How To Level Your Floor Before Laminate

When installing laminate vinyl tile or hardwood flooring it s important to know how to level a floor.

How to level your floor before laminate.

On the top side of the floor another fix it idea to lay down new hardwood over the existing floor. Because laminate is typically thinner and less sturdy than real wood it is critical that you properly level the subfloor before you install laminate. Before taking steps to level a floor you must find out why it s not level. You will have to make sure your joists can handle the addition of considerably more weight from the plywood subfloor and any floor coverings.

The level shouldn t be off by more than 3 16 inch 0 48 cm any minor deviations you happen to discover shouldn t impact the stability of the finished floor. Check your wood flooring manufacturer s recommendations and sand any high spots with a concrete grinder. Not only is trying to install laminate over an uneven subfloor difficult but also it can be dangerous. Leveling floors can be a diy project or left to professionals.

Pour this out of the bucket into the low spots of the floor. Mix up some of the self leveling compound in a bucket with the drill and paddle until you achieve a thick creamy yet pourable mixture. Typically the floor must be level and uniform within 3 16 inch every 10 feet. The floor can have an unlevel subfloor and still have a base for a nice laminate floor.

How to level a floor to lay laminate. 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. A level subfloor will help your flooring last longer and keep the finish attractive. Laminate flooring provides an affordable and eco friendly alternative to standard hardwood.

Laminate flooring on an uneven subfloor can cause problems and needs to be addressed. Rather than fasten laminate to the subfloor installers connect. Check the level again. A plywood subfloor will bridge any minor waves in the existing floor and leveling compound would help too.

To make a subfloor suitable for installing laminate check out this basic guide first. Place your level in several different spots as you did before to get a more accurate reading of the floor s overall slope. Before installing a laminate floor you must make sure the subfloor is completely level.