I am renovating the upper floor of an old 1.5-story house and have problems with the subfloor. Today, I have a tongue-and-groove subfloor that is uneven with slight depressions here and there. Additionally, it creaks between the boards. It is not possible to remove the floor as it is part of the joists. The unevenness is up to 10mm per meter. The question is how I can prepare the subfloor to then lay a floor that requires a higher level of evenness. I don't want to build up the floor too much either. Should I screw a plywood floor and shim underneath it, or what would be best? Grateful for help.
We had similar issues where the floor sloped more the closer you got to the chimney stack (common in older houses). Considered these options: Remove the existing floor and screw new joists onto the beams, which is probably the best method, but a real heavy task, and then I was unsure if the floor construction was load-bearing. Sanding but realized it would take forever. Planing was also dismissed as the nails would ruin the planer blade. Then considered, like you, shimming and screwing particle board, but it added too much height. Also considered using a leveling system but it was very expensive and also added too much height.
We resolved it by screwing floor gypsum where it was the worst, then nailed down a reinforcement mesh (with staples) and finished with fiber-reinforced putty. Then it was fine to lay the floor we wanted.
Don't know if it's right or wrong, but it worked for us.
We resolved it by screwing floor gypsum where it was the worst, then nailed down a reinforcement mesh (with staples) and finished with fiber-reinforced putty. Then it was fine to lay the floor we wanted.
Don't know if it's right or wrong, but it worked for us.
Had the same problem in the kitchen in a prefab house from '63, ended up tearing everything out and reframing.
When the masonite or glue in the elements starts to give way, the entire structure loses its strength. (the glue in my elements came loose just with a little poke)
I didn't think it was worth trying to reinforce an originally poor construction.
When the masonite or glue in the elements starts to give way, the entire structure loses its strength. (the glue in my elements came loose just with a little poke)
I didn't think it was worth trying to reinforce an originally poor construction.