Levelling T&G floor

[atregent]

I know there's been various things posted about this topic already, but I couldn't find any advice on what I think would be the best way to go.

The floors in my 50's weatherboard house are quite uneven in spots. I had the place inspected before we bought and was told that when the house was restumped (with concrete stumps) it was more than likely they didn't re-level to save damaging all the plasterwork.

The really bad rooms are the dining room, which is going to be converted into a walk in robe and ensuite, and one of the bedrooms which is about to be split up into a walk in pantry, a toilet and part of a bathroom.

What I was planning on doing was taking up the floorboards, putting new joists in parallel with the existing wonky ones and then laying yellowtongue on the new joists.

Given there's nothing wrong with the stumps/bearers/joists except from being unlevel, does this sound like a reasonable plan?

[echnidna]

Just replacing floor boards wont even the floor up.

It might be wiser to check the stump levels with a stringline and put packing under any low bearers.

[GraemeCook]

Putting in new joists and new floor boards sounds to me like you are considering replacing the entire floor. Hopefully there is an easier and cheaper solution.

I'd invest some effort in tracing why the floors are uneven. Possibilities include.

* Poorly installed new stumps,
* Missing stumps.
* Rotted, broken or damaged joists.
* Rotted, broken or damaged sills.

One method of testing trueness of joists is to run a stringline between joists that are furthest apart. Use spacers so stringline is (say) one inch below joists. Then measure where crosses each joist and if it is no precisely one inch the the joists are not straight.

No doubt, the flooring contractors will come up with an even easier method.

Cheers

Graeme

[atregent]

I'm only interested in two rooms overall, and just one for this stage of the renos.

I've had a reblocker check things out and he told me that the stumps were fine. The house was restumped in 1990 but not releveled in order to minimise damage to plaster, windows, cupboards and the like.

So, all I was going to do was take up the floorboards in the bedroom in question, put some new joists in parallel with the existing ones and lay yellow tongue. The room is going to be split up into a toilet, pantry and part of a bathroom.

[Larry McCully]

I'm only interested in two rooms overall, and just one for this stage of the renos.

I've had a reblocker check things out and he told me that the stumps were fine. The house was restumped in 1990 but not releveled in order to minimise damage to plaster, windows, cupboards and the like.

So, all I was going to do was take up the floorboards in the bedroom in question, put some new joists in parallel with the existing ones and lay yellow tongue. The room is going to be split up into a toilet, pantry and part of a bathroom.

IF you have the ability to and the headroom, Try considering this method. Justreciently i had to install a floor over a existing one due to the excessive out of level of the old one. We kept the old floor in tack , but we installed 19mm thick battens over the top and lazer leveled them to the highest point and packed up the battens at the lower points. In some areas there was a 10 to 15 mm difference in height. This method was far cheaper and faster to do. It provided a very flat and stable base to install the t and g on top. When it was all completed it look fantastic and no evidence of the old floor under neath. Have a think about it. If you need more info send me a pm.

[jimmys]

You have descibed the last 2 months work we have done on our 50's weatherboard. Ours was tiled all the way through had been restumped, removed tiles to reveal uneven floor. Decided to replace floor with new Vic ash boards as tiling had damaged floor. Once floor was off we found that by packing bearers(only a few were out) and putting in a couple of false joists we had our floor as good as level. As good as a timber floor in an old house could be anyway. Relayed new floor boards which are being sanded as I type this reply.

Good Luck.