Hardwood Floor Leveling Subfloor

Use a long level and tape measure to check that the floor is level.

Hardwood floor leveling subfloor.

You ll need to know how to level a floor. 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. In many cases you can level a floor yourself. If you are installing a locking or floating floor not attached to the subfloor just make sure that the subfloor is clean.

Leveling floors can be a diy project or left to professionals. Just sand any high spots and fill the low spots with leveling compound. If you have very high or low spots foundation or structural problems or termite damage you may need professional help. Learn how to use a grinder.

When nailing down a wood floor the subfloor should be flat to within 1 4 in 10 or 3 16 in 6. 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. Wood floors may be installed over subfloors that are out of level such as a ramp but should still fall within floor flatness tolerances. 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.

A level subfloor will help your flooring last longer and keep the finish attractive. Be sure to properly prep the leveled subfloor for whatever flooring material you ve chosen. A subfloor is meant to be flat and level. 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.