Leveling wooden subfloor
#1
08-13-06, 06:19 PM
Leveling wooden subfloor
My house is pier and beam with wooden subflooring, which has significant uneveness throughout the kitchen and adjacent rooms, where I hope to soon install laminate flooring. This uneveness ranges from 1/4" to 3/4" across any given 5' distance, and generally comes in the form of a peak in the center of the rooms with the decline towards the perimeters. My plan was to use leveling compound but I am worried that the uneveness is too extreme. Is this a DIY job or should I start shopping for a contractor?
#2
08-13-06, 06:57 PM
I am by no means a carpenter but I have the same issues. I have added beams, replaced joists and subfloor and leveled my house. It has been a long arduous process but it is definitely more solid and level. Definitely not a job for the faint at heart.
I would think 1/4 - 3/4 would be a bit much for leveling compound.
I would think 1/4 - 3/4 would be a bit much for leveling compound.
#3
08-14-06, 05:15 PM
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You have to think about the weight added to the structure, when doing self leveling over a wood structure.
Don't even try aelf leveler, unless you have three guys, that know what they are doing, and a concrete mixer/pump combo. Mixing it up in 5 gallon buckets and your going to have a complete mess that will need to be busted out, so you can hire someone to do it right.
Don't even try aelf leveler, unless you have three guys, that know what they are doing, and a concrete mixer/pump combo. Mixing it up in 5 gallon buckets and your going to have a complete mess that will need to be busted out, so you can hire someone to do it right.
#4
08-14-06, 09:01 PM
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I agree with Mr Wright if you plan to use enough to level the whole floor. You might use it for just a few small areas. I can't see the floor but I have found many people tend to get a little over concerned on floors not being perfectly plane or level, especially with older houses. Laminate flooring is usually pretty forgiving to a little rise and fall. A thick padding helps as well. They will usually settle in to match the existing floor after a short time.
#5
08-15-06, 10:09 AM
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There are many, many homes that don't meet the requirements for substrate flatness, for a floating laminate or engineered wood floor, without totally rengineering the structure.
In other words laminate would be a mis-specified flooring for the application, unless you do extensive repairs to flatten the substrates.
In other words laminate would be a mis-specified flooring for the application, unless you do extensive repairs to flatten the substrates.
#6
08-17-06, 06:01 AM
Hi Guys,
Me and my wife bought an Old Colonial Farm Home and our floors needed to be leveled in some areas.
Mainly what we call the front family room was the worst.
The floors were already built so close to the ground with no wiring or pipes in site so I went with the concrete and it leveled out real nice and strong.
Me and my wife bought an Old Colonial Farm Home and our floors needed to be leveled in some areas.
Mainly what we call the front family room was the worst.
The floors were already built so close to the ground with no wiring or pipes in site so I went with the concrete and it leveled out real nice and strong.
