We have Victorian semi and it needs a lot of work. Because of this, we’re trying to research and undertake everything we can ourselves so that we can save for the major improvements/construction work.
Our living room is connected to the hallway via an open arch, rather than a traditional doorway, and the floorboards run from the living room into the hallway through the archway (i.e. they don’t stop and there is no threshold between the rooms). The floorboards are currently exposed, and we will keep them exposed in the living room.
I want to tile the hallway and create a threshold between the two rooms, and being a live-in renovator, working full-time (currently from home) with a toddler and no childcare, I don’t really want to cut and rip up the hallway floorboards to overboard with ply, but if it’s the only option, I will have to. Alternatively, could I cut the boards at the nearest joist between the hall and living room to separate the two rooms and eliminate the bounce?
I’ve researched tiling over floorboards using hardiebacker/cement boards and flexible adhesive to try to take the flex out of the boards so the tiles don’t crack. From what I’ve read, this makes for a pretty sturdy base for the tiles, so if this would work it would be my preferred option.
I feel relatively confident in my ability to cement board and tile, but I’m worried whether this will be enough to reduce the flex? As the boards run from the living room into the hallway, I am concerned there will still be too much ‘bounce’ from the living room and it will be a very expensive mistake to make if so! My partner is a ‘stomper’, which only adds to my worry.
Any advice is much appreciated!