TomTom1982 Posted November 8, 2022 Share Posted November 8, 2022 Hi all, I was wondering if anyone can advise me on what i'm looking at here? Its the underside of some floorboards in a 120 yr old house, oddly this floorboard is near the center of the room. Is this wet rot? Thanks for the help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markc Posted November 8, 2022 Share Posted November 8, 2022 Im going to say neither wet or dry rot, looks more like someone has made that hole either intentionally or accidentally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomTom1982 Posted November 8, 2022 Author Share Posted November 8, 2022 8 minutes ago, markc said: Im going to say neither wet or dry rot, looks more like someone has made that hole either intentionally or accidentally. Interesting thought and actually of the stuff that came down I didn't actually see any flakes of wood or the likes that would have come from it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radian Posted November 8, 2022 Share Posted November 8, 2022 1 hour ago, markc said: Im going to say neither wet or dry rot, looks more like someone has made that hole either intentionally or accidentally. I would agree. The 'exit wound' is wider on the underside of the floorboard - as you'd expect from a blunt trauma from above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomTom1982 Posted November 8, 2022 Author Share Posted November 8, 2022 21 minutes ago, Radian said: I would agree. The 'exit wound' is wider on the underside of the floorboard - as you'd expect from a blunt trauma from above. Thanks its just the area surrounding it is darker than the rest of the wood, it also feels a bit brittle but that might be due to the fact its near the edge of the hole. Just stressing me as above it is hardwood as you can see it has screeding and a mesh ... thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gus Potter Posted November 8, 2022 Share Posted November 8, 2022 6 hours ago, TomTom1982 said: I was wondering if anyone can advise me on what i'm looking at here? A few more panoramic photos showing what is above and below would help towards reaching a reasoned diagnosis. Has the room above been used as a bathroom in the past.. what do you know abiout the history of that part of the house? The metal lath is a bit of a puzzler for example. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe90 Posted November 8, 2022 Share Posted November 8, 2022 (edited) 49 minutes ago, Gus Potter said: The metal lath is a bit of a puzzler for example. A bodge to cover the hole?. I think it’s just broken, a shake in the wood or twisted grain (split) that has given way due to a point load. If it were me I would find a similar type of wood, cut the hole out square (jigsaw) fit a support piece underneath and fashion youre new piece to fit the hole. Edited November 8, 2022 by joe90 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomTom1982 Posted November 8, 2022 Author Share Posted November 8, 2022 41 minutes ago, Gus Potter said: A few more panoramic photos showing what is above and below would help towards reaching a reasoned diagnosis. Has the room above been used as a bathroom in the past.. what do you know abiout the history of that part of the house? The metal lath is a bit of a puzzler for example. Thanks Gus so it used to be the kitchen way way back. It's now our dining room. When we moved in we had the floors ripped up and hardwood put down, I suspect it was then that lath was put down (at a guess) as they used a ton of leveling screed on the floor before putting down the flooring with that hole I suspect they had to cover it or the leveling stuff would have gone through. I've added a couple of photos showing roughly where it is on the floor above and then where that sits in the basement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe90 Posted November 8, 2022 Share Posted November 8, 2022 Ah, didn’t realise it had been screeeded and flooring over, is the floor spongy above? Just put a packer in the hole the same thickness as the floorboard and fix a support piece over it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomTom1982 Posted November 8, 2022 Author Share Posted November 8, 2022 2 minutes ago, joe90 said: Ah, didn’t realise it had been screeeded and flooring over, is the floor spongy above? Just put a packer in the hole the same thickness as the floorboard and fix a support piece over it. No not spongy at all it's solid, the floorboard when pressed from the basement does feel a bit fragile/ crumbly. It's all come to light because I hit the lath and plaster in the basement with the top of a lader in and it all came down. Sods law its 1 week before we have a surveyor coming through having sold the house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe90 Posted November 8, 2022 Share Posted November 8, 2022 If the floors not spongy don’t worry about it and get that ceiling repaired before he turns up 😇 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomTom1982 Posted November 8, 2022 Author Share Posted November 8, 2022 6 minutes ago, joe90 said: If the floors not spongy don’t worry about it and get that ceiling repaired before he turns up 😇 Thanks Joe. I did manage to get a few better photos too. Stress! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe90 Posted November 8, 2022 Share Posted November 8, 2022 6 minutes ago, TomTom1982 said: Stress Don’t worry about it, it’s fine, stress is bad for your health, ask me how I know 😵💫 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roundtuit Posted November 8, 2022 Share Posted November 8, 2022 My guess would be that maybe some historical localised water ingress or leak has caused an area of rot and water staining. The 'rot' looks long gone and if everything is dry now, as above, patch it up and don't worry! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gus Potter Posted November 8, 2022 Share Posted November 8, 2022 1 hour ago, TomTom1982 said: Thanks Gus so it used to be the kitchen way way back. It's now our dining room. When we moved in we had the floors ripped up and hardwood put down, I suspect it was then that lath was put down (at a guess) as they used a ton of leveling screed on the floor before putting down the flooring with that hole I suspect they had to cover it or the leveling stuff would have gone through. Yes there may have been a water leak from the old kitchen, that said it doesn't look like it has impacted on the floor joists structurally. With my SE hat on I need to say that screeds are heavy so you should check this out in terms of the main floor joists being able to carry the extra load from the screed. Have put this caveat in as have seen some floors that run off level by 75mm say on old tenement flats.. thus a 75mm thick levelling screed is going to add a fair weight! In terms of moving forward (SE view accepted) I would also put some noggings (dwangs) in under the weak spots in the floor boards with D4 expanding Pu glue to make sure you don't get a squeeky floor later on. What you are aiming to do is to just support the edges of the floor boards where they could rub together later on. Fifteen minutes work and less than a tenner to avoid that annoying squeek. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomTom1982 Posted November 8, 2022 Author Share Posted November 8, 2022 Thanks all this gives me confidence to just get it cleaned up and the ceiling fixed in the basement. Now to find a handyman who can do it in less than a week Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomTom1982 Posted November 11, 2022 Author Share Posted November 11, 2022 Got those following I think we found the cause! Today I found this! Looks like it used to have something right where that floorboard is. Old houses are fascinating. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now