uneven foorboards in Victorian terrace

[Angush]

Afternoon all

Recently moved into a mid terraced property built in 1902. House is full of quirks/wonks/age related settlement and I understand nothing will be straight etc.

Just looking for some clarity on the sloping floor in my dining room.

The adjacent living room floor is straight, the dining room that it joins onto however seems to bow in centre of the room and slope off towards all four room edges, which are all lower than the centre is.

- the edges are all within 2/3 cm of one another
- the middle is raised 6cm compared to the edges (and the adjacent living room)
- you can see the old hearth is flush with the floorboards at the edges
- you can also see the large(ish) gap between the middle to floorboards probably caused by the raise.

Now I’m not overly fussed by the fact it budges up and will likely not want to open a can of worms….. but can anyone explain why it’s happened and if it’s cause for concern?

We are a young couple first time buyers and currently in the process of re-doing this room. Hoping it is not a huge issue but would like to hear the truth!

Thanks all

(It’s hard to show the slope on pictures )

 

[Deleted member 174758]

The first question would have to be, "what did your survey say?". It is common to see old floors which dip towards the middle (often a combination of undersized joists, or inadequately seasoned joists, plus load, plus sometimes damp, but your room is the opposite. I've seen this a couple of times where there is a wall beneath the middle of a floor or where a steel has been inserted to replace a decayed joist or the like, but I think you'll need to look beneath the floor for an answer

 

[Angush]

Survey didn’t mention it.
It noted how the stained glass above the front door has been fitted to accommodate a slope - ie. There Has been movement and has been like that for some time.

Yes it is odd how it rises towards the middle I can’t explain it.

I know I think you’re right about having to have a look underneath but undecided whether it is worth it… it seems to have been like it for some time and hoping it will likely have done all its moving.
What do you think ?
Cheers

 

[oldbutnotdead]

As above with it being common for floors to slope down, less common for them to bulge. You need to have a look underneath. Starting point- see if any boards have been cut to allow access underneath for wiring or plumbing, lift one, use your phone or a mirror to survey underneath and take it from there.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

A few years ago I worked on what had been built in the 1870s as a row of shops with flats above. Over the decades there had been various changes made - staircases installed, then removed, etc. Some time in the 1930s there were some steels installed across the middles of some floors. Long story short with 70 to 80 years of use and abuse, settlement, shrinkage, etc. we had several floors with high areas like yours. We found out what was causing the problem when it became necessary to rip out simevof the oath and plaster ceilings. The remainder we had to drill the floors and use a camera.

 

[Angush]

Hi all
Thanks for the replies.
This is a ground floor room.
It does slope towards a back corner slightly but it is definitely more the slope into the middle that is more serious.

Because it is still flush with the original hearth it’s confusing as it has almost raised with the hearth.

I will try take a floorboard up as you suggested and have a peek. There is one with a cut in…
Cheers

 

[Angush]

Hello
I’ve taken a floorboard out the joists seem ok not rotten but the plank the joist sits on is rotten and loose.
Is there a way of fixing without taking whole floor up ?

 

[Angush]

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Maybe, depends to an extent on how deep the void is.
More importantly, have you had a look towards the middle of the room to see what's causing the bulge?

 

[Angush]

I started here as there was already a cut.
I think this is also contributing to the slope towards the centre.

There is a line of bricks down the middle of the room which is about where the slope happens….

I’m starting to think bad construction back in the day has laid the joists accross the room, with the middle brick wall being slightly off or historic movement causing the floorboards to then also slightly bend with the unevenness of the joists below.

If that makes sense?

 

[Angush]

I think this is then made worse by a slope in the opposite direction in the back right corner caused by the rotten plank beneath the joists.

Very happy to be corrected this is my best guess as an amateur.
Cheers

 

[oldbutnotdead]

I started here as there was already a cut.
I think this is also contributing to the slope towards the centre.

There is a line of bricks down the middle of the room which is about where the slope happens….

I’m starting to think bad construction back in the day has laid the joists accross the room, with the middle brick wall being slightly off or historic movement causing the floorboards to then also slightly bend with the unevenness of the joists below.

If that makes sense?

No not really.
Does the rise in the floor crest evenly on the centreline (like a very gently pitched roof) or does it crest at the centre of the room?
If the former it's most likely that the house has settled over the years but the dwarf wall hasn't (cos less load on it).

 

[Koolpc]

U need to take up a couple of boards by the raise in the floor...

 

[Angush]

Oldbutnotdead,

It is a very gentle slope.
It sounds about right that the dwarf wall has stayed where it is and the rest of the house has settled.

Now to decide whether to take all the floor up and try level

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Oldbutnotdead,

It is a very gentle slope.
It sounds about right that the dwarf wall has stayed where it is and the rest of the house has settled.

Now to decide whether to take all the floor up and try level

That board you've lifted may not be a good guide to ease of removal if it's been up before.
Looks like the boards are square edge which makes life easier.
If you do decide to lift them all, make sure you mark their position (do a sketch map)- some boards like that are only flat on 3 sides-the undersides may have been chiselled/adzed?) to fit onsite.
And wash the edges down- there'll be 150 years worth of embedded crud on them.
Another bonus with lifting them all- replacing that rotten board will be easier, you can clean out any airbricks and you can insulate between the joists (especially helpful with square edged boards).