Need to lift my kitchen floor...

[YNWA96]

Hi.

I bought a house and when I ripped up kitchen floor, the kitchen floor is approx 20mm lower than my hall floor which has floorboards and wooden floor laid onto it.

The flooring company will not run the laminate right through to the kitchen because 1) the drop is too far and 2) there is some un-eveness on the floor where the extension has been built. It was built a few years ago. So the kitchen floor is uneven is areas as well.

I have been advised different options.

1) use self leveller to bring it up 12mm or so, then use plywood to bring it up 6mm, then lay the laminate on top of this.

2) use self leveller to bring it up 18mm.

3) use concrete and a screed finish

4) asphalt (do not want to do this because of the smell, mess and so on).

Do you have any advice on what would be best/suitable? My kitchen would be used by a family of 4, so lots of usage.

1 other issue is my kitchen worktops, if I concrete it or self leveller it, my worktop legs will need removing and something in place whilst it sets? Or do I just fix it all in and when I want a new kitchen just rip everything out?

Thanks

 

[Tigercubrider]

Can't comment on the various level options but if you have screw type legs it is possible to screw individual ones up and rely on the others to hold the row up. Therefore either slip a smaller pad of ply under the legs as you work or even use a small dam of card to hold back the leveller while bring up the floor, then one by one screw up the legs and fill the holes

 

[tomfe]

Self leveling mixed with sand.

 

[Doggit]

You haven't mentioned what the construction of the kitchen floor is.

 

[YNWA96]

Thanks. Not 100% what the floor is. It looks like concrete.

Light grey in colour.

 

[Doggit]

If the kitchen floor is 20mmm less than the hallway, then I'd use 20mm of SLC to bring it up to the level of the hallway, and then use 5mm fibreboard for insulation. I can't see why they are aiming to only do 18mm.

Option 1 has little sense to it, and whilst the ply will be a bit warmer, it will be tricker to lay, and you may get bounce in the floor.

Option 2 isn't easy to achieve (even though it will be the best if you can do it) as SLC isn't like pouring in water - not high enough, thrown in a couple more buckets - so it may have to be done in 2 stages.

Option 3 would be easier to get the level right, but would take longer to dry out, so isn't the best way to go.

Discard option 4 completely.

I had to do a kichen floor, but couldn't take the sink out, so ran the SLC under the unit, and then cut the legs off at the floor when I was ready to take it out. But if you're raising the kitchen floor by 20mm, then adding 5mm fibreboard, and say 10mm of laminate, you've then got a total of 35mm, so you may not get your washing machine back under the worktops, so you may have to go for broke, take the units out, level the floor completely, and then replace the units. The trick will be to leave the wall tiles in place, and cut 35mm off of the bottom of the tiles with an angle grinder and a diamond blade.

 

[noseall]

Screw 18mm ply to the floor. Job done.

 

[chappers]

Screw 18mm ply to the floor. Job done.

that's what I would do, bed on a latex modified tile adhesive if the floors a bit uneven.

 

[YNWA96]

If the kitchen floor is 20mmm less than the hallway, then I'd use 20mm of SLC to bring it up to the level of the hallway, and then use 5mm fibreboard for insulation. I can't see why they are aiming to only do 18mm.

Option 1 has little sense to it, and whilst the ply will be a bit warmer, it will be tricker to lay, and you may get bounce in the floor.

Option 2 isn't easy to achieve (even though it will be the best if you can do it) as SLC isn't like pouring in water - not high enough, thrown in a couple more buckets - so it may have to be done in 2 stages.

Option 3 would be easier to get the level right, but would take longer to dry out, so isn't the best way to go.

Discard option 4 completely.

I had to do a kichen floor, but couldn't take the sink out, so ran the SLC under the unit, and then cut the legs off at the floor when I was ready to take it out. But if you're raising the kitchen floor by 20mm, then adding 5mm fibreboard, and say 10mm of laminate, you've then got a total of 35mm, so you may not get your washing machine back under the worktops, so you may have to go for broke, take the units out, level the floor completely, and then replace the units. The trick will be to leave the wall tiles in place, and cut 35mm off of the bottom of the tiles with an angle grinder and a diamond blade.

Thanks. Bit more info.

I need to bring kitchen floor approx 30mm Just re-measured. That is to the level of the hall floorboards or near that number so the laminate can run right through hall to kitchen.

Option 2. I think it will definitely need multiple layers to get the desired height. The kitchen is 14feet each way so quite big.

Option 3, dry out time may be ok. I go on holiday end of May, so could get someone to let builders in to do it and it would have 7 days to dry out. How long would it need?

Do you have any price estimates for option 2 and 3 for a builder to do it compared to a DIY job?

 

[Tigercubrider]

Actually, having thought more about this (as a diy'er)

So long as the gap will be sufficient for under cabinet fittings when you're done, adjusting the feet first by packing ply on the legs first should work best. Using the small islands that are created as a guide for the levels?

 

[^woody^]

If the kitchen floor is lower and it's concrete, then is this because any surface tiles which provided the damp protection have been removed?

 

[YNWA96]

If the kitchen floor is lower and it's concrete, then is this because any surface tiles which provided the damp protection have been removed?

All I took up was 3 layers of underlay and laminate flooring which was in bad condition, coming apart and so on.

The reason it is 30mm out is probably due to the extension being built which makes up half of the kitchen so they must have levelled it off somewhere. To fill the gap between hall and kitchen, the old tenant used 3 layers of underlay which is a bad idea and only leads to problems.

All i have removed is the underlay and laminate floor. Nothing below that.

 

[YNWA96]

The main issue I see is if I concrete it the feet will be stuck forever. So I lift the feet up and replace with wooden legs which can be left in. I can then lower the legs onto the wood once its dry. I will then need to trim my plinths horizontally to take off the 30mm of level floor added.

My washing machine etc... have 40mm+ extra gap above them so the increase in floor level should be ok.

The only applicance that is ruined it my fridge which is 30mm gap above it. However, I am open to taking this out and having a tall fridge somewhere else. I still have the cupboard door where the fridge is under the unit, so not all bad.

Anyone got any pricing on how much this would cost a builder before I go out and get quotes?

 

[chappers]

take most of the height up with ply then SCL over the top or vice versa whichever you prefer. just prop the cupboard from below and then take out the props and lower the legs back down

 

[Tigercubrider]

As I said, just get some 2" squares of ply or even ceramic to put under the legs first, and concrete to the same level