robin

 

[MdB]

Welcome!

For the remaining damp, what are your outside ground levels like compared to inside?

 

[plasticpigeon]

Ha ha,

Thanks for the replies, I will get a pic up if I can work out how to do it. The place is a total mess and a bit embarrassing though.

The floor by the party wall and the main body of the house is level, but it slopes towards the rear corner or the back extension by around 2" or 5cm. Unfortunately this is where I'd like to put kitchen units so I'd like it level!

The outside has blue brick pavers on top of the soil. they slope towards the back corner, but quite consistently the top of the brick pavers are around 1.5 bricks below the slate dpc, so the soil is around 2 bricks below. There were some flower beds raised higher up the wall in isolated areas (not aginst the kitchen wall) but these have been removed! Thinking about it, the inside levels are higher. In fact the top of the tiles are on the damp proof course so the soil only 32mm below. If I leveled the floor the ground level at the back would be above the damp course by around 18mm and the tiles higer still. Perhaps I should put some plastic round the perimeter to make sure the dpc isn't bridged?

I like the idea of brushing lime/sand into the joints a bit like block paving. Would you recommend fine plasterers sand?? Did the lime grout work well??? Is it easy to clean and stay a nice colour??? What happens if you drop a bottle of vinegar or lemon juice on the floor??! Maybe the linseed oil will keep it out. How about using linseed oil and sand to make a kind of mastic for grouting or am I showing my ignorance!

Many thanks

Jerome

 

[MatthewC]

I am not keen on limecrete as I don't want to be without a kitchen for too long, it seems expensive and nobody round here knows what it is.

No professionals seem to know much about it; they only know lime as hydrated lime mixed with cement. At the risk of overplugging my blog, see http://houseintheenchantedforest.blogspot.com/2011/04/fitting-limecrete-floor-part-1.html and the subsequent entries last May and June. Limecrete and LECA work as far as I am concerned, and I am very satisfied with the results (sitting here in the warm and dry!). Admittedly we had to work a lot of things out for ourselves but good advice is available from most suppliers of lime products (e.g. Mike Wye or Ty Mawr).

are you sure the remaining damp is not residual and just needs a little longer to dry out? Time is the key thing with damp, and drying out is a slow process.

I'd agree with this - it takes time and you don't want to do anything in a precipitate manner!

Matthew

 

[FamilyWiggs]

At the risk of overplugging my blog, see http://houseintheenchantedforest.blogspot.com/2011/04/fitting-limecrete-floor-part-1.html and the subsequent entries last May and June.

Matthew

Matthew, I'd been meaning to say that my gentle ribbing on the Christmas thread was in no way intended to stop references to your blog in your signature... 8)

I've found it very interesting and informative on many occasions. I wish I had time to do one too :roll: newcomer Tom has what I hope will be a great blog too, as do some of the old timers on here.