How To Level A Floor For Putting Down Hardwood

Installing a thick underlayment.

How to level a floor for putting down hardwood.

Get down on your knees and look for daylight under the level or board. How to level a floor. Typically the floor must be level and uniform within 3 16 inch every 10 feet. Learn how to use a grinder.

A level subfloor will help your flooring last longer and keep the finish attractive. Plan to correct gaps of more than 1 8 to 3 16 inch. Use a long level and tape measure to check that the floor is level. If the floor is level along its perimeter but there are interior dips or waves that span about 4 inches or less then putting down a thick plywood underlayment should span and effectively bridge the depressions.

If you have very high or low spots foundation or structural problems or termite damage. When you are dealing with uneven floors one option that you have is to use self leveling compound. Level floors are critical for reducing. Used when installing solid hardwood nail down installation is chosen due to how quickly and cost effectively it can be done.

Whether you re going on to install hardwood ceramic tile or laminate one of the most important steps of any flooring project is making sure the subfloor foundation is level. On the top side of the floor another fix it idea to lay down new hardwood over the existing floor. Align the first board with the layout line with the tongue facing into the room. A plywood subfloor will bridge any minor waves in the existing floor and leveling compound would help too.

The 7 best low cost alternatives to hardwood flooring. Mark the high and low spots on the subfloor. Here s how to install flooring using the nail down method. When installing laminate vinyl tile or hardwood flooring it s important to know how to level a floor.

Before installing rigid flooring determine if your substrate is even enough and learn the first steps for leveling a 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.