Uneven flooring

[kmmr99]

Hi,

I have a small flat with wooden floors with carpet over the top. The floorboards underneath are terribly uneven - you can't even really lie on the carpet without an extra thick rug on top to even it out.

The 'waves' are actually visible in a number of places - plus there is a nice rising area near the door.

I think this is due to my renovator - but I am not sure if I can be bothered to deal with him again. He took up laminate flooring, and put down the carpet, and claims I will get used to the waves. Which I sort of have, but it still annoys me. (They pulled up all the flooring to move central heating etc, so I do believe they should have put them back down flat). They came back once and redid a tiny area, including a large hole in the floor in one room.

Anyway - I am on the second floor of a very old building, so a bit of unevenness is expected, and I am pretty sure I can't lay any concrete. I just want someone to come in and relay the wooden slats (and replace if needed). Basically, can anyone give me an idea of what that should cost. Just ball park...

The more I write here the more I think I have been taken for a ride! I should really get back to him to fix it... but it's just too hard.

Total floor space is only about 25sqm in two rooms.

Any advice on how to do it myself would also be welcome I suppose. Might give it a one off try - but not convinced I have the skill.

Thanks

Kath

 

[JerryM]

floorboards are always a bit of a nightmare. they are difficult to get up and time-consuming to put down well.

i would certainly have a go at fixing yourself either:

1) change to laminate and use the thick underlay ie not the foam
2) have a go at fixing the boards yourself if the unevenness is caused by them not being fixed down. you would need a drill and wood screws. the only thing to be aware of is what's underneath the boards ie pipes and cables. lift or view under every board before your screw them down. ideally identify where the new fixing holes are going to be in the joist and transfer their positions onto the floorboard before drilling.

quite often floor boards don't lie flat as there is no support under the end as they have been taken up wrong or cut out too much for services (pipes/cables). any joints should be over the joist but this is difficult to achieve in practise. the way to get round it is to nail pieces of 3 x 2" say 120 long to the joists using 4" nails a lump hammer. the ht being set to support the floorboard instead of the joist.

can provide more detail if you need. if it's the boards that are warped then sanding would be needed and would recommend laminate.