Any sort of flooring plank needs the installation of an even floor above it. Because an uneven floor may harm flooring planks and cause them to wear and break out faster than intended.
Before installing vinyl plank flooring in your home, you should think about whether or not you can put it on a floor that isn’t level.
So, the purpose of this post is to clear up any misconceptions or questions you may have about placing vinyl planks on an uneven floor.
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Can You Install Vinyl Plank Flooring on an Uneven Floor?
Vinyl plank flooring may be laid on a somewhat uneven surface since the planks are strong enough to provide complete coverage on an uneven floor. However, a clean and debris-free level floor must be maintained. As opposed to an even floor, vinyl plank flooring needs a level and clean floor surface.
Should You Lay Vinyl Flooring Over an Uneven Floor?
Although no one should install vinyl planks over an uneven floor, vinyl plank flooring may, unexpectedly, be laid over mildly uneven flooring.
This is because vinyl planks are a far more durable form of flooring plank. As a result, even if they are laid on a slightly uneven surface, they may provide a complete covering and make the floor seem equal.
However, keep in mind that vinyl plank flooring needs a fully level, debris-free floor surface. And these are important criteria for vinyl plank flooring.
Even if the floor is a little uneven, one must make sure it is clean and free of debris before installing vinyl plank flooring.
How Uneven Can Vinyl Plank Flooring Make the Floor?
When the depth of gaps, bumps, and plunges in a floor exceed 3/16 inch per 10-foot radius in any direction, the floor is deemed uneven for vinyl plank flooring.
Yes, the measurement for an uneven floor with bumps, gaps, and plunges is the same as the measurement for laminate flooring.
Vinyl flooring can only withstand gaps, bumps, and plunges that are more than 3/16 inches deep. As a result, such a floor might cause the flooring to wear out or be damaged. As a result, any flooring with gaps, dips, or bumps more than 3/16 inches deep is a completely uneven surface for vinyl plank flooring.
Is it necessary to level the floor before installing vinyl plank flooring?
The floor must be leveled before installing vinyl plank flooring. Because a level and even floor ensure that the vinyl flooring boards are securely adjoined to one another with no spaces between them.
A level floor also reduces the chance of flooring planks being broken prematurely, prevents water from seeping through, and keeps the flooring from creaking or squeaking.
As a result, if you want to put vinyl plank flooring on an uneven floor, be sure you level it first to prevent any harm.
What is the best way to prepare a floor for vinyl plank flooring?
The flooring of all varieties is laid over either hardwood or concrete floors. As a result, for your convenience, the processes for preparing both kinds of flooring are detailed below.
The concrete floor
Determine the moisture content of the floor.
To begin with, use a moisture meter to test the moisture content of the concrete floor. If the moisture content of the floor stays at 3 pounds per 1,000 square feet after 24 hours, consider the floor appropriate.
Make the floor shiny.
Then, thoroughly clean the floor to ensure that no debris remains on it. Use a vacuum cleaner or a cloth to thoroughly clean the floor.
Search for high and low points.
Place a carpenter’s leveler on the floor to find places where the surface is high or low.
High points should be ground.
Using a hand grinder, grind the high spots and bumps to bring them flush with the rest of the surface.
Fill up the gaps in the lower areas.
After that, apply a floor leveling product to cover holes and dips in the flooring to make it equal. Apply the leveling compound using a putty knife. And then let it dry.
Start installing it now.
Preparing the concrete floor is done. After that, you can start installing vinyl plank flooring on top of it.
wooden flooring
Plywood should be used to cover the floor.
Cover the hardwood floor where you will be putting the vinyl plank flooring with 1/4-inch plywood.
Make a Space
Make sure to provide a 1/4-inch extension space between the wall and flooring plank joints while covering the sections. As a result, the planks crash into the hardwood floor’s joints.
Plywood should be secured.
Secure the plywood in place and the nails beneath the plywood floor surface using 1-inch decking nails to make the area equal.
Fill up the low spots and sand down the high points.
If there are any high and low regions above the nail heads, balance them out. Sand down high points with a hand sander and fill gaps in low areas using a leveling compound.
Make the floor shiny.
Finally, thoroughly clean the floor, removing any dirt and residues.
Set up the flooring planks
After you’ve prepped the floor, you may begin placing the vinyl plank flooring over the hardwood floor.
How Do You Install Vinyl Plank Flooring on Uneven Surfaces?
The instructions for installing vinyl plank flooring on an uneven floor are provided below.
Prepare the grounds.
Begin by locating the high and low points on a concrete floor. Then, to make the floor equal, grind the high points and use a level compound to fill in the low parts. Then thoroughly clean the floor.
If you have a wooden floor, you should first cover it with plywood. Leave a 1/4-inch space between the wall and the joints, and then fasten the plywood.
Then, locate the high and low points, sand them down, and fill the gaps in the low points using leveling chemicals. After that, mop the floor.
Baseboards must be removed.
Remove any baseboards, doorcase moldings, and base shoe molds after prepping the floor.
Clean the floor once again.
Make sure to scrub the floor one more time to ensure that no dust, filth, or debris is left behind.
Obtain Measurements
Divide the width of the room by the width of the vinyl planks to get the measurement of the vinyl planks based on your intended flooring direction and the width of the room. That’s how you’ll know how many boards will fit in your space.
Planks must be cut.
Then, using a circular saw, cut the boards to the measurements you took.
Set up the planks
Place the first row of vinyl planks in your room, beginning in the left corner. Place a spacer between the flooring planks and the wall to maintain a 3/8-inch extension gap.
When putting the flooring planks down, make sure the tongue is against the wall and the groove is facing the outside. It’s because the tongue planks will go into the grooves of the first row when you install the second row. As a result, the boards are securely locked together.
Finish putting the vinyl planks down by repeating the previous stages.
Remember not to begin a row with more than 6 inches of remaining chopped boards. After you’ve finished installing, take out the spacer.
Replace the baseboards.
After finishing the installation, replace the baseboards using a brad nailer.
Is Underlayment Beneficial for Uneven Floors?
Underlayment is a critical component when placing any form of flooring over an uneven surface. Because underlayment gives flooring planks an equal and smooth surface, Additionally, it decreases the chance of being harmed too quickly.
Underlayment underneath the uneven floor also helps the boards sit correctly and interlock tightly. It also prevents creaking and squeaking.
What Is the Best Way to Repair an Uneven Floor Under Vinyl Planks?
The procedure for repairing an uneven floor varies depending on the sort of uneven floor you have.
- Install plywood first if you have an uneven hardwood floor. Then look for any high or low points. Sand down the upper parts using a hand sander and refill the lower sections with leveling compound. Then thoroughly clean the floor.
- For uneven concrete floors, you should begin by locating bumps and voids. Then, using a hand grinder, grind the uneven parts and fill the gaps with leveling compound. Clean the floor as well, removing any dust and trash.
What Happens When You Install Vinyl on an Uneven Floor?
Installing vinyl plank flooring on an uneven floor might result in boards clasping together. It is also possible to release the boards after putting them over uneven flooring.
Because of the dips, gaps, and collisions, the floor will not settle correctly on the ground and will not have a robust interlocking system.
Water oozing onto the floor might also occur as a result of an uneven floor with holes.
What Is the Best Flooring for a Slanted Floor?
For an uneven floor, the ideal flooring choice is laminate flooring planks or tiles. Because laminate flooring is more flexible and resilient, it can be changed to make up for an uneven floor in a room.
Vinyl planks, vinyl sheets, linoleum, and carpet are the best flooring options, but laminate is also a good choice.
A slightly uneven floor is fine for installing vinyl plank flooring over, but an overly uneven floor should never be laid.