Getting Under The Flooor

Crazyface

Tour Winner
Joined
Feb 27, 2010
Messages
7,075
Location
Cheshire
Visit site
Proper random one this. We are doing up our house, megga style. So, our hallway is currently original wooden floor which in the main is good, but has a dodgy bit where, I think someone has cut in to get under the floor. So I'm thinking of either, getting a joiner in to make good and put a trap door in, or getting someone in to install a quality wooden flooring with a thermo sealer underneath. But if I do the second option, then access to under the floor will be gone. Any suggestions as to the best option. We do not want carpet in the hallway. Far too messy
 

jim8flog

Journeyman Pro
Joined
May 20, 2017
Messages
14,825
Location
Yeovil
Visit site
By original do you mean tongue and groove long planks, or just long planks on to joists or do you mean parquet?
When I have cut through the tongue and groove to lift board(s) I have used sealant where the tongue would have been to help stop any movement.
 

Crazyface

Tour Winner
Joined
Feb 27, 2010
Messages
7,075
Location
Cheshire
Visit site
By original do you mean tongue and groove long planks, or just long planks on to joists or do you mean parquet?
When I have cut through the tongue and groove to lift board(s) I have used sealant where the tongue would have been to help stop any movement.
Crumbs er long planks on to joists. My lad reckons there is no need to worry about getting under the floorboards. But surely you need a way just in case
 

SwingsitlikeHogan

Major Champion
Joined
Jul 24, 2012
Messages
32,362
Visit site
Crumbs er long planks on to joists. My lad reckons there is no need to worry about getting under the floorboards. But surely you need a way just in case
I’d maybe do a quick check for any electric wiring or water/heating piping and if anything looks dodgy consider getting an electrician or plumber in to have a look first. Anything else that might go wrong in time is likely to be a lot more serious and bothersome than any bother and cost associated with having to lift part of a floor laid on top of floorboards.
 

ThinBullet

Active member
Joined
Jun 19, 2023
Messages
109
Visit site
I'd go with the access hatch option personally. I had an old back boiler heating system in my old house, and got the boiler changed to a combi. Got it all fitted, and the heating wouldn't work. As the plumbers had left the original copper piping in place, they had to go under the floor to see what was up, and there was some odd switch that switched to close when the old boiler got taken away. They set it to open, then fudged it to keep it open, and said that having the hatch would be useful in the future if anything happened, so I made it better and less cowboy looking.

Trust me though, it's always better to have some access than nothing, and have a contractor come in and just rip up a floor and leave the mess. Especially if it's an insurance job.
 

Mel Smooth

Hacker
Joined
May 4, 2017
Messages
4,069
Visit site
Just make an access hatch under the floor in a different room where it's easy enough to pull the carpet back, or, don't even worry about it, and if you do need to get under the floor at some point, just make an access hatch under the floor in a different room where it's easy enough to pull the carpet back.
 

Neilds

Assistant Pro
Joined
Feb 25, 2014
Messages
3,657
Location
Wiltshire
Visit site
How long have you been in the house? Have you needed to go under the floor in this time? The answer to these questions should give you a good idea on what you need to do
 
Top