Our first room to tackle is the lounge. Keen to reveal the floorboards and rid it of the faded and smelly old carpet, it felt as though the house was breathing a huge sigh of relief as we rolled it back. Groaning under the weight of the soap sodden carpet, the wood chipped walls and UPVC secondary glazing are stopping the air from circulating.
The majority of the floorboards are OK, and luckily the original slate hearth is still in place.
Rather inevitably, we have discovered wood beetles, so more stripping back is needed.
In pulling back the floorboards, ingenious foundations are revealed, about 3ft deep with cobble and brick walls holding up the joists . Traditionally the early Victorians built their houses with suspended timber floors over these sleeper walls; allowing the air to circulate and avoid any dampness festering.
Carpenter, Ben Moon, has been down in the depths spraying the floorboards and clearing out over a centuries worth of rubble. Joists have been replaced, and new floorboards will be laid where the old ones were too rotten.
With a damp proof membrane on the ground, and insulation under the floorboards, hopefully this room will feel toasty and warm, just in time for Christmas!
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