You might not be able to use a 4  ft level or straight edge if the area is too small for these to fit into. Apply a latex floor primer to the entire plywood surface using a paint roller. Uncoupling membranes aren't recommended for tiles smaller than 2-inches square and should not be used when covering old hardwood flooring … Don’t use your household vacuum. Ou… As long as your subfloor is perfectly level, everything that goes on top of it will be, too. Stretch the chalk line out across the room, both ends should be held on the floor. If the area is very large, use a long, straight 2 in × 4 in (5.1 cm × 10.2 cm) board and set your level on top of it. Plywood underlayment is a thin plywood material that is most commonly used under resilient flooring materials, such as vinyl and linoleum sheets and tiles. To finish the tiles … Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 39,856 times. Drive a screw every 6 to 8 inches along all of the joists. If your tile is 3/8 inch and you need, say, 1/8 inch for mortar under the tile then that means you’ll have to be 1/2 inch below the hardwood. The go-to product is 1/2-in. Measure and cut 5/8- to 3/4-inch plywood with a circular saw to cover the subfloor and build it up to … This is a quick guide to see if the dip is deeper than the notch in your trowel. The quick easy solution is to outline the low-spot of floor, mix-up a bag of self leveling floor mix, and trowel it into the depression feathering the edges. Can you do this after you put down backer board? A thorough cleaning is also necessary to get the subflooring ready to accept the liquid bonding agent. Scrape off any excess thin set that was not needed and give it a quick vacuum. before the year 2010, the tile Council of North America (tCNA) described large format tile … This will expose the subfloor underneath, which is where most leveling problems lie. There are 14 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Tools and supplies that you will need for floor leveling-. Consider splitting your project up between 2 days—you can pour and smooth the compound on the first, then come back and touch it up on the second once it’s had a chance to set up. Then I measure it with a tape measure. I usually use the chalk line to find the bad areas and then use the straight edge to pin point the exact locations of where they begin and end. Then stop and check the hump with your straight edge frequently. And Thank you. Unless you add another layer on top to give it it’s strength back. Dips can be filled with thin set and I have a super simple method for this. CLICK HERE, Tools and Products I use and Recommend for Tile, Tools and Products I use and Recommend for Laminate, How to Measure for Tile Cuts-An Easy Method, cutting laminate flooring around a doorjamb, how to install laminate flooring transitions, how to install laminte laminate installation, Where do I start installing my laminate or vinyl plank floor, How to start a laminate or vinyl plank installation, how to make a grid for an easy tile installation, 4ft level or straight edge(if you don’t have one that is okay), trowel with a flat side(you can use the back side of your tile trowel), carpenters pencil(the rectangle pencil you can get at the lumber yard). The only difference is, it will take longer to cover a bigger area. Sanding and grinding produces a lot of dust. Yes. Unless you’re an experienced contractor, it may be best to leave tile removal to the professionals. Determine the Underlying Problem. I do this by resting  either the chalk line or straight edge over the the area. Tape off any affected vents with painter’s tape. Do you have facebook? In most cases you can mix up floor leveler and pour it … Now that we know what trowel we need to use let’s start the floor leveling process and fill this dip. Stir vigorously to break up lumps, but work quickly. If you’ve got a lot of ground to cover, a pair of spiked shoe covers will make it possible to walk back over areas where you’ve already applied the leveling compound. Now we  need to fill in the tracks that were left from the trowel. Only exterior-approved plywood will support the weight; interior plywood and particleboard do not have the same strength and will buckle under the tiles. With the plywood in place, … Click here. (usually over night). That would be okay, so no worries! Leveling compounds won’t enhance the stability of the flooring, so it’s important to make sure your subfloor is properly stabilized and reinforced before dumping the messy compound on top. Try to make even passes. Most of the time when using a 12 x 12 or 13 x 13  tile,  I use  a 1/4 x 3 /8  square notch trowel. wikiHow's. Use a brush for application in smaller areas. It’s okay if the angle is off by a fraction of an inch in either direction. You may need to use a separate edge or corner sander to hit the areas closest to the walls. This is usually a pretty easy process and I know you can do it. Thanks a lot. After the floor is leveled as you describe, you then need to screw the back board on top. I usually only mix about 1/2  of the bag at a time. When installing the plywood, make sure that you use nails that are thick enough to go through the plywood and all the way down through the floor … Patrick, Thanks for the comment. Try to avoid relying on the 3/8″ plywood to level the floor. There is hump around the top of the stairs to the 2nd floor, on the plywood. This will minimize dust. It would also be a smart idea to check the other … I have about 1" from the high point of the floor to the surface of the adjacent room's floor. If the floor is uneven, lift up the board until it is level so you’ll know how much flooring compound you’ll need to even it out. I think that is what Kathy is asking. Allow the primer to dry thoroughly. I have a question on leveling the floor. If you’re replacing an old floor with a new one, your first task will be to get rid of the outdated flooring material. Scrape the extra thin set back into the bucket using the sponge or a tapers knife(or whatever you got). For work you will need materials: Grout joints. It will not be a problem Andy, because the thin set that you spread under the cement board before screwing it down will secure and crumble areas. Use a damp mop to remove remaining dust or particles that will interfere with adhesion and allow the surface to dry completely. You can speed this up by using a rapid set thin set  It will dry within a few hours, however it is a little more expensive. Wait for the thin set to completely dry before moving to this step. Dry mix the 2 products together in a wheelbarrow, mud box or on a sheet of plywood. We have osb subfloor that’s very uneven and were wondering how to address it. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/4\/40\/Level-a-Floor-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Level-a-Floor-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/4\/40\/Level-a-Floor-Step-1.jpg\/aid9459573-v4-728px-Level-a-Floor-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"