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Discussion Forum

leveling floor a pain: part 2

alrightythen | Posted in General Discussion on August 17, 2006 08:35am

is there a better way to level floor.  I’ve used self leveler before, But opted not to this time because I was laying hardwood and thought I should use a product I found recommended for use w hardwood. it is trowlable, but I have spent over 2 days trying to get the floor to an acceptable point. mixing on the floor as per earlier advice is better then dealing with crumbs from a bucket. but still slow. or do I just suck at this troweling  paste to a silk smooth finish business before it sets , one small ammount at a time.

I’m working atop a 5/8 ply subfloor with most of the leveling up to a quarter inch. I’m aiming to get it within 1/16″

the problem is the stuff sets so fast I can only mix small amounts at at time. and at least 33% maybe more of the floor has had to be leveled.

what do you guys use. I was worried about shooting nails into a concrete based product that’s why I avoided the self leveler. It’s about a 600 sq ft floor. But I feel like I’ve taken 2 long to level. How does one usually charge for a hardwood install. is the leveling of a floor usually part of a sq ft rate? I’ve found one really high spot that is too high to sand, I will have to cut open the ply and plane down the joist. Do floor installers usually do this sort of thing?

 

 

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Replies

  1. User avater
    IMERC | Aug 17, 2006 08:46am | #1

    grade indicators and a really long trowel..

    find yurself a 48" Darby..

     

     

    Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming

    WOW!!! What a Ride!

    Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!

    1. alrightythen | Aug 17, 2006 08:52am | #2

      ok...sounds like a costly but worthwhile tool. by grade indicaters do you mean marking out on the floor the grade? if so I did that.

      Am I using the right product? It's so tempting to say the heck with it the next time I'm using somehting I can pour and let gravity do most the work. But I don't think I should be using that with hardwood.

      1. User avater
        IMERC | Aug 17, 2006 09:44am | #3

        A wooden Darby isn't that expensive..

        glue some blocks down at 2 - 3' intervals with the tops at elevation...

        1x1 at thickness should be more than enough..

        what are you using for leveler... 

         

        Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->

        WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->

        Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!

        1. alrightythen | Aug 18, 2006 04:49am | #6

          It looks like pancake flour and is a sandable product. it is not cement based. I'd have to look at the bag for the brand name again, but it is called " leveling compound"

        2. alrightythen | Aug 18, 2006 04:52am | #7

          "glue some blocks down at 2 - 3' intervals with the tops at elevation...

          1x1 at thickness should be more than enough."

          I'm not sure I follow...could you explain further pls.

        3. DanH | Aug 18, 2006 05:04am | #8

          Seems like you could drive deck screws in to the appropriate depth. Easy to adjust up or down. Then come back and build a little mound around each one to provide a wider bump. Or build ridges along rows of screws, so you can run a board across adjacent ridges to fill in between.

          If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy. --James Madison

          1. User avater
            IMERC | Aug 18, 2006 05:25am | #9

            at varios points glue down little eleveation markers like grade stakes are..

            use them as reference as to how thick ya need to be at any spot or area on yur floor... 

             

            Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->

            WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->

            Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!

          2. alrightythen | Aug 18, 2006 05:29am | #11

            ok...I follow now

          3. User avater
            IMERC | Aug 18, 2006 08:44am | #13

            if  you use slices of wood for yur elevation markers they wouldn't get in the way if you left them in...

            closer spacing... easier to get yur grade... 

             

            Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->

            WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->

            Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!

          4. alrightythen | Aug 18, 2006 09:35am | #15

            yeah ...once I figured out what you were describing, I concluded the same.

          5. User avater
            IMERC | Aug 18, 2006 10:05am | #16

            so now that you figured it out can you give it back to me so that both of will understand.... 

             

            Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->

            WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->

            Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!

          6. User avater
            IMERC | Aug 18, 2006 05:26am | #10

            that woulde work.. 

             

            Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->

            WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->

            Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!

      2. User avater
        IMERC | Aug 17, 2006 09:47am | #4

        BTW....

        trowel in yur material at roughish elevation and come back and finish with a 2nd application to final... 

         

        Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->

        WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->

        Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!

        1. alrightythen | Aug 17, 2006 09:59am | #5

          ty...after 1st couple spots I figured that out.

  2. happyframer | Aug 18, 2006 05:35am | #12

    I'm guessing it's an old floor. I have a 125 year old farm house. I ripped out the old fir floor when adding an addition. I could have tried leveling it, but I figured anyone interrested would not mind a dip in a 125 year old floor with new flooring in it.

    The buffet needs three shims on each of the front legs under it and any balls will definitely roll to the middle of the floor, but one can't see the sag. If I were to put a string line, I'm sure the middle is a good 1" lower than along the sill.

    Is this for someone else? If it's for you, you can easily explain away-after all is new looking and pretty-that one can't buy an old house and expect the floor to be within 1/16" of an inch!

    Jeepers creepers, keep the hump and call it character.

    BTW. I'd much rather cut a hole in the floor and cut down the joist than try and level any floor.

    - a new builder with a very old house

    1. alrightythen | Aug 18, 2006 09:34am | #14

      30 year old house. reno job I'm doing for someone else. And I too prefer working with saws and the like as opposed to trowels.....( that goes for drywall knives as well)

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