Making holes around radiator pipes in wooden floor bigger

smcqis

Hi,

My wooden floor has created a bump around the radiator and looking at it it appears the holes were not cut big enough or deep enough into the wood to allow it to expand past the radiator pipes coming from the floor. This meaning I need to make this hole bigger.

It would appear the skirting board is really well stuck on so gettin if off to take the wood plank off isnt going to be easy. I was wondering what would be the best way to do it without removing anything? If i drill a few holes that meet each other on the inner side of the hole. I have a wooden circle part around the pipe that will cover any rough work. Do you think this could work?

diable

You might damage the pipe to the rad if you do it that way.

keystone

diable wrote: »

You might damage the pipe to the rad if you do it that way.

Quite but short of lifting the boards if the rad is in place OP might have little alternative. Could use a padsaw I suppose but run a similar same risk.

The alternative would be to drain down, remove the rad, remove the valve, push the pipe down but not so far as to lose it (assuming that you have that flexibility and pipe is under a suspended floor), suitably sized holesaw on the end of your drill, burrow away carefully. Reassemble, refill etc, don't forget the new inhibitor. Job done. And yes OP use those nice little pipe collars to make it look tiddly.

Cheers

tony6403

keystone wrote: »

suitably sized holesaw on the end of your drill, burrow away carefully.

Cheers

Difficult to use a holesaw when there is an existing hole ( no material for the pilot drill to register). Can more easily be done by making a wooden plug for the existing hole and work from that or use two blades at the same time - the smallest being the size of the existing hole.

southcoastrgi

keystone wrote: »

And yes OP use those nice little pipe collars to make it look tiddly.

Cheers

Tiddly :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

I'm sorry mate i couldn't resist.

OP what has caused the bump ? are you sure you don't have a leak ?

keystone

tony6403 wrote: »

Difficult to use a holesaw when there is an existing hole ( no material for the pilot drill to register). Can more easily be done by making a wooden plug for the existing hole and work from that or use two blades at the same time - the smallest being the size of the existing hole.

But you've still used the holesaw. I'm sure OP can work out somethings for himself.

Cheers

keystone

southcoastrgi wrote: »

Tiddly :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

I'm sorry mate i couldn't resist.

Grey funnel line expression/slang. Means all nice and tidy.

OP what has caused the bump ? are you sure you don't have a leak ?

Good question. I assumed it was just poor allowance for flooring expansion in fitting.

Cheers

smcqis

The floor has been like that since we moved in over a year except it was more rippled in places. On the same area at the bump at each end of room there is no bump as it clarly looks like there is not enough space around the rad pipe at it is very tight to it. I measured the width of skirting and each board and it would appear to be room under to skirting for expansion but the hole for pipes isnt lett it.

I was think if I drill half a centimetre away from the pipe and do a few small holes in the hole of joining up, therefore minimising chance of damage to the rad pipe through slippage

mart.vader

smcqis wrote: »

I was thinking if I drill half a centimetre away from the pipe and do a few small holes in the hole of joining up, therefore minimising chance of damage to the rad pipe through slippage

You could do it this way, or use the method outlined by Keystone, above. The only other way I can think of, is to use a narrow chisel, very carefully applied, to cut out the wood.