We have just bought a house; it's a split-level house and in the "basement" there are two rooms with concrete floors. Apparently, during the construction in the 1970s, wooden beams were cast into the concrete, which are now emitting an odor. We are going to tear out the floor and make a new one, but how should it be done? According to Anticimex, the concrete at the bottom should be treated with fungicide, then we should pour new concrete and then lay a wooden floor, but what do you lay underneath? I'm completely new to this home-building stuff but want to do as much as possible ourselves! Grateful for answers and tips!
Suspect that the concrete therefore does not have any insulation underneath. In that case, there are really only two main alternatives:
1) Chip away the concrete, dig down, lay insulation, and pour.
2) Install a ventilated floor like Nivell on top of the existing concrete slab.
Option 1 is the most brutal, takes time, and is hard work. Option 2 means you have a floor that is always ventilated, which is supposed to work, but it requires that you always have a fan running (included in the system).
I myself faced the same problem last spring when we moved into our new house. I chose option 1 because I like things to be done right, and the cost was about the same as option 2. But it wasn't fun.
/Magnus
1) Chip away the concrete, dig down, lay insulation, and pour.
2) Install a ventilated floor like Nivell on top of the existing concrete slab.
Option 1 is the most brutal, takes time, and is hard work. Option 2 means you have a floor that is always ventilated, which is supposed to work, but it requires that you always have a fan running (included in the system).
I myself faced the same problem last spring when we moved into our new house. I chose option 1 because I like things to be done right, and the cost was about the same as option 2. But it wasn't fun.
/Magnus
Why are you pouring new concrete? Are you planning to tear out the existing one?Karro80 said:
The most common approach is to remove the nail battens, vacuum thoroughly, treat with fungicide, and then install something like a Nivell or Platong flooring system with mechanical ventilation. Which one you choose probably depends primarily on which system you believe in.
I don't quite understand how the moisture is drained away in the manner Fridde describes in option 1?
What type of insulation do you mean then? I have heard something called cellplast? and what do you mean by dig down?fridde said:I suspect that the concrete therefore has no insulation underneath. In that case, there are only two main options;
1) Break away the concrete, dig down, lay insulation, and pour.
2) Install a ventilated floor type Nivell on top of the existing concrete slab
1 is the most brutal and takes time and is tough. Option 2 means you have a floor that is always ventilated, which should work, but it requires you to always have a fan on (included in the system).
I faced the same problem this spring when we moved into our new house. I chose option 1 because I like when things are done right, and the cost was about the same as option 2. But it wasn't fun.
/Magnus
Thanks for the answer
If you lay a Nivellgolv, they have adjustable screws through the joists and then no casting is needed.Karro80 said:The floor level will become lower after we remove the joists
Did Anticimex consider that you need a subfloor with mechanical ventilation?
No, they just believed that you should remove the reglarna and treat with fungicide. But if you have nivell, the reglarna don't lie directly against the concrete? And is there any form of insulation or heating, or do you add that too? Thanks for the reply
Strange that they don't provide a proposal for action regarding the restoration of the floor. Sounds like Anticimex indeed..
Here is all the info about Nivell: http://www.nivellsystem.se/
Here is all the info about Nivell: http://www.nivellsystem.se/
Yes, I also find that a bit strange! The only thing they wrote was to tear up the floor and remove the joistsACME said:
but thanks for your response, Nivell seems like a smart option, do you have any idea about the cost? It's about 16 sqm that need fixing.No, it's been a year since I worked with it, so I don't remember any prices. Check with Nivell to see what's expected per square meter.
The most expensive part of the system is the fan (same with Platon) which usually ends up costing about 20' with installation, electrical wiring, enclosure, etc.
At the moment, you could install the floor, complete with the ventilation ducting, but hold off on the actual fan. If it starts smelling again, you can then add it.
The most expensive part of the system is the fan (same with Platon) which usually ends up costing about 20' with installation, electrical wiring, enclosure, etc.
At the moment, you could install the floor, complete with the ventilation ducting, but hold off on the actual fan. If it starts smelling again, you can then add it.
Hello
I'm in the same boat and would like to have a Nivell floor in the basement
Does anyone know of any company in the GBG region that takes on a complete basement project?
Regards, Marcus
I'm in the same boat and would like to have a Nivell floor in the basement
Does anyone know of any company in the GBG region that takes on a complete basement project?
Regards, Marcus
Another suggestion is to tear away the studs and then lay cellplast on the old slab and then pour a new one on top. If there is space. Alternatively, one can lay cellplast and a type of platon mat on it and then self-leveling compound the underfloor heating on top of that.
An alternative to nivell golv, http://granab.se/svstart.html. Simpler in my opinion. Otherwise, you can remove the joists, treat, level the slab, lay platon mat, cellplast, and then chipboard or parquet. Alternatively, 12mm chipboard and then parquet on top.
Hi
How did it go with the basement?
We are on the brink of potentially buying a house where half the basement is of the same type. We need to tear everything out and lay a floor of the type you mentioned.
What did you end up doing and why?
JH
How did it go with the basement?
We are on the brink of potentially buying a house where half the basement is of the same type. We need to tear everything out and lay a floor of the type you mentioned.
What did you end up doing and why?
JH
There is also a ventilated floor called FBS (fbs.se) which is supposed to be really good and probably cheaper than nivell.