Laminate floor problem

[Dylan123]

Hi,

I floored my entire ground floor (almost succesfully)!

Where the wall was taken out I filled it in with compound. I tried to get it as level as possible but there is definitely movement so there’s obviously a void and unevenness.

I could potentially take it up - it’s not far from the end so could work back to it. Big job, maybe a days work….

Basically the level of the 2 floors was about 2mm out as well as the unevenness in the place where the wall was.

I am wondering - could I cut a strip out and inject some kind of filler underneath to fix it. And of course the floor could join so this would help it anyway with the 2 level issue. I’m thinking cut a small strip, fill under it somehow and put a threshold strip on top?

I suppose I could try that and if it doesn’t work take the whole thing up?

I think whatever happens it needs to be cut at and threshold strip put in because the floor heights are slightly different.

Thoughts?

 

[Deleted member 174758]

It would help if you could describe the floor construction. It could be planked timber, concrete, flags, esten earth, almost anything - and different materials require different.techniques. As you have now learned, though, it is better to level a floor (and deal with defects) before starting to install your finished flooring

 

[Dylan123]

It would help if you could describe the floor construction. It could be planked timber, concrete, flags, esten earth, almost anything - and different materials require different.techniques. As you have now learned, though, it is better to level a floor (and deal with defects) before starting to install your finished flooring

Timber planks.

One floor is bare timber with underlay.

The other floor is the same but it has a pre existing underlay glued on which raised it 2Mm.

Over the unevenness was brick, built up with levelling compound.

To avoid the issue I used 3mm underlay on the lower side and 2Mm underlay on the side with the slightly higher floor.

There feels like there is a dip in the join bit where the compound is.

The floor is quickstep laminate planks.


Lesson learned, but now need to fix.

I think if I just take it up, cut the planks I can reinforce both and then a threshold bar will deal with any uneveness?


EDIT/.

I think I’ve worked out what’s going on.



That’s the offending floor - you can see where the wall was



If you see my feet, if I stand on either side of that plank it pivots either side.


I think it’s a high point on the levelling compound. If I stand right in the middle of that plank it’s solid.

The plank wobbles left and right over a central point.

I can only conclude I need to get it up and chip it out and relay unless you have a better idea….

Does this make sense?

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Assuming that the floor on both sides of the old wall are lebelled through, if not actually level (easily checkable with a piece of planed 3 x 2in softwood about 5 or 6ft long), chisel it out and refill, this time using a straight edge to check that the infill is flat. But then, you already know that

 

[Dylan123]

Assuming that the floor on both sides of the old wall are lebelled through, if not actually level (easily checkable with a piece of planed 3 x 2in softwood about 5 or 6ft long), chisel it out and refill, this time using a straight edge to check that the infill is flat. But then, you already know that

So floor gotta come up then!

If the floors aren’t level - cut it and put a bar in?

 

[Deleted member 174758]

How far out are they? 2mm? As far as possible laminate, etc needs to be laid on a fairly flat surface. if it isn't flat then some work needs to be done - either underlay or plywood as has been discussed on this forum many times. 2mm difference could be dealt with by using a thick fairly rigid underlay. Did you use an underlay, or lay the laminate directly on top of the original floor?

 

[Dylan123]

How far out are they? 2mm? As far as possible laminate, etc needs to be laid on a fairly flat surface. if it isn't flat then some work needs to be done - either underlay or plywood as has been discussed on this forum many times. 2mm difference could be dealt with by using a thick fairly rigid underlay. Did you use an underlay, or lay the laminate directly on top of the original floor?

Yeah I did that, I used a thicker underlay (wood fibre sheets) on the lower side and just the thin roll type on the higher side.

Along that line where it moves, one side is fine and the other end has the high spots. I think this is purely the levelling compound too high at one point. I just checked the other end where I did it correctly and nothing moves