Alternative floor coverings for upstairs

[val douest]

We are about to rip up and discard the incredibly manky foam-backed carpet which we inherited with the house: it covers the whole of the upstairs which comprises two bedrooms, a large landing/study area, a bathroom and a loo.  But we have to decide what to replace it with: I really don't want carpet again and the floorboards are also the ceiling of the downstairs rooms so without some kind of additional covering there would be no sound insulation at all and the dust would come straight through between the boards.  An additional consideration is that the first floor was originally the attic and has restricted height in some areas so we don't want to build up the height of the floor more than absolutely necessary.

       I've asked friends locally (French and English) and the general recommendation is 'parquet flottant'.  I've just been to look at some in the brico and as far as I can see this is no more no less than laminate flooring laid on an insulating layer.  While I like the idea of having a wooden-look surface on which I can then put rugs I am not very keen on the idea of covering everything with laminate, albeit a wood-faced version rather than plastic.  Would it be possible/practicable to put down another layer of floorboards, perhaps with some insulation between that and the existing boards?  Or does anyone have any other suggestions?  Any ideas/help much appreciated.

Thanks,

Val

PS We will be asking a local artisan to do the work so it can't be anything too quirky!

[Pads]

Do you have a good head hight down stairs? we had a simular problem with the floor boards being the ceiling down stairs so we made a false ceiling and insulated in between , so now I dont have to lisen to hubbys telly down stairs while trying to sleep [:)] and we got to keep the loverly floor boards up stairs, cheaper than laying anew floor to. 

[just john]

[:D] A variation on that, which we intend to employ, is to take up the original boards, lay down chipboard and an insulation layer, then relay the original boards on top, and put placo (plasterboard) between the beams underneath, A bit more work but a solid chink free insulated floor, original appearance above and plaster finish below.

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[8-|]

[Nicos]

We too are considering changing our bedroom flooring in our longere.

Again- open joists for the ceiling downstairs adding to the character ,  but noisy .

1 bedroom has laminate, 2 have padded lino and one has carpet.

We were considering the expensive option of ripping it all up and putting in wooden floorboards ( having ripped up the chipboard). .....BIG job!

However- after one of the Valux windows was left wide open for 3 days in all the rain last month and flooded the bedroom, we are now thinking that the lino and plenty of rugs might actually be the best option . We hate the idea....but you should have seen the mess- can you imagine if it had gone unnoticed for 3-4 weeks????[:-))]

[val douest]

Many thanks to everyone for the useful info and suggestions: I am still working out the pros and cons.  I don't think the boards upstairs are good enough throughout to sand and leave as they are so some kind of topping may well be necessary.

Meanwhile I have been looking at various types of wooden floor on the internet and there seem to be three types available: solid wood, engineered wood and laminate.  I understand that the fundamental difference between laminate floors and engineered wood flooring is that the former is made up of particle board with what's called a photographic layer (ie a picture of wood) and then a wear layer on top, while the latter is made up entirely of wood layers, with a protective coating.  I can't work out whether some laminate floorings have the top layer made of actual wood or whether laminate floorings always have a synthetic topping - can someone enlighten me?  I think I could live quite happily with an engineered wood floor (which can apparently be sanded down a couple of times if necessary) but don't want to be surrounded by a pictorial plastic representation of oak or wild cherry!

I am sure the floorings I was looking at in the brico were laminate with a wood-effect surface.  Where would I find engineered wood floor samples, and what would they be called in French? Is a French artisan specialising in wooden floors likely to offer both options?  Is parquet flottant a general term to refer to a suspended wood or wood-effect floor or does it just mean laminate laid over a layer of insulation?

Sorry to be so ignorant but it's not something I've ever had to think about before, with the added difficulty of then having to translate my ideas into French!  Any further input much appreciated.

Val

[Rob Roy]

Our first floor was so uneven we had to lay a new one. We put new joists on top of the existing floor (varying in depth from 100 mm to virtually nothing), layed insulation between them where we could, then layed new tongue and groove floorboards on top, sanded ,stained and varnished to finish them . It looks fab and I now just have to sweep the floors in the bedrooms, and hoover the rugs as required.