Old cracked screed over floorboards, can I just remove it? - Tile Advice

[Bathfix Bob]

Got a hallway and utility to tile (1920's semi), hallway is normal floorboards and then goes into utility but changes to an old 40mm screed. This is cracked badly and parts are loose, under the utility is a celler and when you go down you can clearly see the bottom of the utility floor which is just a normal joists with old thick floorboards.

The screed is in really bad condition and needs to come up so can I just remove it and build up the 40mm (so its level with the hallway) in ply and timber?

What was the original purpose of the screed?

 

[Colour Republic]

the utility was maybe an old larder with stone floor. Somebody has wacked some sand and cement down when the stone/tiled floor was removed to level up to the other floor... and did a bad job of it or it would still be in one piece

 

[White Room]

I'd remove the old screed......

 

[Ajax123]

Ditto both the above. Take up the screed. There are several options for reinstatement depending on what you want for the future from the floor

 

[Diamond Pool Finishers]

as above ,are your best options

 

[Bathfix Bob]

Thanks for the advice, the screed has a mound in the middle which is cracked from wall to wall and the straight edge is like a see saw. I'm thinking take the screed up and possibly the old floorboards, beef everything up with noggins, battens and 18mm ply and then hardiebacker.

I want to end up with same level cement boards continuing through to the hallway, tiles are 30mm x 30mm porcelain.

 

[White Room]

What size area are you going to be removing.....

 

[Bathfix Bob]

Small utility, just a little over 8 x 4 ft.

 

[White Room]

What about 40mm marmox boards.....

 

[Bathfix Bob]

What about 40mm marmox boards.....

Interesting, only ever used Hardie as its all they stock locally but will look into them. Sound expensive though?