floating chipboard floor issues

[hab1966]

We live in a 2010 new build house. Although we are the first owners we didnt purchase until 2011.In that time the house had at least one water leak downstairs. The floor panels throughout the house creak and particularily downstairs, have a lovely bouncy feel in places, where i think they have swelled due to the leak(s).

We made a decision to rip the carpets up and have laminate flooring put down, but we need to sort the floor panels out. Before knowing it was a floating floor, we got a joiner in to replace any faulty areas and try to screw the panels down to see if that stoped the bounce and creaking. Try it for a month and then if happy put the laminate down.

The joiner arrived on Monday, made a test cut and couldnt locate any beams to screw into. Then he realised it was a floating chipboard floor and probably not as simple to rectify as first envisaged. The chipboard is placed directly on top of the thermal insulation bricks and glued together.

We are looking to lay laminate flooring in 3 maybe 4 rooms and these measure just under 50m2.

How easy it is to rip certain areas of the floating chipboard up and re-fit with fresh chipboard? Also, as this is the ground floor, will the internal walls be solid construction so the floor will go upto the walls, or could some be a framed wall? If framed, is the frame built on top of the floor?

Or do we bite the bullet and rip it all up and start again? This will be a major upheavel and we have a 5yr old and a dog to consider. Doing 'all of it' would also include the kitchen and dining area which is another 20m2.

Any advice/suggestions gratefully received!

[hab1966]

227bhp said:

Why not just screw the lot down?

Screw into what?

The only thing under the chipboard is a thermal block, then a membrane and then concrete.

[hab1966]

This is a picture of the test hole that the joiner cut out.

Directly under the floor are thermal blocks. The hole was supposed to be of the correct size that would allow him to locate a beam/joist.

Cutting part of a block our reveals the black membrane, which appears to be on top of a concrete base.

To us, the chipboard is just laid on top of the thermal blocks and only fastened with glue, which hasn't held well.

[hab1966]

Wow.

Thanks for all the responses. I'm happy doing the work to the rooms but i'm not sure how to deal with the area around the stairs in the hall, so I've arranged for a couple of tradesmen to come around and quote for the work.

[hab1966]

strath44 said:

Does the chipboard go under the walls or stop under the skirting?

Until last night i would have said no as i thought all the downstairs rooms were solid construction. However, the tradesman who came last night seemed to think that one of the walls might be of frame construction so built onto the floor.

I guess we will only find out when we start the work.