Floating Floor Subfloor Not Level

Leveling floors can be a diy project or left to professionals.

Floating floor subfloor not level.

In many cases you can level a floor yourself. Flat and level may seem like the same thing but a flat floor can be out of level to a certain degree and still help to create a base for comfortable quiet wood floors. We ve been told that laminate flooring requires the floor to be level but that vinyl flooring is more forgiving. If you have very high or low spots foundation or structural problems or termite damage you may need professional help.

Lay it on the floor and have a look at the edge of the subfloor. A subfloor is meant to be flat and level. Occasionally however there will be humps that cause the foundation to rise above a specified height. A level subfloor will help your flooring last longer and keep the finish attractive.

If there are only a few problem areas in the concrete you can mechanically flatten them by grinding bead blasting abrading or using a patching compound. If not your floor covering which is the solid hardwood laminate tile or other exposed flooring that goes on top of the subfloor will never be flat and level this problem can be fixed but it all depends on exactly what kind of uneven subfloor you have. The plywood subfloor is in good condition. It s a bit confusing but a flat floor can still be slightly out of level and still create a good foundation for a long lasting floor installation.

The floor is not level or square built in the 70 s. The easiest way to check the flatness of your subfloor is by using a straight 2x4 about 10 feet long. If you are installing a locking or floating floor not attached to the subfloor just make sure that the subfloor is clean. Depending on the situation you can either sand down areas of the subfloor that are too high or install shims beneath the subfloor so that the entire floor is brought up to the same level.

Use a long level and tape measure to check that the floor is level. The floor can have an unlevel subfloor and still have a base for a nice laminate floor. A plywood subfloor will bridge any minor waves in the existing floor and leveling compound would help too. When you are dealing with uneven floors one option that you have is to use self leveling compound.

Typically the floor must be level and uniform within 3 16 inch every 10 feet. These can be dealt with by sanding down wooden subfloors with an electric sander or by grinding them with a motorized angle grinder. Laminate flooring on an uneven subfloor can cause problems and needs to be addressed. The floor may roll a marble and looks to slope now that the carpet has been removed.

Learn how to use a grinder. You will have to make sure your joists can handle the addition of considerably more weight from the plywood subfloor and any floor coverings. On the top side of the floor another fix it idea to lay down new hardwood over the existing floor.