Types of flooring for a sloping en-suite, HELP!

scouse82

Hi all,

Wanted to see if anyone had any idea as to flooring options for a sloping floor, that's waterproof and hard wearing.

We bought an old 1890 end-terrace a few months back with this magnificant loft room - already had fixed stairs and 2 dormers. So we've had it converted to a master bedroom and with a separate part for an en-suite bathroom (passed all building regs etc).

Problem is, because of the age of the house, it has "rested" with age - the whole house is at a bit of a slant (going from front door to back door you're walking downhill). The new en-suite floor reflects this. There's no structural problems, the house "settled in" many years ago.

Ideally we wanted tiles. Would this work with the floor at a slope? We're worried that if there's any amount of water on the floor, because of the slope, it might end up ponding at one end.

Anyone have any suggestions? We're not bothered by the slope, we barely notice it now. All part of the character of the house

cyclonebri1

scouse82 wrote: »

Hi all,

Wanted to see if anyone had any idea as to flooring options for a sloping floor, that's waterproof and hard wearing.

We bought an old 1890 end-terrace a few months back with this magnificant loft room - already had fixed stairs and 2 dormers. So we've had it converted to a master bedroom and with a separate part for an en-suite bathroom (passed all building regs etc).

Problem is, because of the age of the house, it has "rested" with age - the whole house is at a bit of a slant (going from front door to back door you're walking downhill). The new en-suite floor reflects this. There's no structural problems, the house "settled in" many years ago.

Ideally we wanted tiles. Would this work with the floor at a slope? We're worried that if there's any amount of water on the floor, because of the slope, it might end up ponding at one end.

Anyone have any suggestions? We're not bothered by the slope, we barely notice it now. All part of the character of the house

I think you know the answer, if it's an en suite, ie, likely to get wet, then you need to either install a drain at the low point, or keep it dry. Former easy, latter quite hard.

Tiles are easy to lay to give a drain to the low point, but there is work to be done to arrange the floor wetroom fashion.

I think the question here is, does the lie of the land lend itself to collecting any water into the existing drains?

I think you need to treat this area as a wet room

PS. my home too. has suffered the ravages of time and is less than level.
Every floor levelled, every ceiling re done, and some walls.

Not so much as a shifting crack in 18 years;):T

Again, treat the room as a box,( which it probably is)and level the floor, it's not a mega problem.

martinsurrey

is the new bathroom at the front or the back of the house (so top or bottom of the hill?) and how much are we talking, 1 inch fall per yard, more, less?

scouse82

Thanks for the replies!

The room is at the back of the house, so at the bottom of the slope.

Levelling it would require ripping up all the boards on that side of the room - meaning we might have to replaster (after it's all just been done!) and rejigging the radiator that's already gone in. Hmmm.

The builders who did the conversion - basically made it a blank canvas for us - electrics, pipework, LOTS of insulation (because there wasn't any!), exposed the purlins, plastered, fitted 2 new velux and smoke alarms on all floors. We didn't factor in flooring when we were having the work done and they didn't seem to think it would be much of an issue.

It's not going to be a wet room - there will be a proper corner bath, with overheard shower, so we're not talking masses amount of water - but, it's a bathroom, so there will always be some!

Drains are a possibility, but the position where they'd ideally go is where the waste pipe will be fitted. It's not quite a box shape. Almost, but with a "50p door" as my builder called it - the door being at an angle.

Probably right about the 1" drop. It's definitely no more than that up there.

Would Karndean work? Only problem I see with that is if we ever have a problem with the pipes (which are all under the floorboards as it's solid brick walls!), then it would have to be heated to be ripped up, if I'm right?!

cyclonebri1

ERRR, the house slopes from front to back?, so at the door interface the floor need to be levelled back up by adding not removing timber.?

It's called feathering, you left the boards, add the feathered shims and replace.

You have a pretty easy job, you just don't realise it.:D

scouse82

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

ERRR, the house slopes from front to back?, so at the door interface the floor need to be levelled back up by adding not removing timber.?

It's called feathering, you left the boards, add the feathered shims and replace.

You have a pretty easy job, you just don't realise it.:D

Haha Probably!!

Sorry, I meant removing timber as in lift it out to level the beams before replacing the timber. You're right though, I suppose that's a lot easier than having to deal with damp bricks down the line!

martinsurrey

so its a few inches drop in a room that wont get too wet... I would be tempted to go low tech and simple.

what is going on the wall at the very bottom of the hill? tiles? plastered walls with skirting boards?

keystone

I'd take the old floorboards out (cut them so you as to not damage the new plasterwork), put in some noggins if necessary for additional support, put in some firrings to level then reboard over the top using whatever substrate you need for whatever flooring you decide to have.

Unless you are content to be rustic having a level floor will make it a lot easier to install bath, loo basin etc and at one end you gain extra room for pipework.

If potential plasterwork damage will be under the bath when fitted just take boards out without bothering to cut. An inch or so of damaged plaster under the bath is neither here nor there and can be patched anyway if it offends.

Cheers

namecheck

Friends with a much older house (lots of wooden floors/beams) had a similar problem.

Like you, they would have wanted a tiled floor if possible. However, they have put in Rhinofloor in "wood" and I think it looks quite good. Plus, it's very easy to clean and warmer to walk on than tiles.

cyclonebri1

keystone wrote: »

I'd take the old floorboards out (cut them so you as to not damage the new plasterwork), put in some noggins if necessary for additional support, put in some firrings to level then reboard over the top using whatever substrate you need for whatever flooring you decide to have.

Unless you are content to be rustic having a level floor will make it a lot easier to install bath, loo basin etc and at one end you gain extra room for pipework.

If potential plasterwork damage will be under the bath when fitted just take boards out without bothering to cut. An inch or so of damaged plaster under the bath is neither here nor there and can be patched anyway if it offends.

Cheers

That was the word I was looking form still feathered strips works, (just):D