Bathroom help - repair.

[Bald-Eagle22]

Guys ive had a leak ( leak now repaired ) in a bathroom and i need to repalce part of the boards under the lino where the leak came through and rotted some of the board underneath.

Anyonw know what sort of board this is and once ive cut a pieves to fit how it secured back down , - seems to be floating .

 

[Vestas]

Looks like chipboard (or MDF) over the original T&G flooring. You'll need to replace it rather than try and cut it as it'll be rotted well past the stains. Once chipboard gets soaked its a rip out and replace job, anything else is a bodge.

I'd replace the plywood under the pedestal too as its in a bad way.

Caberfix D4 is what I'd use to glue it.

 

[wonko]

If that's vinyl flooring that's been rolled back in the top picture, then it's probably 3mm hardboard stapled down to the floor boarding to give a flatter surface for the vinyl to go on. The piece under the pedestal looks like plywood.

It might be better (and easier) to take it all up and start again - with any luck, your toilet pan will also be sat on it's own piece of plywood which would make life easier. Cutting hardboard in situ and getting a clean edge isn't easy - I've used a handsaw plus (good) utility knife before but be prepared for swearing.

If you do replace just the damaged bits of hardwood & plywood, then I'd suggest cutting well past what looks water damaged. It will be easier to tell what you've got and what thickness it is from the undamaged bits you removed.

Assuming that the boards underneath are OK I'd then clean them up and remove any old staples, put the new pieces in and use staples through the hardboard to secure both sides of the edges. Then chamfer and fill the join so there isn't a ridge that will show through the flooring.

 

[pastymuncher]

That's too thick for hardboard. It looks more like loft board to me.

 

[Participant]

it's probably 3mm hardboard

It's very clearly not 3mm hardboard.

It looks very much like chipboard, which has done what chipboard does when exposed to water and disintegrate akin to leaving a digestive biscuit in a cup of tea for more than 5 seconds.

I'd rip out as much as possible and replace with ply.

What's behind the pedestal wall as I bet it's affected that too.

 

[964rs]

I'd rip out as much as possible and replace with ply.

This is the way it should be done if you can do it.
Repairs the damage and upgrades the material so it doesn't happen again

 

[wonko]

You're both likely to be right - zooming in it does look thicker than hardboard

 

[jpaul]

Cutting chipboardhardboard in situ and getting a clean edge isn't easy - I've used a handsaw plus (good) utility knife before but be prepared for swearing.

that looks like the difficult question - chisel ? router, some kind of dremmel dremmel.

 

[aVdub]

Adjustable depth circular saw or a Japanese saw.

 

[Participant]

that looks like the difficult question - chisel ? router, some kind of dremmel dremmel.

I normally plunge cut with my circular saw.

 

[radderfire]

Oscillating Multi-Tool would also be an option for the cut-out.

 

[kaku]

Make sure you investigate any potential pipe runs before making any big cuts. I'm doing similar in my ensuite right now where the floor has rotted through in a number of places. Using a combination of circular saw, multi tool, and a hand saw.

Set the depth on the circular saw to ~1mm less than the board thickness then pull it up next to the cut using a wrecking bar (use multi tool to make a gap to get the bar in if necessary). This will prevent unnecessary gouging of the joists.

 

[sigma]

Oscillating Multi-Tool would also be an option for the cut-out.

Tricky to get it really straight though where as with a circ saw you can set the depth and then finish the rest off by hand, or even a multi

 

[sigma]

Make sure you investigate any potential pipe runs before making any big cuts. I'm doing similar in my ensuite right now where the floor has rotted through in a number of places. Using a combination of circular saw, multi tool, and a hand saw.

Set the depth on the circular saw to ~1mm less than the board thickness then pull it up next to the cut using a wrecking bar (use multi tool to make a gap to get the bar in if necessary). This will prevent unnecessary gouging of the joists.

This x 100 - you never know what lurks underneath although I might be wrong, it looks like tiles underneath?! Or is it board on board??

 

[radderfire]

Tricky to get it really straight though where as with a circ saw you can set the depth and then finish the rest off by hand, or even a multi

Not the best tool for the job, but would probably be OK if you drew a line first.

 

[200sols]

Not the best tool for the job, but would probably be OK if you drew a line first.

Its fine, better than multi tool for this type of cut.

 

[Vestas]

The OP said it was "floating" so best just to get a scraper underneath the damaged section and pull it up. It'll be obvious how many boards need replacing as they will fall apart.

Then just get a DIY shed to cut some replacement wood - marine ply would be best but it'll cost a fair bit. OSB is another cheaper option - not great for water leakage but a lot better than chipboard.

The problem may be if you replace part of the boarding with different materials then it'll probably be quite obvious when you walk on it. Or not - YMMV.

 

[jpaul]

Its fine, better than multi tool for this type of cut.

reason I didn't suggest a circular saw was because it may not go close enough to edges - bath, wall ..
chisel might be like a hot knife ...