Floor Levelling - How to Level Up an Uneven Subfloor

Floor levelling is a great way to fix uneven floors. It's a relatively inexpensive and quick process that can be used on concrete, wood and tile subfloors.

Typically, a self-leveling compound is used to fill in low areas on a concrete slab or wood subfloor that has been damaged or deteriorated. These products can be purchased at most home improvement stores. They're easy to use and are available in a variety of colors and textures, allowing you to match the look of your flooring to your décor.

Before using a self-leveling compound, you must prepare the concrete or wood subfloor by removing any existing floor coverings and making sure the surface is clean. Once the surface is clean, you should check it for gaps that may indicate a structural problem. If there are any gaps that you cannot correct, consider hiring a professional to do the work.

If your subfloor is not completely flat, you'll have a hard time installing any type of finished flooring. For example, a wavy or uneven subfloor can cause a wide variety of issues when you install vinyl, laminate, hardwood, ceramic tiles or carpet. These issues include sagging, lippage, gapping and other irregularities that can be difficult to resolve with a DIY project.

To find out how well your subfloor is level, take a long straightedge (a two-by-four works well) across the entire floor, about 1 foot from each side wall. When you're finished, measure between the bottom of the straightedge and the floor to determine the height of any slopes or dips.

You can use a spirit level or other tool to test the floor for dips, but you can't always be guaranteed that your results will be accurate. If your results show unevenness in one area of the floor, it's possible that the slope is caused by a broken or warped floor joist.

If the slope is caused by a bowed joist, you can remove the subfloor and plane the high part of the joist to even it out. This can be done with a power planer or by hand with a manual planer.

Once the joists have been planed, apply a layer of self-leveling compound to the entire floor. This is usually a mixture of Portland cement and polymer plasticizers, which allow the product to flow easier than traditional concrete.

After the concrete or self-leveling compound has been spread over the floor, it needs to be allowed to dry completely. This usually takes a few hours, depending on the brand you're using.

The self-leveling compound will be smooth and flat within a few hours, but it's important to wait at least 24 hours before installing any flooring on top of it. If the flooring isn't installed within this time frame, it's likely that your new floor will be uneven and you will have to start over.

Self-leveling concrete can also be poured on top of other types of flooring materials, including wood and ceramic tile, as an underlayment for them. This can save you the cost of installing an entire new floor, especially if your floors are not in good condition.

Precise Restumping & Underpinning successfully maintains a reputation for delivering quality, reliable and sound services to clients all over New South Wales, with a licensed builder that personally oversee all works.