How to level a wooden floor: level an old wooden floor with your own hands. How to level a wooden floor Repairing and leveling a wooden floor

Any wooden floor, no matter how well it is laid and treated, tends to change its angle of inclination and can rot or dry out. The best way out in such a situation, there will be a complete replacement of the floor covering, but very few will undertake such labor-intensive and rather expensive work. How can I level a wooden floor without replacing it? We will talk about this further.

Floor leveling methods

A wooden floor is quite difficult to level, especially in comparison with. And if concrete can be simply screeded, then wooden floors, especially in old buildings, may not withstand it. It is worth considering that for insulation and leveling using a screed, you need to have a margin of distance to the ceiling of about 10 cm. Unfortunately, not all rooms have such a margin and high strength lags. But there are other methods of how to level the floor in a private house, which will be discussed further.

Cycling

This leveling method is rightly called one of the most difficult, which makes leveling a wooden floor with plywood more attractive, but still scraping is widely used, especially on large areas.

The work is carried out using a scraping and/or grinding machine. The execution of scraping is preceded by long preparatory measures, and huge quantities dust and a rather complex surface treatment technology classify scraping as an unpopular floor leveling technology. But still, this method is economical and effective, which is why it is used.

Before starting scraping, you need to prepare the working surface, that is, the floor. If the floor is old, then probably some nails have become loose and have come out of the joists. Such nails need to be found and re-hammered, because if the head that comes out gets under the knives of the device, they will be hopelessly broken.

In the case of painted floors, all areas that may have nails should be cleaned of paint and carefully checked. Only after all the nails have been driven in can the working machine be used.

The work usually begins with the use of a coarse nozzle and ends with the finest one. You will have to sand the corners yourself, because... The car won't be able to get there.

If we talk about the pros and cons of this processing method, the main disadvantages are as follows. Firstly, the machine removes upper layer wood, and in case of large unevenness it comes out too large, which in turn can change the maximum possible load of the floor.

When leveling the floor, especially when completely wooden house, the board may experience severe temperature fluctuations, which can cause pits and bumps. This can be easily prevented by using a wood preservative. This method is used only for old wooden floors, which need minor edits.

The result of scraping: photos before and after.

Nevertheless, there are also advantages. The method requires a lot of time and effort, but is very economical in terms of resources and building materials. The result is smooth and even floors, but if the cracks in them are filled with sawdust and sprinkled with varnish, then after sanding the floor it will look no worse than parquet.

Adjusting the lag

This method is suitable for adjusting the largest differences in height. It lies in the fact that flooring completely removed from the joists. Special screws are inserted into the logs themselves, which can be screwed in and out. In this way, the position of the logs and, accordingly, the boards are adjusted. When using this leveling method, the possibility of insulation remains; it is enough to place insulation material between the joists. then put the boards back. Now the floor is level, but if due to climatic conditions it will change the slope again - the regulators already inserted into the joists will help, with the help of which you can level the wooden floor at any time.

Height-adjustable logs.

The disadvantage of this method is that it will take a lot of time to screw in the screws, and their cost will not make this type of work economical. The method of adjusting the joists is not at all suitable for houses with low ceilings, because as a result of the work, the floor height increases by about 10 cm.

The advantages of leveling the joists are that a wooden house is highly susceptible to changes in temperature and humidity, which can cause the boards to change their angle of inclination, and with this method you can constantly adjust the floor without spending a lot of time and effort. Despite the fact that screwing in screws takes a lot of time, it is still not difficult, it is enough to know how to screw in screws, but if you still have questions about how to properly level a wooden floor, you can watch a video on the topic.

Laying plywood

Leveling with chipboard or plywood is one of the most popular methods for leveling a wooden floor, which can also be done. It is used for installation, or for insulation and painting work. The materials are affordable, but chipboard is still cheaper than plywood. Plywood is more durable, so most often we're talking about on how to level a wooden floor with plywood. When leveling, plywood with a thickness of 10 mm or more is used, and the price for one sheet starts at 400 rubles.

The entire structure is made up of guide elements, which are made of plywood and can be of different thicknesses.

The floor covering is laid out in squares of 20x30 cm, and beacons are placed at their corners. Also, plywood logs with a thickness of 30-50 mm are laid out along the beacons. They are attached with self-tapping screws or wood glue. The floor is leveled by placing pieces of wood under the joists, after first spreading the pieces with glue.

Such measures will help prevent sagging of the final version of the floor. After this, a grid of logs is formed, which must dry completely before further action. Plywood is placed on the logs, and in such a way that the edges of its sheets are located on the marked lines.

The process of leveling a floor consisting of boards can be easily controlled at the stage of laying the joists.

The plywood is attached to the joists using self-tapping screws, for which you should drill the screw-in points 3-5 cm deep with a drill with a diameter slightly larger than the screw head. A self-tapping screw is screwed into the drilled hole, and its head is countersunk. You can also lay a backing under the plywood, which will serve as additional thermal insulation.

Installing plywood on joists.

On top of the plywood is laid the covering you like: carpet, laminate, linoleum. Before laying linoleum, the plywood must be sanded, and a backing is used for laying the laminate.

The main disadvantage of leveling wooden floors with plywood is that it is quite large. high price materials.

There are many more advantages:

• A floor leveled in this way is very durable, and the height of the ceilings changes very slightly (by about 2-3 cm);
• The process of how to level a wooden floor with plywood is very simple, and you can even do it yourself;
• In this way, the coating is leveled, even with a very large slope, adding more plywood in areas of large distortion.

Our ancestors also knew how to properly level the floor; for this they used special plaster. This method requires a lot of effort, but is very economical. The putty applied to the base consists of ordinary PVA glue and small sawdust. Before mixing, the sawdust must be moistened with water and squeezed out, after which they will draw less moisture from the glue.

The work process itself begins with installing beacons using a level; the most ordinary wooden planks can serve as beacons. The resulting compartments are filled with a mixture of glue and sawdust, and the consistency of the mixture itself should look like sour cream. This putty shrinks a lot when it dries, so places with special differences in height should be filled with several layers of this “sour cream.” After drying with the substrate, carpet, linoleum.

The disadvantage of putty is that after it you still need to level the wooden floor with plywood in order to get an even and reliable base, so all the desire to save money on this method and its subsequent advantages are neutralized.

Advantages of putty:

• You can always re-level a wooden floor by adding Right place more putty;
• Very low cost, filling one m2 will cost about 30 rubles;
• Even a sloped floor can be leveled.

Self-leveling agent

This is one of the latest ways how to level the floor in a wooden house. Using this method does not require much effort, but it is only suitable for areas with a small difference in height. Such compositions are not recommended for use in new buildings, because their shrinkage has not yet completed and it is quite possible that there will be “walking” at home.

The self-leveling mixture consists of Portland or aluminous cement, quartz sand, active additives and surfactants. Some mixtures are given a special color by special coloring compounds.

The result of this method is a completely flat floor with varying degrees of smoothness. Depending on whether the floor surface needs to be treated, there are two types of mixtures: basic - a self-leveling substance that needs to be sanded after hardening and - this is an independent floor covering that does not need additional finishing.

How to prepare and use self-leveling mixture?

All three stages (preparation, coating and finishing) can be carried out with my own hands. First, you need to clean the floor from stains of grease and dirt, and fill any cracks with sawdust. Walls and door openings must be sealed with polyurethane foam tape to the height that the future floor will occupy. The entire floor surface is primed with a product recommended by the manufacturer of the leveling material in several layers.

Next, we prepare the mixture itself, during the process we must carefully ensure that we do not pour too much water, otherwise the coating will not be strong enough, and if we do not add water, the floor will simply crack. Recommended proportions can be found on the packaging of the product.

Fill the floor with the resulting mixture, while minimum thickness layer should be 5 mm, and maximum – 20 mm. The composition hardens in just 40 minutes, so all actions must be done quickly.

After the floor surface has been filled, you need to run it over it with a toothed roller or a hard brush, this will remove any possible air bubbles on the surface. After this, we leave the floor to dry, making sure that there are no drafts in the room. To ensure even drying, the floor can be wrapped in plastic film and then left for 48 hours.

Complete drying is carried out in approximately two weeks, then you can begin to lay laminate, linoleum, parquet, carpet and other floor coverings.

• It is quite expensive - 1 m2 of floor will cost from 200 rubles;
• The mixture takes a long time to dry, which means it is not suitable for urgent repairs;
• For a wooden floor, this method is not very environmentally friendly and useful, unlike leveling a wooden floor with plywood;
• If the house is prone to “walking,” then such a coating will not be particularly durable.

There are also advantages to this method. Firstly, the mixture is quickly applied and prepared. With proper mixing of the components, application and drying, the floors will last a very long time, and you will not need to think again about how to properly level a wooden floor. The work will not require much effort.

All of the above options for how to level a wooden floor will be excellent ways to level the floor in a private home and. Of course, you need to take into account the specific features of the house and the floor, but some methods are universal, and we tried to collect them in this article.

A wooden floor, having served for many years, becomes deformed and sags. Defects appear on the surface - scratches, cracks. Sooner or later, you cannot do without leveling the structure.

How to level an old wooden floor without removing the boards depends on the nature of the damage to the current floor and the material of the new coating.

For the right choice method, one should distinguish between irregularities by size: small (up to 1 cm) and significant (2–10 cm). In the first case, wooden floors are processed as follows:

Puttying;

Cycling;

Pouring self-leveling mixture;

Laying sheet materials - chipboard, OSB, plywood.

If there are significant differences in the old coating, the slabs are laid on logs or screeded cement mortar. However, it is better to refrain from the wet leveling method if we are talking about preserving the floor from wooden planks. Dried cement is not plastic.

Mechanical impacts from using the floor and installing furniture will lead to the formation of cracks. Due to the heaviness of the mortar, the board base may be damaged, so for laying cement screed It is advisable to remove the boards.

Read also: Laminate - three common problems with it: creaking, diverging seams, swelling of the boards. Causes and solutions.

Wood floor scraping

You can use a sanding machine if the boards are strong, not rotten and of sufficient thickness. After all, you will have to remove a few millimeters from the surface. The process is accompanied by noise and dust formation, so protective measures will be needed for scraping. You need to stock up on glasses, headphones and a mask in advance.

This method is quite expensive, since you need to pay for the rental of a sanding machine. But doing all the work manually is more difficult. It is enough that you will have to process corners and other areas inaccessible to the machine yourself, that is, with your hands.

After leveling, any covering is placed on the wooden floor. However, simply processed paint and varnish material, without any finishing, it will look quite presentable.

Currently, various technologies are used to level wooden floors.

How can I fix the surface of a plank floor?

Alignment method	Brief description of the technology
	Used as a base for finishing floor coverings. For minor unevenness, the work can be completed within one working day. If the difference in height is significant, then the repair time increases and additional special structures are required for leveling.
	It is used in cases of natural warping of boards due to violations of flooring technology. Allows you to completely restore the original appearance of the boards and does not require a topcoat.
	It can be performed without removing the boards, making it possible to level the floor both for subsequent flooring with slabs and for grinding and restoring the surface of the boards.
	The most complex process, used in case of significant damage to boards and joists.

pox plate

Leveling wooden floors using slabs in the future involves the use of various finishing coatings. And this is not only additional financial costs, but also a loss of time. In addition, after leveling, instead of floors made of natural boards, the apartments have coatings made of artificial materials.

Why does the floor become uneven?

During operation, all mistakes made during floor laying appear.

1. Incorrectly set logs. When laying the floor, the outermost joists are first installed, and a rope is stretched between them, along which all the others are laid. If the outermost joists do not lie in the same plane, then the floor will have a slope.
2. The distance between the logs and their dimensions do not correspond to the actual loads. During operation, the most loaded areas sag, the deformation becomes irreversible, and large deflections appear on the floor plane.
3. Very wet or very dry boards were used during flooring. As humidity increases, the floor swells in places; as it dries, the boards warp and large gaps appear between them.
4. Insufficient efficiency of natural ventilation or improperly made waterproofing. In such conditions, lumber becomes rotten, loses its original load-bearing capacity, and the floor surface sags. The most unpleasant situation is that to eliminate the problems it is necessary to completely change the flooring.

In all the described cases, leveling the floor is necessary, but before starting work, it is imperative to determine the cause of the appearance of unevenness and their nature; this knowledge will help in choosing the right methods.

Determination of the size and nature of floor unevenness

The choice of leveling technology is greatly influenced by the actual condition of the wooden floor. We have already mentioned that rotten boards or joists must be replaced; in this case, we are not talking about leveling, but about replacing the floor. The curvature of the floors must be determined according to three parameters.

1. Horizontally. To check, it is better to use a laser level; if you don’t have one, then a water level will do; in extreme cases, deviations can be checked with an ordinary bubble level. Set the beam laser level horizontally at a distance of approximately 10–15 cm from the floor level. Using an ordinary wooden ruler or tape measure, measure the distance from the floor plane to the laser beam. Do this around the perimeter of the room and in several places in the center. If the slope of the floor is more than a centimeter, then it can only be leveled with the help of additional logs or special stops. It's long and difficult.
2. By deflections. The long rule is to place it on the floor in several places, the deflections are revealed in the light. They can only be in a few parts of the room; below we will talk about a possible option for eliminating such problems without tearing off the boards and without using sheets.
3. According to the curvature of the surfaces of the boards. If boards that were too wet were used when laying the floor, they will certainly bend after drying. Apply a rule or level to them and use the light to find out approximately the amount of deflection; the leveling method will depend on its value.

Practical advice. When choosing a technology, always choose one that will preserve natural boards. Such floors are considered to be of the highest quality, constantly fashionable and environmentally friendly. Experienced builders recommend covering a natural floor with various modern materials only when restoring the original characteristics of a wooden floor is impossible for some reason.

We will consider several options for leveling wooden floors while preserving natural boards and restoring their original appearance. Technologies for experienced builders is not very difficult, but requires a certain skill and a set of special tools. Options for completely dismantling the boards to level them or replace them will not be considered; this is an extreme case and must be used in exceptional situations.

Alignment of logs

The method can be used when unevenness appears due to subsidence of fragile joists or those installed at a large distance. Moreover, they are made of slats no more than 5 cm thick, laid on a durable concrete base. To work, you will need a screwdriver and drill, large self-tapping screws with a diameter of 8 mm or more, a pen for drilling holes in wood (the diameter of the drill must correspond to the size of the screw heads) and a level. Joists and boards must be in good condition without signs of rotten damage.

Step 1. Find a place where the boards sag, determine the location of the lag. They are found by the heads of nails or screws.

Step 2. Using a drill with a diameter of approximately 5 mm, drill a through hole in the boards and joists until it touches the concrete base. Measure the distance from the top surface of the floorboards to the concrete base. Separately, find out the thickness of the boards and joists. This can be done after carefully inspecting the hole.

Step 3. Prepare the screws large diameter, decide on their length. The length of the screws should be 10–15 mm greater than the sum of the deflection, the thickness of the log and its distance from the concrete base. Using a grinder with an abrasive disc, cut off the tip of the self-tapping screw along required length. The flat, rather than sharp, end increases the area where the screw will rest on the concrete, which increases the stability of the floor after leveling. The fact that it has become blunt will not interfere with tightening; the hardware is installed in the prepared hole in the joists.

Step 4. Drill a hole in the floorboard with a feather. It should be located strictly in the middle of the log.

Important. While drilling, be careful to ensure that the joist remains intact. The strength of fixation of the self-tapping screw depends on this.

Step 5. Insert a large self-tapping screw into the hole and screw it until it touches the concrete base of the floor. As soon as the end rests on the concrete, unscrew the screw a little and screw it in again. After each repeated screwing in, the joists will rise slightly and the floor will be leveled.

Always monitor the position of the boards using a level. The distance between the screws on the joists, depending on the expected loads on the floor, is within 50–60 cm. After leveling, the holes are sealed and sanded. This leveling method is also suitable for preparing the base for laminate or flexible finishing floor coverings.

Leveling floors made of natural boards using sanding machines

As an example, let’s consider the most difficult option – the floor is old, the surface is painted oil paints, unevenness of boards up to 3 mm. Checking the condition of the surface is determined by the method described above; the integrity of the lumber is beyond doubt. Simultaneously with leveling, the floor is renewed and becomes suitable for use without new coatings.

Step 1. Removing old paint from the floor surface is one of the most difficult and unpleasant operations. Old paint can be removed in several ways:

• chemical There are various special implementations chemical substances. They cover old paint; to prevent too rapid evaporation, the floor should be covered with plastic film. After 10–15 minutes, the paint becomes soft and can be removed with a metal spatula. Disadvantages of this method: you only need to work in means personal protection respiratory organs and non-residential premises, the paint is not all removed due to the difference in thickness. In addition, the floor needs to be treated in small areas, their size should be such that after one soaking you can have time to remove soft covering. Otherwise, the paint becomes hard again, and you have to start all over again;
• thermal. Special powerful construction hairdryer layer heats up old paint and while it is hot, remove it with a spatula. Quite difficult, long and smoky work. The method has more disadvantages than advantages;
• mechanical. To remove paint, special metal cutters with a particularly durable, coarse abrasive coating are used. Discs are fixed on cylindrical grinding wheels electric machines kah (Bulgarian). To reduce the amount of dust, a cover is put on the grinder, and the device is connected to a powerful industrial vacuum cleaner. The most optimal, according to professionals, method for removing old paint.

Step 2. After removing the paint, vacuum the floor thoroughly, do not leave even the slightest residue, as it will clog the sanding wheels.

The floor is vacuumed after paint removal

Step 3. Sink the nail heads into the boards. To do this, use a metal punch and a hammer. If you don’t have a special finisher, you can make it yourself from a piece of reinforcement or wire rod. The length of the finisher is approximately 10 cm; too long is inconvenient to work with. The depth of penetration depends on the size of the floor unevenness and is determined by eye. If the nails are not pierced, their heads damage the sandpaper and the impeller of the grinding machine. As a result, the quality of surface treatment deteriorates significantly, in some cases it is necessary to change the drive shaft. Besides, a large number of metal caps causes rapid wear of the abrasive paper, requiring frequent replacement, which increases the estimated cost of the work.

Another problem with protruding caps is that they cannot be puttied; in any case, they will have to be recessed, and after sanding, the surface of the boards can be damaged.

Step 4. Start sanding the floor. This can be done with a grinder or a grinder. In the first case, it is difficult to work, it will take a lot of time, and the premises will become dusty. Besides, small sizes Grinder discs cannot provide a flat surface. Inexperienced builders may leave marks after each pass, which will require additional time to remove. We strongly recommend using grinding machines. There is no need to buy units for one room; you can borrow or rent them.

You need to sand the floor with three types of sandpaper: coarse, medium and fine. The first is used to level the boards, the second performs final leveling and rough sanding, and the third is used for final finishing.

Step 5. Place some coarse sandpaper on your car. The floor boards need to be leveled in a diagonal direction, and the machine cannot be stopped in one place, it must constantly move.

Practical advice. Do not try to remove large uneven areas in one pass, this is very dangerous and may leave noticeable furrows. If the floor is very uneven, then you need to go over its entire surface several times until final leveling. Without diagonal sanding, waves will remain on the floor surface, remember this rule. As practice shows, leveling will require at least four passes of the machine over the entire area of ​​the room.

Step 6. Use a powerful vacuum cleaner to remove dust from the surface. Special attention Pay attention to the corners around the perimeter of the room and the gaps between the boards. Inspect all the gaps; if you find hard dirt in them, remove it with a metal spatula or other flat object.

Step 7 Prepare putty for sealing genital cracks. You can buy it ready-made in a specialized store or make it yourself. The color of the putty can be a wood tone or contrasting. The second solution is currently considered fashionable style, this method is used to make expensive deck floors. Decide for yourself which option to choose; the leveling technology does not change.

Step 8 Carefully fill all cracks in the floor. Pack the material tightly with a small flat spatula. Do not smear the putty on the surface of the boards, but rather stuff it into the cracks. Remove excess and reuse.

Practical advice. There are several types of putty available: polymer, acrylic and oil. Polymer is the most expensive and of the highest quality; acrylic is suitable in all respects, but less wear-resistant. Oil paint takes a long time to dry and shrinks a lot. You will have to repeat the putty after the first drying.

If you don’t have factory putty, you can make it yourself. In stores there are special liquids for preparing putty mass. Add sawdust collected after leveling the floor with a machine. Never use PVA for putty. The fact is that the glue heated during sanding becomes soft and stretches, and hard-to-remove stripes appear on the floor. You can use wood varnishes; this putty can only be used to seal narrow cracks. It is not recommended to make putty based on drying oil or ordinary vegetable oil.

Step 9 Once the putty has completely dried, begin sanding the floor. The movements should be longitudinal, while alternately changing the sanding paper to a finer-grained one. Thanks to this technology, the surface will be as smooth and even as possible.

Due to its large dimensions, a drum sander cannot reach places with limited access; areas along the walls will have to be sanded manually. To make the work easier, you can use a small surface grinder. Make sure that the quality of floor leveling is the same over the entire surface. Use the same sanding paper numbers as for the drum type machine.

Important. Remember that without electric machines it is impossible to obtain a flat floor of the required quality. Sanding the floor with wooden block not only very tedious, but also ineffective.

Step 10 Use a vacuum cleaner to carefully remove dust. If the room is large, it is recommended to repeat the cleaning the next day. During this time, the dust will settle from the air to the floor; repeated cleaning will prevent it from getting on the paintwork materials.

Finishing

Next, you can begin finishing the smooth and sanded floor. To improve adhesion to lumber and protect them from negative influence moisture, it is recommended to prime the surface. For these purposes, they are used special compounds, the specific name of the materials does not matter, all have normal performance characteristics.

The primer performs another very important function - it lifts the smallest pile on the wood. If it is not applied, the floor surface will become rough after varnishing. The primer is applied with a roller; in hard-to-reach places, use paint brush. After drying, you can continue working.

Step 1. Remove any raised lint from the boards. To do this, you need to use P120 sandpaper; larger grains will leave marks. It is recommended to sand the pile by hand, this will ensure the highest quality work. To control, you should periodically run your palm over the surface; the boards should be perfectly smooth. Start working from the farthest area and move towards the exit from the room.

Step 2. Remove dust with a vacuum cleaner and vacuum the room twice.

Step 3. Start covering the floor with varnish. To achieve high quality you need at least two layers of varnish. The second is applied only after the first has completely dried.

Important. While applying varnish, close doors and windows and avoid drafts. They bring dust, which can only be removed from the floor surface by sanding. This means that all work will have to be repeated, which is expensive and time-consuming.

If you do everything correctly, the old floor will not only become smooth, but will also look stylish, taking into account modern requirements for the interior of premises. We will look at how to level a wooden floor using plywood or OSB in a separate article. Let us say right away that such repairs do not ultimately allow us to have a finishing flooring made of natural boards, and this is a big drawback of the technology.

Answers on questions

How to remove rotten boards?

If there are a lot of them, then everything can be solved simply - use a crowbar and a nail puller, try not to damage only the joists. And if there are only a few such boards, then the leaky ones should be dismantled very carefully. In order not to damage nearby ones, rotten ones should be cut in several places and removed in parts. Never rest the tool on normal boards, do not leave marks on them. As a last resort, you can use wooden spacers, but they sometimes leave dents.

Is it possible to use a sanding machine to level a wooden floor?

It is possible, but not necessary for several reasons. Firstly, it removes a very large thickness of boards. Secondly, the machine leaves a wide and high untreated strip around the perimeter, remove manually its very difficult. Thirdly, modern grinding machines, using sandpapers with different numbers, perfectly perform two jobs at the same time. Fourthly, scraping machines are dangerous units; a flying metal knife causes complex injuries. Fifthly, knives are often damaged by metal objects.

An old floor may have nails driven in not only above the joists; it is very difficult to notice them. Damaged knives need to be sharpened or replaced with new ones. For turning you will need a special machine; such work cannot be done manually. Search grinding machine or buying new knives is a waste of time and money.

Prices for popular sanding machines

scraping machine

Video - How to sand a wooden floor yourself

Leveling old wood floors for new flooring

Painting a newly renovated room will not decorate it at all. Sanding and varnishing it would be an ideal solution to the problem, but often this cannot be done due to the condition of the floor boards. What to do if the interior of the room looks perfect, but is impossible due to financial or time constraints?

Here you can use a new product on the building materials market - it perfectly imitates natural wood, but is much cheaper. Yes, and it’s not difficult. However, to use this, the subfloor must be level.

Leveling the floor with significant defects and even boards

If the difference in floor height reaches 1 cm, but the existing boards are twisted with a screw and have not rotted, then the scraping method can be used to level it.

Leveling the floor with significant defects

Is it possible to level an old wooden floor if the boards are unusable? Definitely not. Boards that have dried out and begun to rot should not even be used as a base.

The following solutions are possible here:

1. Complete dismantling of the floor along with joists. Then on expanded clay bedding, reinforced steel mesh. After the concrete has dried and gained strength, the screed is covered with a backing (plywood or OSB), on which the laminate is placed.
2. If the condition of the old logs is still acceptable for further use, then it is better to make a flooring of OSB or plywood over them. The thickness of these materials, which carry the entire load, should be 18-22 mm, depending on the pitch of the logs.

Sheets should be cut so that adjacent edges rest on the same support. An alternative to a single sheet floor base can be two sheets 10-12 mm thick with overlapping joints and tightening with self-tapping screws in increments of no more than 30 cm.

To level an old wooden floor under a new and modern floor covering (such as laminate), many methods have been developed. Some of them are quite accessible to do with your own hands, while others will require the involvement of professionals. In any case, the advice of the latter should never be neglected.

Laying plywood on a wooden floor (video)

Living in it becomes uncomfortable. The boards creak, sag or, conversely, bulge, diverge, forming cracks.

The aesthetics of the room are disrupted and a traumatic environment is created. On such a floor it is easy to fall and hurt yourself. To avoid serious troubles and improve the condition of your home, uneven floors are leveled. They do this in different ways.

Dry methods

An uneven floor must be leveled if the height difference is more than 5 cm. This uneven floor is visible to the naked eye. The surface may have a slope in any direction. In another case, the boards are located unevenly, in waves: one protrudes, the other sinks, bends. There are several options for eliminating floor unevenness using the dry method.

Installation of mini-lags from bars (tape support)

Tape support is one of the most reliable ways for leveling uneven wooden floors. The method is used for height differences from 3 to 10 cm. The timber serves as a lining for the boardwalk. He must be different thicknesses to be positioned evenly in the direction of increasing slope. For ease of installation, craftsmen use pieces of plywood rather than wood.

To install minilags correctly, a preliminary calculation is carried out and the readings are verified with a meter level. The distance between them correlates with the thickness of the sheets made from wood waste.

It is not recommended to lay sheets that are too thick to level an uneven wooden floor:

• they are heavy and inconvenient to install with your own hands;
• create additional load on the floor and foundation.

Beams of different sections and sheet products are screwed with self-tapping screws to the wooden base of the floor. The fasteners must be of different lengths, since the distance to the boards varies. Mini-lags are attached across and along the boards. It is important to mark the sheets as accurately as possible at the drilling points.

Installation of leveling point supports (blocks)

If indoors uneven wooden floor, the defect can be eliminated and leveled using point supports, which are called slabs. They are installed under sheet products in the form of a mesh. This produces cells, the dimensions of which are determined by the thickness of the sheets.

Such cell sizes will not allow the wooden floor covering to sag during subsequent use.

Since the supporting “posts” are located pointwise, careful markings are made on the sheets and screws are screwed in at the points. Additionally, the sheets are fixed to the very base of the floor, choosing longer fasteners.

Methods for leveling uneven wooden floors without screed are highly effective. After leveling work, the surface acquires ideal shape and holds the finishing coat well. 8-10 cm is a height difference at which it is better to dismantle the old floor and lay a new base with replacement joists.

Wet screed method

For minor unevenness (up to 3mm), the wooden floor can be covered with acrylic putty or sealant. Before work, the boards are primed to protect the wood and ensure better adhesion with the leveling mixture. The composition is applied in a thin layer, distributing evenly along pre-made marks on the walls, along the beacons.

It is important to know: the thickness of the layer determines the amount of time it takes to dry. To prevent the putty from cracking over time, PVA glue is added to it. After the mixture has dried, the surface is sanded.

If uneven wooden floor has a slope of more than 3 mm, apply. This is not a very suitable way for wooden base. The screed creates a significant load on the base and floors. It is most possible when the boards are laid on concrete or brick columns, reinforced concrete supports. The need for it arises, for example, when using tiles as a finishing coating.

To level an uneven wooden floor using the “wet” method, dry mixtures with components are used that provide the screed with elasticity and special strength. These include various plasticizers and synthetic fillers.

1. Before applying the leveling compound, wooden floors are checked for ventilation. If it is not there, then holes are drilled in certain places on the surface, and decorative grilles are installed on top of the finishing coating.
2. The boards are covered with plastic film, which serves as waterproofing. The tree is afraid of water. And when the screed is wet, the dry mixture is diluted with this liquid.
3. The leveling composition is poured onto the surface in portions and distributed evenly using a special rule. You can work gradually, filling small areas.
4. After the screed has dried, it is sanded and primed.

Wet screed on a wooden base is rarely done. The main reason is the incompatibility of wood and leveling composition. Wood is mobile and cement mixture It is static, so it may crack and crumble over time.

When choosing a method for leveling an uneven wooden floor, we focus on the specific conditions of the room. It is important that during subsequent use the surface does not deform and the finishing coating does not deteriorate.

Comfortable living in a home depends on many conditions. These include the quality of finishing and general state surfaces, including leveling uneven wooden floors.

Leveling the plank floor.

In some old houses from the times of Stalin and Khrushchev, plank, uneven wooden floors remained. Over time, the floorboards rot, become loose and begin to creak. And during repairs, in order to remove the defects of the old uneven floor, a new coating in the form of laminate or linoleum is used.

But before laying a new floor, it is recommended to level the subfloor using sheet material. You can carry out this procedure yourself without the involvement of specialist builders and at minimal cost. To level the floor, it is best to use plywood, since fiberboard sheets will eventually take the shape of an uneven floor and waves will appear again. Plywood has irreplaceable qualities for a material that is used to level an old wooden floor.

It is relatively light in weight, quite durable, resistant to stress and water, well polished, and has no unpleasant odor. The material does not change its properties with changes in temperature and humidity.

In order to carry out the procedure for leveling a wooden floor, it is necessary to prepare the tools and materials that will be needed during the work process.

• plywood sheets;
• roll insulation;
• screwdriver and screws;
• jigsaw;

Preparing to level a wooden floor in an apartment

• Initially, it is necessary to check the condition of the communications that are laid under the floor, since after completion of the work there will be no free access to them.
• Next, you need to get rid of various irregularities that are very typical for a wooden floor.
• Secure and, if necessary, replace old, rotten, creaky boards.
• As additional insulation, if the floor is initially cold, you can use rolled mineral wool insulation.

The prepared plywood sheets are laid on the floor and in order to evaluate the strength and reliability of the coating, you should walk on it. During such tests, additional defects may be revealed that can be corrected immediately without dismantling the floor. If it turns out that the floor is sagging, then it is necessary to additionally place pieces of fiberboard in these places.

The most optimal and reliable fastening of plywood sheets is fastening with self-tapping screws, which do not need to be driven in completely at the initial stage of fastening. In places where the plywood sags, it is unacceptable to make fastenings. After securing the sheets, you need to carefully walk over the finished flooring again.

This is necessary in order to check how firmly and correctly the sheets are fitted to each other. If the result of the test is satisfactory and pleasing, then all the screws will be driven all the way, firmly burying the head in the wood.

After fixing the sheet material, the screw heads and seams are puttied using acrylic sealant. The advantage of such putty is that even if the boards and sheets sag a little, the sealant, due to its high plasticity, will not break down or spill out.

After completing the installation of the plywood sheets, you can begin laying another linoleum or laminate flooring.

Leveling an uneven wooden floor - video

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Plywood is a relatively inexpensive, fairly durable and easy-to-process material, perfect for leveling a wooden floor. Plywood is mainly used to level out small differences in the height of the base before the upcoming laying of the finishing coating. If desired, you can even lay tiles on top of the plywood.

• with height differences of up to 5-10 mm, plywood is attached directly to the base;
• with differences of 10-80 mm - on logs or adjustable studs.

Attaching plywood to the base

The simplest option. The procedure is as follows.

Note! The illustrations contain third-party fasteners. We don't pay attention to them.

First step. The plywood sheets are allowed to acclimatize, after which they are marked into squares of approximately 60x60 cm (you can change the sizes at your discretion to make it convenient), cut with a jigsaw or other suitable tool along the marking lines and lay out the resulting elements on the floor of the room, thereby determining the most optimal, correct and rational laying scheme in terms of the amount of waste.

Let the plywood acclimate

Second step. A visual assessment of the coating and seams is carried out. The plywood is laid with bandaging, so that the seams between elements placed in adjacent rows do not intersect. Correct option Laying of sheets is shown in the image. Detected inaccuracies are immediately corrected. The gap between sheets of plywood is up to 2-3 mm (most often a 0.5-1 mm gap is maintained), between plywood and adjacent walls - from 5-10 mm.

Third step. The sheets are numbered for greater convenience in their future placement. At the same stage, if necessary, the surface is polished. special tool or manually sandpaper(long and laborious).

Fourth step. The covering is disassembled, the sheets are temporarily removed to the side. The base is cleaned of debris, dust and other contaminants.

The sheets are laid out on the surface in accordance with the previously selected pattern and compliance with the mentioned gaps. The flooring elements are attached to the wooden base using self-tapping screws.

The optimal length of fasteners is 3.2 cm. Recess the screw caps into the plywood by a couple of millimeters.

The optimal arrangement of fasteners is as follows: one for each corner of the sheet, one in the center of each side, one in the center of the sheet.

Helpful advice! If plywood is laid on top of a solid plank flooring, you can use PVA wood glue to attach it in combination with self-tapping screws. In this case, firstly, better bonding of the plywood to the base will be ensured, and secondly, the risk of squeaks when walking on the floor will be further reduced.

It is convenient to use a notched trowel to apply the glue. Either the base or a sheet of plywood is covered with a binder composition - whichever is more convenient in specific situation. Recommendations regarding optimal thickness Specify the glue layer in the instructions for the composition used. The order is as follows: first the sheets are glued, then additionally fixed with self-tapping screws.

Also check the instructions for the selected adhesive for the drying time of the glue.

Video - How to level a floor with plywood yourself

Video - How to level the floor with your own hands under laminate, linoleum, floor coverings

For arranging logs, high-quality coniferous or deciduous (except poplar and linden, as they are not strong enough) boards of 2-3 grades, 4 cm thick, 8-10 cm wide, are well suited.

Under the logs there are pads 10-15 cm wide, 2.5 cm thick and about 20-25 cm long. The thickness of the pads can vary depending on the existing differences in the base. The linings are set strictly according to the level so that the logs, and with them the plywood laid above, do not deviate from the horizontal.

More modern method leveling the base involves installing joists on adjustable studs. Information regarding determining the working level and installing joists on adjustable supports was provided in the publication dedicated to.

Adjustable jog design

The logs under the plywood are installed in 40-50 cm increments. The supports are mounted across the room. A 2-3 cm gap is maintained between the ends of the joists and the walls.

The procedure for installing joists followed by laying plywood flooring is given in the table.

Table. Leveling the floor with plywood along the joists

Work stage	Description
	The leveled base is cleared of all existing dirt and debris.
	Recommendations for determining the working level according to which the surface will be leveled are available at the previously provided link.
	To level out elevation differences in in this example bosses are used - linings made from pieces of timber, plywood, etc. In order to increase the accuracy of level control and the stability of the structure, place the bosses not only at the edges, but also in the center of each joist. If the log length exceeds 2 m, install additional pads in 50 cm increments. By changing the height of the bosses, ensure that they are located in a single plane. You can make sure that there are no differences using a level or, even simpler, a rule - a straight strip with a length (specifically for this case) of at least 200 cm. The principle is as follows: lay the rule on the bosses and make sure that the tool lies flat and without gaps on all the pads . Helpful advice! Place a piece of linoleum or roofing felt on top of the bosses. The material will take on the functions of a shock absorber and allow you to more accurately adjust the level of fastening of the logs. Do not fix the bosses at this stage. The wooden floor is leveled, so later, after laying the logs, you can tighten them to the base using self-tapping screws or other suitable fasteners directly through the pads.
	Proceed with laying the joists on the bosses. Maintain the pitch between the lags in accordance with the dimensions of the plywood sheet (in the example under consideration - 600 mm). Make sure the lags are evenly positioned using a building level or a rule according to an already familiar pattern. Eliminate any deviations found by adding or removing material from the corresponding bosses. For attaching the joists to wooden floor, as noted, it is convenient to use self-tapping screws. Screw 2 fasteners into each point.
	Without cross slats, plywood flooring will very quickly deform and fail. The slats are made from the same material as the joists. In the center of each future cross member, place bosses on the base. Attach the rail to the base through the bosses using self-tapping screws - 2 for each lining. To fasten the crossbars to the joists, use metal corners. The pitch between slats is up to 50 cm.
	Having finished arranging the sheathing, proceed to laying the sheet material. Each sheet must be supported by at least 2 joists. To prevent squeaks when subsequently walking on the floor, lay sheets with gaps of up to 0.5 mm. The plywood is attached to the joists and intermediate slats using self-tapping screws. Maintain a 50-70 cm spacing between fasteners. Recess the heads of the screws slightly into the wood.

Video - Leveling the floor with plywood along the joists

Fastening plywood with adjustable studs

This option for leveling the floor with plywood is the simplest and fastest in its implementation: anchors are screwed into the base and plywood is put on them through pre-prepared holes. By screwing in/unscrewing the anchors, the required floor level is set.

The system looks like this:

It was discussed in detail in the corresponding publication on our website, be sure to read it.

Video - Laying plywood on adjustable studs

As noted, the technology allows the use of plywood to level bases whose height differences do not exceed 80 mm. But what if the irregularities are more significant? Stop using plywood? Not necessary.

Recommendations regarding the mandatory preliminary elimination of differences in height are given for the simple reason that sheet material under the influence of loads placed on it, it will repeat the contours of irregularities, become deformed and fail.

To prevent this from happening, do the following.

To start, take long level and find places with the most pronounced elevation changes. In the identified areas, screw screws into the floor in increments of about 20 cm. By tightening/unscrewing the screws, ensure that their heads are located at the same horizontal level.

The plywood will be laid on screwed screws. To prevent the sheets from sagging, the void between them and the uneven base needs to be filled with something. A mixture prepared from a share of small sawdust and the same amount of PVA glue is perfect. Before laying plywood, coat the recesses with the specified composition. Additionally, cover the side of the sheet with which it is laid on the base with a double layer of PVA glue. The mixture dries within a week.

To ensure the highest quality and even fit of the plywood to the base, secure the sheets with self-tapping screws. Maintain a 50cm step. The correct layout of fasteners is shown in the image.

Video - How to level a wooden floor with plywood

• How to level a wooden floor with your own hands?
• Wet floor screed
• Wet screed floor leveling technology
• Leveling a wooden floor using the scraping method
  • Mechanical scraping technologies
• Leveling the floor using PVA glue and putty
• Leveling the floor with a self-leveling mixture
• Leveling the floor with plywood

How to level a wooden floor with your own hands?

Wooden floors tend to deform over time. To eliminate unevenness, cracks and deflections, flooring is performed. Before laying laminate, linoleum or other types finishing needs to be leveled. This is quite a difficult task. But if you follow all the rules, you can perform the installation correctly and reliably.

There are several ways to level a wooden floor: sanding, putty, liquid screed or plywood.

Wood is a material that requires careful care, as it is susceptible to sagging, cracking and other deformations.

Leveling a wooden floor allows you to eliminate deformations that could negatively affect the future coating.

This work can be done in the following ways:

• scraping;
• leveling using PVA glue and putty;
• self-leveling mixture;
• plywood.

First of all, you need to assess the condition of the wooden floor. To do this, you need to check whether there is mold, microorganisms or insects on the boards.

For this purpose, you need to disconnect one board and carefully inspect it on the sides and back. If the surface is solid, there is no presence of fungus or insects, then the floor has good quality and it doesn't need to be changed. If there are traces of microorganisms and deformation, you need to replace the boards that have become unusable or lay a new floor.

Using a level, determine the deviation of the surface from the horizontal position. Then they begin to level the surface.

Restoring an old plank floor is much easier and cheaper than complete replacement coverings. Of course, both the joists and the boards must be strong enough for this, and the damaged areas must not be too large. There are several ways to level a wooden floor, depending on the degree of deformation.

To choose the right alignment method, you first need to accurately assess the extent of the damage. To do this, you need to walk over the entire surface, carefully examine every centimeter of the floor, remove 1-2 boards and inspect the joists. If rotten or bug-eaten areas are visible, serious repairs will be required, with replacement of damaged parts. If the logs and boards are in good condition, without cracks or rot, the floor does not bend or creak under load, and the only defects are peeling paint and a wavy surface, repair costs will be minimal.

Small cracks or squeaks are also not a problem, since such defects are not difficult to eliminate. If the gaps between the boards are wider than 10 mm or there is a noticeable slope of the floor, the wooden surface will have to be covered with sheet material, such as chipboard.

So, if the damage is minimal, the easiest way to level the floor is to treat it with a sanding machine. If you couldn’t rent a machine, you can use an electric planer.

scraping machine

Step 1. Surface preparation

All unnecessary items are removed from the premises, baseboards are removed, and trash is carefully swept away. The protruding nail heads are hammered in using a hammer so that they are recessed into the boards by a few millimeters. Areas of the floor that are loosely adjacent to the joists are additionally reinforced with self-tapping screws.

Step 2. Looping

When working with a sanding machine, you will need headphones and a respirator. Start working from the corner, slowly moving along the wall. Having reached the second corner, they turn the machine around and move in the opposite direction, treating the floor surface in narrow stripes.

Step 3. Seal the cracks

After removing the top layer of wood, all the cracks and cracks in the floor become clearly visible. To seal them, use acrylic putty of the appropriate shade, which is carefully applied and leveled with a metal or rubber spatula.

acrylic putty

Step 4. Final floor treatment

After waiting for the putty to dry, the boards are scraped again, then the floor is vacuumed and primed. If the primer is absorbed very quickly, another coat should be applied to properly close the pores of the wood. After this, the boards can be painted or sealed with wood varnish.

In the case where the floor has wavy unevenness due to the deformation of the boards, but is strictly horizontal, it can be leveled using sheet covering - plywood, chipboard, cement-bonded particle boards or gypsum fiber board. Fiberboard is not suitable for these purposes, since over time it takes the form of a base.

Comparison table of sheet materials for flooring

Name	Characteristics	Thickness
Moisture-resistant plywood	High strength, thermal insulation properties, suitable for any finishing coating	From 4 to 24 mm
Cement particle boards (CPS)	Durability, environmental friendliness, non-flammability	From 10 to 32 mm
Chipboard	High strength, sound and heat insulating properties, ease of processing	From 6 to 28 mm
Gypsum fiber boards	Suitable for any coating, has a perfectly flat surface, heat-insulating properties	From 10 to 12.5 mm
OSB	High strength, durability, suitable for any coating	9 mm

To work you will need:

• screwdriver;
• jigsaw;
• self-tapping screws;
• primer;
• acrylic sealant or putty;
• any sheet material for flooring.

Step 1. Preparing the base

The baseboards are removed, the peeling paint is removed from the floor surface, the protruding nails are hammered in, and the cracks and recesses in the boards are covered with putty. Then the debris and dust are removed and the floor is primed.

Step 2. Cutting and adjusting the material

The size of a chipboard sheet is 250x185 cm, plywood is 125x125 cm, so for convenience the sheets are cut into several parts. Optimal for installation are squares of 60x60 cm; they are less affected by thermal expansion, since the number of damper joints increases. The material is cut with a hacksaw with fine teeth or a jigsaw; so that during cutting chipboard edges did not crumble, you need to stick masking tape along the cut line. Cutting plywood should be done as carefully as possible to avoid torn edges.

An important point: if, when cutting a plywood sheet, its edges delaminate, the material is not suitable for laying on the floor.

So, the sheets cut into squares are brought into the room, laid out on the floor and adjusted to the size of the base. They cut out the material to fit the existing protrusions or niches, cut off the outer sheets to move the seams, leave technological gaps around the perimeter of the room and damper seams between the squares themselves. To avoid mixing up the elements during installation, immediately after fitting each square must be numbered.

Step 3. Laying the coating

When using waterproof plywood, you can immediately begin laying, but chipboard must be pre-treated with drying oil or covered with 2 layers of primer. The first sheet is laid from the corner, leaving a gap of 1-1.5 cm between the edge and the walls. The length of the screws for fastening should be three times the thickness of the material. Screw in screws in places where the material is in close contact with the board, that is, in the upper part of the wave. If the waves run along each board, you can use sheets with a thickness of 8-10 mm, but if the distance between the waves is more than 20 cm, the recommended thickness is from 16 mm.

The distance between the screws should not exceed 20 cm; holes for fasteners are pre-expanded at the top with a drill larger diameter so that the screw heads are hidden in the thickness of the material. A gap of up to 10 mm is left between adjacent sheets of plywood; the rows are laid with the seams offset by half the sheet. If necessary, you can install a second layer of coating, covering the bottom seams with whole sheets. Both layers are fastened together with self-tapping screws.

Step 4: Finishing

When the rough coating is laid, the joints between the sheets and the recesses from the screws are covered with acrylic putty or sealant on the same base. Next, use a level to check that the floor is horizontal and that there are no unevennesses. Rough areas are treated with sandpaper or a sanding attachment, dust is removed from the surface, and primed. After this, the base is completely ready for laying the finishing coating.

Video - leveling the floor with plywood

If, in addition to the wavy surface, the floor has a noticeable slope, another leveling method is used - attaching plywood to joists. This way you can even out differences from 3 to 10 cm in height and prepare a reliable base for any coating. Beams, strong boards, and strips of plywood up to 4 cm wide are used as lags. The preparation of the base is carried out as standard: everything unnecessary is taken out of the room, the baseboards are removed, the old coating is cleaned, and defects are repaired.

Step 1. Marking the floor level

From the highest point of the base, a mark is projected onto the wall using a level gauge. They retreat upward a distance equal to the thickness of the coating and put another mark. Now, using a water level, marks are placed at this height along the entire perimeter and connected in one line. This is the floor level.

Step 2. Installation of logs

If there is a risk of the base becoming damp, a waterproofing film is placed on top of the boards; in other cases, the logs are attached directly to the wooden surface. The beams can be installed both along and across the boards.

The logs are laid flat in parallel rows at a distance of no more than half a meter and fastened with nails. Then, using a level and wooden pads of different thicknesses, each joist is aligned horizontally. To prevent the linings from moving, they are glued together. When all the logs are level, the nails are driven in completely, securely securing the beams to the wooden floor.

The thinner the plywood, the smaller the distance between the joists; in places where increased load on the floor is expected, cross members made of beams of a smaller cross-section are additionally attached between the joists.

Step 3. Laying plywood

Sheets of plywood are cut into squares and laid out on joists for fitting. On each square it is necessary to immediately mark the places for fasteners so that during installation you do not drill extra holes. If the material lies neatly and evenly, there are no unnecessary gaps, you can attach it to the joists. Start with the outermost square and gradually move along the row. The screws need to be slightly recessed into the plywood so that the caps are 1-2 millimeters below the surface. Be sure to watch the joints - they should not match anywhere.

moisture resistant plywood

Step 4. Installation of ventilation holes

To extend the life of the wooden base, it is necessary to make small holes in the floor for ventilation. In opposite corners of the room, preferably under heating batteries, determine the location for the ventilation grilles and make neat cutouts in the plywood. A ventilation grill is installed on top, covering the joints with glue or sealant.

Step 4. Finishing the floor

The finished coating is checked with a building level, all joints and fastening points are inspected. If no defects are observed, the seams and recesses from the screws are covered with putty, then the surface is sanded and dust-free. Finally, apply the primer mixture and allow the base to dry.

Dry mixture for floor screed

During the work you will need:

• kneading container;
• construction mixer;
• fiberglass mesh;
• primer;
• putty knife;
• putty;
• polyethylene film;
• stapler

Step 1: Preparing the floor

The boards are cleaned of old paint, grease stains, debris and dust, the baseboards are removed and thin planks are laid instead so that the solution does not get into the gaps. The gaps between the floor and the boards, as well as small cracks and recesses, are filled with putty, and the entire surface is primed.

Waterproofing and reinforcement

A plastic film is laid on the floor, the joints of the overlapping strips are secured with tape, and a fiberglass mesh is laid on top for reinforcement. To prevent the mesh from moving and floating up when pouring the mixture, it is fastened to the floor with staplers. In this case, it is very important to hammer in the staples so that the mesh is not pressed tightly against the base. It should be in the thickness of the solution, and not under it, otherwise there is no point in laying it.

Step 3. Pouring the mixture

The dry mixture is poured into a container with clean water, observing the proportions indicated on the package, and stir for a minute construction mixer. The finished composition must be applied and leveled within 15 minutes until the solution begins to harden. The mixture is poured onto the floor and leveled with a wide notched spatula over the entire surface.

Step 4: Finishing

4 hours after applying the screed, the boards along the walls can be carefully pulled out and the joints can be sanded. After this, the surface is ready for any finishing coating.

Sometimes, to level a plank floor, a cement-sand screed up to 7 cm thick is used. But in this case, both the floor itself and the ceilings must be very durable, in excellent condition, which is rare for an old floor.

Video - Leveling a wooden floor

Video - How to level a wooden floor in an old house