Hardwood Floor over Uneven Sub-Floor?


  #1  
Old 11-16-00, 05:34 PM
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I'm getting ready to install a hardwood floor over a plywood subfloor, but the 3/4" T&G subfloor has weathered a bit and there is some minor uneven-ness I'm concerned about. Can I use a cementitious floor leveler and nail through it? Is there a better product to use? Any ideas? Thanks!
 
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Old 11-16-00, 07:23 PM
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Mike, you don't want to nail through patch. It doesn't hold a nail very well and it may just break apart. If the high spots are relatively minor you can plane them down. Low spots may have to jacked up from underneath.

Scott Stephens www.stephensfloor.com
 
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Old 11-18-00, 06:23 PM
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Hardwood floors with microgroove edges are more forgiving of uneven subfloor than square edge. With uneven subfloors, if you are using prefinished wood floors, you can encounter "overboard." This is where some boards will be higher than others. With micro-groove uneveness is disguised and it is not a problem. If you using unfinished wood flooring, installers will sand the boards until all are level before refinishing. Floors that are finished by installers do not have the high quality factory finish warranties of pre-finished flooring (some have a 25 yr. finish warranty). patricia @ www.twelvepole.com
 
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Old 11-20-00, 01:47 PM
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Patricia, since this is a forum for DIYers, it's vitally important that those of us in the industry make every effort to offer sound, factual advice. With this in mind I'd like to clarify a couple of things.

First of all, the manufacturers specs for flatness on prefinished products (typically, a ratio of 3/16" in a 10' radius) is no different for square edge material than it is for beveled or eased edge. The milling of the material will not compensate for uneveness in the subfloor. A cursory review of any manufacturers spec sheet will bear this out.

Secondly, while some minor subfloor variation can be compensated for on a sand in place installation by sanding down the high spots on the flooring itself, this is no substitute for having a flat subfloor, which is a must for a quality installation. Additionally, over reliance on this technique can reduce the wear layer of the wood flooring to an objectional degree.

Thirdly, while the new factory finishes featuring aluminum oxide are supperior to urethane applied on site from a wear standpoint, this does not mean that prefinished hardwood is better than sand in place. The unique artisanship exemplified by a custom sand in place hardwood floor has it's own quality that, for many, can not be equaled by a prefinished floor. As far as factory warranties go, they're only as good as the retailer selling the product.

Lastly, "overboard" is what you get when you lean too far over the side of you boat. Overwood is an industry term refering to height/thickness differences from plank to plank. For laminates the term is "proud edges".

Scott Stephens www.stephensfloor.com
 
  #5  
Old 11-20-00, 03:10 PM
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Thanks to both of you for the great advice. I'll let you know how I do with the floor after the long weekend.
 
 

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