How To Level Old Floor For Hardwood

You will have to make sure your joists can handle the addition of considerably more weight from the plywood subfloor and any floor coverings.

How to level old floor for hardwood.

Before installing hardwood floors use a straight edge to find the humps and dips in the subfloor. Hardwood floor installation can be slowed by an uneven subfloor. Just sand any high spots and fill the low spots with leveling compound. The process of fixing both an out of level and an out of plane floor is simply known as leveling a floor.

When complete this will be a spacer that bridges the gap between the old floor and the new level surface. A solid hardwood floor is only as good as the installation. Wood floors can be installed on any level of your home and are available in multiple constructions to allow. What s worse is if boards start to stick up buckle or warp.

Position the leveling strip on the floor and see if the top edge of the strip checks out as level. A plywood subfloor will bridge any minor waves in the existing floor and leveling compound would help too. What good is a beautiful and expensive hardwood floor if it squeaks and creaks when you walk on it. Alternatives to hardwood flooring.

You ll need to know how to level a floor. 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. On the top side of the floor another fix it idea to lay down new hardwood over the existing floor. Adjust the strip as needed.

And a quality installation relies on having a level subfloor. 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. Watch our step by step video showing how to level a wooden floor with expert advice and top tips to help you complete the job with confidence. The task of tearing out the old tiles.

Use a pry bar to pull up hardwood floors one section at a time or unfasten carpet or laminate and roll it up from one end. If you re replacing an old floor with a new one your first task will be to get rid of the outdated flooring material. Then using a floor leveling compound or asphalt shingles shim the dips so the floor is level.