Quarry tiles and damp - TilersForums.com

[Sk5494]

Hello - first post please be gentle.

I am rennovating a typical 1930s semi. I am doing some research into the flooring in the kitchen. From what I understand these are "quarry tiles"?

Everything online saying they need to breathe. And that adding a screed on top (even with dpm layers) could potentially cause a damp issue further down the line.

I took the existing floor up today which was thin plasticy tiles on top of the quarry tiles, then a further 2 layers of vinyl. The vinyl was a bit "sweaty" when I took it up, suggesting a small amount of moisture was trapped over the years .

From looking online people say either take it up completely and start again
Or
Dpm, then screed, then more dpm. And hope for the best.
Or
Restore and keep the tiles.

My question - could it work to only prep and retile the part of the floor that will be visible? And leave the floor that will be underneath the kitchen cabinets, around the perimeter, as is - to allow it to breathe?
That way moisture could still breathe through the tiles, instead of finding its way into a wall or something further down the line?

Thoughts?

 

[Sk5494]

Further to the above, below pictures suggest the tiles have been laid on some kind of concrete?
And taking a look outside it appears there is a dpm in place.
Can I assume therefore it would be safe enough to lay something over it?

Thanks again

 

[Ajax123]

They're not that old really. Probably laid on sand cement bed. I would lift them personally and start again from the base upwards. I would go with a DPM suitable for floors with no DPM underneath then do whatever you want on top of that.