How to level tricky section of floor?

[gregch]

So, I'm about to lay a new engineered wood floor over a suspended timber (chip) floor which is reasonably solid and flat. Unfortunately, there's a small section of concrete (that supported the original hearth) that is flush with the chip at one end but about 8mm proud at the other. It looks as though the concrete section is actually level, but the floor slopes away slightly toward that corner (although the floor seems completely flat). The photo might make more sense.

I was wondering about trying to put down some self-levelling stuff on that section of floor to bring it up to match the level of the concrete at that end, smoothing away to nothing where the floor comes level with the other end of concrete. Does that sound like the best solution? Can you even put that stuff on a chip floor (PVA first, I guess)?

Untitled

• gregch
• 22 Aug 2013
• 1

 

[TheVictorian]

You need to remove the concrete really, raising the timber would result in the floor not being flat which would result in a rubbish floor!

 

[gregch]

You need to remove the concrete really, raising the timber would result in the floor not being flat which would result in a rubbish floor!

Was hoping not to have to do that! I guess I'd only have to deal with the right hand section where it gets above the floor level. Even so, I'd be slightly scared of damage to the new slate hearth (under the taped-down carpet in the photo) which is cemented onto the concrete. What would you use to remove the concrete?

Thanks for your help

 

[dann09]

I agree with the above.

Why not take up the sheets surrounding the concrete (if they are glued then come back here) - mark them so you will know where to loose lay replace them.
Then work out the most economical arrangement of boards to fill in up to the slate.



Then lower the concrete - how to do this will depend on whats revealed after removing the boards.Make sure that there is no bounce or squeaking in the floor.

When you have sorted & levelled the floor, before doing anything else, get a couple of coats of paint around the fire and the slate, if not the whole room.

 

[gregch]

Haven't had a chance to take the sheets up yet, but from the plans I suspect that it's built on the concrete oversite.

(It's a timber frame house with a concrete oversite, the floor sits on joists which sit on small brick walls built on the oversite; the chimney/hearth part seems to be a concrete section built up from the oversite).

Seems to me that I'd "only" need to take the top off the concrete on the end where it's proud of the floor level... but how would I go about doing that, and then getting a smooth level finish back on it?

The slate is cemented onto the concrete section; even though it's at the other end, I'd be pretty concerned about it shattering through vibration when trying to attack the concrete... is that a risk?