upstairs concrete floor?

rotterman

Hi

Has anyone on here had any experience/come across a concrete floor upstairs in an old house?
I live in an old farmhouse, and it appears that the upstairs floor is 2inch thick concrete, ontop of a lath like material. It appears that this setup is extremely unusual, and I could do with talking to someone who has experience in such things. Im concerned about the integrity of this flooring, and would like to know abit more about it before I call in a surveyor.

Thanks very much

ed110220

rotterman wrote: »

Hi

Has anyone on here had any experience/come across a concrete floor upstairs in an old house?
I live in an old farmhouse, and it appears that the upstairs floor is 2inch thick concrete, ontop of a lath like material. It appears that this setup is extremely unusual, and I could do with talking to someone who has experience in such things. Im concerned about the integrity of this flooring, and would like to know abit more about it before I call in a surveyor.

Thanks very much

Concrete floors were not so unusual in the mid 20th Century, presumably because they avoided the use of skilled labour. My 1949 house has a poured concrete slab roof for its single storey outhouse too.

Could it be newer than you imagine? Because I think that era was the time when concrete floors were most used in domestic buildings. It's still a very common construction method in commercial and industrial buildings, it's tried and tested, just not so common in houses anymore, so I don't think it's anything to be worried about.

DaftyDuck

It wasn't uncommon in late eighteenth/early nineteenth century farmhouses in Yorkshire & Lincolnshire. I have had it in the past. It's not as heavy as you may think, as it's mixed with high quantities of hair as an admixture, to help it bond and prevent cracks. If it's in reasonable condition, I'd leave it; removal and replacement with floorboards is certainly possible, but the change in weight distribution can lead to movement in the house.

ed110220

Wow, I'd never heard of such an old concrete floor before! I've seen one in a ~1950s extension to an old house which had otherwise been built in a style matching the original and that is what I thought you may have had here.

rotterman

Thanks for your replies. I have since been informed that chances are it is a lime ash floor, which apparently although rare now, used to be quite cheap and common. We think the house was built in the 1850's ish.
Thanks everyone