How To Level Floor Joists In Old House

Screw the strips into the floor joists or subfloor.

How to level floor joists in old house.

This job can run you 1 000 and 5 000 depending on the extent of the job. If the uneven floor is due to floor joists that have warped or twisted over time or were incorrectly installed the only way to level the floor is to remove the subflooring and shim the joists. Levelling floor joists how to level an old floor. Thre ways to fix a sagging or sloping floor.

You will have to make sure your joists can handle the addition of considerably more weight from the plywood subfloor and any floor coverings. With a taut string water or laser level make a straight line from one side of the foundation to the other. Set a hydraulic jack and post under the beam and jack up the joists about 1 8 in. A plywood subfloor will bridge any minor waves in the existing floor and leveling compound would help too.

Then set new joists same height as existing ones alongside the old. Use screws to secure the leveling strips to the floor every 16 inches. If the floor slants irregularly cut strips that bridge the cap at each floor joist. This project is about levelling old timber floors repairing and replacing timber joists.

On the top side of the floor another fix it idea to lay down new hardwood over the existing floor. Leveling the floor with shims is when you attach thin wedge shaped pieces of wood on top of the low areas of the joists to make the top joists even. We show you how to lay floor boards over the leveled joists how to cut the floor boards to the right shape and how to use a chalk line. If you have an uneven floor you may need to think about leveling floor joists with shims.

You may find this task easier if you hold the string off the sagging floor joists by attaching blocks of the same thickness at opposite sides of the basement. A day until they re level. Nailing two 2x4s together will work to span about three joists unless the sag is under a weight bearing wall. To do this simply cut several leveling strips the same size as the original strip.