DIY: How to level a uneven, wavy, or sloping wood floor

Поділитися
Вставка
  • Опубліковано 28 гру 2024

КОМЕНТАРІ • 615

  • @richardparnell8402
    @richardparnell8402 2 роки тому +46

    Ok so I deleted my previous comment saying this was genius, and wanted to write something else, while this is genius it was also a lifesaver thank you. I saw some Comments saying that it saved money and it's worth the time it took ; I couldn't agree more. My wife and I thank you. We busted out asses today doing this to get ready for vinyl plank flooring. So excited.

    • @737T1C130
      @737T1C130  2 роки тому +4

      Glad it helped, Richard. I stayed awake at night trying to think how to level the floor without demolishing and rebuilding the structure and creating a huge amount of more work and expense for myself. Hope the finished product turns out great.

    • @richardparnell8402
      @richardparnell8402 2 роки тому +1

      @@737T1C130 thank you I'll let you know. I'm still trying to figure things out I haven't done a lot of this kind of stuff but I'm trying. This is basically the only option for me as I own a townhouse and the osb goes under the walls lol what a mess. I'm thinking of using 5/8" ply for on-top but unsure how far apart the new joists (for lack of a better word) can be apart. I could also use thicker osb on top and just go 16"on center. All the door frame jambs stop are one piece metal so I'm not sure how adding over an inch to the subfloor will work out. I'll let you know how it goes, thanks again.

    • @richardparnell8402
      @richardparnell8402 2 роки тому +4

      I stand by the fact that it's a good idea but the floors in my house are out in every direction and this didn't work, it did at the start but the further I went the more it was off. So I pulled up the OSB and used 2x4's and even still it's a pain because the Joists are cupped from top to bottom,, have a hard crown one way, a dip the other, they are no level with eachother. It's going to be a fight every step of the way and because it's a townhouse the osb goes under the walls to the next house so I have to build the joist out from under the wall then up to the level of the other joists. It's a nightmare and progress is very slow. I'll beat it because I have no choice. Hope your house turned out well.

    • @redeyejedi3753
      @redeyejedi3753 Рік тому

      You fixed nothing. If the floor is unlevel, you have major problems! Dunning Kruger... is real

  • @bigbopete2667
    @bigbopete2667 5 років тому +84

    I do carpentry work and I was taken to school watching this video. This is some that Zen master work right here. My girl said that you were a genius. I would have never thought to do this but now I know. Much respect homeboy. I love people like you because you dont mind sharing the knowledge. Thanks Bruh.

  • @joshpeppertube
    @joshpeppertube Рік тому +4

    From a Carpenter over in the UK presented with the exact issue you have, can I just say thank you, as you have shown me a perfect way to solve the issue I have. Much appreciated.

  • @737T1C130
    @737T1C130  5 років тому +264

    PLEASE READ before you ask why I didn't just fix the foundation, beams, or joists. There was a brick chimney estimated to weigh about 2200 pounds that was sitting directly on the floor and was unsupported from underneath. The house was built in 1916 and over the years, the large 8-10" hardwood carrying beams, joists, and two layers of perpendicular subfloor planks all warped under the weight. I removed the chimney and jacked up the house, replaced the footer and concrete block perimeter foundation, but the curvature of the beams could not be straightened, and there is only a small crawlspace underneath to work. The floor is now supported from below with concrete and posts, but I needed to correct the warping above WITHOUT SPENDING an enormous amount of time and money rebuilding the structure. If I wanted a perfect like new house, I would have rented and excavator, destroyed and buried this one, then built a new one. It would have been less work. This, however, has worked perfectly for my needs. Cheap and fast, and the structure is no less rigid after adding supports below. I uploaded this only because I could find no other methods on UA-cam. It may not be the best way, but it is working out great. I'm using a level, screws, and scribing tool to level an uneven wood floor.

    • @thompsona10625
      @thompsona10625 5 років тому +18

      I have the exact same problem and was wracking my brain how to level it. I have installed a carrier beam and jacked the house up but due to the chronic sag of the joists and the uneven nature of the old foundation, I wound up lifting the whole load bearing wall right off the foundation trying to jack the sag out of the floor. Your method is exactly what I needed!

    • @Mike10001
      @Mike10001 4 роки тому +4

      Great video. My house from the 40' s has the same issue. I used thinset for the rooms that were not very bad but this is a great way to reduce weight. I also think I can adapt it to lessen the transition between rooms.

    • @JosePalacio12
      @JosePalacio12 4 роки тому +2

      I level houses for a living. You could just replace the floor and once its off replace everything else as u go. We hav done it a few times.

    • @737T1C130
      @737T1C130  4 роки тому +3

      JosePalacio12 yeahokthanks

    • @banana987987
      @banana987987 4 роки тому +1

      Great video! Exactly what I needed to know.

  • @daveread4
    @daveread4 7 місяців тому +3

    What a brilliant idea, kudos for engineering this.
    This method is head and shoulders above anything else I've seen on UA-cam. Well done.

  • @thompsona10625
    @thompsona10625 3 роки тому +47

    I came back to tell you that after I watched your video, I used this method to level my floor. It worked so well! It was a bit time consuming but it saved my hundreds if not thousands in floor leveling compound! Thank you!

    • @737T1C130
      @737T1C130  3 роки тому +13

      Thanks, brother! That's all I wanted was to help someone else in the same situation I was in. Made my day. Good luck on your project!

    • @Titantitan001
      @Titantitan001 3 роки тому +4

      Depending on the shape of your structural lumber and the subfloor over. This isn’t really fixing the problem. Just hiding it.

    • @thompsona10625
      @thompsona10625 3 роки тому +7

      The problem with the house wasn’t the lumber or subfloor; it was the foundation. Pre code building in northern Michigan was built with the footer just below the level of the dirt. This led to a 4” discrepancy at the back wall that could not be rectified without lifting the home off the foundation and replacing most of the settled foundation. Simply leveling the subfloor was by far the easiest option on a 100 year old home worth $55k. I certainly agree though that if the issue is structural in regards to the condition of the wood, you should fix the rot or broken supports rather than covering it up. I have 3/4 pine (original) with the shims which are adhered to the floor with construction adhesive and structural screws followed by the new 22/32 plywood which is also glued and screwed to the shims and at every intersection where I can use a 4” screw to contact a joist. She’s solid as a rock and dead flat now without the added weight of 3” or more of leveling compound. It really worked very well :)

    • @LivingBatonRouge
      @LivingBatonRouge 2 роки тому +3

      Hi. I’m going to attempt this. Does the floor sound hollow??
      Did you use any gap filler(spray foam) along the baseboards? Seems like those large gaps would invite unwanted critters. Seems like they could sneak in through the original subfloor and make a home in between the newly laid 2x4’s.
      Thoughts.

    • @thompsona10625
      @thompsona10625 2 роки тому

      @@LivingBatonRouge
      Hi Brian. To date, the floor doesn’t sound hollow at all. There is a gap beneath the floor in a number of areas and I did put a lot of effort into sealing any gaps with foam to prevent unwanted visitors. If you don’t already have a gun like the Great Stuff Pro gun from Home Depot, you should get one. It’s like finding Jesus in a can of spray foam. Best investment ever. First thing I did was leveled the floor joists from the basement/crawl space as far as I could go without lifting the house clean off the foundation, then begin cutting your shims with the smallest diameter circular saw that you can because if your floor is like mine, the line was curved in a wavy orientation so a large diameter blade tends to remove too much from the tighter curves. After I laid it all out, I used a good bead of construction adhesive, pressed the shim to the floor, and carefully pressed them down to the original subfloor with my 8 foot level. The level ensured that the shims were flat and level on top; the glue takes up the gaps. After that, i allowed the adhesive to dry, I sealed all the gaps in cracks around the old subfloor, ran a thin bead of adhesive on the top of each shim, and placed 3/4 plywood over it. 5/8 would suffice but if you want it solid as a rock, use the 3/4. Then I screwed the hell out of it with 3.5” construction screws making sure to reach the joist below. It feels nearly as solid as concrete and mine was dead flat level. Quite a feat considering I had quite a dip at the back of the dining room. After putting life proof vinyl plank over it, it’s very quiet to walk on, not a single creak, and it’s solid. One thing to mention is that before I began, I screwed down the old pine planks to the joist before I even started to eliminate any squeaking.

  • @alexannuk5988
    @alexannuk5988 4 місяці тому +3

    This was amazing to see. I'm 19 and I live in a house that constantly needs to be worked on and I love doing it and to see such a smart technique got me really inspired. It sounds corny, but it's true. I can't wait to try this out myself.

    • @737T1C130
      @737T1C130  4 місяці тому +1

      Thanks. Lots of people tell me I did it wrong, but a "good" method that actually gets done is always better than a "perfect" method that never gets done. Good luck!

  • @paulparker1425
    @paulparker1425 Рік тому +4

    Apologies, this is going to be one of "those" comments. I really liked your approach; everything you did is something I've done before; screws for level, offset contour, and the mark for the final cut, but you put it all together for this solution and it was beautiful. Yet, in this particular instance, I believe we would have jacked and shimmed the stumps instead. Sometimes that's not a very pleasant job if the clearance is tight, but with laser levels these days, it's not technically difficult.

    • @737T1C130
      @737T1C130  Рік тому +7

      No problem, Paul. I had no experience with this and could find no information online on how to level a floor without pulling it up and without using leveling compound. I literally made this up laying in bed staring at the ceiling. It's probably not the best way, but it was acceptable for my purposes and all I could come up with. Thanks for the comment.

    • @dg-vg9di
      @dg-vg9di 10 місяців тому

      Were going to be doing this for my old house as well. We went under the house and jacked up the posts and reshimmed and also added additional posts. We couldn’t jack up some areas as high as we wanted do to the weight of the house in areas so we are doing this shimming on top to finish it.

  • @scottyoung1081
    @scottyoung1081 2 роки тому +1

    Wow! recently bought a house built in 1900 and will use this method to level our uneven floors! Thanks so much for sharing this method, it makes so much sense, and in our case floor leveling materials do not make sense, and our floor has many imperfections and patches with metal plates, etc. You are the Zen Master! Signed a thankful Grasshopper.

  • @JohnGarnerIII
    @JohnGarnerIII 2 роки тому +4

    My wife was adopted from Guatemala by Americans when she was 2 yrs old.
    After we both met in the military we made a home.
    Then i found her mom and family myself in Guatemalq (thank u Google translate) and today her family's Green Cards were approved and they were flown to the USA . Now im building her mom a room in my garage and it's uneven. But here you are, after days of research your video arrived and made sense of all the things that i dont know that i dont know.
    You've just helped my family and I'm grateful you shared your knowledge.

    • @737T1C130
      @737T1C130  2 роки тому +2

      Love to hear of you taking care of family like that! Thanks for your service. I was in the AF for 22 years. Good luck with your project!

  • @scottrheome6217
    @scottrheome6217 Рік тому +4

    I actually do a lot of this, and I actually like how you use the screws to get it level. I'm going to start doing it that way now. It's very helpful, and it's great to see how others do things. You can always learn from others. Great video and thanks for sharing.

  • @andrewkonopitski7939
    @andrewkonopitski7939 2 місяці тому +1

    Incredibly helpful video. Was having a hell of a time trying to figure out how I would level a plank floor in my barn for a new workshop. Thanks for making this content

  • @MassimoBoscoMusic
    @MassimoBoscoMusic 9 місяців тому +2

    That's exactly what I decided to do with the uneven floor in my house. Glad to see it's feasible.

  • @stefanbogojevic8225
    @stefanbogojevic8225 Рік тому +4

    Awesome and helpful video, and one thing came to my mind, that you don't even have to cut the board second time, you can take the height of the last screw (the one which is screwed the most) with a compass, transfer that height from the top of the board and take that point as the starting point for marking wirh compass and for first cut (of course you should start at the part with the biggest deviations , i.e. the part that you cut the most)

  • @marwray1
    @marwray1 Місяць тому +1

    🤩Great common sense way to work this problem out. Love the simplicity of it. Thank you Mr Engleman Sir. 👍🏻✌🏻🙌🏻

  • @lifestooshort81
    @lifestooshort81 2 роки тому +2

    Thanks for sharing this information. I now know how to fix my horribly and uncommonly uneven floor. The floor in my cabin has sloped in multiple directions that traditional methods just won't work. I'm not stupid by any means but the amount of things I need to fix is just overwhelming and the time to put these ideas together seem to get clouded amongst all the other thoughts in me head. Fantastic way to even a floor. I can rest easy now knowing I'm going to level my floor and not just deal with it as-is. :)

  • @nickrossi6821
    @nickrossi6821 4 роки тому +5

    I didn’t even think this was possible, awesome. I’m under contract with an awesome cottage in the mountains that I want to make a short term rental, but the floors are BAD. The house was recently re-braced and they did a good job, but 140 years of sagging didn’t take the warp out of the floors. Instead of jacking up the center of the house and destroying all the walls, this could potentially be the answer!!

  • @JoshuaEllison-vg4wn
    @JoshuaEllison-vg4wn Рік тому +3

    This is exactly the video I needed. I have an old house. The floor joists are 2 x 6 there was two additional beams installed in the basement to stop sag and I can’t really sister the joist because of all the plumbing and wiring so leveling the floor is the best and cheapest option to go. I’m starting this project this summer and this is what I will do, much appreciated for this video. Good job keep it up. 👍

  • @erinpowerdiscovery3930
    @erinpowerdiscovery3930 2 роки тому +3

    Thank you!!!!!! This is exactly the sort of method I had envisioned and it was awesome to find someone who had actually done it! You've done all of the trial and error for me and I am so grateful. I am a single mother and don't have time for messing around. It needs to get done efficiently and I cannot thank you enough for the video! Awesome Job!

    • @737T1C130
      @737T1C130  2 роки тому

      Thanks, Erin. Good luck with your project!

  • @mikelothbrok1485
    @mikelothbrok1485 2 роки тому +1

    Getting ready to do this very same thing, we’ve got a home that was built in the 40’s with the same beam structure and I totally agree with your method because no amount of jacking will help level out those beams, been there done that and this is by far the best and easiest method I’ve discovered.

  • @briangrowsthings
    @briangrowsthings Рік тому +1

    Thanks for posting and sharing. We bought an old house too and the whole main floor is like this. A year or so after we bought the place we redid the structure in the basement including using jack posts to shore up the main middle carrying beam that ran the length of the house. The exterior edges of the main floor are pretty much level but we've got waves. This method will help very much. Nakummek-Thank you!

  • @mario9133
    @mario9133 4 роки тому +11

    This was an invaluable video.
    I have similar issues, and have been struggling to find a way to fix it, without having to tear it all apart.
    This was a great video. Thank you for showing your method. I am very grateful.

  • @MaryMary-iw7wh
    @MaryMary-iw7wh Рік тому +1

    As for questions about foundations...sometimes it is better to leave it alone and no need to spend a whooping amount of money on something that is merely cosmetic and not structurally hazardous. Thank you so much for this video...we have a floor that is doing this in our old home...foundation experts have told us that we can fix it by adding beams or not as it will NEVER be 100% straight but it poses no safety risk. So we will do what you have done.😘

  • @rustyshimstock8653
    @rustyshimstock8653 11 місяців тому +1

    Thank you for this! One thing that I like about this method, which I have not seen mentioned in the other comments: There are cases like mine where you need the floor to be a flat plane while not being exactly level. In my case, I need a slight slope (1 inch over 15 feet) to bridge from one room to another. I plan to use this screw technique to level over each joist, while allowing a slight drop from one to the next. The flatness can be checked with a straight edge. Hopefully the 3/4 new plywood wil lbe flat enough for my LVP. Any comments or tips wil be welcomed. Thanks again.

    • @737T1C130
      @737T1C130  10 місяців тому

      Great point! Glad it helped

  • @BFTEgodswarrio5939
    @BFTEgodswarrio5939 2 роки тому +1

    You did it the right way cause I moved houses for a living and I have seen worse floors than that.
    I didn't see what you did for around the edge of the room but there's no right way or wrong way to level a serverly unlevel floors like you have/had excellent job.

  • @grasso7200
    @grasso7200 4 роки тому +3

    This was a tremendous help! I'm currently ripping apart my kitchen on an 1898 house and have the same problem. Ty so much for investing the time to educate us!

  • @tracyb433
    @tracyb433 3 роки тому +3

    Thank you for an excellent video. I am about to start remodeling an old house that has been in the family for over 45 yrs. It was built using the old frame of a home built in the early 1900's and over time the floors have started sloping. Wanting to do it right, like you, this will be the plan. Than you again for such a detailed and easy way to solve the issue. Merry Christmas!

  • @ajsimms3683
    @ajsimms3683 5 років тому +5

    Thank you!!! ❤ Bought a 100 year old farmhouse so nothing is level or straight. We just pulled out carpet and not to our surprise the floor slopes downward to a 1 inch difference... this technique will be a life (and money) saver!

  • @candid1954
    @candid1954 4 роки тому +6

    Great Tip.....sure beats tearing everything out and starting from scratch.

  • @mikew151Manhattan
    @mikew151Manhattan 5 років тому +4

    Great Vid!!! whilst watching i was wondering, "I hope his joists are solid after all that work". and then I read your text above and totally agree with your method! I've done work similar to this and it's mind-numbingly slow progress. Good on you for sticking this out buddy.

  • @MikeZ4192
    @MikeZ4192 4 роки тому +2

    I doing some releveling this weekend and just to let you know, this video is a godsend, nice work, thanks for the help

    • @737T1C130
      @737T1C130  4 роки тому

      Michael Zamora thanks! Glad it helped!

  • @garypollock1949
    @garypollock1949 5 років тому +4

    I did something similar a few years ago. Wish I had thought of the screws the way you did. I used a laser, found the high point and went from there. I used screws on the outside, and made a string grid all over the room at one foot intervals. There was one beam underneath that had a very pronounced bow to it. I was able to remove some of the boards around it, and use a chain saw to cut a couple of slots through it lengthways. ( I had an engineer look at it, and he said it will work or it won't. He had never seen anyone do anything like this.) (I am also an engineer) I used some long bolts and nuts, and was able to pull them together enough to take a lot of the bow out. (used lots of glue in the slots) This worked very well. The roof and rafters had been replaced, and when we tried to jack up one side, it went out somewhere else. Now you would be hard pressed to find a slope. (it was off over 2 inches at the worst area.) I also had high ceilings, so I wasn't concerned loosing a couple inches.

    • @poolahpot
      @poolahpot 5 років тому

      Ours is off 5 inches! 😬
      We are getting ready to do this in two north side bedrooms and have very tall ceilings too so won’t look too bad after the fix.

    • @slozenger9000
      @slozenger9000 2 роки тому +1

      Why are screws better than laser?

  • @michelleminers9660
    @michelleminers9660 3 роки тому +1

    Same issue in the NW corner of my 90 yr old house. Sits on 90yr old cedar logs, on dirt. This is a good idea. Thought of using levelling compound but the weight is just too much for this old stick built 2x4 frame house. Besides, I could ram some extra insulation in there at the same time. Thanks for posting. Thankfully my job isn't as big - area wise - as yours. Good job.

  • @GrownByMe
    @GrownByMe 4 роки тому +1

    hands down most valuable video.
    CEO of putting other youtubers to shame

  • @magalydegollado8659
    @magalydegollado8659 3 роки тому +3

    You are a literal freaking life saver, im trying to lay down hardwood over this exact type of subfloor and couldn't find anything online either

  • @Thiscatsgotclaws
    @Thiscatsgotclaws 4 роки тому +2

    Dude!
    That's some serious, old world craftsmanship compensation!

  • @mhn...
    @mhn... 2 роки тому +1

    Brilliant idea! And thanks for taking the time to do a video to show the technique, it's appreciated :). Best of success on your projects!👍

  • @willcullen8415
    @willcullen8415 Рік тому +5

    This would go super fast with a transit and a second person. Lay out your screws, shoot them all flat, then come back and mark all your supports. This is essentially what we do when laying out pads for machinery in factories. Great idea

  • @jamesshaw3850
    @jamesshaw3850 9 місяців тому +1

    Thank you for posting your video for this particular situation. You just saved my pocket book 5k.

    • @737T1C130
      @737T1C130  9 місяців тому

      Great to hear! Glad it helped

  • @paulhayestiling2214
    @paulhayestiling2214 2 роки тому +1

    Absolutely great video!! Am right in the middle of tiling an upstairs bathroom that has a timber floor that has a variance of 17mm to 30mm of a slope, across 4 and a half feet!!!! Will be saving this video for sure. Paul in Ireland

    • @737T1C130
      @737T1C130  2 роки тому

      Thanks, Paul. Good luck with your project!

  • @thyandyr7369
    @thyandyr7369 5 років тому +4

    This is like the first usefull video on the subject I have seen.

  • @jessekilner7710
    @jessekilner7710 4 роки тому +1

    You sir deserve a DIY award 2020

  • @eligebrown8998
    @eligebrown8998 5 років тому +2

    I just bought a house. The house is mostly level. The red hard wood floors are in great shape except in a couple spots they sag. Thanks for the video.

  • @MetalStormGames
    @MetalStormGames 2 роки тому +4

    This is brilliant and exactly what I will be needing. Never would have thought of this I was going to use little square chunks of plywood as shims to level as I thought doing this would 2x4's would be way too difficult to measure and cut. You made it very clear. Nice work.

  • @dannycreedon1915
    @dannycreedon1915 4 місяці тому +1

    Thank you so much for this video, I was going to pull up the floorboards and sister the joists but your way seems to be a lot easier! Appreciate it man! 👍

  • @mannyjimenez7822
    @mannyjimenez7822 4 роки тому +6

    Great video,. thanks for the tip , i did it and it works good i discovered, if you measure from the deepest screw do the same measurement from the top of the wood and mark it, then you open the compass from the mark of the wood to the bottom of floor and you only cut once

  • @m15thios
    @m15thios Рік тому +1

    Bout a year into flooring with no real construction experience beforehand. Thanks for the info 👍

  • @mattygaga2013
    @mattygaga2013 2 роки тому +3

    2022 and this is exactly what I needed man! You're a godsend dude

  • @lordrichard8184
    @lordrichard8184 5 років тому +8

    I’m just starting to do this in my bathroom. I got a new laser level. And I was getting readings that differed by 1.5”. I thought my laser level must be broken and after checking it with a level I’ve confirmed my floor is off by 1.5” in places. Which is kinda crazy. But I knew it was far from level to begin with.
    Anyway. Thanks for validating the idea I had to fix it. And good work!!

  • @sozaito
    @sozaito 5 місяців тому +1

    This idea is amazing. I'm going use a combination of this and another one I saw for my house sine only 1/3 of the room is off level for me. Thank you!

  • @acar1678
    @acar1678 4 роки тому +1

    Genius use of screws and level! Well Done!

    • @VodKonockers
      @VodKonockers 3 роки тому

      Genius! What did you se for fastening it to the flor, particularly where the difference was pretty high?

  • @aylasurfdiva
    @aylasurfdiva 4 роки тому +1

    Have the same problem in our 1908 house by 4.5 inches. You are a genius!

  • @ATAVMJPRO
    @ATAVMJPRO 2 роки тому +1

    EXCELLENT,... thank you for this invaluable method of dealing with old sagging floors.

  • @fluidfinish1282
    @fluidfinish1282 2 роки тому +2

    This took some thoughts I had to the next level. Way to go showing the details of how to complete the process! I Love it. Going to the house to use your step by step right now. LET’S GO!

  • @jfc650
    @jfc650 Рік тому +1

    Smart! I learned a good way to level my deck from this great video.

  • @mostrico
    @mostrico 8 місяців тому +1

    Man i can only agreed with the previous comment this is awesome i am about to get to do the same thing on my room, thank you so much for sharing this.

  • @DenisAhmet
    @DenisAhmet 5 років тому +3

    This has helped me how to make a base frame on an uneven raised deck for a shed. Thanks for posting.

  • @TrussttN01
    @TrussttN01 4 роки тому +6

    I sort of had the opposite problem. I was replacing carpet with hardwood flooring. One floor hoist had a hump in it. No way I could install the flooring over it. So I removed the necessary sheathing, chalked a line across the hump, then planed it down with an electric plane. Worked perfectly.

  • @mrose421
    @mrose421 4 роки тому +1

    Thank you god for this video 😭 my house was built in 1900 (but could be way older) and although we bought it already remodeled, the floors are incredibly uneven and I’m about to pull up some carpet and install plank flooring but am anticipating really uneven floors! Thank you!!!

  • @dauntiekay2768
    @dauntiekay2768 3 роки тому +1

    You have quite a lot of work into that floor! Great Video and great idea on how to level and uneven floor!

  • @Nick_Tag
    @Nick_Tag 2 роки тому +1

    using the carpenters pencil sitting on a wood block to get the exact contour of the uneven floor was very clever!

  • @lennythomas7230
    @lennythomas7230 3 роки тому +4

    Great video and awesome method. I do believe this is the way I'm going to level the floor on my current project. I think what I might do though is put the 2x4 to one side or the other of the screws, put the level on the screws, and mark a line under the level on the board as a straight edge. That way you're only making one cut. Now that I think about it I bet a chalk line would work as good.

    • @PetscheDesign
      @PetscheDesign 2 роки тому

      I don't understand how this equals only one cut. Can you/anyone explain a bit?

  • @williamsolomon1307
    @williamsolomon1307 2 роки тому +1

    Excellent technique. I’ll put that in my tool box. Thank you!

  • @BT-ih6kr
    @BT-ih6kr 3 місяці тому +1

    this was very good, i really like the screw idea. so effective in its simplicity. 2 comments though, one, i would have set the scribe so that when you make the scribe cut, it comes out to the finished level. or if you do it the way you did, i would have run the straight edge against the fence and cut off the amount you required. good video though and good job

  • @carlosluna4092
    @carlosluna4092 2 роки тому +1

    Hi. I am very heartened by your work as I had no idea how to fix the sloping floor in my attic. Barring some drastic upheaval and major structural work, your method looks like the way to go. So thank you!

  • @user-ql4tl8ty3r
    @user-ql4tl8ty3r Рік тому +2

    This was extremely helpful. I've got an old mountain house with insane pier/beam settling and an uneven floor. My problem is the area I need to raise/level is right at a door jamb, and the door wouldn't open unless I deal with that as well. but great info thanks!

    • @737T1C130
      @737T1C130  Рік тому +1

      Glad it helped! Good luck with your project!

  • @mdenzler
    @mdenzler 4 роки тому +3

    EXACTLY what I was looking for! Thank you!! Had similar approach in my brain - your screw and scribing tactics are a huge help. Only difference I'm facing is doing this on top of a concrete garage floor. But some strategy applies. THANKS!

    • @737T1C130
      @737T1C130  4 роки тому +1

      Glad it helped. I also considered doing this over a cracked slab of concrete. I've always had good luck with Tapcon concrete anchors from Home Depot for fastening wood to concrete.

    • @JohnGarnerIII
      @JohnGarnerIII 2 роки тому

      How did your project in the garage end up? Im currently doing the same. Any tips?

    • @snowywinterforest2507
      @snowywinterforest2507 Рік тому

      Hi did you manage to fix your garage floor? How did you do it all in the end? Wood and concrete to level. I was thinking to do this, but was unsure if right thing. Thank you

    • @snowywinterforest2507
      @snowywinterforest2507 Рік тому

      Hi. Did you fix concrete floor with wood like this yet?

  • @jerrymalinowski9736
    @jerrymalinowski9736 4 роки тому +4

    Excellent video. I wish I would of saw this method a few years back when i had a similar task to do. It would of saved me a lot of heart ache. Thanks for sharing. It would definitely be easier to use the table saw to make the second cut for the height adjustment.

  • @MrScoobieman
    @MrScoobieman 4 роки тому +6

    This is the greatest tip I’ve ever seen! Can you come to my house and do a in person demonstration until finished?

  • @justamusta
    @justamusta 5 років тому +4

    This is excellent, thank you! I've plumbed walls with turn buckles and ratchets and leveled floors with house jacks but I have a bedroom closet where it just makes sense to do it this way.

  • @SuperDanielB1
    @SuperDanielB1 4 роки тому +3

    Well I was going to go into the whole thing about the foundation but thankfully I did read your info before. Yeah when you're dealing with a 100 year old home you don't want to end up rebuilding every stick and stone. I am working on a similar situation for what was originally a paint the hallway and lay some vinyl planking on the floor . . . the floor that rose here and dropped there . . . along with the peaks and valleys I had an overall 3" uneven drop across 15 feet. S I figured I would have to level the floor anyway. However because I wanted to encapsulate the crawlspace and replace the galvanized/copper/PVC/duct tape plumbing I decided to open up the floor . . . where I found a preexisting abandoned well, a crumbling foundation for a porch that was still partially being used for support, several splitting joists, several rotting joists and . . and . . etc.. So those being all of the items I had to deal with I decided that removing the whole subfloor was more of a blessing. I am going about it in a simile fashion but using a 360 laser to find the peaks and valleys but rather than custom cutting long wedges of 2x4 I am sistering (gluing and screwing) the 2x4s along the sides of the joists and adding some cross members to them.

  • @tmise50
    @tmise50 2 роки тому +1

    Going to absolutely do this in my 75 year old 12x11 kitchen!!

  • @ednowliniii
    @ednowliniii 3 роки тому +1

    Nice! I have a floor level issue with our new home I’ve been dreading. Now I can’t wait to try this out. 👍🏻

    • @737T1C130
      @737T1C130  3 роки тому

      Good luck with your project!

  • @marynovotny7840
    @marynovotny7840 2 роки тому +1

    Thank you!! Removing all vinyl and plywood in my kitchen of my house ( a house that was built in 1856) I was nervous because every thing is so wavy and unlevel 😬😬😬😬 wish me luck!

  • @marke2401
    @marke2401 5 років тому +35

    Nicely done. Good video. I’ve leveled several floors by removing the sheeting or plank on floor then fastening 2x4’s or 2x6’s (which ever is needed) to the sides of the floor joist leaving them higher than the joist. The height is determined by the height that makes it level. Anyhow, nice job on this. 👍👍

    • @hassanbakkali3785
      @hassanbakkali3785 4 роки тому +2

      What screws do you use to fasten those 2x4 or 2x6 ? And what distance between each screw ? This is an amazing idea, you should make a video !

    • @marke2401
      @marke2401 4 роки тому +7

      @@hassanbakkali3785 Thank you for the complement. Guess I hadn't thought of making a video for it. I may do that. As far as screws go I love the Torx screws. I use them for everything. Im not sure of the manufacturer name, (WoodPro maybe). All the hardwares stores in my area sell them. Pretty much everyone around here just calls them Torx screws. Anyhow, I never nail them, use screws.
      I had an old-timer tell me one time, "never put a nail where you can put a screw".
      I typically overkill things. I will put a screw every 6" or so with the 9x3". 9 being the gauge and 3" being the length. I want to make it solid.
      Hope this helps. Thanks again for the suggestion on the video. I may do that.
      Have a great day!

    • @eltonnoway7864
      @eltonnoway7864 Рік тому +1

      @@marke2401 Great minds think alike, rather than making a boat load of custom shims I also removed the floor planking and then "sistered" 2x4's and/or 2x6's along side every floor joist making sure they were all in-line and level with one another using an inexpensive laser level. I also used Torx screws (specifically GRK #9 x 2-1/2 in. Star Drive R4 Multi-Purpose) FYI: Spacing code in my area says every 6 to 8 inches.

    • @marke2401
      @marke2401 Рік тому

      @@eltonnoway7864 yup I love the torx screws. Why use a nail when you can torx it. I’ve leveled many floors using this method.

  • @sinstersam
    @sinstersam 5 років тому +3

    Man this video saved my life bro thanks a million

  • @michelleengland7531
    @michelleengland7531 5 років тому +11

    Thank you, my ex did this in my dining room and everyone thought I was crazy! Now I know how to fix the room off of it. I just wasn’t sure of the process, very helpful video. Again thank you!

    • @samkostos4520
      @samkostos4520 3 роки тому

      Hi Michelle, this is an ok fix but it's important to analyze why the slope is occurring. Typically it's a sign of water damage I find. You should try and find out what's causing it

  • @MichaelSmith-re2dv
    @MichaelSmith-re2dv 4 роки тому +2

    @zigpig just what i needed. I have a 200 year old house i have been debating on trying to lift subfloor vs. shim like this. Never thought about shimming and then providing additional support for new floor load, without actually trying to lift the subfloor. very helpful. i would like to see the finished product too. I have a layer of glued lenolium that i may or may not remove first.

  • @VPOFIT
    @VPOFIT 4 роки тому +1

    Wow... Very innovative man. I have a shed that I am converting into a workshop. The concrete floor is extremely unlevel, by probably 5 to 6 inches. Same as you I could find no videos on this issue until I can across yours. Thanks so much for the ideas. You have helped me immensely. Best_

  • @broccolihart1
    @broccolihart1 4 роки тому +1

    Very nice work with that circular saw

  • @ColdSlayerFan
    @ColdSlayerFan 2 роки тому +1

    My house needs some serious leveling,thanks for the info.

  • @dennism5565
    @dennism5565 5 років тому +3

    this is exactly the video I was looking for! You helped me exponentially.

  • @joeny1980
    @joeny1980 3 роки тому +9

    I'm thinking out loud here, but I feel like you could have avoided that second cut by scribing differently. Maybe hard to describe but.... Use your compass to measure a screw, transpose that to the board directly above it (from the top down). Then reset your compass to that new height before scribing.

  • @teresaterry4867
    @teresaterry4867 4 роки тому +1

    I got the same problem in my old house so thanks a lot for the video it will help me out real good

  • @JayRaz51
    @JayRaz51 2 роки тому +1

    Thank you so much for sharing this video!!!!! I have a cargo trailer that I'm building out to be a coffee trailer and the rear 4 feet of the trailer slopes downwards. Not as complicated or wonky as that old floor you were working with but I was still trying to wrap my head around how to level it out. Thanks again!!!

  • @sergiosergonis2188
    @sergiosergonis2188 Рік тому +1

    Beautiful job 👍 good luck with the rest of your project.

  • @tmrenter
    @tmrenter 5 років тому +72

    This is one of the greatest tips I've seen. Can you show us the finished floor?

    • @wdietsche7258
      @wdietsche7258 5 років тому +6

      2nd this

    • @samstoltenburg1332
      @samstoltenburg1332 4 роки тому +7

      I'd like to see the finished floor also

    • @PrameshPramesh
      @PrameshPramesh 4 роки тому +5

      Me too

    • @jmk7104
      @jmk7104 4 роки тому +1

      Look up leveling floor, this old house, Tom Silva showed us how to do this, as I said he’s the real OG

    • @rigidrebel8781
      @rigidrebel8781 4 роки тому

      I couldn't agree more! Definitely will be using this to level my sloping froor!

  • @Cutest1TheGame
    @Cutest1TheGame 3 роки тому +1

    Thank you for sharing this technique you figured out! I live in an apartment in Europe with wide plank hardwood floors that are very uneven. (The building was erected in the late 1800s.) The top of the bookshelves I bought for the hallway lean forward away from the wall because the floors are so even. (The top of the shelf leans 9cm away from the wall.) I thought about building a level platform to put the bookshelves on top of, but also could not figure out how to follow the contours of the floor. Thank you very much !

    • @737T1C130
      @737T1C130  3 роки тому +1

      Akiko, I am glad it helped. There is a similar method used to install cabinetry called "Scribing" that might also be helpful is you search for that term or "Scribe" here on UA-cam. Good luck with your project!

  • @louis3998
    @louis3998 5 років тому +2

    Great video. Without taking away from your video, just wanted to mention that gypecrete would also be another great option since it is a self leveling material. Its also used alot in hotels and other commercial buildings. However for wood floor leveling options. Your video has been the best I found on UA-cam. Great video.

    • @737T1C130
      @737T1C130  5 років тому

      Thanks, never heard of it, but I'll look into it

    • @snowywinterforest2507
      @snowywinterforest2507 Рік тому

      It's too complex stuff and more permanent. Your way is better!

  • @AnthonyGibbsRTA
    @AnthonyGibbsRTA 5 місяців тому +1

    Very useful video, thank you

  • @JoshHuntRocks
    @JoshHuntRocks 9 місяців тому +1

    Great video and well presented!

  • @dantepomodoro7639
    @dantepomodoro7639 4 роки тому +1

    Your seriously saved my job! Thank you so much

  • @albertosantana5506
    @albertosantana5506 2 роки тому +2

    Wow great video!!

  • @JoaquinGTP
    @JoaquinGTP 2 роки тому +1

    Wow this is just brilliant. I would love to do something like this to our floors but we've got original wide plank pine floors. I'd have to pull them up and I don't think they'd survive. Still though, just stunned at how smart of a solution this was. Great video.

  • @Eyeseelyn
    @Eyeseelyn 4 роки тому +2

    You're a genius!!! Thank you so much for this video. What a great idea.

  • @lordofdarkness5505
    @lordofdarkness5505 2 роки тому +1

    Thank you for saving my dad some headaches😁

  • @SK-ju8si
    @SK-ju8si 2 роки тому +2

    sir, you are a genius.

  • @SalahShakir
    @SalahShakir 4 роки тому +1

    Thank you. I needed this method. I have a cabin with two rooms and the whole place is not even floor. thanks again

  • @daleradford1467
    @daleradford1467 5 років тому

    Very helpful video when you can't use a floor leveling compound. We live in a 1911 house with floors that have settled away from the central bearing wall. We've found that making the floors straight and flat vs. level is more appealing to the eye, especially around the doorways and stairs. A few rooms we've removed the floor, removed a few inches from the top of the joists, and using a carpenters string, sistering new joists at the appropriate heights to remove the hump. Other rooms we've been able to accomplish a straight floor by running a carpenter string from wall to wall then scribing and cutting two by twos to attach under the new floorboards similar to what you've done . Both ways have their place but in our house, a level floor creates problems while a straight floor eliminates the high and low areas while still looking level. Excellent video

    • @737T1C130
      @737T1C130  5 років тому

      Good points. Thanks, Dale!

  • @banparlous2552
    @banparlous2552 5 років тому +7

    Thanks for this video. Got an old house that is probably not a great idea to use pour-a-floor on (weight). One of the few vids i’ve come across that actually shows & explains things (in english too).

    • @kellywhite1663
      @kellywhite1663 4 роки тому

      What is that Pour a Floor? I've never heard of that, sounds like something that might work for my project.

    • @mikes8989
      @mikes8989 4 роки тому +1

      Floor level like level quick from home d but at that dip it would gain tremendous weight