First and foremost, we highly recommend levelling the uneven subfloor before installing any type of floor over. The best option for slightly uneven subfloors is a direct stick installation (involving nails & glue) if this is a viable option.
Creating an Even Surface
On the areas with the highest measurements, use a concrete grinder to sand out the bumps, creating a smooth, level concrete floor. In places where the floor dips too low, use a filling agent to create a level surface. Lowes Creative Ideas recommends using a cementitious leveling compound.
The best flooring for uneven floors due to its attractiveness and durability is epoxy, which can also be designed to mimic a wide variety of appearances.
If you're installing vinyl planks on top of a concrete floor, the standard tolerance required is for the floor to be level to 3/16” within a 10' radius. It also can't have a dip of ⅛” within 2'. Level means that a floor doesn't slope in any direction.
Fibreboard Underlay
It works to smooth uneven floors, reduces noise, and acts as a thermal barrier. If the subfloor is uneven, fibreboard works to even dips and dents you can't level out. It's also necessary to add a DPM if you're installing fibreboard on top of a concrete subfloor.
You can install vinyl on many types of subfloor, including concrete and wood. But that floor must be flat for your installation to be a success. An uneven subfloor can lead to potential problems, such as planks having varying heights that will make the flooring unstable and wear down more quickly.
You can't go wrong with vinyl that's designed to go directly over concrete. Vinyl is durable, easy to install, and highly moisture-resistant. The best options for both appearance and ease of installation are vinyl planks and sheet vinyl.
As you don't have to install underlay for Vinyl Flooring or LVT, this can go directly onto the concrete subfloor. However, allow 24 hours for your flooring to acclimatise by leaving it out of its packaging. When it's ready, unroll your vinyl flooring and cut to size after measuring your room.
Underlayment can help smooth things out, though, but the type you choose will vary depending on your specific reasoning for wanting an even subfloor. That can make choosing the right one for you rather tricky, so here's a quick guide that should lend a helping hand in getting the best underlayment for uneven subfloors.
If your subflooring has bumps or dips you'll want to get rid of those before installing your laminate flooring. It's important that the surface is nice and flat for the laminate to be installed. You can use a floor leveling compound to any dips and let it dry thoroughly before moving on.
Most companies will charge $1.80 to $25 per sq. ft. to level concrete, including all materials and labor. The cost to level 100 sq. ft of concrete ranges from $500 to $1,700, with the mid-range being $1,500.
You need a dry, clean and flat surface before you can install finished flooring in a room built on a concrete slab. One of the simplest options is a sleeper-based subfloor. The result is a subfloor that protects finished flooring from cold and damp concrete-based floors.
You can install vinyl sheet flooring over various subflooring or existing flooring, including concrete.
The most suitable materials for basement flooring are those that are waterproof or moisture-resistant. These include vinyl, engineered wood, rubber, and even carpet as long as it's marine-grade. Tiles made from porcelain or ceramic are also suitable.
Luxury vinyl plank (LVP) and luxury vinyl tile (LVT) are also one of the best types of flooring to install quickly and without a mess. The simple installation process involves a click-and lock-system that easily fits over your floor's sublayer. The new luxury vinyl floor is what's known as a floating floor.
Due to its greater stability, gluedown flooring is recommended for larger rooms. Such rooms will have less joint stability if they've been installed with click luxury vinyl.
If you want to raise the height of a floor, the cheapest and easiest way is to add a thick underlayment designed for the job. There are other options too like adding a framed wooden subfloor or floor leveling compound before installing new flooring.
While luxury vinyl flooring has come a long way from its creation and has increased in durability and visual appeal, unfortunately vinyl may decrease your resale value in the long run. It's important to recognize that while you may spend less on vinyl vs.
An even surface for laminate flooring is essential. Any bumps or dipping with laminate flooring will cause the flooring to squeak or fall apart. To prevent this, fill low spots with a patch or self-leveling concrete. Any gaps larger than a quarter-inch wide, gouges, and large chips should be filled with a patch.
The main things that you need to consider when choosing the thickness of your laminate floor are the evenness of your subfloor and any reason you may have to be worrying about noise reduction. If you have a subfloor that is in any way uneven, it pays off to choose a thicker laminate.
Therefore, because concrete is porous, it's a good idea to install a vapor barrier over your concrete subfloor before installing your flooring. This way you can stop the vapor drive of water upward to your floors, protecting them from any damage (source).
Begin installation by laying a plastic vapour barrier (minimum 6 mm thick) or any other manufacturer-recommended barrier on the concrete subfloor to prevent moisture from reaching the laminate flooring. Use vinyl tape to secure the barrier and keep it from coming out.