Hardwood Floor Leveling Subfloor

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Hardwood floor leveling subfloor. When nailing down a wood floor the subfloor should be flat to within 1 4 in 10 or 3 16 in 6. Leveling floors can be a diy project or left to professionals. Hardwood floor installers often use the term level when referring to subfloors when actually they are meaning the term flat while it s desirable to have a level floor most homes. In many cases you can level a floor yourself.

Self leveling underlayment products can be used on concrete floors wood subfloors that are uneven but still in decent shape and even over ceramic tile floors eliminating the task of tearing. If you have very high or low spots foundation or structural problems or termite damage you may need professional help. If you are installing a locking or floating floor not attached to the subfloor just make sure that the subfloor is clean. It is the responsibility of the flooring installer to assess and address substrate flatness before.

Thoroughly vacuum the existing floor and use a long floor leveler and tape measure to ensure the subfloor is level within 3 16 inch for every 10 feet. Use a long level and tape measure to check that the floor is level. Be sure to properly prep the leveled subfloor for whatever flooring material you ve chosen. Now that your subfloor is level you can proceed to put in hardwood tile laminate or carpet without having to worry about any frustrating gaps or structural imbalances.

A level subfloor will help your flooring last longer and keep the finish attractive. Typically the floor must be level and uniform within 3 16 inch every 10 feet. If not your floor covering which is the solid hardwood laminate tile or other exposed flooring that goes on top of the subfloor will never be flat and level this problem can be fixed but it all depends on exactly what kind of uneven subfloor you have. Just sand any high spots and fill the low spots with leveling compound.