Flooring

[RobertArthur]

@ Hotrodder, 8 mm laminate flooring, not self supporting at all, how many battens to avoid a "springy" effect? Even with real wood, about 20 mm thick or a little bit more, you need a spacing of about 400 mm between the battens. Wouldn't it be easier to follow standard procedures, flooring underlayment?

[Polarengineer]

Avoid the plastic foam type underlayment, it makes a noise like popping bubblewrap underfoot as you walk on a floating laminate floor. Well mine does.

[Hotrodder]

@ Hotrodder, 8 mm laminate flooring, not self supporting at all, how many battens to avoid a "springy" effect? Even with real wood, about 20 mm thick or a little bit more, you need a spacing of about 400 mm between the battens. Wouldn't it be easier to follow standard procedures, flooring underlayment?

I understand what you are getting at. I am going to wait until I have a piece of the clickfloor to test for "springiness". Then I will decide what spacing of battens will be appropriate. Just using a thin layer of something over the whole area wouldn't address the second problem I have. This floor is 50mm lower than the adjoining room and I want to raise it to the same level. The Mrs. has already tripped and fallen over the step but luckily didn't break any bones in the process. Any damp issues or fine details will have to be ignored for now. Our remaining lifespan doesn't warrant doing the best possible job when there are still other important things to spend the cash on. Yesterday there was heavy rain and wind. We sat and watched the water running down the wall. A bucket caught about a third of the flow but the rest made it to a pile of old towels on the floor. No doubt this process will continue after the floor is finished. We have already spent hundreds trying to get the roof fixed but it was wasted money.
It was a much warmer and drier life when I lived on my boat.

[RobertArthur]

@ Hotrodder, sometimes even the boundaries between boat, water and dry are a bit blurred.....

[Hotrodder]

Ooops!

[RobertArthur]

@ Hotrodder, what about battens and plywood material, tongue & groove, to carry the load of the laminate and furniture without "springy" feelings? In France available here, other dimensions than elsewhere in Europe where you see 244 x 61 cm (18 mm thick). Price about 22 € sq/m.

[Hotrodder]

I appreciate your suggestions, I really do but OSB costs double what I am spending on the click floor finish. My budget doesn't allow for such a thorough process. Not counting battens or any dpc film or insulation that lot comes to over €1100.

[RobertArthur]

Sometimes second-hand building materials can help to keep costs down. Everything hiding under your click floor doesn't compete in a beauty contest. But where to find these matériaux de construction de récupération?