Subfloor preparation · Gillingham, ME7
Practical guidance for Gillingham homeowners and landlords on overlaying timber floors with WBP plywood before resilient flooring.
Where houses in Twydall have had a kitchen extension added at a different floor level to the original room, a transition strip alone will not fix an uneven base.
Many Gillingham properties, particularly older terraces and conversions, still have their original timber board floors. These can be perfectly serviceable structurally while still being entirely unsuitable as a direct base for LVT or vinyl, and a plywood overlay is the usual bridge between the two situations.
Where a staircase or landing in a {town} property has the same issues of gappy or uneven boards, thinner plywood can sometimes be used to bridge treads and risers before carpet or a stair-suitable floorcovering is fitted, though tread depth and nosing profile need checking first.
Photography is from our own projects in Kent and is included to show finish and detail, not to represent any named address.
Coastal or riverside proximity in parts of Kent can raise ambient moisture levels, so subfloor drying times in Gillingham sometimes run longer than the compound manufacturer's chart suggests.
Damp-proof membranes fitted decades ago in Gillingham can fail quietly, showing up only once a new floor traps moisture that used to evaporate through an open covering.
Postcode district ME7, Medway Council.
Remove laitance and residue mechanically where overlay is bonded onto concrete rather than timber.
Vacuum thoroughly after sanding joints so debris does not sit under the finished floorcovering.
Plan sheet layout across the room to minimise cuts and keep joints away from high-traffic lines.
No, grade and thickness are matched to the floorcovering and traffic level, with commercial or higher-traffic areas typically taking a thicker WBP sheet than a domestic bedroom, for example.
It depends on room size and how much board repair is needed first, but it is generally quicker than lifting and replacing an entire timber floor structure.
Screwing and any grinding on solid areas does create noise, so we usually agree access and timing with occupants in advance where the property remains in use during the work.
Existing carpet, vinyl or other coverings are lifted and removed so the boards can be inspected properly before the overlay decision is confirmed.
We reach Gillingham via the M2 Junction 4, and cover the wider ME7 district as part of our normal round.
Overlay decisions in Gillingham start with an honest survey of board condition, not an assumption that every timber floor needs the same treatment.
Bring us your questions or book a survey so we can check the floor before recommending anything.