Hello uk.d-i-y

I could use some practical advice on techniques for achieving a flat floor
with levelling compound. I'm happy with my choice of compound and how to
mix it.

I'm trying to lay a glue-together tongue & groove hardwood floor as a
floating floor. The manufacturers say the floor underneath must be flat to
a tolerance of 2mm in the m, but I think they're having a laugh,
especially as many boards are warped more than that out of the packet.

I've already flattened some obvious depressions in my floor fairly well,
but I've found that my floor has larger scale irreglarities, which I only
noticed when I started to lay a few rows of floor and found it wouldn't
lie flat. (The room is about 7m long).

My concern is that levelling compound doesn't really level itself as noted
in the faq and posts in his group. I've found prevously that it will
follow curves of a gently undulating floor, which won't help me.

1st question: How do I map the areas which need levelling compound?

I can roughly locate the low areas at least in one direction by moving the
line of already completed floor. I guess I could even chalk a contour map
by rotating a spirit level at intervals around the room, but this seems
nerdy and obsessive. Is there some special long straight edge tool I'm
supposed to use?

2nd question: Does anyone have any tips on how you practically work this
stuff to get a flat finish?

I have a plasterers trowel, but I can imagine that a larger spreader might
help maintain flatness as you smear it around.

Thank you

spakka wrote:
Hello uk.d-i-y

I could use some practical advice on techniques for achieving a flat floor
with levelling compound. I'm happy with my choice of compound and how to
mix it.

I'm trying to lay a glue-together tongue & groove hardwood floor as a
floating floor. The manufacturers say the floor underneath must be flat to
a tolerance of 2mm in the m, but I think they're having a laugh,
especially as many boards are warped more than that out of the packet.

I've already flattened some obvious depressions in my floor fairly well,
but I've found that my floor has larger scale irreglarities, which I only
noticed when I started to lay a few rows of floor and found it wouldn't
lie flat. (The room is about 7m long).

My concern is that levelling compound doesn't really level itself as noted
in the faq and posts in his group. I've found prevously that it will
follow curves of a gently undulating floor, which won't help me.

1st question: How do I map the areas which need levelling compound?

I can roughly locate the low areas at least in one direction by moving the
line of already completed floor. I guess I could even chalk a contour map
by rotating a spirit level at intervals around the room, but this seems
nerdy and obsessive. Is there some special long straight edge tool I'm
supposed to use?

2nd question: Does anyone have any tips on how you practically work this
stuff to get a flat finish?

I have a plasterers trowel, but I can imagine that a larger spreader might
help maintain flatness as you smear it around.

Thank you





You just need a couple of pieces of 2x1, one for the length, one for the
width, and a spirit level. Mark the wall at intervals (on top of the
battens), then put the batten and spirit level on the highest mark and
run a pencil line. Repeat for the other wall. This should give you the
high and low points. Then you'll probably decide to opt for a sloping
floor :-)
Sometimes it's easier to chop out high spots if there are only a couple
throwing the whole thing out.
Put a few dollops of mortar on the floor and level them with the batten.
Once set they'll give you levels for applying the screed.
Plasterers trowel is fine because the stuff I've used is pretty sloppy
but you need to work fast because the liquid part soaks into the floor
pretty quickly

On Wed, 11 Jan 2006 15:18:42 +0000, Stuart Noble wrote:

spakka wrote:

How do I map the areas which need levelling compound?

Put a few dollops of mortar on the floor and level them with the batten.
Once set they'll give you levels for applying the screed.

Genius

Thank you

spakka wrote:
Stuart Noble wrote:
spakka wrote:
How do I map the areas which need levelling compound?

Put a few dollops of mortar on the floor and level them with the batten.
Once set they'll give you levels for applying the screed.

Genius
Thank you

ROFL.