I can’t thank you enough for this trick, absolutely saved my sanity! I wrestled for hours trying to get the boards together on a slightly uneven surface in my very old house, I was ready to give up but this worked! It was like a miracle! Thank you!
Great idea. I was concerned this would make the floor too "squishy" in those spots, but I tried your idea during an install last week and it worked great. Thanks for the tip.
Thanks James for the tip. The tip in this video didn't work, but yours saved the day. Had to triple up the underlayment in areas where the low spot was the worst in order to get everything to align and snap together.
Does this last over time? I used floor leveller but didn’t make enough so I had to do a second pour the next day. Extremely hard to get a second pour to level with the first. I have a slightly low spot and really trying to avoid a third pour. Doubling up underlay on that spot is a better solution
Saved your marriage too, eh? Lol. If a floor ruins your marriage, there might be deeper root issues other than the leveling and and tightening up flooring in the midst of the marriage.
I never like to criticize videos and am an avid do -it- yourself guy. This will get the pieces together temporarily, but those joints in time will fail due to the constant flexing with traffic. If you are having this problem, you have not prepared the subfloor properly and will waste a lot of time and money. Prep, prep, and more prep will get better results. I hope that I have not offended you.
This product is flexible and conforms to the contour of the subfloor in many cases. I've used this technique for years and have not yet experienced such a failure. However, if I do, I will update this video accordingly. Thanks for your considerate feedback.
Also in older MDU buildings the buildings move a bit in just a a few years. One could spend thousands leveling the floor only the subfloor to fail anyway.
Noticed you were putting the new flooring down on top of padding. I've seen conflicting reviews of this being necessary, ideal, and even one said it can void the flooring warranty. I laid my flooring on top of a wood subfloor that has multiple uneven spots, and now sections are gapping noticeably. I did used thin padding, but thinking of pulling it up and seeing how it looks without it underneath.
This product does not have any padding attached to the bottom of the plank as some do, and the manufacturer does recommend using it. I have installed it without padding though, and actually prefer the feel of that (not so spongy feeling), but it does make the floor sound more "clicky" when walking over it. Another added benefit is it's much cheaper. However, for this installation I was concerned about some imperfections in the hardwood below and thought the padding might compensate for it a bit. A final consideration if you decide to forgo any padding is make sure you sweep and vacuum the floor spotless! A single missed pebble or even a grain of sand will ever become a crunchy spot when you step on it! Be careful! The main reason I've found for for separation is due to failures to properly and fully seat the planks during install. Some brands are much more forgiving than others in this regard.
The manufacturer of the flooring will be able to tell you exactly what you can use and what would be allowable with their warranty. We bought vinyl from Lumber Liquidators and their documentation is very specific for what can be used. In our case the vinyl had an attached pad and they allow an additional high density foam underneath.
this vidoes is 100 time better than some non sense big box youtuber tell you to use self level to prop you whole floor and they are so stupid, even fill all the plywood gaps
It may move slightly, but imperceptibly so when you walk across it. I suppose it depends on just how uneven your subfloor is. Often this flooring will contour with minor imperfections with the subfloor.
I bought a house that had a job like that. YES, there is a bounce in every place where the subflooring is uneaten. PLUS, after awhile and some use, the laminate starts cracking, breaking. That kind of sub-par job is a temporary cover up and ensures that the life of your laminate will be very short. Money and labor lost.
How much of a dip have ypu done this on with success? Quarter inch? 3/8? I have though about shimming to prevent future damage. Long as its mostly flat i suspect it will be ok?
Yep, this is the problem with it, it creates a potential edge in the future. He really needs to use a softer underlayment material over a distance so that it doesn't have a hard edge.
My problem . I do Not want to demo tile in my kitchen. So after removing the carpet how can even the floor ? so I don't have to. I'd rather put down a layer of cement to even on floor before I will do a demo job . Is that an option ? Thanks I need help
Either remove tile or lay down plywood throughout the rest of the house. I was in a similar situation to you and decided it would be way less time and headache pulling up the kitchen floor than cut and lay 1000sqft of plywood. Glad I did. Depending on how much floor you're trying to level, demo might be better. If it's just 1 room, just lay plywood to level with tile. Also, check if your appliances are under the current tile. If not, that dishwasher will be a bitch to remove after laying laminate.
Fixing the dip would be the best way but you can also check the laminate for square If you're going to press it together like that you can apply some adhesive to the joint the scabs and tape it get me hold
The manufacturer would not recommend that, nor would I. The locking mechanism for these boards is very effective once in place. If you are needing glue to salvage your install then I think you'd want to figure out the root cause, rather than resort to using glue.
I had contractor put down a laminate floor in three rooms . In the last room it started to buckle. They blame moisture . I don't remember them checking for that. Plus there is no basement just crawl space . So what is my recourse ?
But wouldn’t the tile bend into the floor and eventually break? That’s my problem I did almost 2 years ago. I have to do my flooring again. And this problem is a pain in the a$$ is it better just to put sound proofing and hardwood tiles?
they make kind of a tool i dont know the name but it's for tapping the blocks it's like a pry bar kind of, it will easily let you tap those pieces together. Googling I guess its called a pull bar.
Tapping them in place can work, though sometimes the fit just doesn't want to go. You can end up wanting to hit them hard enough where you damage the joint... Often not noticing until the next row is placed and you realize you have to undo it. This method avoids those problems.
My issue is with the uneven subfloor itself, not getting the laminate to seat. It's a laminate that does not allow for underlayment, but you can feel & see it press down
You could also try putting a small piece of the laminate on the side and hammering it from the side. It works wonders for me, even on a ridiculously uneven subfloor. I'm talking post-soviet subfloor, it's a fucking mess let me tell you that. But with hammering it in, it's still possible to apply laminate, and it's half bad without reworking the whole subfloor.
Help,advice... the end of the floor touching the wall is uneven ,it’s about an inch of the wood floor,I want to put laminate on top,how can I fix that whole uneven end/ edge to the wall
neotech40 thanks I’ll send the pic tomorrow, sorry if I can’t explain myself very well,just so you can get an idea,I cant put my closet dresser all the way to the wall because if I do,it’ll tilt forward
I cannot speak to all flooring types, but the manufacturer and product I use has not had any issues with this method after several years of use. So I can't say what the expectations will be for over 5 years. But I primarily use this in rental properties. I expect I'll be replacing the floor due to tenant damage before any long-term issues with the seams occurs.
You can try using 20 minute drywall mud for wood and concrete low points. Have pulled up old flooring and carpet that has been in place for years with this method hidden underneath. Or go crazy with self leveling compound. Either method works great but the mud smooths faster.
Carlos Vega Now an inch would make me really wonder and worry a bit as I pull up flooring and see if there is something more than just a low spot. If it was concrete, I’d say self leveling compound and cuss the person who poured it that way.
I have this problem, but alot bigger version. I have a 30' x 18' room with 3/8" hump in the entire length. I thought about using the foam underlayment on left and right side of hump and bring up to flush middle. I want to use laminate, not vinyl. Do you think this will work?
Hi there! We have already installed our flooring (looks to be the same kind of laminate). Do you have any hacks for fixing dips AFTER the install? We were thinking of drilling a hole and filling it so we don't tear everything out...
I watched a video of someone doing just that: adapting an expanding foam can to a sport ball inflation needle, and injecting that into the floor. I've not tried that method however.
@@cagedleader1 But injecting foam would only take 20 minutes. Pulling up the flooring and leveling and reinstalling flooring will take days or a week. Better use of time to try a 20 minute idea to save a weeks worth of work.
Maybe. I have successfully employed this technique on several of my rental properties that are holding up years later. I suspect I'll be replacing the floor from tenant wear and tear before the floor fails. YMMV.
Glad I'm not the only person with a non level sub floor pulled up the carpet in my upstairs spare bedroom to replace with life proof vinyl plank flooring and noticed around the edges of the plywood not all of it is screwed down tight gonna try putting a deck screw in the areas to snug it down if that doesn't work ima sand the ever living fuck out of the edges
If you do this...ok...but if it is on concrete...you should use heavy glue...But if on wood...U should glue and use pin nailer...then caulk or use saw dust to cover small hole.
Thank you neotech49! This was happening me recently after 40 square meters and drove me bonkers. Your tip was exactly what I needed to learn. Delighted.
@@neotech40 I learned that the hard way. lots of crushed edges on my boards because the boards wouldn't seat right without a lot of help, even with shims.
I would use a graduated shim!...that way, youi can slide it to make sure it lines up to the right thickness...otherwise, your peice of flooring may be too thick..or not thick enough (god forbid)..
Just wondering since a year went by since you shot this video. Has he seam opened up again? I have the same issue due to sub flooring that is raised about a corner on the edge where the hallway meets the entrance of the living room. I was going to put a t moulding but that would probably look funny.
It has not opened, no. The seam doesnt flex, though the floor itself will push down a little. It hasn't been an issue. On another install, I took the suggestion of another here, and used this method and then doubled up the underlayment to fill the space. That worked perfectly, and did not make the floor feel "spongey" like I was expecting.
@@neotech40 I think I’m going to try your method and put a piece of underlayment there. Thanks for the help this saved my life! I sanded the crap out of the seam but still didn’t work...hopefully this will
@@neotech40 wonder if this will work for Luxury vinyl plank . This concrete slap still has small imperfections. Even with underlay . Don’t wAnt to compromise click system
The floor is actually hard wood underneath. It was in bad shape but perhaps salvageable. While I wasn't interested in putting in the effort, I'm glad to leave that opportunity to the next owner if they choose.
You don’t need all that shimming, it’s a waste of time.. when you install, you’ve got to be on the side of the floor that’s already been installed, and just pull the board in.. fast and easy!
I can’t thank you enough for this trick, absolutely saved my sanity! I wrestled for hours trying to get the boards together on a slightly uneven surface in my very old house, I was ready to give up but this worked! It was like a miracle! Thank you!
How has it held up?
I would also like to know how it’s held up
Great tip ! Thanks . I've spent a day wrestling boards into position with this problem . Will give this a try tmrw .
Padding up uneven areas by doubling up the underlayment in the area of concern helps with flex in the flooring.
Great idea. I was concerned this would make the floor too "squishy" in those spots, but I tried your idea during an install last week and it worked great. Thanks for the tip.
Thanks James for the tip. The tip in this video didn't work, but yours saved the day. Had to triple up the underlayment in areas where the low spot was the worst in order to get everything to align and snap together.
@@Thoracius you're very welcome. Glad I could help
Does this last over time? I used floor leveller but didn’t make enough so I had to do a second pour the next day. Extremely hard to get a second pour to level with the first. I have a slightly low spot and really trying to avoid a third pour. Doubling up underlay on that spot is a better solution
I have a high spot but idk how to fix any tips... Just one part of the floor seems like it's popped up alittle. @@kori_88
I hope this works I’m about to burn my house down
Yeah, you want it to be nice before the fire sees it.
nate turns out i had a broken locking feature on a piece that was already laid .
I’ve never related so much to a comment.
Holy shit I’m not alone!!!
@@maddyG91 Same here! I have said this more then once
This soooooo works! Saved sanity and marriage!!!
Saved your marriage too, eh? Lol. If a floor ruins your marriage, there might be deeper root issues other than the leveling and and tightening up flooring in the midst of the marriage.
How is your marriage? Everything working okay still?
Me trying to lay the floor nicely takes a toll on my marriage.
She said she's not gonna live "in renovation" for 2 years.
3 years and counting lol
He left her
I never like to criticize videos and am an avid do -it- yourself guy. This will get the pieces together temporarily, but those joints in time will fail due to the constant flexing with traffic. If you are having this problem, you have not prepared the subfloor properly and will waste a lot of time and money. Prep, prep, and more prep will get better results. I hope that I have not offended you.
This product is flexible and conforms to the contour of the subfloor in many cases. I've used this technique for years and have not yet experienced such a failure. However, if I do, I will update this video accordingly. Thanks for your considerate feedback.
Also in older MDU buildings the buildings move a bit in just a a few years. One could spend thousands leveling the floor only the subfloor to fail anyway.
Do you recommend using a self leveler?
@@neotech40 how has it held up? Thanks!
@@mattbrown8911 yes it has - still works / looks great almost 3 years later.
Thank you SO much for this tip and video! I needed this and will employ this fix today. Excellent!
You need a camera guy really bad you're making me nauseous waving the phone around LOL.
So what you're saying is, I need help to make a DIY video? Seems a tad ironic. ;) Thanks for the comment.
@@neotech40he’s saying your camera works is F+ but your hand works is S+
THANK YOU! Omg- you are a marriage saver. I was ready to pull my hair out trying to fix this @$!#% floor.
Noticed you were putting the new flooring down on top of padding. I've seen conflicting reviews of this being necessary, ideal, and even one said it can void the flooring warranty. I laid my flooring on top of a wood subfloor that has multiple uneven spots, and now sections are gapping noticeably. I did used thin padding, but thinking of pulling it up and seeing how it looks without it underneath.
This product does not have any padding attached to the bottom of the plank as some do, and the manufacturer does recommend using it. I have installed it without padding though, and actually prefer the feel of that (not so spongy feeling), but it does make the floor sound more "clicky" when walking over it. Another added benefit is it's much cheaper. However, for this installation I was concerned about some imperfections in the hardwood below and thought the padding might compensate for it a bit. A final consideration if you decide to forgo any padding is make sure you sweep and vacuum the floor spotless! A single missed pebble or even a grain of sand will ever become a crunchy spot when you step on it! Be careful!
The main reason I've found for for separation is due to failures to properly and fully seat the planks during install. Some brands are much more forgiving than others in this regard.
The manufacturer of the flooring will be able to tell you exactly what you can use and what would be allowable with their warranty. We bought vinyl from Lumber Liquidators and their documentation is very specific for what can be used. In our case the vinyl had an attached pad and they allow an additional high density foam underneath.
This is a brilliant tip and such an easy solution ! Thanks so much for posting 👍
Thanks for this tip, worked well for me
this vidoes is 100 time better than some non sense big box youtuber tell you to use self level to prop you whole floor and they are so stupid, even fill all the plywood gaps
I was just wondering, won’t there be a bounce every time you step where the dip in the floor is because of the void?
It may move slightly, but imperceptibly so when you walk across it. I suppose it depends on just how uneven your subfloor is. Often this flooring will contour with minor imperfections with the subfloor.
I bought a house that had a job like that. YES, there is a bounce in every place where the subflooring is uneaten. PLUS, after awhile and some use, the laminate starts cracking, breaking. That kind of sub-par job is a temporary cover up and ensures that the life of your laminate will be very short. Money and labor lost.
How much of a dip have ypu done this on with success? Quarter inch? 3/8? I have though about shimming to prevent future damage. Long as its mostly flat i suspect it will be ok?
What about when people walk on it, eventually it'll crack your tile
Yep, this is the problem with it, it creates a potential edge in the future. He really needs to use a softer underlayment material over a distance so that it doesn't have a hard edge.
Its been 4 yrs. Can we get an update on how it has held up
The boards contoured to the floor, and continue to work flawlessly.
My problem . I do Not want to demo tile in my kitchen. So after removing the carpet how can even the floor ? so I don't have to. I'd rather put down a layer of cement to even on floor before I will do a demo job . Is that an option ?
Thanks I need help
Either remove tile or lay down plywood throughout the rest of the house. I was in a similar situation to you and decided it would be way less time and headache pulling up the kitchen floor than cut and lay 1000sqft of plywood. Glad I did. Depending on how much floor you're trying to level, demo might be better. If it's just 1 room, just lay plywood to level with tile.
Also, check if your appliances are under the current tile. If not, that dishwasher will be a bitch to remove after laying laminate.
Fixing the dip would be the best way but you can also check the laminate for square If you're going to press it together like that you can apply some adhesive to the joint the scabs and tape it get me hold
So what if your in a tight space and don't have room to do this? I'm on my last plank
and am up against my bathtub..... so irritated!!
Patch where it’s uneven with a thin layer of drywall mud
Is it advisable to run a bead of wood glue along the length of the board to stop it separating?
The manufacturer would not recommend that, nor would I. The locking mechanism for these boards is very effective once in place. If you are needing glue to salvage your install then I think you'd want to figure out the root cause, rather than resort to using glue.
I had contractor put down a laminate floor in three rooms . In the last room it started to buckle. They blame moisture . I don't remember them checking for that. Plus there is no basement just crawl space . So what is my recourse ?
But wouldn’t the tile bend into the floor and eventually break? That’s my problem I did almost 2 years ago. I have to do my flooring again. And this problem is a pain in the a$$ is it better just to put sound proofing and hardwood tiles?
Life is all about tradeoffs. :) This installation has yet to fail in over 3 years. YMMV
they make kind of a tool i dont know the name but it's for tapping the blocks it's like a pry bar kind of, it will easily let you tap those pieces together. Googling I guess its called a pull bar.
Tapping them in place can work, though sometimes the fit just doesn't want to go. You can end up wanting to hit them hard enough where you damage the joint... Often not noticing until the next row is placed and you realize you have to undo it. This method avoids those problems.
My issue is with the uneven subfloor itself, not getting the laminate to seat. It's a laminate that does not allow for underlayment, but you can feel & see it press down
You could also try putting a small piece of the laminate on the side and hammering it from the side. It works wonders for me, even on a ridiculously uneven subfloor. I'm talking post-soviet subfloor, it's a fucking mess let me tell you that. But with hammering it in, it's still possible to apply laminate, and it's half bad without reworking the whole subfloor.
I subscribed for leigh dundas updates but need to see this too
Help,advice... the end of the floor touching the wall is uneven ,it’s about an inch of the wood floor,I want to put laminate on top,how can I fix that whole uneven end/ edge to the wall
I'm having trouble getting a mental picture of your problem. Send me an email with a picture of it, and I'll give you my thoughts. (neotech40 @ gmail)
neotech40 thanks I’ll send the pic tomorrow, sorry if I can’t explain myself very well,just so you can get an idea,I cant put my closet dresser all the way to the wall because if I do,it’ll tilt forward
@@xianlo3246 that's exactly how my floors are can I ask what you did?
I thought you had to level the floor prior, or the seams would loosen over time. Did the floor stay in place with foot traffic?
I cannot speak to all flooring types, but the manufacturer and product I use has not had any issues with this method after several years of use. So I can't say what the expectations will be for over 5 years. But I primarily use this in rental properties. I expect I'll be replacing the floor due to tenant damage before any long-term issues with the seams occurs.
@@neotech40 Thanks for the update.
What kind of flooring do you use that allows for uneven floors? Manufacturer? Thanks
www.homedepot.com/p/TrafficMaster-Lakeshore-Pecan-7-mm-Thick-x-7-2-3-in-Wide-x-50-5-8-in-Length-Laminate-Flooring-24-17-sq-ft-case-35947/205349795
You can try using 20 minute drywall mud for wood and concrete low points. Have pulled up old flooring and carpet that has been in place for years with this method hidden underneath. Or go crazy with self leveling compound. Either method works great but the mud smooths faster.
James Williams the drywall compound will work with big floors differences ? I mean 1” of sag in the center of a dinning room ??
Carlos Vega Now an inch would make me really wonder and worry a bit as I pull up flooring and see if there is something more than just a low spot. If it was concrete, I’d say self leveling compound and cuss the person who poured it that way.
Great tips
Ya can’t beat a good tip
👍🏻👍🏻
I have this problem, but alot bigger version. I have a 30' x 18' room with 3/8" hump in the entire length. I thought about using the foam underlayment on left and right side of hump and bring up to flush middle. I want to use laminate, not vinyl. Do you think this will work?
What did ya do
Looking forward to trying this tomorrow. We were having this problem. Also, the short edges were leaving carrot gaps.
Hi there! We have already installed our flooring (looks to be the same kind of laminate). Do you have any hacks for fixing dips AFTER the install? We were thinking of drilling a hole and filling it so we don't tear everything out...
I watched a video of someone doing just that: adapting an expanding foam can to a sport ball inflation needle, and injecting that into the floor. I've not tried that method however.
In order to do a good job, rip up the floor, make good the levels and re-fit the floor. Anything else is just a waste of time.
@@cagedleader1 But injecting foam would only take 20 minutes. Pulling up the flooring and leveling and reinstalling flooring will take days or a week. Better use of time to try a 20 minute idea to save a weeks worth of work.
@@mrbojangles9841 fair comment son.
@@cagedleader1
Do not use this tip, it will open up again with time. Level the floor before you begin laying .
Maybe. I have successfully employed this technique on several of my rental properties that are holding up years later. I suspect I'll be replacing the floor from tenant wear and tear before the floor fails. YMMV.
@@neotech40 Hello ! Can i have a contact of you please ? I need to send a video of this problem
Glad I'm not the only person with a non level sub floor pulled up the carpet in my upstairs spare bedroom to replace with life proof vinyl plank flooring and noticed around the edges of the plywood not all of it is screwed down tight gonna try putting a deck screw in the areas to snug it down if that doesn't work ima sand the ever living fuck out of the edges
Hear me out if you take a scrap piece of the flooring use the tounge and a rubber mallet. tap it a few times it'll pop right together.
What about if you have metal braces on the edge floors I live in an old building and they have metal on the edges of the floors
Without seeing it, it would be hard to provide a suggestion for you.
If you do this...ok...but if it is on concrete...you should use heavy glue...But if on wood...U should glue and use pin nailer...then caulk or use saw dust to cover small hole.
Thank you neotech49! This was happening me recently after 40 square meters and drove me bonkers. Your tip was exactly what I needed to learn. Delighted.
*neotech40
Glad it was a help to you!
Use a taping block and hammer close t he gap
That method does work, though there is some risk of damaging the joint if struck too hard or at the wrong angle.
@@neotech40 I learned that the hard way. lots of crushed edges on my boards because the boards wouldn't seat right without a lot of help, even with shims.
Very helpful tip, thank you. Also, I had to go back and rewatch to count how many times you said "Uhh". Grand total 43 times in 3min 22 seconds. :)
I would use a graduated shim!...that way, youi can slide it to make sure it lines up to the right thickness...otherwise, your peice of flooring may be too thick..or not thick enough (god forbid)..
So it won't gap apart again when it settles and you walk on it regularly?
That has not been my experience with this product so far.
There are tools made especially for pulling laminate boards together
Just wondering since a year went by since you shot this video. Has he seam opened up again? I have the same issue due to sub flooring that is raised about a corner on the edge where the hallway meets the entrance of the living room. I was going to put a t moulding but that would probably look funny.
It has not opened, no. The seam doesnt flex, though the floor itself will push down a little. It hasn't been an issue. On another install, I took the suggestion of another here, and used this method and then doubled up the underlayment to fill the space. That worked perfectly, and did not make the floor feel "spongey" like I was expecting.
@@neotech40 I think I’m going to try your method and put a piece of underlayment there. Thanks for the help this saved my life! I sanded the crap out of the seam but still didn’t work...hopefully this will
How did it turn out
Still doing fine!
@@neotech40 wonder if this will work for Luxury vinyl plank . This concrete slap still has small imperfections. Even with underlay . Don’t wAnt to compromise click system
@@Hohohox cheap vinyl plank work, if you buy over 10mm 100% will crack
Thank you!
Cardboard also works as well
Thank you great idea.
Thank you! 🙂
Don't like this method TBH. You risk over time the lament forming around the board, causing dips or breaks. Seen it happen on other floors.
this will wear out before breaks!
Why didn’t you just screed the whole floor
The floor is actually hard wood underneath. It was in bad shape but perhaps salvageable. While I wasn't interested in putting in the effort, I'm glad to leave that opportunity to the next owner if they choose.
Great!
and than when you walk on that floor you will hear hollow sounds lol
rug lol
I am going to use cardboard 2 ply. .
I siliconed every joint
You don’t need all that shimming, it’s a waste of time.. when you install, you’ve got to be on the side of the floor that’s already been installed, and just pull the board in.. fast and easy!
Hello ! and if i dont have the planks on this side ?! suppose that i have 10 boxes of straight planks and 10 boxes of crooked planks. How i can do ?
Not so easy if the floor is really uneven.
Thoracius Appotite Who says anything is easy??
@@Jeka643 you did.
Permanent floor shims works as well. Good tip though.
Floor shims stay in place and keep the boards level? Installing tomorrow and must know lol
FLOOR LEVELER
Don’t do this.
shim.
THANK YOU!