Flooring Query

[writerchris]

Hi Guys,

We're having a new extension built and the builders have got to the flooring stage. They have laid hardboard sheets down over the wooden joists to form a floor. Is this normal instead of floor boards?

We're just a bit worried in case we should query this with them.

Thanks for any help you can give.

All the best
Chris

 

[BudCline]

They have laid hardboard sheets down over the wooden joists to form a floor.

Define "hardboard sheets" in a little more detail.

Floor "boards" are basically a thing of the past whereas plywood sheets or OSB (oriented strand board) sheets are more contemporary for subfloor use.

If "hardboard sheets" means Masonite-type sheets I'm not sure that material is acceptable by any of the building codes these days. Never has been to my knowledge. That type of sheet-goods is used for an underlayment material in some places but never used for a subfloor.

This is a little confusing...
If you are at the "flooring stage" of the project then how were the walls built if not built on top of a subfloor?

A little more information would be helpful.

 

[writerchris]

Thanks for your answer.

The flooring material is probably chipboard. Sorry for the confusion, I'm not au fait with flooring/building stuff. As for the floor stage comment. They've built the brickwork for the new garage, utility room and bedroom above, put joists in and now have lain the chipboard material over the joists in sheets, nailed it to the joists and glued it together.

Just checking this is a good method as haven't seen it used before?

Thanks

 

[Butcher]

OSB=Oriented Strand Board. Many times mistakenly referred to as chip board. It is structurally sound and widely and routinely recognized as a sound subfloor.

 

[Ernesto]

You should check to see if you paid for plywood instead of cheap OSB. If your getting carpet it may not make any difference performance waise . But if your getting hardwood I would object.

 

[Floorist]

You should check to see if you paid for plywood instead of cheap OSB. If your getting carpet it may not make any difference performance waise .

That would depend on how many times it was rained on before the roof went up. OSB tends to get really soft. May not even hold tack strip.

 

[Nick]

And thick .

 

[writerchris]

They put the roof on before they laid the floor so it hasn't been rained on at all. It's called Caberfloor if that helps?

We're probably going to put a carpet down so it should be ok? Anything specific you can think that we should ask the builders?

Thanks again for all the advice and help

 

[Nick]

It's Particle board .

 

[Butcher]

It's Particle board .

We have been suggesting American Standards, European Standards and products are different, sometimes far different than US.

 

[Floorist]

We have been suggesting American Standards, European Standards and products are different, sometimes far different than US.

Chris, particle board is considered very low quality in the U.S. We don't know about there in the U.K.

 

[writerchris]

Thanks for all the advice guys. Just wanted a general sense if it was an ok route to go down re:flooring. Have checked a few UK sites and regs and seems ok. Good luck with all your flooring projects and thanks again

:O)