As I am planning to finish my basement, I've decided that an
engineered wood floor is what I'd like. I know the concrete floor has
to be "pretty level/flat" in order to put a wood floor over top,
although I've read vastly different definitions of what that means.
Furthermore, the folks at Lowe's and Home Depot are of little help, as
they spin completely different stories. I've tried the bowling ball
test, and there are a couple spots where it definitely takes off in
one direction for a few feet, but mostly it just rolls a few inches
here or there. The entire basement is sloped slightly toward the sump
pump in the corner, which is fine (I don't really care about levelness
as much as flatness), but I still don't know how flat I really need
it. The floor definitely isn't wavy by just looking at it, and
passing a string and measuring depths shows that it's maybe 6-8 mm
deeper in the middle than near the walls (over 30 ft), but is that
enough to warrant leveling it with self-leveling concrete mix? I plan
to use the Delta-FL underlayment, which I've heard can counteract a
small degree of unevenness, but what is the impact if I install the
Delta-FL over my concrete floor as-is (even with it being 6-8 mm
deeper over the course of 30 ft), then install a floating engineered
hardwood floor above that? If it's too out-of-level, will the floor
buckle or what? Thanks to anyone who can shed some light on this
mysterious question to me.

On Oct 15, 11:05 am, wrote:
As I am planning to finish my basement, I've decided that an
engineered wood floor is what I'd like. I know the concrete floor has
to be "pretty level/flat" in order to put a wood floor over top,
although I've read vastly different definitions of what that means.
Furthermore, the folks at Lowe's and Home Depot are of little help, as
they spin completely different stories. I've tried the bowling ball
test, and there are a couple spots where it definitely takes off in
one direction for a few feet, but mostly it just rolls a few inches
here or there. The entire basement is sloped slightly toward the sump
pump in the corner, which is fine (I don't really care about levelness
as much as flatness), but I still don't know how flat I really need
it. The floor definitely isn't wavy by just looking at it, and
passing a string and measuring depths shows that it's maybe 6-8 mm
deeper in the middle than near the walls (over 30 ft), but is that
enough to warrant leveling it with self-leveling concrete mix? I plan
to use the Delta-FL underlayment, which I've heard can counteract a
small degree of unevenness, but what is the impact if I install the
Delta-FL over my concrete floor as-is (even with it being 6-8 mm
deeper over the course of 30 ft), then install a floating engineered
hardwood floor above that? If it's too out-of-level, will the floor
buckle or what? Thanks to anyone who can shed some light on this
mysterious question to me.

I would be more concerned with moisture, many floors are not designed
for high humidity, If you have moisture you will have alot of mold as
well, use a moisture meter to test the concrete first, April may be
the wettest time, If its to wet you will be removing it in a year or
so.

On Oct 15, 12:05 pm, wrote:
As I am planning to finish my basement, I've decided that an
engineered wood floor is what I'd like. I know the concrete floor has
to be "pretty level/flat" in order to put a wood floor over top,
although I've read vastly different definitions of what that means.
Furthermore, the folks at Lowe's and Home Depot are of little help, as
they spin completely different stories. I've tried the bowling ball
test, and there are a couple spots where it definitely takes off in
one direction for a few feet, but mostly it just rolls a few inches
here or there. The entire basement is sloped slightly toward the sump
pump in the corner, which is fine (I don't really care about levelness
as much as flatness), but I still don't know how flat I really need
it. The floor definitely isn't wavy by just looking at it, and
passing a string and measuring depths shows that it's maybe 6-8 mm
deeper in the middle than near the walls (over 30 ft), but is that
enough to warrant leveling it with self-leveling concrete mix? I plan
to use the Delta-FL underlayment, which I've heard can counteract a
small degree of unevenness, but what is the impact if I install the
Delta-FL over my concrete floor as-is (even with it being 6-8 mm
deeper over the course of 30 ft), then install a floating engineered
hardwood floor above that? If it's too out-of-level, will the floor
buckle or what? Thanks to anyone who can shed some light on this
mysterious question to me.

You are concerned about how much it is out in a short distance, not
how much over the entire length of the basement. Use a six or eight
foot straightedge and place one end on a particular spot. Swing the
other end around in a circle. Repeat over the rest of the floor.
Overlap the circles in the sketchy areas. This will locate the high
and low points from that spot. Do something about the bad areas. You
are not in self-leveling territory.

The manufacturer wisely included installation instructions for the
Delta-FL.
http://www.cosella-dorken.com/bvf/ca...stallation.pdf
Scraps of the Delta-FL can be used to shim up the low spots in the
slab.

R

On Oct 15, 12:48 pm, ransley wrote:
On Oct 15, 11:05 am, wrote:



As I am planning to finish my basement, I've decided that an
engineered wood floor is what I'd like. I know the concrete floor has
to be "pretty level/flat" in order to put a wood floor over top,
although I've read vastly different definitions of what that means.
Furthermore, the folks at Lowe's and Home Depot are of little help, as
they spin completely different stories. I've tried the bowling ball
test, and there are a couple spots where it definitely takes off in
one direction for a few feet, but mostly it just rolls a few inches
here or there. The entire basement is sloped slightly toward the sump
pump in the corner, which is fine (I don't really care about levelness
as much as flatness), but I still don't know how flat I really need
it. The floor definitely isn't wavy by just looking at it, and
passing a string and measuring depths shows that it's maybe 6-8 mm
deeper in the middle than near the walls (over 30 ft), but is that
enough to warrant leveling it with self-leveling concrete mix? I plan
to use the Delta-FL underlayment, which I've heard can counteract a
small degree of unevenness, but what is the impact if I install the
Delta-FL over my concrete floor as-is (even with it being 6-8 mm
deeper over the course of 30 ft), then install a floating engineered
hardwood floor above that? If it's too out-of-level, will the floor
buckle or what? Thanks to anyone who can shed some light on this
mysterious question to me.

I would be more concerned with moisture, many floors are not designed
for high humidity, If you have moisture you will have alot of mold as
well, use a moisture meter to test the concrete first, April may be
the wettest time, If its to wet you will be removing it in a year or
so.

The Delta stuff the OP mentioned is a plastic underlayment. With
taped joints it'd be at least as effective as plastic membrane under
the slab (though I'd prefer to stop the moisture below before it came
through the slab).

R

Flooring also has a rating which states if it can be used below-grade, like
in a basement.
..
I leveled my basement floor using leveling compound on the big dips in the
concrete. I've heard people using roof shingles too under the FL.
..
After I leveled the floor, I painted it using Drylock just to help keep the
moisture down.
..
The other ideas of using scraps of FL to level are good. I used DryCore
panels from HD. It was un-Godly expensive, but the floor came out great.

wrote in message
ups.com...
As I am planning to finish my basement, I've decided that an
engineered wood floor is what I'd like. I know the concrete floor has
to be "pretty level/flat" in order to put a wood floor over top,
although I've read vastly different definitions of what that means.
Furthermore, the folks at Lowe's and Home Depot are of little help, as
they spin completely different stories. I've tried the bowling ball
test, and there are a couple spots where it definitely takes off in
one direction for a few feet, but mostly it just rolls a few inches
here or there. The entire basement is sloped slightly toward the sump
pump in the corner, which is fine (I don't really care about levelness
as much as flatness), but I still don't know how flat I really need
it. The floor definitely isn't wavy by just looking at it, and
passing a string and measuring depths shows that it's maybe 6-8 mm
deeper in the middle than near the walls (over 30 ft), but is that
enough to warrant leveling it with self-leveling concrete mix? I plan
to use the Delta-FL underlayment, which I've heard can counteract a
small degree of unevenness, but what is the impact if I install the
Delta-FL over my concrete floor as-is (even with it being 6-8 mm
deeper over the course of 30 ft), then install a floating engineered
hardwood floor above that? If it's too out-of-level, will the floor
buckle or what? Thanks to anyone who can shed some light on this
mysterious question to me.

On Oct 15, 11:05 am, wrote:
As I am planning to finish my basement, I've decided that an
engineered wood floor is what I'd like. I know the concrete floor has
to be "pretty level/flat" in order to put a wood floor over top,
although I've read vastly different definitions of what that means.
Furthermore, the folks at Lowe's and Home Depot are of little help, as
they spin completely different stories. I've tried the bowling ball
test, and there are a couple spots where it definitely takes off in
one direction for a few feet, but mostly it just rolls a few inches
here or there. The entire basement is sloped slightly toward the sump
pump in the corner, which is fine (I don't really care about levelness
as much as flatness), but I still don't know how flat I really need
it. The floor definitely isn't wavy by just looking at it, and
passing a string and measuring depths shows that it's maybe 6-8 mm
deeper in the middle than near the walls (over 30 ft), but is that
enough to warrant leveling it with self-leveling concrete mix? I plan
to use the Delta-FL underlayment, which I've heard can counteract a
small degree of unevenness, but what is the impact if I install the
Delta-FL over my concrete floor as-is (even with it being 6-8 mm
deeper over the course of 30 ft), then install a floating engineered
hardwood floor above that? If it's too out-of-level, will the floor
buckle or what? Thanks to anyone who can shed some light on this
mysterious question to me.

Dont bother leveling, the dips and valleys you described will be no
problem at all, in fact the wood will bridge those and make everything
look real level. But before you lay it, get some acrylic-based
concrete sealer and spread that on heavy with a mop until it soaks in,
Behr, etc. sealer. Put a thick plastic vapor barrier over that. HD
has thick heavy mil plastic roll I think 100 feet by 20 feet. It will
work great as long as it's an engineered flooring made for below
grade.

Thank you RickH for actually providing guidance on the level-ness
required. To everyone else who mentioned moisture - I don't have ANY
moisture problems so far. The house is 10 yrs old and was equipped
when built with the Tuff-N-Dri system for waterproofing, which has a
30 year warranty. Even this past May when my part of NJ got 9 inches
of water in 36 hours, and my neighbors basements were flooded with 5"
of water, mine was bone-dry. It rained hard the other day and I did
the plastic-sheet duct-tape test, it came up dry too. The floor and
interior walls are already coated with a BEHR moisture-resistant
paint, but I plan to do another coat or two just to be safe, and
because there's half a gallon still in the pail. I'm also using the
Delta-FL as more of an insurance policy and to soften the floor
(plastic dimples HAVE to be softer than concrete), and I'm using
engineered hardwood specifically since it's pretty moisture
resistant. So I feel I'm pretty well covered on the water/moisture
side, which is why my main concern was really the even-ness of the
floor. So if anyone has another opinion on if the floor needs to be
leveled, or if the wood + underlayment will kind of self-correct,
thanks for those opinions/advice.

On Oct 15, 5:21 pm, wrote:
Thank you RickH for actually providing guidance on the level-ness
required. To everyone else who mentioned moisture - I don't have ANY
moisture problems so far. The house is 10 yrs old and was equipped
when built with the Tuff-N-Dri system for waterproofing, which has a
30 year warranty. Even this past May when my part of NJ got 9 inches
of water in 36 hours, and my neighbors basements were flooded with 5"
of water, mine was bone-dry. It rained hard the other day and I did
the plastic-sheet duct-tape test, it came up dry too. The floor and
interior walls are already coated with a BEHR moisture-resistant
paint, but I plan to do another coat or two just to be safe, and
because there's half a gallon still in the pail. I'm also using the
Delta-FL as more of an insurance policy and to soften the floor
(plastic dimples HAVE to be softer than concrete), and I'm using
engineered hardwood specifically since it's pretty moisture
resistant. So I feel I'm pretty well covered on the water/moisture
side, which is why my main concern was really the even-ness of the
floor. So if anyone has another opinion on if the floor needs to be
leveled, or if the wood + underlayment will kind of self-correct,
thanks for those opinions/advice.

6 to 8 mm dip spread over 30 feet is actually pretty good for a
basement floor.