Is it possible to level a wooden floor. How to level the difference in wooden floors

Leveling the old wood floor under the new flooring

A newly renovated room will not be decorated with painted at all. Sanding and varnishing it would be an ideal solution to the problem, but often this cannot be done due to the condition of the floorboards. What if it looks perfect in the interior of the room, but it is impossible due to financial or time constraints?

Here you can use the novelty of the building materials market - which perfectly imitates natural wood, but much cheaper. And it's not difficult. To use this, however, the base of the floor must be flat.

Leveling the floor with significant defects and level boards

If the floor height differences reach 1 cm, but the existing boards are twisted with a screw and did not rot, then the scraping method can be used to level it.

Leveling the floor with significant defects

Is it possible to level an old wooden floor with unusable boards? Definitely not. You shouldn't even try to use boards that have dried up and started to rot.

The following solutions are possible here:

Complete dismantling of the floor along with the joists. Then on expanded clay bedding, reinforced with steel mesh. After drying and concrete gaining strength, the screed is covered with a substrate (made of plywood or OSB), on which the laminate is placed.
If the condition of the old logs is still acceptable for further operation, then it is better to make a flooring from OSB or plywood for them. The thickness of these materials, bearing the entire load, should be 18-22 mm, depending on the pitch of the lags.

The sheets should be cut so that the adjacent edges rest on one support. An alternative to the base of the floor in one sheet can be two sheets of 10-12 mm thick with overlapping joints and pulling with self-tapping screws in increments of no more than 30 cm.

There are many ways to align an old wooden floor with a new and modern floor covering (such as laminate). Some of them are quite accessible to do it yourself, while others will require the involvement of professionals. In any case, the advice of the latter should never be neglected.

Plywood flooring on a wooden floor (video)

It becomes uncomfortable to live in it. Boards creak, bend or, conversely, stick out, diverge, forming cracks.

The aesthetics of the room is violated, a traumatic situation is created. On such a floor, it is easy to fall and damage yourself. To avoid serious trouble and improve the condition of the home, uneven floors are leveled. They do it in different ways.

Dry methods

An uneven floor must be leveled if the height difference is more than 5 cm. This uneven floor is visible to the naked eye. The surface may slope in any direction. In another case, the boards are unevenly arranged, in waves: one protrudes, the other sinks, bends. There are several options for eliminating unevenness in the floor using a dry method.

Installation of minilag from bars (tape support)

Tape support is one of the most reliable methods for leveling uneven wood floors. The method is used for height differences from 3 to 10 cm. The timber serves as a lining under the boardwalk. It should be of different thicknesses in order to be evenly spaced in the direction of increasing slope. For ease of installation, craftsmen use pieces of plywood rather than wood.

To install the minilags correctly, a preliminary calculation is carried out and the readings are checked with a meter level. The distance between them corresponds to the thickness of the sheets made from wood waste.

It is not recommended to lay sheets that are too thick to level an uneven wooden floor:

they are heavy and inconvenient for do-it-yourself installation;
create additional load on the floor and base.

Beams of different sections and sheet products are screwed to the wooden base of the floor with self-tapping screws. The fasteners should be of different lengths as the distance to the boards varies. Minilags are fixed across and along the boards. It is important to mark the sheets as accurately as possible according to the points of drilling holes.

Installation of leveling point supports (scabs)

If indoors uneven wood floor, you can eliminate the defect and align it with the help of point supports, which are called shabashi. They are installed under sheet products in the form of a grid. In this case, cells are obtained, the dimensions of which are determined by the thickness of the sheets.

Such dimensions of the cells will not allow the wooden floor covering to bend in subsequent use.

Since the supporting "posts" are located pointwise, they make a careful marking on the sheets and screw in self-tapping screws at the points. Additionally, the sheets are fixed to the very base of the floor, choosing longer fasteners.

Methods for leveling uneven wood floors without screed are highly effective. After leveling work, the surface acquires an ideal shape and holds the topcoat well. 8-10 cm - a difference in height, at which it is better to dismantle the old floor and lay a new base with the replacement of the lag.

Wet screed method

For minor irregularities (up to 3mm), the wooden floor can be covered with acrylic putty or sealant. Before work, the boards are primed to protect the wood and ensure better adhesion with the leveling compound. The composition is applied in a thin layer, distributing it evenly along the pre-made marks on the walls, along the lighthouses.

It is important to know: the thickness of the layer determines the amount of time it takes to dry. To prevent the putty from cracking over time, PVA glue is added to it. After the mixture has dried, the surface is sanded.

If uneven wood floor has a slope of more than 3 mm, is used. This is not quite the right way for a wooden base. The screed creates a significant load on the base and floors. It is most possible when the boards are laid on concrete or brick posts, reinforced concrete supports. The need for it arises, for example, when using tiles as a topcoat.

To level an uneven wooden floor using the "wet" method, use dry mixtures with components that provide the screed with elasticity and special strength. These include various plasticizers and synthetic fillers.

Before applying the leveling compound, check the wood floors for ventilation. If it is not there, then holes are drilled in certain places on the surface, and decorative grilles are installed over the topcoat.
The boards are covered with plastic wrap, which performs the function of waterproofing. The tree is afraid of water. And with a wet screed, this liquid is used to dilute the dry mixture.
The leveling compound is poured in portions onto the surface and evenly distributed using a special rule. You can work gradually, filling in small areas.
After the screed has dried, it is sanded and primed.

A wet screed on a wooden base is rarely made. The main reason is the incompatibility between wood and leveling compound. Wood is mobile, and the cement mixture is static, therefore, over time, it can crack and crumble.

When choosing a method for leveling an uneven wooden floor, they are guided by the specific conditions of the room. It is important that in subsequent operation the surface does not deform, and the finish coat does not deteriorate.

Comfortable living in a house depends on many conditions. These include the quality of the finish and the general condition of the surfaces, including the leveling of uneven wood floors.

Plank floor leveling.

Some old houses from the times of Stalin's and Khrushchev's buildings still have rough wooden floors. Over time, the floorboards rot, loosen and begin to creak. And during the repair, in order to tear off the defects of the old uneven floor, they use a new coating in the form of a laminate or linolem.

But before laying a new floor, it is recommended to align the sub-floor with sheet material. You can do this procedure yourself without involving construction specialists and at minimal cost. For leveling the floor, it is best to use plywood, since the fiberboard sheets will eventually take the shape of an uneven floor and waves will appear again. Plywood is indispensable for the material used to level old wood floors.

It has a relatively low weight, is strong enough, resistant to stress and water, well polished, and has no unpleasant odor. The material does not change its properties with changes in temperature and humidity.

In order to carry out the procedure for leveling the wooden floor, it is necessary to prepare the tools and materials that will be needed in the process.

plywood sheets;
roll insulation;
screwdriver and self-tapping screws;
jigsaw;

Preparation for leveling the wooden floor in the apartment

Initially, it is necessary to check the state of the communications that are laid under the floor, since after the completion of the work there will be no free access to them.
Next, you need to get rid of various irregularities that are very characteristic of a wooden floor.
Fasten, and, if necessary, replace old, rotten, squeaky boards.
As additional insulation, if the floor is initially cold, you can use a roll of mineral wool insulation.

Prepared sheets of plywood are laid on the floor and in order to assess the strength and reliability of the coating, you should walk on it. In the course of such tests, additional defects may come to light that can be corrected at the moment without dismantling the floor. If it turns out that the floor is sagging, then it is necessary to additionally put pieces of fiberboard in these places.

The most optimal and reliable fastening of plywood sheets will be fastening with self-tapping screws, which at the initial stage of fastening do not need to be driven in to the end. In places where plywood sags, fastening is unacceptable. After fixing the sheets, you need to carefully walk through the made flooring again.

This is necessary in order to check how firmly and correctly the sheets fit together. If the result of the test is satisfactory and pleased, then all the screws will be driven to the end, tightly drowning the cap in the tree.

After fixing the sheet material, the caps of the screws and the seams are putty with acrylic sealant. The advantage of such a putty is that even if the boards and sheets bend a little, the sealant, due to its high plasticity, will not collapse and spill out.

After finishing the installation of plywood sheets, you can start laying another linoleum or laminate flooring.

Leveling an uneven wooden floor - video

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Plywood is a relatively inexpensive, fairly durable and easy-to-work material, perfect for leveling a wooden floor. Mostly plywood is used to level small differences in the height of the base before the upcoming installation of the topcoat. If desired, even tiles can be laid on top of the plywood.

with height differences up to 5-10 mm, plywood is attached directly to the base;
with differences of 10-80 mm - on logs or adjustable studs.

Fastening plywood to the base

The easiest option. The procedure is as follows.

Note! Illustrations include third-party fasteners. We do not pay attention to them.

First step. The plywood sheets are allowed to acclimatize, after which they are marked out into squares of about 60x60 cm (you can change the sizes at your discretion, so that it is convenient), sawn with a jigsaw or other suitable tool along the marking lines and laid out the resulting elements on the floor of the room, thereby determining the most optimal one, a correct and rational stacking scheme in relation to the amount of waste.

Let the plywood acclimate

Second step. A visual assessment of the coating and seams is carried out. Plywood is laid with a bandage so that the seams between the elements placed in adjacent rows do not intersect. The correct stacking option is shown in the image. Any inaccuracies found are immediately eliminated. The gap between plywood sheets is up to 2-3 mm (most often they withstand a 0.5-1 mm gap), between plywood and adjoining walls - from 5-10 mm.

Step three. Sheets are numbered to make them easier to lay in the future. At the same stage, if necessary, the surface is polished with a special tool or manually with sandpaper (long and laborious).

Fourth step. The cover is disassembled, the sheets are temporarily removed to the side. The base is cleaned of debris, dust and other contaminants.

The sheets are laid out on the surface in accordance with the previously selected scheme and the observance of the mentioned gaps. The flooring elements are attached to the wooden base with self-tapping screws.

The optimal length of the fasteners is 3.2 cm. The caps of the self-tapping screws should be sunk into the plywood by a couple of millimeters.

The optimal arrangement of fasteners is as follows: one for each corner of the sheet, one in the center of each side, one in the center of the sheet.

Helpful advice! If plywood is laid on top of a solid plank flooring, PVA wood glue can be used to fix it in combination with self-tapping screws. In this case, firstly, a better bonding of plywood to the base will be ensured, and secondly, the risk of squeaks when walking on the floor will additionally decrease.

It is convenient to use a notched trowel to apply the adhesive. Either the base or a sheet of plywood is covered with a binder - whichever is more convenient in a particular situation. For recommendations regarding the optimal thickness of the adhesive layer, check the instructions for the composition used. The order is as follows: first, the sheets are glued, then additionally fixed with self-tapping screws.

Also check the drying time of the glue in the instructions for the selected binder.

Video - How to level the floor with plywood yourself

Video - How to level the floor with your own hands under laminate, linoleum, floor coverings

For arranging logs, high-quality coniferous or deciduous (except for poplar and linden, because they are not strong enough) boards of 2-3 varieties with a thickness of 4 cm, a width of 8-10 cm are well suited.

Under the lags are placed pads 10-15 cm wide, from 2.5 cm thick and about 20-25 cm long. The thickness of the pads may vary depending on the available differences in the base. The linings are set strictly according to the level so that the logs, and with them the above-laid plywood, do not have deviations from the horizontal.

A more modern method of leveling the base involves installing the lags on adjustable studs. Information regarding the determination of the working level and the installation of lags on adjustable supports was given in the publication devoted to.

Adjustable lag design

Plywood joists are installed in 40-50 cm increments. Supports are attached across the room. A 2-3-centimeter gap is maintained between the ends of the lag and the walls.

The order of installation of the lag with the subsequent laying of plywood flooring is shown in the table.

Table. Leveling the floor with plywood on logs

Stage of work	Description
	The leveling base is cleaned of all existing dirt and debris.
	Recommendations for determining the working level according to which the surface leveling will be carried out is available at the link provided earlier.
	To level the height differences in this example, bosses are used - pads made of pieces of timber, plywood, etc. In order to increase the accuracy of level control and the stability of the structure, place the bosses not only at the edges, but also in the center of each log. If the length of the log is more than 2 m, install additional shims in 50 cm increments. By changing the height of the bosses, make sure that they are located in a single plane. You can make sure that there are no drops using a level or, even simpler, rules - a straight slat with a length (specifically for this case) of at least 200 cm.The principle is as follows: put the rule on the bosses and make sure that the tool lies flat and without gaps on all pads ... Helpful advice! On top of the bosses, lay a piece of linoleum or roofing material. The material will take over the functions of a shock absorber and will allow you to more accurately adjust the level of the lag attachment. Do not fix the bosses at this stage. The wooden floor is being leveled, so in the future, after laying the logs, you can pull them to the base using self-tapping screws or other suitable fasteners right through the pads.
	Start laying the logs on the bosses. Maintain the step between the joists in accordance with the dimensions of the plywood sheet (in this example - 600 mm). Make sure that the lags are evenly located using a building level or a rule according to an already familiar pattern. Correct any deviations found by adding or removing material from the corresponding boss. For fastening the lag to the wooden floor, as noted, it is convenient to use self-tapping screws. Screw 2 fasteners into each point.
	Without crossbars, plywood flooring will deform very quickly and fall through. The slats are made from the same material as the logs. In the center of each future cross member, lay on the base of the bosses. Pull the rail to the base through the bosses using self-tapping screws - 2 for each backing. Use metal corners to fasten the crossbars to the joists. The step between the slats is up to 50 cm.
	Having finished with the arrangement of the lathing, proceed to the flooring of sheet material. Each sheet should be supported by at least 2 lags. To prevent squeaks when walking on the floor, lay the sheets with gaps of up to 0.5 mm. Plywood is attached to the joists and intermediate rails with self-tapping screws. Maintain a 50-70 cm spacing between fasteners. Sink the heads of the self-tapping screws a little into the wood.

Video - Leveling the floor with plywood on logs

Fastening plywood to adjustable studs

This option for leveling the floor with plywood is the simplest and fastest in its implementation: anchors are screwed into the base and plywood is put on them through previously prepared holes. By screwing / unscrewing the anchors, the required floor level is set.

The system looks like this.

It was considered in detail in the corresponding publication of our site, be sure to check it out.

Video - Laying plywood on adjustable pins

As noted, the technology allows the use of plywood for leveling bases, the height of the differences of which does not exceed 80 mm. But what if the irregularities are more significant? Refuse to use plywood? Not necessary.

Recommendations regarding the mandatory preliminary elimination of height differences are given for the simple reason that sheet material, under the influence of loads exerted on it, will repeat the contours of irregularities, deform and fail.

To prevent this, do the following.

First, take a long level and find the places with the most pronounced differences in height. In the detected areas with a step of about 20 cm, screw the self-tapping screws into the floor. By twisting / unscrewing the self-tapping screws, ensure that their caps are located in a single horizontal level.

The plywood will fit onto the screwed-in self-tapping screws. To prevent the sheets from sagging, the void between them and the uneven base needs to be filled with something. A mixture made from a fraction of small sawdust and the same amount of PVA glue is perfect. Before laying the plywood, cover the grooves with the specified composition. Additionally, cover the side of the sheet with which it is placed on the base with a double layer of PVA glue. The specified mixture dries within a week.

To ensure the highest quality and even adhesion of the plywood to the base, fix the sheets with self-tapping screws. Maintain a 50 cm stride. The correct arrangement of fasteners is shown in the image.

Video - How to level a wooden floor with plywood

How to level a wooden floor with your own hands?
Wet floor screed
Wet screed floor leveling technology
Leveling a wooden floor using a scraping method
- Mechanical scraping technologies
Leveling the floor using PVA glue and putty
Leveling the floor with a self-leveling mixture
Leveling the floor with plywood

How to level a wooden floor with your own hands?

Wooden floors tend to deform over time. To eliminate irregularities, cracks and deflections, flooring is performed. Align before installing laminate, linoleum or other finishes. This is a difficult task. But if you follow all the rules, then you can perform the installation correctly and reliably.

There are several ways to level the wooden floor: by scraping, putty, liquid screed or plywood.

Wood is a material that requires careful maintenance, as it is susceptible to sagging, cracking and other deformations.

Leveling a wooden floor allows you to eliminate deformations that can negatively affect the future coating.

This work can be done in the following ways:

scrambling;
leveling with PVA glue and putty;
self-leveling mixture;
plywood.

First of all, you need to assess the condition of the wooden floor. To do this, you need to check if there is any mold, microorganisms or insects on the boards.

For this purpose it is necessary to disconnect one board and carefully examine it on the sides and on the back. If the surface is solid, there is no presence of fungus or insects, then the floor is of good quality and does not need to be changed. If there are traces of microorganisms and deformation, it is necessary to replace the boards that have become unusable, or install a new floor.

Using the level, the deviation of the surface from the horizontal position is determined. Then proceed to leveling the surface.

When carrying out repairs, it is also necessary to replace the floors. Coating plays an important role in interior design, and the use of creaky and sagging boards is not the best solution. To save money and effort, it is necessary to simplify the process as much as possible. For example, removing an old coating is a very expensive pleasure. This is best avoided. Here's how to level a wooden floor without ripping off the boards. There are several ways, the choice between them depends on how damaged the wooden floor is.

Sex survey

At this stage, you will have to carry out not only a thorough examination, but also the measurement of irregularities. A wooden floor must meet the following requirements:

boards should not be damaged by rot or mold;
slots or gaps between the elements should not be more than 5 cm (even if they are less than 5 cm, then plywood alignment will be required, the use of other methods is impossible);
height differences do not exceed 1-2 cm.

Assessing the gaps and height differences between the boards

If these conditions are not met, then it will be almost impossible to repair and level the wooden floor without changing the boards. To select an alignment option, you need to know the height difference. The following instruments are used for measurements:

building levels (laser, hydraulic, bubble);
rule.

The easiest option is to attach a long strip or metal profile to the floor and measure the deflections with a ruler. Also, to examine the wooden floor yourself, you can buy a bubble level at a hardware store. It determines the slope of the board and costs in the range of several thousand, depending on the length of the body.

The hydraulic level can be made by yourself. All you need is a thin transparent tube and water. The disadvantage of such a device is that it is not very convenient to use. The most accurate way to measure wood flooring is with a laser level. Such a device is used by professional builders, its cost is high, and when using it, special skills are required. If you need to align the boards in a house or apartment on your own, there is no need for such accuracy.

Methods for performing work

There are several alignment methods, each suitable for different situations:

Laying the backing made of resilient material it is used if the irregularities do not exceed a few millimeters. This increases the sound insulation. Most often, materials such as isolon or expanded polyethylene are used. The thickness is assigned in the range of 2-5 mm.
For more serious defects, cycling is suitable.... This method is also not able to even out serious drops, but it can refine the surface and give it an attractive appearance. Before starting work, the floor is carefully inspected for the presence of metal fasteners. The staples and screws will have to be removed, and the nails are sunk into the boards so that there is no likelihood of damage to the scraper.
The putty is suitable for height differences of 2-3 mm... Sealants or acrylic compounds are used.
Self-leveling floors or cement screeds.
The most reliable option that will allow you to level a wooden floor with serious drops and cracks is plywood or OSB... For work, use material with a thickness of 14-22 mm. There are two methods that can deal with different sizes of irregularities.

Putty and plywood should be discussed in more detail.

Putty

Eliminating gaps between boards with putty

Aligning the wooden floor with this method will require preparatory work. They consist in cleaning the surface from dust and dirt, priming. A layer of primer guarantees a high degree of adhesion of the putty to the wood surface.

The material for processing is chosen depending on the finish floor covering. If you plan to lay tiles, linoleum, laminate or parquet on the boards, then acrylic putty will do. When using a wooden floor as a finishing one, followed by coating it with varnish, take a sealant matched to the color of the material.

Acrylic mixtures are characterized by low strength, so you can replace them with other compounds:

if the layer does not exceed 1-2 mm, putty on gypsum using PVA glue is suitable;
for a greater layer thickness, a mixture of sawdust and PVA is used.

The disadvantage of such a composition is the complexity of distribution over the surface, therefore, after drying, grinding will be required until it is completely leveled.

Laying plywood

The safest way to level boards. After laying the plywood, you can install the floor covering (tiles, carpet, linoleum, laminate, parquet). There are two technologies for performing work:

without intermediate supports for drops of less than 1 cm;
with intermediate supports for drops of more than 1 cm.

Laying without supports consists in fixing the sheets with glue and self-tapping screws. Before starting work, it is necessary to lay out the elements and cut them out. In this case, the distance between the parts is taken to be 2-4 mm, and between the wall and plywood - 8-10 mm. This is necessary so that the sheets do not affect each other, and waves do not appear when the material expands.

Layout options for plywood sheets

Having spread out the parts of the flooring, they are numbered. And they begin to mount. The adhesive layer should not exceed 2-3 mm. The composition is applied to the surface to be leveled. Sheets should be stacked with a spacing of at least 10 cm.

After the glue is completely dry, you can start installing the fasteners. Before starting work, holes are drilled in the sheets for self-tapping screws, which are located at a distance of at least 20 mm from the edge of the part. The fastening step is taken within 15-20 mm. After the completion of the work, the plywood surface is sanded with a special machine.

The use of intermediate supports increases the leveling capacity... You can use lags or point support points (shabashi). The former allow for higher reliability, while the latter save on materials. It is important to provide for the arrangement of the elements so that the joint of the sheets falls on the place of support. The step of the elements is assigned depending on the thickness of the plywood sheet.

when using flooring with a thickness of 12-14 mm, the pitch of the supports should be 30-40 cm;
16-16 mm thick - 50 cm.

For OSB and chipboard, other values are accepted:

thickness 16-18 mm - step 30-40 cm;
thickness 20-24 mm - step 50 cm.

Laying plywood on intermediate supports

The thickness of the supports is taken on average 15 mm. The width of the boards for making logs is 40 mm. Fastening to the plank floor is carried out with self-tapping screws. The attachment of plywood to the supports can be done with self-tapping screws or glue.

When leveling the floor without removing the planks, it is important to ensure that the subfloor is in good condition. If the lags have rotted, then none of the methods described above will help, the result will only be a replacement of the structure.

Over time, the surface of any wood floor will inevitably crack, buckle and become uneven.

You can hide such defects using various floor coverings, such as laminate or linoleum.

You can hide such defects using various floor coverings, for example or. Before laying any finishing materials, you should competently and efficiently process the surface and make it as flat as possible.

There are several ways to make the floor surface even. To choose the correct method, you should assess the state wooden surface.

Choice of method

Basic alignment methods

Looping
PVA glue and putty
Self-leveling mixture or "self-leveling floor"
Plywood

Mechanical scraping of a wooden floor

For mechanical scraping, a scraper is required, with which you can quickly and efficiently make the floor surface as flat as possible.

Loop is one of the most simple and common methods for leveling a wooden floor. The laboriousness of the process pays off with the high quality of the result. Most often, scraping is performed for painting (read about puttingty walls for painting in this one) or varnishing. The manual method of scraping is impractical due to the high labor intensity and time consuming. For mechanical scraping, a scraper is required, with which you can quickly and efficiently make the floor surface as flat as possible. With minimal skills, for looping a room of 20 sq. meters leaves no more than one day.

Stages of mechanical scraping:

Cleaning the room from furniture and interior items. Stationary items should be covered to avoid excessive dust.
Floor surface preparation. Remove all nails and buttons that could damage the scraper. Thoroughly clean the floor from debris.
Checking the operability of the scraper and preparing overalls, respirator, headphones, heavy gloves.
Direct scraping of the floor. Work should start from the corner of the room. The first layer is removed when moving with a snake.
Elimination of all cracks, chips and holes with a putty. The color of the putty must be chosen as close as possible to the color of the wooden surface.
Processing of all hard-to-reach areas of the floor using manual scraping. After the putty has dried, it is necessary to carry out a secondary scraping.

Leveling the floor with PVA glue and putty

It is based on the use of a mixture of wetted sawdust and PVA glue, which, after hardening, forms a rather durable surface that vaguely resembles a chipboard plate.

Such an innovative and unusual way of leveling a wooden floor is very budgetary, and has recently been gaining momentum in popularity. It is based on the use of a mixture of wetted sawdust and PVA glue, which, after hardening, forms a rather durable surface that vaguely resembles a chipboard plate. The process is quite lengthy. For leveling a surface with an area of 20 sq. meters may take about 8 hours.

Stages of leveling with an adhesive mixture:

Removing furniture and cleaning the floor.
Execution according to the level of marking and the imposition of slats.
Filling the space between the slats and the floor with a prepared adhesive mixture. A thick leveling layer is carried out in several stages. Each subsequent layer is poured after the previous one has completely dried.
Checking the resulting coverage using a level. All defects and errors must be eliminated with a putty.
Complete drying depends on the thickness and takes at least a day. Additional strength can be given with chipboard or plywood.

Wait until it is completely dry (it usually takes a couple of days) and install the floor covering.

Leveling with self-leveling compound

The walls should be covered with insulating material.

This method is quite simple, and the self-leveling mixtures produced specifically for wooden floors make the whole process as easy as possible. The thickness of a perfectly flat surface will be from 0.5 to 2 cm.

Surface preparation consists in securing all movable boards and removing protruding parts of the fasteners. Then it is necessary polish surface for removing paint or varnish residues. Visible gaps and gaps are leveled with a thick self-leveling compound. The walls should be covered with insulating material, and a wooden plank should be installed in the doorway according to the height of the upcoming pour. The duration of work in the room is 20 sq. meters with a layer of 3 mm. does not exceed 8 hours, and after 6 hours it is already possible to move on the flooded surface.

Leveling steps:

Plywood alignment

A very popular and widespread alignment method. It is in demand for laying various types of flooring. Plywood sheets of class 4 and higher are used. The sheet thickness should not be less than 1.2 cm. The optimal lag thickness is 70 mm. A good option is 2 varieties from solid conifers: spruce, fir or pine. The humidity level is no more than 18-20%. With a competent approach and some skills, a floor area of 20 sq. meters can be leveled for one day.

Leveling steps:

Cost of material and work in 2015

Most often, construction and repair companies offer floor leveling services. "Bulk method"... The cost of leveling with a "self-leveling floor" up to 20 mm is 270 rubles. per sq. m. Leveling "self-leveling floor" from 20 mm to 50 mm will cost 310 rubles. per sq. m., leveling with a "self-leveling floor" using a leveling compound costs 350 rubles. sq. m. If a floor primer is required with a universal composition, then such work is estimated at 75 rubles. per sq. m.

If the option of a self-leveling floor is chosen, then the consumption of a high-quality German mixture Uzin NC 175 with a layer thickness of 3 mm. equals 4 kg per 1 sq. meter; 6 mm - 8 kg; 9 mm - 12 kg. Accordingly, a standard package of 25 kg is enough for 6, 3 or 2 square meters. meters of the base of the wooden floor. A paper bag of this mixture weighing 25 kg. costs around 3 thousand rubles.

The cost of professional work on leveling a wooden floor using plywood is in the range of 140 - 160 rubles. per sq. m. A sheet of waterproof plywood FSF 12 mm format 2500 x 1250 costs 1300 rubles. The required amount is easy to calculate yourself.

Of course, the most budgetary method is leveling using PVA glue and putty.

The total cost of the material depends on the footage of the room and the thickness of the applied layer. For example: PVA glue Polymax Extra M, 5 kg. costs 230.96 rubles. Sawdust, which is a waste of woodworking production, is completely "cheap", and even free material. With an average thickness of filling with such a mixture of 1-1.5 cm, the consumption of glue per 1 sq. m. will be about 0.8 kg. The proportions of glue and sawdust depend on the type of wood waste.

Typically, a strong bond gives a sawdust to adhesive ratio of 2: 1.

The price range for floor shredding is very large and depends on the selected equipment. The price of scraping a wooden floor starts at 119 rubles. per sq. For example, cycling work using German technology will cost the customer 500 rubles. per sq. m. Warranty for work - at least 2 years. The price of independent cycle work depends entirely on the cost of the tool used. Renting a cycling machine costs 1000 rubles per day. Buy such a tool for one-time use impractical.

Video instruction

Alteration of an old wooden floor is a simple and cheap process, but on one condition that the logs, the boards will be strong enough without serious damage. Leveling the floor surface is possible in several ways. The method depends on the condition of the surface, the damage detected. The article will tell you about all kinds of alignment methods, as well as about the technology of self-execution.

Mistakes during planking are the main reason for its quick deterioration. with intensive use. They are as follows:

Incorrectly set lags. The flooring process is a two-step process. The first is the installation of extreme lags, between which the rope is pulled. The second is to lay the rest of the material along this rope. If the logs are located in different planes, then the finished surface has strong drops.
The dimensions of the lags do not correspond to the real loads. The result is that the areas bend, deform, even break.
The covering is made of damp or too dry boards. Wet material swells over time, rots, cracks. Dry - warps, and large gaps appear between the boards.
Natural ventilation or waterproofing is arranged with gross violations of technology. The lumber rots, loses its operational properties, bends. The problem is eliminated only by a complete replacement of the floor covering.

These facts are the reason for urgent leveling of the base. For the correct execution of work, you need to determine the exact reason for their appearance, the nature of the irregularities.

You can determine the size, nature of the unevenness of the base using one of the methods: horizontally (laser, bubble or water level), deflections, curvature of the boards.

What can be used for repairs?

Dismantling and bulkhead boarding is a complex, long, time-consuming process. Therefore, not every apartment owner decides on this job. But the longer the faulty floor is used, the more difficult and expensive it is to fix it.

Among the ways to level the floor in an apartment with your own hands:

scraping;
local alignment;
dry screed;
the use of self-leveling compounds;
alignment with lags or linings.

It is necessary to measure the differences with a laser level 2000 mm long. If their indicator is higher than 2 mm per 1 sq. m, then alignment is required. If less, then you can accept. But it's still not worth delaying the repair.

Alignment methods

Cycling

It is used in the presence of small deformations.

Processing takes place with a looping machine. Equipment can be rented. If this is not possible, then use an electric plane.

There are four steps to scraping a surface:

Preparation. Remove furniture, interior items from the room. Remove the skirting boards. Thoroughly sweep the debris, wash the floor, wait until it is completely dry. Hammer in protruding nails. If they are damaged, it is better to remove and fill in new ones. Reinforce loose areas with self-tapping screws.
Looping. Start processing from the corner, slowly moving along the wall. Having reached the next corner, turn the car around and continue driving. The main thing is to treat the surface with narrow strips, carefully.
Sealing cracks. After the end of the second stage, you can clearly see the cracks, cracks in the floor. To close them, it is enough to purchase an acrylic putty. The shade must match the surface. Use strictly according to the manufacturer's instructions. Smooth with a metal or rubber trowel. Wait until it is completely dry.
Final works. Repeatedly walk on the surface with a scraper, then vacuum, prime. If the primer is quickly absorbed, then apply another layer: it will close all the pores in the lumber. Then paint or varnish the boards.

Don't forget about personal protective equipment. Masks, respirators, goggles, special clothing will help to exclude body poisoning, clogging of the respiratory tract.

We offer you to watch a video on how to carry out work on scraping a wooden floor:

Sheet material

This type of leveling will correct a wavy floor with strictly horizontal planks. The material is used in the form:

plywood;
cement-bonded particle board (DSP);

It is necessary to exclude fiberboard - the plates eventually take the form of the base.

Here it is important to choose the right timber. When buying, the following characteristics are important:

Moisture resistant plywood. Long-lasting, retains heat, noise, suitable for arranging any topcoats. Thickness - from 4 to 24 mm.
DSP. Durability, environmental friendliness, fire safety. Thickness - from 10 to 32 mm.
Chipboard. Top quality, excellent sound and thermal insulation properties, easy processing. Thickness - from 6 to 28 mm.
GVL. Smoothness and evenness, heat-insulating properties, suitability for arranging any coating. Thickness - from 10 to 12.5 mm.
OSB. Strength, durability, suitability for any flooring. Thickness - 9 mm.

Attention

The thickness of the lumber affects the quality of the result. If a person wants to get a durable and hardy wooden coating, then it is better to choose a denser base.

Let's look at an example of how to level the floor with chipboard without tearing the boards. The process consists of five stages:

Preparation. Take out the furniture, remove the baseboards, clean the base from the old paint. Hammer in nails, cover cracks and grooves with putty. Remove all debris, dust. Prime the surface.
Open it. The size of the chipboard sheet is 250 × 185 cm. For convenience, cut it into squares with dimensions of 60 × 60 cm. This will increase the number of damper joints to exclude the subsequent influence of sudden temperature changes. Cut the chipboard with a hacksaw, after gluing masking tape to the edges of the board. Act clearly, accurately.
Fit. Spread the finished squares on the floor. Adjust to the size of the base: cut out areas for the existing protrusions, cut the edges to offset the seams, leave technological gaps around the perimeter of the room and damper seams between each square. In order not to get confused in the prepared sheets, it is better to number them.
Styling. Pre-coat the chipboard with linseed oil or two layers of primer. Start laying from the corner. In this case, a distance of 1-1.5 cm should remain between the edge and the wall. Fix the sheet with self-tapping screws. Leave a gap of 10 mm between subsequent sheets. Lay the rows so that the offset of the seams is equal to half of the sheet.
Finishing treatment. Seal the joints with acrylic filler or sealant. Check the horizontal level of the base with a level, the absence of drops. Sand rough areas with sandpaper, remove dust, prime. The subfloor is ready for the installation of decorative flooring.

Chipboard can become a finishing finish if the sheets are varnished and dyed. It is necessary to take into account the recommendations of the manufacturer, perform each step with the utmost accuracy.

We suggest watching a video on how to level a wooden floor using plywood:

Plywood on logs

This method allows you to eliminate differences from 4 to 10 cm, to prepare a solid foundation for any topcoat. Beams, reliable boards, plywood up to 4 cm wide will act as a building material.

Leveling technology:

Preparation. Remove all unnecessary from the room. Remove the skirting boards, clean up the old coating, patch up the defects.
Markup. From the uppermost point of the base, mark a point on the wall with a level. Step back up a distance equal to the thickness of the lumber, put another mark. Using the water level, mark the entire area of the room. Then connect in one line.
Installation of lag. Place a waterproofing film on the boards to prevent rotting of the entire floor. Fasten the lags along or across the boards. It is better to mount them in parallel, at a distance of up to 50 cm from each other. Level each element with shims of different thickness. Then reinforce the materials with nails.
Laying plywood boards. Cut the sheets into squares. Lay out each element on the lags. Secure with self-tapping screws.
Ventilation arrangement. Ventilation slots extend the life of the wood floor. In opposite corners of the room (under the heating devices), make holes in the plywood so that the grate can easily fit in them. Install the lattice element on top, and fill the gaps with glue or sealant.
Completion. Check the floor with a level, inspect the joints and fastenings. If everything is in order, then putty the seams, grooves from self-tapping screws. Grind and dust off the surface. Apply a primer, wait until it is completely dry.

The distance between the lags can be determined by the thickness of the plywood. The thinner the lumber, the smaller the gap between the logs. It is better to strengthen areas with increased load with transverse beams, but of a smaller section.

Screed

The method is suitable if the base is made of concrete, the boards are thick and strong, unevenness is more than 1 cm. A special dry mixture is used as a screed.

Leveling steps:

Preparation. Clean the boards from old paint, grease, debris, dust. Remove the skirting boards. Fill cracks, gaps, prime the surface. Lay polyethylene on the base, secure with tape. Lay the fiberglass mesh on top for reinforcement.
Fill. Pour the dry mixture into a container with clean water, observing the proportions (they are indicated on the package). Mix for 1 minute. Apply the resulting composition to the mesh, align. Perform all activities in 15 minutes, otherwise the mass will begin to harden.
Completion. Drying time of the mixture is 4–5 hours. Then sand the joints. The surface is ready for use.

It is necessary to choose a dry mixture for a screed according to financial possibilities. The main thing is to pay attention to its properties, characteristics, manufacturer's recommendations for use.

Required tools and materials

The list is as follows:

lumber;
linings, reinforced and fiberglass mesh;
screwdriver, self-tapping screws;
hammer, nails;
jigsaw or grinder;
level, pencil;
metal or plastic spatula, rollers;
container for mixing dry mix, construction mixer.

The list of tools, materials can be supplemented: it depends on the alignment method. It is better to rent equipment to save money.

How to do it yourself: step by step instructions

To minimize time and financial costs, you can use an interesting method - applying a self-leveling mixture.

Leveling technology includes:

Preparation. Clean the surface from dirt and dust. Fill up gaps, cracks.
Prime the base thoroughly and allow to dry.
Dilute the mixture according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Pour the mass over the entire area, roll it out with a special roller.

Attention

Self-leveling compounds set very quickly. If you do not have time to level the surface, then it will harden and deteriorate. It is better to fill large areas with plots.

The most important thing is to take into account the prescriptions of the dry mix manufacturers. The result will depend on the correctness of their use.
You need to choose high-quality, dry lumber.
Use clean containers, carefully treat surfaces.
If you have doubts about the skills, it is better to turn to professional craftsmen.

It is long and difficult to level the wooden floor with your own hands. The work requires care, accuracy, careful implementation of all recommendations. This is the only way to achieve a smooth, solid, durable, beautiful surface.

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When renovating private houses, apartments, you usually have to create new flooring. At the same time, there is often a problem with carrying out additional work to eliminate irregularities and defects in the base. The article will tell you about how much it costs and how to properly level a wooden floor with your own hands without tearing off the boards.

If the old floor is crooked and unattractive, the floor needs to be replaced. Before that, the masters recommend aligning it. Why do this?

The quality of laying any facing product depends on the degree of evenness of the base.

Soft surfaces (such as carpet, linoleum) allow for small differences in height. But if possible, it is better to eliminate all defects. Rigid materials (such as laminate, parquet) need a perfectly flat base. The slightest irregularities lead to the fact that the structure cannot withstand the applied load, swells up, and wears out quickly. If the differences are large, then the laying of the parquet will not work, then we insulate.

Over time, even a high-quality wooden coating deteriorates: holes, cracks form in it, the structure rotts and bends.
Leveling the subfloor allows you to achieve the following:

no drops when walking around the apartment;
aesthetic appearance of the final finish;
ensuring normal operating conditions for the finished floor, thereby extending its service life.

Ways to create a flat floor

There are different ways to create a flat, linoleum or parquet floor. Each of them has its own characteristics, pros and cons. To understand which option is better to choose, you should consider the characteristics of each.

Masters offer the following methods for leveling the old sagging floor, without disassembling the structure itself:

To understand the best way to align, it is necessary to divide all irregularities into significant (from 2 to 10 centimeters) and insignificant (from 0.5 to 1 centimeter). If the differences are small, you can get by with putty, scraping, flooring of sheet material (fiberboard, chipboard, OSB, plywood). Significant defects are eliminated with cement mortar or laying sheet products on logs.

Smoothing the surface with plywood

The easiest way to execute is the one in which no lags are needed. The work is not difficult. It is carried out according to a previously drawn up scheme.

The algorithm for how to level the floor with plywood is described below and on the forum:

Install bosses around the perimeter of the walls.
Spread plywood sheets with a gap of 0.3 to 0.8 centimeters. The indent is made in order to prevent bends during thermal expansion, material movements.
Fasten the sheets with self-tapping screws or screws at the top point of each product. To simplify the work, experts advise making holes in the plywood in advance.
Putty the space between the slabs.

Sometimes lags are additionally applied. They are installed along the walls using jumpers and self-tapping screws. It turns out a tape support. The material is spread from above and attached to the lags.

When working with plywood and logs, it is important to remember the following:

you can hide communication under the material;
before use, the purchased sheets must be acclimatized (kept in the room where the installation is planned for several days);
it is advisable to make small holes for ventilation in the plywood floor;
lags increase the floor level up to 10 centimeters;
plywood is allowed to be used as a final coating.

Smoothing with liquid self-leveling compounds

Mixes for creating a self-leveling floor can have a different composition (polymer, epoxy, methyl methacrylate). The coating is frost-resistant, plastic, able to withstand temperature changes. Therefore, it is suitable for finishing unglazed balconies, loggias.

Here's how to align correctly:

Wet floor screed

The stores sell ready-made screed solutions. But they are expensive. Therefore, it is best to cook it yourself. To do this, sand, water, gravel and cement are mixed in a certain proportion. The batch must be tight.

Instructions on how to level with a wet screed are presented below:

clean the base from dirt;
cover the existing irregularities with cement;
install beacons;
pour the prepared solution into the cells between the beacons;
even out the mixture;
pour wet sawdust on top;
let the screed dry.

The advantages of a wet screed are water resistance, high strength. Since the layer is thinner, the fill is not particularly reflected at the height of the room. The disadvantages are that a lot of labor is required. The solution dries for a very long time. The resulting floor is characterized by low sound and heat insulation.

Floor leveling putty

For work, you need a mixture of PVA glue and sawdust. You will also need a sander. Before starting the putty, you need to prepare the room: remove furniture, clean the floor.

There are some subtleties of work that you need to know about in order to align qualitatively:

It is necessary to apply the composition so that it rises above the wooden surface. Indeed, during drying, shrinkage occurs.
Do not putty at sub-zero temperatures. In this case, the solution loses its elasticity.
The moisture content of the processed board should not exceed 12%.
The putty should be applied carefully using a spatula.

Loop and instructions for its use

Scraping is done if it is planned to cover the boards with varnish or paint.

It can be carried out manually and mechanically. The first option is the most time consuming and difficult. Therefore, it is better to use a dedicated machine. Work should be done with protective gloves, earmuffs and a respirator.

Loop instructions:

If the wooden base is smooth without deformation, it is considered that the scraping was successful.

Thus, there are different ways of how to level the floor yourself with wooden joists. The choice depends on the degree of damage, the finishing material, the budget of the owner of the apartment. Minor defects are eliminated by puttying, scraping, using plywood or fiberboard sheets. Large differences are removed with a wet screed or self-leveling mixtures. See below for a video on the topic.