Why Is Floor Levelling Required?

Why Is Floor Levelling Required?

Floor Levelling is often required if there are any high/low spots/holes that need to be filled prior to installing your new flooring system. We highly recommend Floor Levelling the uneven subfloor before installing any type of floor covering.

Getting your Floor leveled is an important first step in any flooring installation process. A level subfloor is an important factor to help your flooring last longer and keep the finish attractive, feel level underfoot, does not pop up, crack or fail within a short period of time. While also following the guidelines of the manufacturers to ensure you receive your warranty.

How Does Floor Levelling Work?

Floor Levelling is a method used to measure levels or points on an area or surface. For example, it’s used to determine height differences between two points, usually with the help of a laser level or spirit level. A laser level displays varying heights by reflecting a beam off a laser receiver.

There is also the option of using a spirit leveler (the longer, the better) and laying it on the floor. Look to see whether the bubble is central. You can measure your slope by lifting the spirit level until the bubble is central and then measuring the gap between the level and the floor.

The process is then followed up by the use of a concrete grinder to reduce the size of bumps (high spots) in concrete slabs and using a Floor Leveling compound to fill in the low areas. This is done primarily to prepare the slab for laying floor coverings with minimal tolerances.

Why Is It Dangerous To Skip Floor Levelling?

If your subfloor is not level, it can lead to flooring systems failing within a short period of time, or simply not being able to be installed at all, you will also not receive your warranty, and often no company will take on these jobs. Almost all flooring systems have guidelines that must be followed to correctly install the flooring system.

– The cost to prepare your subfloor for your new flooring system is fairly cheap.
– Skipping this process is a recipe for disaster and is extremely expensive.

It is far cheaper to prepare your subfloor correctly the first time before the installation of a new flooring system rather than skipping the process and purchasing your flooring system and installing it, only to have it fail within a short period of time.
This will cause the following:

– You must hire a demolition company to come out to remove and dispose of the failed flooring system
– You must purchase your new flooring system again
– You must actually, pay to prepare the subfloor correctly this time
– You must pay the re-installation fee for your flooring system

Why Do You Need Your Floors Leveled?

Floor Levelling may be required as over time concrete can become damaged due to the movement of concrete substrate and other factors such as excessive wear and tear and environmental exposure etc. Concrete Cancer can also develop leaving major issues in your concrete that will require repairs. Floor Levelling also improves a floor’s appearance and creates an even surface to walk on allowing you to install your flooring system as directed by the manufacturer’s guidelines.

Another reason could be that concrete floors are prone to cracking. This may not happen as often, but when it does, it can lead to uneven floor surfaces. Dips, cracks, chipping, and holes may also make your floor look uneven. This is where floor leveling comes in! 

Why Do I Need Leveling?

Many concrete slabs have a variance of height exceeding the maximum recommended tolerance for laying timber, laminates, vinyl, and porcelain tiles. If this is the case, you will need leveling to prepare your slab.

New concrete slabs are laid to Australian standards which specify a 10mm maximum tolerance within any room and a 20mm maximum tolerance over the entire building footprint. This makes Floor Levelling an important key to your renovation project as many concrete slabs have a variance of height exceeding the maximum recommended tolerance for laying a large range of flooring systems. If this is the case, you will need Floor Leveling to prepare your slab.

Why Is Floor Leveling Important?

Concrete passes all of the tests for durability and load capability. But over time, little things might cause it to sag or not be level. While you might not notice right away, this unlevel floor could actually become a hazard.

When it comes to construction projects accurate leveling can ensure that floors are perfectly straight and true-to-level. Floor Leveling also ensures that foundations are laid properly and evenly, so any structure or flooring system built on top won’t suffer instability issues later on.

Floor Levelling creates can easily create smooth, flat, and even surfaces within a day. It can dry really quickly and offers greater compressive strength. This is one of the reasons why concrete surfaces are considered one of the best. They are durable, strong, and long-lasting.

Should I Get My Floors Leveled?

We highly recommend Floor Levelling the uneven subfloor before installing any type of floor covering. Getting your Floor leveled is an important first step in any flooring installation process.

Floor Levelling creates a smooth surface Floor Levelling products can easily create smooth, flat, and even surfaces within a short period of time. It can dry quickly and offers greater compressive strength.

Although no subfloor is perfectly level, you should always try to get it as perfectly level as possible. This is important especially if you are installing very thin, flexible flooring like luxury vinyl, tiles, and other flooring systems.

Can You Use Floor Levelling Products On Timber And Concrete?

Yes, there are Floor Levelling products available for both Concrete AND Timber subfloors. Here at Floor Levelling Sydney, we specialise in both Floor Levelling on Timber and Concrete subfloors. 

ARDITEX NA – This product has enhanced flexibility, it is particularly suitable for installation over timber and concrete subfloors.

ARDEX K65 –  This product can be applied to timber substrates and can normally be walked on after approximately 2 hours at 23°C. Floor Coverings such as Carpet & Vinyl.

ARDEX K900BF – This product can be a Pumpable Bulk Fill Levelling Compound it’s Economical – Ideal for leveling up to 90mm thick and can be pumped using a suitable Automatic Mixing Pump. It’s suitable for Concrete and Timber subfloors.

– This is just a small range of products that are suitable that our team can use to level a timber subfloor.

Why Is Surface Preparation Required?

Surface preparation is the essential first stage treatment of a steel substrate before the application of any coating, and is generally accepted as being the most important factor affecting the total success of a corrosion protection system.

Proper surface preparation ensures the longevity of your project. A poorly prepared surface, on the other hand, may require additional coats of paint or render to cover up imperfections and can result in costly repairs. A properly prepared surface is always the foundation of high-quality paint or render work.

Why Is Floor Preparation Required?

You can’t skip proper floor surface preparation. Every surface needs to be clean, level, free of existing adhesives, and within moisture tolerances, for the type of floor covering or coating, that you will be installing.

This can involve leveling, scraping, grinding, sealing, cleaning, or replacing the plywood altogether. If the proper preparation steps are not taken, it can lead to further problems that include uneven floors, poor adherence to adhesive, peeling, bubbling, or lock system failure.

How Thick Can You Pour A Floor Levelling Product?

How thick you can Floor Levelling products depends on the specific product used. Often 1mm – 50mm is the maximum thickness, although products such as Ardex K 900 BF can be applied at a thickness of 90mm. It is also possible after you finish pouring and drying the first layer, to re-prime and apply a second layer to reach a maximum thickness of 120mm.

Can You Pour Multiple Layers Of Floor Levelling Compounds Ontop Of Each Other?

Yes, it is possible to pour multiple layers of Floor Levelling products on top of each other, after the layer has dried, you must prime the dried layer before pouring the second layer. You must ensure you are buying the correct product and following the manufacturer’s guidelines throughout this process.

What Is A Feather Coat?

ARDEX Feather Finish is designed specifically for very thin smoothing applications typically 1mm thick or less, but may be used up to 3mm thick in one application. ARDEX FEATHER FINISH is a cement-based smoothing compound designed to provide a smooth, permanent finish to a variety of internal substrates prior to the installation of floor coverings such as vinyl, carpet, and ceramic tile.

A Standard Feather Coat is a thin layer of leveling compound that is 0.1mm – 3mm thick and troweled over the entire floor to ensure a smooth finish. A cement-based smoothing compound designed to provide a smooth, permanent finish to a variety of internal substrates such as concrete, tiles, and sheet timber (plywood and particleboard).

It can be used as a skim coat on closely fitted fibre-cement underlay and sheet timber to fill in grooves, and gouges and to level up joints. Prior to the installation of floor coverings such as vinyl, carpet, and ceramic tiles.

What Is A Liquid Screed?

Liquid (or flow) screed has overtaken classic sand and cement screed to become a fairly standard flooring product. It’s a thick liquid mix that’s applied by pouring or pumping from a mixing truck straight onto the area of (usually) concrete to be covered.

Liquid Flowing Screeds are a blend of a binder, special additives, and aggregates, mixed with water to produce a Self Leveling, flowing Screed which can be accurately pumped into place. Liquid Screeds are designed to provide a smooth, level surface prior to the application of floor finishes or to be polished, ideal for both commercial and domestic buildings. Liquid Flowing Screeds can be used bonded, unbonded, or floating and with or without underfloor heating.

Liquid screed has great thermal conductivity and can help spread underfloor heating across the floor, making the build more energy efficient. Easier to level, liquid screed can be set to thin or thick, meaning fewer resources are used and, again, less energy is required during production.

Liquid Screeds Are Best for Extra Strength and Higher Depths
When dealing with floor depths in excess of 75mm, or for structural floors, Liquid Screeds are able to recommend the use of a cement-based Liquid Screed solution which can be pumped applied, and laser leveled for a precise floor finish. Sometimes referred to as flowing concrete, this solution can eliminate the need to power float concrete on site, dependent on project specification.

– Bonded liquid screed thickness minimum would be 15mm

– Bonded liquid screed thickness maximum would be 80mm for the specialist version and 80mm for the standard.

What Floor Levelling Products Should Be Used?

Floor levelers are cement-based products that come premixed or as dry substances to mix with water. Choose a product recommended for your application and mix it, if needed, following the manufacturer’s directions. Floor patches are products that help repair holes, cracks, small dips, and other imperfections.

ARDEX Australia has a range of Floor Levelling compounds suitable for internal and external use. Whether you are looking to level and smooth internal sub-floors prior to the installation of finished flooring, looking for a rapid drying Levelling compound, or self-leveling concrete, ARDEX has you covered.

Our team uses a large range of Floor Levelling and Floor Priming products for every situation required. If you have any special requests, Feel free to let our Floor Levelling specialist team know!
Our two most commonly used Ardex Floor levelling Compounds are:

– Ardex K 900 BF – 90 MM – Pumpable Floor Levelling Compound
– Ardex Feather Finish – 0.1 mm – 3 MM – Feather Finish Floor Leveler
– View below for a full list of products that we use:

How Does Floor Levelling Help With Pipes, Cables, And Drains?

Floor Levelling products can be used when installing pipes or cables beneath the ground. They allow workers to accurately map out where elements should go without digging too deep into the earth.

Floor Levelling also helps mark the regions for earthworks, such as drainage trenches in Australia or other countries worldwide. This helps ensure that no part of a build gets left behind during execution. In addition, it allows workers to quickly identify potential weak spots before they set out on the job.

Do All Flooring Systems Need To Be Leveled Before Installation?

First and foremost, we highly recommend Floor Levelling your uneven subfloor before installing any type of floor cover. The best option for slightly uneven subfloors is using a Floor Levelling agent such as Ardex.

It’s the dictum you always see when you purchase a floor covering: Start with a level subfloor. Whether engineered wood flooring, tile, hardwood, laminate, or vinyl, that floor cover needs to be installed on top of a level subfloor to ensure you get your warranty and manufacturer’s guarantee.

Proper floor maintenance is crucial when it comes to laying laminate flooring. The subfloor must be clean and level before installation or the laminate planks will not lay properly. This can lead to uneven and unsightly floors and potential structural problems.

 Why Do I Need My Floors Leveled Before Installing Tiles?

Floor leveling ensures all the tiles will lay flat during installation, making the tile job smooth and efficient. Also, it’s important to plan the layout of the tile floor to avoid making design mistakes, such as a diagonal line running along the wall that should be parallel.

It is absolutely essential that the subfloor is completely level. The preparation of the subfloor depends on what type of vinyl you are installing. Make sure the subfloor is completely flat. Any unevenness of more than 0.2 mm over a length of 20 cm must be leveled out. 

Most tiled floors are installed over a concrete substrate, which is the perfect base for a solid bond. However, concrete often features natural bumps on its surface. These bumps can lead to an unevenly tiled floor. The best way to avoid problems like this is to level your concrete floor before installing tiles.

If your subfloor is not level, it can lead to misaligned tiles and flaking grout during installation. This is not ideal for any homeowner who wants a perfectly tiled floor. Therefore, leveling your concrete floor is a key step before starting any tiling project.

Why Do I Need My Floors Leveled Before Installing Vinyl?

To ensure a smooth surface for your new flooring, you’ll need to level out any uneven areas in the existing subfloor by filling them in with a self-leveling compound.

Vinyl will suffer from surface imperfections or a poor aesthetic appearance if the floor below is not perfectly smooth and level. It is therefore essential to install a leveling compound to ensure an integrally sound, smooth, and level substrate for the floor covering.

But, just like with any other permanent product, it’s imperative that the existing floor is clean and dry, in excellent condition, and most important, level. A flat and level floor is key so that the adjoining vinyl plank flooring doesn’t have varying heights.

It is absolutely essential that the subfloor is completely level. The preparation of the subfloor depends on what type of vinyl you are installing. Make sure the subfloor is completely flat. Any unevenness of more than 0.2 mm over a length of 20 cm must be leveled out.

A flat and level floor is key so that the adjoining vinyl plank flooring doesn’t have varying heights. Whether you’ll be installing your Luxury Vinyl Flooring product over wood, tile, or concrete, the different types of subfloors require different types of preparation.

Why Do I Need My Floors Leveled Before Installing Hardwood Flooring?

This subfloor layer must be stable, solid, flat, and level. If the subfloor is uneven, with dips, ripples, or waves, this irregularity will be telescoped through to the surface floor covering and can even cause the flooring installation to fail.

A Level Hardwood Floor Requires A Level Subfloor. Along with the natural beauty, it’s why we choose it for our floors. Imperfections in the subfloor will transfer to the finished floor in the form of dips, humps, or separated edges. They can be a dangerous tripping hazard and make the finished floor look bad.

Why Do I Need My Floors Leveled Before Installing Laminate Flooring?

Laminate flooring on an uneven floor will cause many problems. One of the major problems is loud pops and cracks that will eventually surface when you walk across due to pockets of air beneath the surface as a result of the uneven subfloor.

While laminate tends to be more forgiving of subfloor imperfections compared to other types of flooring, it is still important to level your flooring to avoid future damage if you are installing laminate flooring on an uneven subfloor. A level subfloor ensures a more attractive and long-lasting finish

Correcting uneven subfloors is a common practice in the floor installation process. Before you can even consider installing timber, laminate, or other flooring, you need an even subfloor.

Can You Install Carpet On Uneven Floors?

One way to install flooring on uneven floors is to choose a type of flooring that is naturally flexible. This makes carpet one of the most ideal options: it’s cheap, easy to install, and very attractive. For only slightly uneven flooring, sturdy materials such as luxury vinyl plank can also be used for full coverage.

Floor Preparation still may be required, such as removing any existing flooring and making sure that the surface is level and free from debris. If your floor has any cracks or gaps, you should fill them in before installing the carpet. Otherwise, carpet installation can be difficult and may not last as long.

Is Floor Levelling Required For Installing Floating Floorboards?

Subfloor Levelling With Flooring Underlay – Whilst underlay is necessary for all floating floors, they were never designed to substitute for self-leveling compound or concrete grinding. This is because the underlay will simply follow the shape of the subfloor which is not flat.

Underlayment, or “padding” as it’s often called, is the spongy, closed-cell plastic foam sheet that comes in rolls. It is rolled out between the flooring system and the subfloor.

However, as a general rule of thumb, the subfloor should be flat to within 3mm over a 2-meter radius. If the subfloor is not level, it may be necessary to prepare it before installing the floating floor. This can involve using a leveling compound or self-leveling screed to even out any high or low spots.

Can You Polish A Floor Levelling Compound?

ARDEX PC-T hardens fast due to its unique self-drying formulation – it can be Polished in as little as 24 hours. ARDEX PC-T is ideal in areas such as retail stores, schools, airports, lobbies, and all interiors where a Polished Concrete surface is desired.

Another Method Is:

Installing Slick Mix™ polish-able self-leveling concrete overlay – This self-leveling concrete overlay also known as an SLO can also be polished. It can go through the same polishing process as conventional concrete and produce the same fabulous results.

To polish a self-leveling screed, you can follow these general steps:
1) Clean the surface thoroughly, removing any debris or dirt.
2) Use a coarse diamond abrasive pad to grind down the surface of the screed.
3) Start with a low-grit diamond and gradually move up to a higher-grit diamond.

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