Wooden flooring..replace or repair?

[Brown and Boris]

When we moved into this house it had a thick green carepet in the dining room, which contractors removed and replaced with another thick green carpet. I wasn't here at the time and didn't see the floor underneath. The room now needs replastering to deal with the damp and during some recent work on the radiator I had to lift the carpet in one area, to see a lovely wooden floor underneath. It looks like 1 inch thick 4 or 5 inch boards with a drak brown stair varish. As the carpet is now being replaced I thought this was a great time to rid ourselves of the carpet, expose the floorboards, sand and revarnish/oil them etc.

However, on moving a bookcase and lifting the carpet on the damp gable end the floor isn't in very good condition at that end: one area of new boards (probably the old cellar entrance covered in the 1980's), the floor is covered in plaster from the last time the gable end was damproofed and has an area where it looks like previous damp has eaten the boards around the edge of the fireplace and someone has repaired it with plywood.

So, my questions, knowing I need to sort the damp problem and repair any damge it has done first ;

Will I ever get a decent finish in that area of plaster/ply and new boards or is it easier to replace that area with reclaimed timer and sand/restain the lot??

If the tatty plaster covered boards extend across the room, will that sand off?

If the boards are beyond help and we have to replace them to get a good finish, will the boards need to come up or could we put a floating floor on the top?

I notice that some of the dealers are selling larch flooring at a reasonmable price at the moment. Is that a decent option?



Editted to add. Just puilled up the carpets fully. OMG! A patchwork of boards including the old cellar entrance cover which isn't connected to the joists (resting on bricks with slates). I think I may have to start from scratch?

Edited by Brown and Boris on Tuesday 21st April 08:49

Edited by Brown and Boris on Tuesday 21st April 12:58

[ThatPhilBrettGuy]

We had a place that had all those problems. To be honest, either put a floating floor or be in for a world of pain. New floorboards do all sorts of nasty things even if you dry them for weeks before laying them. Then the drafts start as all the air you didn't know was moving under the floor finds its way out.

[B17NNS]

I'd take the opportunity to replace all the boards personally. If you have a rising damp problem anyway chances are the damp has penetrated into the joists so would be a good opportunity to inspect/replace and ensure you have a membrane between the timber and the wall.

While you're at it, staple some chicken wire underneath the joists and fill with insulation (Rockwool or similar).

New boards down (allow them a week in the house opened up before laying).

[VxDuncan]

B17NNS said:

I'd take the opportunity to replace all the boards personally. If you have a rising damp problem anyway chances are the damp has penetrated into the joists so would be a good opportunity to inspect/replace and ensure you have a membrane between the timber and the wall.

While you're at it, staple some chicken wire underneath the joists and fill with insulation (Rockwool or similar).

New boards down (allow them a week in the house opened up before laying).

My thoughts exactly. Insulate, run any fancy new cables (surround sound etc), replace with nice new boards (having first sorted the cause of the damp).