Whether you want to install a hardwood, laminate or concrete floor, you need to focus on floor preparation in the first place. Floor preparation is the key to installing quality floors that can last for years to come. So, no matter what kind of flooring option you choose for your home, you have to take the support of a company like CA Drillers to get quality floor preparation services.
Just like any other construction project, floor preparation also needs a lot of precision and high-end tools. For example, if you are planning to install hardwood floors, you will have to follow certain specific steps before the final installation.
One of the most important steps among them is to check the key aspects like the flatness. It is because the subfloor has to be in a sound condition before you cover it with any new final floor or else the whole flooring installation project may fail.
So, if you are planning to carry out a floor installation project for your new home, here are the floor preparation tips for installing different types of floors.
Hardwood Floors
When you say a leveled subfloor, it means that the subfloor should be flat, free from any lumps or other relevant factors. There are certain specifications for subfloors in relevance to height and other aspects. For example, in case of hardwood floors, there should be a tolerance of 3/16 of an inch over a span of eight to ten feet. In other words, you should ensure that the subfloor complies with the required specifications to keep it flat.
When you want the subfloor to be flat, it is crucial to remove the clumps you find while leveling it. If you do not remove them, new floors will not function well. The floors need to lay as flat as possible to the subfloor. If they are not flat, you won’t get the kind of feel you are looking for. On top of that, you may hear those squeaks that happen when the floors are not flat.
Laminate Floors
It is wrong if you hear that a particular product can correct the minor subfloor irregularities. Of course, these products may help to feel the void in the short period, but once that floor is installed, it begins to feel squishy. As a result, the boards’ interlocking mechanism is compromised and the squeaking starts. Therefore, make sure to flatten your subfloor correctly before installing the final flooring. Make sure that you do not install floating floors over a wood subfloor that’s adhered to concrete.
Concrete Floors
When you undertake the process of correcting the concrete subfloors, make sure to fill the low areas with a Portland-based cement compound. It cures the floor quickly. Moreover, it is essential to grind the high areas or else possibly you can get a seesaw feeling after the installation. When you do the process of grinding, it produces an enormous amount of dust. Alternatively, you can use handheld grinders with vacuum attachments to resolve the issue. Of course, it will not collect all the dust, but definitely, a major portion gets collected. It is to be noted that when you perform grinding, you should cover everything that you value to keep them free from the effect of dust.
1. Protect The Areas Of Home
When you perform concrete grinding in a room, it is essential that you close the doors of all the other areas of the home. Also, close all the windows of the rooms which you need to protect from dust. The handheld grinders take a remarkable amount of time for grinding the floors. So, it is important to have that required patience during the process.
2. Floor Levelling Compound
You can get a floor leveling compound from a local flooring supply store. It is essential to select a compound that cures quickly. It is to be noted that ordinary cement mixed with products will not cure quickly enough and may cause a moisture issue after the installation.
When you make the selection of compounds, it is to be noted that fast setting compounds require fast working times.
For the people, who are trying to do this themselves, it is to be noted that this stuff will harden fast before you want it to. Therefore, make sure you get a grasp on their properties before you start your actual task. It is advisable that you hire a professional if the work to be done in abundance.
3. Preparing The Patching Compound
While preparing a patching compound, make sure you go through the manufacturers’ specifications in the first place. A majority of the compounds are mixed with water. When you mix them, use a paddle type mixer to get a milkshake consistency. Make sure to add the water first or else it will be stuck on the bottom of the bucket.
4. Applying The Compound
When you begin the process of applying the compound, it is advisable that you use the same straight edge, pour an amount in front of it, and move the material to the front edge with a float trowel. In other words, follow the procedure of applying the compound according to the required specifications to do the job correctly.
Preparing for the concrete flooring, it is very important to level the subfloor before the final floor installation. Also, the corrections in regards to floor heights and uneven vertical heights should be resolved. The steps we discussed above will help you do the job with precision.
