# Waterproofing chipboard?



## Eric The Viking (29 Dec 2013)

My knee still hasn't recovered from laying a floor in the attic last Christmas holiday. 

It's been soul-destroying this year to have a succession of leaks in the main part of our roof, and this winter has brought two new ones. I sorted all the earlier ones, but these are nastier - the lead flashings round the solar heating pipes are failing. Two have gone so far (worked round one, but can't get to the other), and I expect the remaining six will fail some time in the next few months (they're all welded leadwork, and it's the welds that have failed).

If the others do go, they're higher up the roof and will prejudice my new floor up there. So, apart from checking every time it rains, I need to try to protect the chipboard if I can. On the other hand, I want to retain the ability of the ceilings underneath to breathe, as they're 100+ year-old lath+plaster, so I can't seal the whole thing up completely.

I know I need to take it seriously. There were a couple of leftover T+G pieces under one of the earlier leaks. It took very little water for them to swell up, and although they seem to have dried, they haven't shrunken down again - I fear they won't.

Can anyone suggest some sort of liquid waterproofer I could apply? I'll have to create a space (it's the wood store, among other things!), apply the chemical, then move stuff and repeat. In the summer we're going to get scaffolding up and sort it out properly.

All thoughts appreciated.

E.


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## paul saunders (29 Dec 2013)

What about gloss paint applied with a foam roller ?

Sent from my AN10BG3 using Tapatalk 2


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## Eric The Viking (29 Dec 2013)

That's a good idea!

I've got some of those rollers somewhere - came with a set but never used. I've also got plenty of gloss paint in odd cans - good excuse to use some up, I think. It also shouldn't seal everything up completely, leastways not if I'm careful, so the ceiling below could still breathe.

Thanks for the suggestion. It certainly cleared the fog!

E.


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## AndyT (29 Dec 2013)

Another method could be to lay a separate waterproof layer on top of the boards. It could be DPM, old or new vinyl flooring, tarpaulin, pond liner - whatever is available.


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## Zeddedhed (29 Dec 2013)

Thompsons water seal is pretty good stuff, but not cheap


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## RogerS (30 Dec 2013)

Synthaprufe or aquaseal. But won't you have a problem of the water pooling and then running off>

Why not a few cheap washing up bowls to catch the drips. Once it stops raining the water will evaporate away. You could even knock up a little float and water level alarm :wink:


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## Flynnwood (30 Dec 2013)

This is good quality - £8.99 for 3m x 4m
http://www.screwfix.com/p/dmp-membrane- ... x-4m/73066

Or call Sikkens or Zinsser for technical advice:

http://sikkens.trade-decorating.co.uk/i ... /index.jsp
08444 817 818

http://www.zinsseruk.com/technical-support/
0191 410 6611


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## Eric The Viking (30 Dec 2013)

RogerS":286lr6tt said:


> Synthaprufe or aquaseal. But won't you have a problem of the water pooling and then running off?


I've used Synthaprufe indoors in the past. I wouldn't say 'never again' but (a) it would have to be just before a three-month holiday while the smell goes away, and (b) I'd still have to find a way of getting across the floor without sticking to it, and (c) any that got through onto the lath+plaster would keep on soaking through to leave a hard-to cover brown stain on the ceiling below, made much worse if there is a leak onto it while it's wet (DAMHIK!).


> Why not a few cheap washing up bowls to catch the drips. Once it stops raining the water will evaporate away. You could even knock up a little float and water level alarm :wink:


Am presently employing washing-up bowls. Leaving a small amount of water in them all the time minimises the sideways splash, but if the top flashings go (which I expect), the drop is about fifteen feet, and it's hard to imagine anything that won't just spatter water everywhere. It's extraordinarily difficult to get a ladder up in that location, otherwise I'd rig something better - may yet be forced to.

I love the romantic winter weather we're getting these days :-(

E.


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## nanscombe (30 Dec 2013)

A) Hang a tarpaulin, one side mounted higher than the other (to give a fall), draining into your bowls.

B) Hang the tarpaulin from the centre with the sides sloping down like a tent.

C) Horizontally hang up a tarpaulin, like a sheet, make a small hole in the centre to allow your water to drain into a cunningly placed receptacle underneath.

D) Two long 50x50 pieces of timber with a narrow piece of plastic / tarpaulin mounted between them to make a gutter / water chute to take the water to where you want to collect it.

Come to think of it a kiddies' paddling pool would hold a fair bit of water, if there was room.


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## Eric The Viking (30 Dec 2013)

Thanks Nigel et al.

I wasn't planning on letting anything drip onto the chipboard, but I'd like to protect it chemically (paint, whatever) in case it does get wet. 

Battens plus plastic sheet is possible lower down, but it's all really awkward, with stuff in the way, etc. Off to have another look & think about it. 

I'm blessed that we're not on a flood plain - I've looked at the workshop pics posted here with great sympathy. My problem is tiny in comparison, and I'm well aware of it!

E.


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## Shrubby (30 Dec 2013)

Erik could you reach the points where the water leaks in and nail chains to the rafters dropping down into buckets. This should stop splashing
I'm thinking of the small plug chain that can be bought cheaply by the metre
Matt


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## RogerS (30 Dec 2013)

You already know the real answer. Get a roofer or builder


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## Eric The Viking (31 Dec 2013)

RogerS":2qei9fn4 said:


> You already know the real answer. Get a roofer or builder



Oh, how true. 

The temporary fix has to last until the summer though. We're part of a block of three properties, and I think this year (finally!) we'll be able to synchronise work, meaning one lot of scaffolding and, I hope, only one lot of roofers.

Meanwhile I have to keep most of the insides mostly dry.

Happy Tuesday.

E.


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