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Carpets, Lino & Flooring

Suspended floor over dirt subfloor has no support

Anonymous user 01/03/2024 - 2.53 PM

Our kitchen floor is 14' x 14' and is suspended above a 3-4 foot (sloping and uneven) void space accessed by hatch from the cellar. The subfloor is just compacted dirt and clay. There's nothing to support this floor except for a 3x3 wooden post against the back wall, so the floor oscillates to when the washing machine is on. To the point where the appliances end up in the middle of the room, and plates in the cupboards are jumping up and down. The other houses in our street have resolved this problem via different means - wooden pillars, acrows, trench struts and full basement excavation and conversion. As this is a rental property and we're the tenants, I want to advise the landlord on sensible permanent solutions. Can anyone help?

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1 Answer

Anonymous user

Interesting that this can be assessed from the cellar ?? would need more info on this. Given the existing floor is currently suspended on, unusually, just a 3x3 wooden post (assume 3" x 3") and only on the back wall ?? I'm surprised the floor is even able to support anyone to walk on. Should this base floor be in fact the GROUND then my recommendation would beas follows: Install brick pillars on a small footing to the clay/dirt base in order to then suspend new floor joists on top. The floor will need insulating if this is direct to ground so inserting a Phenolic Foam Insulation such as Kingspan/Celotex, there are a many suppliers of this insulation type. Depending on the condition it may be possible to retain the existing subfloor, if not then a floor-grade M/R Board instead. I feel this would be the least expensive option, there are other more robust alternatives that I would be happy to advise on. Jason MacDonald

Answered3 February 2017