Replies

1. 
   Wendy_J. | Jan 29, 1999 11:30am | #1

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   My good friends live in a house that has a small lake under it for days after each rain. Much of it is less than six inches from the ground. It, too, is old, and we have ripped out much of the rotted floor and replaced it with a concrete slab. One portion of the new slab was laid over with hardwood flooring (madrone, manzanita, and oak mixed). The other portion was covered with stained plywood. The hardwood floor was laid over plywood sleepers that were epoxied to the slab. The slab was also coated with epoxy. Nail length was selected so that nothing would penetrate beyond the sleepers. A year later the hardwood floor had six inch waves in it, and an incredible pervasive fungus throughout its bottom surface. The plywood floor was laid over plastic followed by a foam pad, then epoxy over the entire plywood surface. Four years later it is has a few small areas of rot and fungus.

   Get rid of the water. Use a french drain, water pump, trenches, earth berms to divert, regrade your land. Don't install any enpensive new floor until the water is gone. I wouldn't install any expensive new floor until your house sits 18" above grade, either.

2. 
   d_j | Jan 30, 1999 12:44pm | #2

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   I have an older wood frame house that sits very low to the ground (some sills actually rest on the ground) and am experiencing some severe water damage to subflooring and flooring. Water flows from the front of the lot under the house and my goal is to divert the water around the house into small retention ponds in the backyard. I'd like advice on how to install a French drain and where to obtain the materials. A structural engineer suggested using 6" perforated PVC but I can't find a supplier. I also need advice about what type of flooring to use once I have taken care of the water problems. I will have to replace at least 1/3 of my tongue and groove pine flooring. Thanks for any help you might be able to give.

3. 
   Guest_ | Jan 30, 1999 12:44pm | #3

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   DJ, you have a foundation and drainage issue to contend with first. A french drain can utilize clay "tiles," perforated 4 or 6 inch pipe, or large stone instead. Contact a Masonary supply in your area. Can you jack the house and install footings? As Wendy noted, your problems will remain until you physically remove the ground contact problem.