[Closed] Doing up a Welsh Cottage... Flooring options...

Former is cheaper and pretty hard to dange

Folk will likely think it adds character

Cold though

Lift it, lay underfloor heating, replace. Sorted

Original floor.

I doubt that underneath the flagstone floor there's any kind of damp proofing, hence you'll need to let it breathe or it'll get very damp very quickly. Take it from one who is experienced in this matter 😉

It's got laminate down at the moment but knocking a hole for the stove has revealed stone flags

Cold though

I always fancied the idea of a building in a hypocaust if/when I build my own house. Even better niche than a log burner

Oh? Well maybe I'm wrong.

The place we had was hundred of years old (walls were >1m thick, inglenook fireplace etc etc) and had a flagstone floor. Placing any kind of sealed flooring down resulted in mould and damp smells. Carpet could be put down as long as it was hessian-backed and breathable.

Haven't lifted it yet, may well be damp as an otters pocket when lifted

My office is a bit like that, the landlord put roofing felt down under the carpet so it gets nice and mouldy between the felt and flag stones.

This place has a big problem with high watercourse, poor drainage around the outside, gypsum plastered walls and no damp proof course.

ninfan - Good use of 3rd year GCSE roman history topic!!!

We took up the flags in our (old) farmhouse. It was like one of those saltmines underneath where the whole lot had been hollowed out by rats and it was only a few pillars of earth still holding up the flags. Took it down about 8 inches, laid a DPC and laid insulation & a concrete slab. If it had been me (and not my brother) doing it, I would have laid underfloor heating too.

[quote=Tiger6791 ]Cold though

you are not living there so why do you care 😉

Yes it ****ing freezing as i lived in one for two years its like having a permanent ground based fridge for the entire downstairs i would not wish it on my worst enemy. However its still cheaper and i still think tourist folk will like the " authentic" look

Tiger, I would have called it an Ondol, since the only time I ever physically felt the joy of one was in Korea, bit I thought it better to use the Roman example 🙂

(Edit, no, actually they might have had one in the Roman baths at wallsend too)

you are not living there so why do you care

Because I'll be paying for the heating

I retract everything i just said
COVER IT
NOW

If it's original it'll be damp. If it's going to be empty at times it'll get manky.

I'd want to seal it.

We live in a cob (earth) cottage. There wasn't much of the original flag floor left, so we took it up and reused it elsewhere, dug down and laid a geotextile membrane; expandable clay balls for insulation; geotextile; limecrete; underfloor heating; lime screed; Welsh slate tiles on a bed of lime. Easy ;-). Oh, but not damp or cold.

Well this is what it currently (did) look like

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Ripping the manky '70s fireplace to put a woodturner in has revealed the original floor

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If it's original it'll be damp. If it's going to be empty at times it'll get manky.

I'd want to seal it.

It's been empty for a year, no obvious signs of any damp but I need to lift the whole floor to see

you woiuld probably be able to smell it if you just lift an edge of floor with a crowbar.

It's been empty for a year, no obvious signs of any damp but I need to lift the whole floor to see

Ripping the manky '70s fireplace to put a [b]woodturner[/b] in has revealed the original floor

Thats surely a bodge to far?

Is that lintel level?

Original is always good into - especially in the letting advertisement ?

Does it matter if it's "cold" ? Holiday let is for summer many yes ? woodburner for character in the winter and are people expecting a sauna anyway, its a Welsh cottage bring warm clothes, burn wood (renters expense), drink alcohol 🙂

I also like the fact a stone floor will be easier to clean

The older part of the cottage we used to live in had a flagstone floor in the kitchen. Had been lifted, damp proofed and flipped prior to us moving in due to cottage being built into a bank.
Had a big coir mat covering most of the floor which gave a warm island to hop across to bare foot in winter (more to do with gaps around openings or 'charm' than the floor).

Downsides were that the joins could collect loads of debris and that pretty much anything you dropped would smash.

In our new place we are far more in favour of stuff that allows comfortable bare foot movement.

Is that lintel level?

Could well be, floor isn't though 🙂

😀

Can't believe you got rid of that lovely retro fireplace....

Any recommendations for a Woodburner?

Bearing in mind it's a holiday home

We have original flags in our porch, previous owners had loose carpet on top (with typical rubbery underlay) and it was soggy underneath. Now much happier with a very porous woven jute(?) mat on top. Most woven rugs seem to have a rubber backing but you can occasionally find ones that don't. Woven reed mats etc also good. Would give you some comfort and warmth underfoot while retaining that rustic feel...

I have a fairly basic villager flat c - 5kw pretty simple & very good!

Will look into that one, problem is we need to get a Hetas approved install which may mean buying the stove off the installer.

Any recommendations for a Woodburner?

Bearing in mind it's a holiday home