When installing laminate vinyl tile or hardwood flooring it s important to know how to level a floor.
Check your floor for level for laminate plank.
A level subfloor will help your flooring last longer and keep the finish attractive.
How to level a floor to lay laminate.
Laminate flooring uses a click and lock installation method where the tongue of one plank is fitted into the groove of an adjoining plank at an angle.
The key to a beautiful long lasting hardwood or laminate floor is a well prepared subfloor.
It is made from a resin and wood dust base covered with a paper top layer.
Plan to correct gaps of more than 1 8 to 3 16 inch.
Check the level again.
Mark the high and low spots on the subfloor.
The level shouldn t be off by more than 3 16 inch 0 48 cm any minor deviations you happen to discover shouldn t impact the stability of the finished floor.
The paper is printed to look like real wood then topped with a protective coat.
Then the first plank is folded down until it is level with the other plank.
Get down on your knees and look for daylight under the level or board.
Place your level in several different spots as you did before to get a more accurate reading of the floor s overall slope.
Do this by multiplying the room s length by its width.
Laminate flooring provides an affordable and eco friendly alternative to standard hardwood.
It s a bit confusing but a flat floor can still be slightly out of level and still create a good foundation for a long lasting floor installation.
Laminate flooring is a material designed to resemble solid hardwood flooring but costs just a fraction of the price.
Some underlayments come with an attached vapor barrier eliminating the need to lay down two separate products.
The floor can have an unlevel subfloor and still have a base for a nice laminate floor.
Laminate flooring on an uneven subfloor can cause problems and needs to be addressed.
Rather than fasten laminate to the subfloor installers connect.
Because hardwood floors can last for generations they raise your home s value more than laminate floors.
If you have very high or low spots foundation or structural problems or termite damage.
Before you install your plywood subfloor first calculate the room s square footage to find out how much flooring you ll need to buy.