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I am looking for advice as to the type of leveling compound I should use as I prepare to install a new wood floor. There is an area where remodel #1 meets remodel#2 that is higher by 3/8″ than the surrounding surfaces. There is a foundation under there from 25 years ago. I stopped the new 1/2″ plywood underlayment (over 3/4″ plywood)where the floor starts to rise and then transitioned to the high spot with 1/4″ plywood, then 1/8″ door skin. Now I need to fill the low spots but am not sure which product to use. The retailers in town (small town, 3 of them) have self leveling products but because the areas to fill and the surrounding areas will be relatively flat but not necessarily level will this do? Floor leveling compound that is not self leveling? I need a product that will cover 15 sq. feet, work over wood, and accept nails when the new floor goes down. I will probably need to apply the compound in stages. I have called the floor dealer ( 2 hours away) but he has not gooten back to me. Any advice? Thanks.
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Mark:
Try ardex.com or mapei.com.
*Ken, I have the same problem except I've got couple of layers of pine t&g which I'm covering. I emailed both ardex and mapei. Ardex cannot be nailed into as it is a concrete compound designed for laminated hardwood flooring which is glued.The only way to get it to work is to use the compound and then glue down a 3/4" plywood which you can nail your hardwood - sounds like a lot of expense and work.I am probably going to lay down sleepers and a sub-floor unless some-one has another solution.Paul
*Mark and Paul:It's hard to make a call from here, 'cause you guys know the layout better than I. I have to admit now after looking further into both discussions, that mapei would work better as nails will penetrate w/o any trouble, though they need to get a good bite into some wood to hold proper.Paul:Your situation sounds extreme if you're contemplating a new sleeper subfloor? Upon trying to "flatten" badly sloped wood subfloors I've resorted to differing thicknessses of plywood to shore up the overall flatness, then use Mapei to fill the valleys. I'd rather not go thicker than 1/4" with the compound.In any event, it's best to run the flooring perpendicular to the areas that have been "bridged." I sure hope I'm making sense here... anybody feel free to jump in. Greg? Ian?
*On the advice of a local flooring contractor, I am using 30# felt paper instead of compound to fill in and level the low spots in the transition areas. His opionion is that most compounds will crack over time leading to possible squeaks and that felt works fine under wood flooring.Mark M.
*I've used Mapei extensively in preference to Ardex.For a hardwood floor over an uneven (timber) sub-base I used Mapei to level it and then 1/4" ply underlay, glued and nailed through the Mapei into the timber beneath, so the adhesion (or lack of it) of the Mapei to the timber wasn't a problem.b BUTMy spec was for the T & G flooring to be secret nailed AND glued down to the ply so the underlay being only 1/4" thick wasn't an issue because the nails weren't the primary fixing, but just there to hold the flooring until the glue set.As for Mapei -- it is a good self-leveller, so you'll have problems laying it to a slope.Thicker than 1/4" I'd be adding aggregate (I think you'll find instructions for this on the packaging)
*Mark:You got some great advice as I was tuned into a "levelling or flattening compound." Shimming with varying thicknesses of roofing paper works just as well. I've even used #90 on ocassion.
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I am looking for advice as to the type of leveling compound I should use as I prepare to install a new wood floor. There is an area where remodel #1 meets remodel#2 that is higher by 3/8" than the surrounding surfaces. There is a foundation under there from 25 years ago. I stopped the new 1/2" plywood underlayment (over 3/4" plywood)where the floor starts to rise and then transitioned to the high spot with 1/4" plywood, then 1/8" door skin. Now I need to fill the low spots but am not sure which product to use. The retailers in town (small town, 3 of them) have self leveling products but because the areas to fill and the surrounding areas will be relatively flat but not necessarily level will this do? Floor leveling compound that is not self leveling? I need a product that will cover 15 sq. feet, work over wood, and accept nails when the new floor goes down. I will probably need to apply the compound in stages. I have called the floor dealer ( 2 hours away) but he has not gooten back to me. Any advice? Thanks.