My wife and I recently bought a duplex that was built in 1889. The dining room floor has a slight "roll" to it. She wants to install laminate on the floor, but I think it might be too uneven.

What is a good way to measure the eveness of the floor?

What sort of problems arise from having an uneven sub-floor and how soon will those problems start to appear?


Thanks for any responses.

 

Pull a string line, tight across the surface of the subfloor.
1/8 inch in 6 feet is the spec.


If you go ahead and install it on the uneven subfloor, please just take it back and get your money back and then on the way home, throw it out the window. Same thing!!!


The laminate will flex. The flex will damage and break the locking T&G. Causing separation of the planks.

The flex also makes the edges rub together, making all kinds of squeaks, pops, and funky noises, eventually causing the edges to chip.



They sold you the flooring, telling you how easy it is to install, did they?
There is a lot more to it then just slapping it on the floor. The DIY laminate crowd, is keeping flooring inspectors busy. The floors are failing because they don't read, fully understanding the specs, then don't follow them, because they are told how easy it is to install. They are never told about the floor prep needs, and they install it, voiding all manufacturers warranties. Then they blame the laminate manufacturer as making a defective floor. Pays my bills!!! Job security for flooring inspectors.

 

Thanks for the advice---we have some nice hardwoods under the tile right now that we are planning on having sanded and stained.