Here are some things to consider when your subfloor is uneven.
Floors uneven in winter.
Sloped floors are common in older homes and even in homes as new as 15 to 30 years.
Uneven floors are rarely caused by problems with the floor itself.
Floating floor the best floor for uneven surface a floating floor is easily installed without using glue staples or nails making it an exceptional diy floor option.
In some cases the slope is caused or aggravated by similar deflection in the girder main bearing beam that supports one end.
However with masonry foundations soil issues can actually cause.
For example if a toilet overflows and the water reaches the hardwood hallway.
Water hardwood floors will buckle if they are subjected to excess water.
However even beyond the cosmetic issues there are other problems uneven floors may herald.
On the top side of the floor another fix it idea to lay down new hardwood over the existing floor.
How to fix squeaky floors is a question many homeowners find themselves asking especially if they ve tried tiptoeing across the house and woken up a sleeping family member because of the creaking.
You will have to make sure your joists can handle the addition of considerably more weight from the plywood subfloor and any floor coverings.
Floor buckling is the most extreme reaction to moisture in a hardwood floor.
If the floor beams and joists are made from wood like the ones above a crawl space they will usually bend rather than crack.
Fortunately this is not a common occurrence.
Uneven floors can be a very frustrating issue to deal with.
Also sudden temperature or moisture humidity changes will affect expansion and contraction changes.
Installation of floating floors are easy and fast because planks click or snap together quickly and float above the subflooring surface.
The planks may show separation at the joints and the floor become uneven because of buckling.
There are environmental factors that can cause buckling or it may be because of faulty installation.
This expansion and contraction can result in the flooring coming loose from the subfloor.
A plywood subfloor will bridge any minor waves in the existing floor and leveling compound would help too.
The cause is usually settling or shifting of the foundation underneath the floors.
Buckling occurs when the wood flooring actually pulls up from the subfloor lifting several inches in one or more places.
Sloping floors are most often caused by normal and acceptable deflection bend in the wood joists which comprise the floor structure.
Glued floors come loose or the nails pull loose.
If you have an uneven floor in your house it can be a chore to set up furniture or even just walk depending on how uneven the floor is.
Before you can do a good job of installing wood laminate or any other flooring you need a good subfloor to start out with.