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is "Protect installed flooring from mechanical and water damage" really required?


Thorfun

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Hi all,

 

our TF house floor joists and floor decking is going in next week and once finished it'll be another 5 or 6 weeks before the roof is finished and as we move through October and in to November I'm wondering if the statement on the floor joist drawings of "Protect installed flooring from mechanical and water damage" is just them covering their backsides or if it is really prudent to do so? for about £200 I can get enough Correx to cover the floor decking from water damage should the heavens open (and they probably will) but is that a waste of money and time to fit it?

 

how long have others left their floor decking open to the elements without seeing warping or excessive damage from water ingress?

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It might be better just to pay the extra for a flooring type that already has a coating on it that can withstand a certain exposure to the weather.  I would not just be using standard P5 in that situation.

 

Does the floor have to go in now?  I have never worked on a TF house that has the floor deck put in at that stage but I know some specify it as the floor forms part of the racking structure of the building.  In our case just a few sheets of OSB were loosely fitted just to make a working platform, but not part of the final floor so it did not matter if they got a but wet.

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7 minutes ago, ProDave said:

It might be better just to pay the extra for a flooring type that already has a coating on it that can withstand a certain exposure to the weather.  I would not just be using standard P5 in that situation.

 

Does the floor have to go in now?  I have never worked on a TF house that has the floor deck put in at that stage but I know some specify it as the floor forms part of the racking structure of the building.  In our case just a few sheets of OSB were loosely fitted just to make a working platform, but not part of the final floor so it did not matter if they got a but wet.

agree with the above .

Eggar Protect - with special glue is the only product I would use if I had to put the finished floor in.   https://www.egger.com/shop/en_GB/egger-protect

 

If you put standard P5 chipboard in no amount of correx / tarpaulins will prevent water damage over that timescale.  Past experience says  the plastic sheets wick the water in (capillary action) and once this gets to the joints they will swell and become expensive Weetabix ?

 

I would go for the loose osb option unless it is a floor cassette, if so you have to question and reduce the 5-6 weeks until water tight.

  

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19 minutes ago, ProDave said:

It might be better just to pay the extra for a flooring type that already has a coating on it that can withstand a certain exposure to the weather.  I would not just be using standard P5 in that situation.

 

Does the floor have to go in now?  I have never worked on a TF house that has the floor deck put in at that stage but I know some specify it as the floor forms part of the racking structure of the building.  In our case just a few sheets of OSB were loosely fitted just to make a working platform, but not part of the final floor so it did not matter if they got a but wet.

 

I'm in the hands of the timber frame company for this Dave. afaik, it has to go in now to be a safe working platform for them to fit the first floor walls and then the roof. I wasn't given an option to just loose fit OSB until watertight but as I don't want to be fitting the floor decking myself I have to follow the build schedule as laid down by the TF company.

 

I don't currently know what the floor decking is but it is arriving tomorrow so I can take a look and see what it is and see if it has a coating on it already.

 

I guess that once I know the exact floor decking I can make a more informed decision but let's do a 'what if'. if the decking has to be fitted now and if it's not got it's own coating to withstand a certain exposure to weather would 2mm Correx sheets do the job for 5 or 6 weeks until the roofing slates are done?

 

Edited by Thorfun
removed content due to confusion on my part
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1 minute ago, Jenki said:

agree with the above .

Eggar Protect - with special glue is the only product I would use if I had to put the finished floor in.   https://www.egger.com/shop/en_GB/egger-protect

 

If you put standard P5 chipboard in no amount of correx / tarpaulins will prevent water damage over that timescale.  Past experience says  the plastic sheets wick the water in (capillary action) and once this gets to the joints they will swell and become expensive Weetabix ?

 

I would go for the loose osb option unless it is a floor cassette, if so you have to question and reduce the 5-6 weeks until water tight.

  

 ok. I guess I need to wait and see what turns up on the lorry tomorrow. it's too late for me to pay extra to get the Eggar Protect so I'll see what arrives and then re-asses.

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5 hours ago, Thorfun said:

how long have others left their floor decking open to the elements without seeing warping or excessive damage from water ingress?

Ours was six weeks at this time of year between fitting the first floor and the roof being water tight. We used Caberdek and had the joins taped and we didn't have any problems although water pooled on the floor and I swept if off when required.

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2 hours ago, Gone West said:

Ours was six weeks at this time of year between fitting the first floor and the roof being water tight. We used Caberdek and had the joins taped and we didn't have any problems although water pooled on the floor and I swept if off when required.

 

good to know. I'll find out tomorrow what our floor decking is and can report back!

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I used Kronospan Fastclean deck with the joints taped - they guarantee up to 42 days (I recall) exposed.

 

This went on in late Feb. Haven't had any issues. Wouldn't worry about it.

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  • 2 weeks later...

so after a weeks delay due to material shortages the timber floor deck has finally arrived today and it is Egger Protect. so I now have no concerns about the impending weather. they're also using the Soudal PU glue that expands to fill the joints so should be nicely weather proof until I can get the roof on.

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  • 1 month later...

 

1 minute ago, Moonshine said:

what tape did you use?

It was done by the TF company but I think it was a type of gaffer tape but it had a metalised, (if that's a word), surface. It never came off until the protective layer was removed.

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Just now, Gone West said:

 

It was done by the TF company but I think it was a type of gaffer tape but it had a metalised, (if that's a word), surface. It never came off until the protective layer was removed.

Probably foil backed butyl 

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56 minutes ago, Gone West said:

IIRC they tore the tape which is why I thought it was a type of gaffer tape. Don't know if you can tear butyl.

You are right, butyl is very tough. As Joe says, good fill with glue and you have a waterproof joint anyway. Also Tape is an easy way to cover screw holes if the person screwing down gets over zealous and leaves holes above the heads.

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