Is it possible to level a floor before laying laminate

[shardy]

Hi all,
we are about to have a laminate or engineered wood floor installed in our new loft conversion.
Unfortunately, the work has been pretty sub standard in some areas.
The floor slopes more than 1 inch towards the corner and I wondered if there is anyway of leveling this before we ask a carpenter to fit the laminate flooring?

The sub floor has been installed about 1 foot above the ceiling below and has new joists and steels so it is not the ceiling below that is making it uneven.
I think the beams supporting the floor should've been packed out a bit in the corner in order to level the joists.
Is a scree the only way of leveling the floor and would this be able to be 1 inch thick?
Or could we lift the green chip board flooring and put some packing on top of the wooden joists?

If necessary we could live with a sloping floor and just avoid playing marbles in that corner of the room.

I've attached a picture to illustrate
many thanks in advance

 

[Doggit]

Lift the floorboards, and bolt 4x2 joists to the side of the floor joists using coach bolts and washers, you'll get to a point abut half way across the room, where you could change to 3x2s instead.

 

[dazlight]

Yes you can screed it with TA level flex screed. Going to 50mm in one hit.
Make sure you prime it 1st.
Might be easier to do it in 2 coats

 

[vinn]

As above.
Priming and a SLC "puddle" feathered out in the corner.
Anything else will cause further knock-on difficulties.
Fix the skirting and screed to the fixed skirtings - not under them. I'm assuming that the laminate is not going under the skirtings.

You will have to be cautious that the screed plus underlay plus laminate doesn't interfere with the swing of the door.
Perhaps dont aim for a level screed - merely take the worst of the dip out of the corner.

 

[shardy]

thanks for the replies folks, much appreciated. I was going to take the skirtings off before have flooring fitted. Maybe I can seal the gaps at the junctions of wall and floor with some tape?
actually I think silicone or expanding foam would be better to seal the gaps

 

[vinn]

Your photo has become much clearer on my screen.

Much of what I see, and you report, indicates a DIY standard job:
- the 1" drop is bad or ignorant carpentry.
- the rad pipes are too low - escutcheon rings will clash with the skirting.
- if the skirting is raised then it will hit the pipes stubbing from the wall.
- the last flooring sheet should be an approx half a sheet off cut - off-cut spacing is worked out before a single sheet is laid.
- there's a distinct lack of screws - more are needed.
- why has the skirting been fixed before the laminate - its possible that skirting will have to be reduced.

AAMOI: was the chimney flue swept & through vented?
Is that a balcony beyond the door?

 

[shardy]

you're right Vinn, a lot of the work has not been to a professional standard.
I was going to ask them not to put the skirting on, but they had already done it.
there is a railing across the French doors which the building inspector has approved.
yes the pipes stick out too low. the chrome rings will overlap the skirting. this will be even worse if the floor is raised, may have to forget the rings and just tidy up as best i can, or reduce height of skirting
the chimney was removed in the room below, and supported at loft floor level with a steel beam.

 

[vinn]

The remaining chimney breast and stack still need sweeping and through venting or salt contamination might start to appear on the c/breast decorations.

Does the sill below the doors shed water out or is there a possibility of it allowing water back in under the door threshold?

 

[shardy]

thanks Vinn. I didn't know the remaining chimney should be swept.
the base of the door frame was supplied with drainage holes to allow any rain water to escape though they did have to come back and drill another hole as water was pooling in the door frame a little