seek advice re floating wood floor
mizshredder2
| Posted in Construction Techniques on
I’m planning on ripping out the carpet in my living room which is on a concrete slab. The room dimensions are approx. 16′ x 25′. I wish to install a floating wood floor but have reason to believe the slab itself is not “level” from corner to corner, in either direction. How can I ensure a good end result and properly check and prep the slab? Is there an article on FHB that covered this (but I missed it?)? If not, is there a good reference y’all can suggest? Also, any recommendations on preferred wood products for this application would be welcomed. Thanks in advance for any helpful suggestions!
Replies
an easy way to tell how unflat it is ...strech a string from end to end (two people, or nail one end to a baseboard) and keep it up an inch or so...look for dips and humps...move the string to various points and mark on the slab weather it is low or high and how much..take it from there.
floating floors do not enjoy dips an humps..like carpet does.
Filling the low is much easier than lowering the high..whoops hang on, more breaktimers are chiming in..<G>
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations.
Sphere: tks. any suggestions on filler product(s) to use in those low spots?
there are floor leveler products, cementicious, but it depends on a few variables..first it cannot be too extreme..I an=m guessin it is not that bad to preclude a floor leveler..your floor supplier surely will have something available. The application is straight forward, mix it, trowel it down and screed it with a long straight edge. The other variable is if the carpet or padding was glued down, that could be nasty. Complete pristine surface is not mandatory, but leveler may not bond with a glue covered surface..that would be unhappy.
I would need more info about the slab, to be more concise.
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Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations.
Circle Dude is on the right track, but technically an un-level floor is not a problem...the problem is an un-even floor. Imagine holding a 12" floor tile in your hand, andf for sake of discussion assume it is perfectly flat. Now, you can tilt that tile in any direction, so that it becomes un-level, but it will always be even. The problem with wood flooring is that it cannot tolerate un-even floors...humps and dips. Sorry for the lecture, but I just knew you wanted to get the terminology right :)
The big box stores sometimes have a floor leveler product, usually in the carpet & tile section. If not, go to a tile store. If they have a showroom, avoid it and go around back to the contractors desk. It usually comes in a 50 pound bag, and you mix it with water to a thin consistency and pour it on the floor...not that easy, but almost. The big box stores sometimes have premixed floor leveling stuff...go for the powder instead. Some places call it floor stone.
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
The craftsman formerly known as elCid
what kinda floating floor?
Jeff
Buck Construction Pittsburgh,PA
Artistry in Carpentry
Jeff and Ed - tks. Am talking around with neighbors, friends, (BT writers), etc and seems consensus is to get the powdered mix (once have all the carpet and pad + glue up) and EVEN out the floor using a rather thin mix of the cementitious product. After that, put proper underlayment material and install floating T&G wood flooring. Problem right now is local box stores "help" is pimply-faced teens with no experience in anything but reading their products' labels or stat sheets. Trying to determine best wood product to use right now and not enjoying the selections I see. Suggestions are welcomed!
Look in the phone book under "tile". Don't know where you are, but maybe you can find a Dal-Tile store. Or most any store that sells only floor covering. Even a good carpet store, cuz they also install sheet vinyl (congoleum) and that stuff has to go over a smooth floor. Avoid the showroom, go to the contractors counter around back. Don't go before about 9 am, as it should be full of contractors and they won't have time for you. Talk to the counter help, tell them you need a floor leveling compound and ask for advice. Some will say that they only sell to contractors...tell them you're picking it up for your contractor and pay cash.
Just did a product search at Home Depot. They sell two products that would probably work for you: Armstrong cement-based underlayment, $18 for 40 lbs; and Custom brand Level-Quik $30 for 50 lbs. I would use the Custom stuff.
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
The craftsman formerly known as elCid
Edited 2/29/2004 5:00:30 PM ET by Ed Hilton
Almost done with my floor.
Its not floating and t its sure not level.
Does that matter to you?
Does'nt to me.
Old houses are old.
What I care about is keeping it real and keeping it functual.
One other thing.
Have fun
Be floored
andy
My life is my passion!
http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
Andy, I hope I read the original question correctly, in that there are humps and dips in the floor thatexceed the allowable limits, and I'm guessing that miz snowboarder is concerned with fracturing the cheap pergo particleboard flooring.
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
The craftsman formerly known as elCid
el
I spose I've started to think to myself lately that a level floor isn't as important as a flat one.
Sorry....I better watch what I say from now on.
Good call bro
Be level or be square (get it..LOL)
andy"My life is my practice"
Tec makes a cementitious floor leveler that's self leveling and made for tile. It can be applied from feather thin to 1½" thick, or up to 5" thick with supplemental aggregate. It's absolutely critical to measure the water exactly according to instructions, not mix it by eye. All your openings have to be filled or it will just run down through any cracks or openings.
http://www.tecspecialty.com/product_list.asp?catId=1&subCatId=34
Ed & WayneL5: Tks for the info, website, etc. Ed - you are correct in that I've got quite an uneven floor - in fact - it seems somewhat to be an undulating surface of a concrete slab (what can I say about the GC that built it except...twasn't ME!) Also, since the adjoining 2 rooms are tile and carpet, respectively, I'm stuck going with the thin wood floating floor products so as to keep the height transition at archways of doors/openings minimized.
Thanks too for the tips about seeking contractor's desk help and when to show up... gave me a good chuckle...(hit me up on Yahoo if you want to know why) LOL!
Sorry, I don't do that back-room stuff with persons of the female persuasion, other than my OAO. Go ahead and spill the beans...sounds like a good story.
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
The craftsman formerly known as elCid