Leveling a concrete floor under laminate with plywood. Plywood under laminate is an ideal way to level the floor

It is no secret that during the construction of many of our old houses, the quality of the floors left much to be desired. That is why often, when starting renovations, we are forced to level the floor under the laminate with our own hands.

And even if this task is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance, there are still some subtleties in it.

Why level the floor under laminate?

Before we start analyzing methods for leveling the floor, let's figure it out - is it necessary to level the floor for laminate?

As practice shows, in the vast majority of cases, leveling the floor is not just necessary - it is necessary! And the main reason for this is the properties of the laminate itself.

The thing is that laminate laid on an uneven floor loses its properties over time. performance characteristics:

Laminate panels may begin to sag under the weight of a person;
The seams between the panels may come apart, allowing moisture to reach the unprotected inner surface of the laminate;
Under the influence of increased load, laminate locks can become loose and even crack over time.

In the most critical cases, when the surface has serious defects, it is even possible for the laminate to swell or cracks to appear in the panels.

If we compare parquet boards and laminate, it will not be in favor of the latter: if parquet board is capable of partially compensating for floor unevenness due to deformation, then the laminate begins to lose its performance characteristics quite quickly.

As a result, it seems to us that there are quite enough arguments in favor of having to level the floors for laminate flooring. Now let's see what methods there are to level a laminate floor.

Leveling the concrete base

Leveling with cement-sand screed

Concrete slabs are one of the most common substrates for laying flooring – at least in apartments. And in most cases, this overlap has a number of defects.

To the most common defects concrete base Laminate includes:

Cracks;
Chips, potholes and sinks;
Concrete flows;
Peeling and crumbled areas;
Changes in plane.

All these shortcomings require elimination.

Note!

As a rule, the instructions for laying laminate allow its installation on a base whose height difference is no more than 2 mm per 2 m. However, even in this case, it is better to spend some time and resources to eliminate this difference - as they say, “it’s better to be on the safe side.” "

It is best to level a concrete floor under a laminate using a screed - laid in two stages:

When mixing the screed solution, pour the dry component into the water, and not vice versa!

Under no circumstances should you restore the solution by adding water to the thickened mixture!

Fill the floor with the resulting solution, leveling it along the beacons. Roll the solution with a special roller to remove air bubbles.
As soon as the solution “sets”, we remove the beacon slats and fill the holes in their place with the same solution.

Leveling with self-leveling mixture

The first, “rough” leveling stage is completed.

We just have to wait for the mixture to dry completely. Leveling the floor with your own hands under the laminate is finished - you can proceed to installation.

Leveling the wooden base

Subfloor scraping

Leveling substrates are used in cases where the unevenness of the base does not exceed 4 mm - i.e. when it is impossible to lay the laminate directly on the base, and it is irrational to carry out full leveling.

To level floors under laminate, use:

Substrates based on cork (cork and cork-bitumen);
Polyethylene substrates;
Polyurethane foam backings.

It should also be noted that the price of most substrates on the market is quite affordable - so they can be laid on a leveled base. At the very least, it won't hurt.

In any case, leveling the floor under the laminate is an almost mandatory operation, the quality of which largely determines the final result. And we hope that the information in this article will be useful to you when you begin renovations in your house or apartment.

Builders know different ways base installations for the final floor covering. To decorative material lays down perfectly, looks aesthetically pleasing, requires an absolutely flat rough surface. If the house is made of boards, then perhaps the most effective way would be to level the wooden floor with plywood.

Plywood sheets are thin laminated wood. It is made from different breeds wood, mainly pine. Sometimes birch is used. They are the most budget options to create recycled products.

When using plywood as a leveling base for laminate, preference should be given to birch products. They are lighter, softer, more pliable to process.

Plywood differs in several parameters:

brand;
class;
variety;
humidity;
number of layers;
dimensions.

For laminate and linoleum, pressed sheets of a certain category are chosen:

FOF – products with low moisture resistance;
FC is a material with average resistance to humidity;
FSF is a moisture-resistant plywood, in the production of which a special adhesive composition, reliably fixing layers without forming voids.

Pressed wood products come in 4 grades, determined by the number of defects. The best are considered to be first-class sheets that do not have any flaws (knots, chips, cracks, etc.). But for rough flooring, plywood of 3-4 grades with a significant number of defects is suitable.

Attention! To level the baseunder laminatechoose FC 3 grade birch plywood. Its advantages are high strength and low cost.

When choosing plywood by thickness, you should choose 12-16 mm sheets. They will not sag, will lie flat and will adhere tightly to the joists due to their weight. Such products have special strength, resistance to stress, and durability. The thickness of plywood is determined by the number of layers. Total number there are always odd numbers. 12 mm plywood has 9 layers. When pressing, the veneers are placed perpendicular to each other to increase strength.

Sheets of plywood have certain dimensions. The length and width parameters only affect transportation and ease of installation of products. Actually on specifications they do not influence the grounds.

Attention! Plywood is afraid of high humidity. Before installationunder laminateit is stored in dry, ventilated areas. This will prevent the sheets from bending and they will not warp.

When purchasing pressed wood for leveling floors, pay attention to the manufacturers. Preference should be given to domestic or European factories. They produce materials of proper quality.

If you carry out work on installing a plywood base yourself, you need to acquire a set of tools. They will help you get the job done correctly and as conveniently as possible. The list of tools includes:

construction level;
bench hammer (mallet);
electric screwdriver;
jigsaw;
drill;
self-tapping screws;

measuring devices:

ruler,
roulette.

It is important to master the skills of working with these devices and devices.

Plywood can have several options. It is laid on logs or old ones, but in good condition floorboards. The first method involves installing noise or thermal insulation.

Preparing the base according to the first option

In any log house, the floors are laid on logs: wooden beams laid at the stage of erecting the first crown of walls.

Subsequently, they place on these supports rough ceiling. Substandard boards are used for it.
When installing thermal insulation, slats are placed on the first layer of the base in increments of 40-50 cm (based on the dimensions of the insulation).
This structure is covered with a waterproofing sheet without tension.
In the spaces between the slats, mats (rolls) of mineral or basalt wool. In some cases, bulk materials are used, for example, expanded clay. It serves as excellent sound insulation.
Placed on top of the constructed structure vapor barrier material, lightly pin it to the slats.

After this, plywood is laid down to finally level the floors. This base for laminate flooring is durable and reliable, and has additional comfort conditions.

Preparing the base: option 2

If the house has mostly well-preserved floorboards, there are some defects that may prevent correct installation and operation of the laminate, it is easy to eliminate. It is enough to do a few activities.

All protruding nail heads are sunk deep into the wood using a hammer
The baseboard around the entire perimeter of the room is removed.
Cracks and joints between boards are not sealed with anything. The plywood leveling the floor will hide them.

If it is necessary to make thermal insulation, proceed according to the first option for preparing the base. However, in this case, it can turn into a waste of money. After the entire structure is erected, a multilayer coating is obtained that does not blow through or cool due to the arrangement of materials perpendicular to each other. The plywood base retains heat well and it itself is comfortable for human feet, since it is made of natural wood.

Laying plywood under laminate

Plywood – flat material with an ideal surface. The dimensions of the sheets allow you to cover the subfloor in as soon as possible. For beginners this is the best convenient way construction of an ideal base for laminate flooring. How to level a base made of pressed materials correctly?

Using a level, height differences are checked. If they don't exist, great. If a recession is detected, it is eliminated using bars. They are cut out according to the thickness of the resulting slope and placed under sheets of plywood.
Pressed wooden panels are brought into the room in advance so that they adapt to the microclimate and absorb required amount moisture, warmed up in room conditions. How much time the material needs for aging is determined by the place, method, position, temperature and humidity of the room in which it was stored before delivery to the site:

from 1 day to 3-5 days it is necessary to keep the products relatively dry and smooth;
a longer period is needed for those canvases that were in storage at 5-8 degrees C and 10% humidity;
above 7 days adapt plywood with minor deformation. It is placed in a stack so that under the weight it takes on the desired shape. When fastening such canvases, a larger number of screws are used.

Plywood sheets square shape laid so that their edges fall in the middle of the bottom crossbar or floorboard. The ribs cannot be combined with the edges of the boards. There will be nothing to attach the screws to. The canvases will sag.
A deformation gap of 0.5 - 1 cm is left around the perimeter of the walls. Since plywood is made from natural veneer, then she needs space and the opportunity to “breathe”. This gap is also used to guide the laying of laminate flooring, which cannot be placed flush against the wall.
To ensure that the joints between the individual elements of the rough flooring do not coincide, the second row of plywood begins with half a sheet. Using a jigsaw, according to pre-designated markings, the solid blade is cut into 2 parts. The first is used at the beginning of the row, the second at the end.
When laying out the leveling pressed sheets, they try to place them not close to each other, leaving a minimum gap, similar in functionality to the deformation gap.
The laid out canvases are secured with self-tapping screws or hardware. They are screwed in with a screwdriver until the cap is completely sunk into the wood. Let a small dent form, which will then damage the laminate. It is easy to fill the hole with putty or fill it with sealant.
Sometimes you have to align the sheets of plywood themselves if their edges, for example, do not coincide with each other. This is done using an electric planer or grinding machine. It is necessary to achieve an ideal surface so that the topcoat lays evenly.

A backing is usually laid on a plywood base under the laminate. It plays the role of a shock absorber and an intermediate layer between the pressed sheets and the finishing coating.

Important points

Plywood and laminate are similar in that they are equally susceptible to moisture. Responsible manufacturers specially impregnate veneer with compounds that protect them from water. If this is not done in the factory, you can protect the plywood with your own hands. This work can be carried out at any stage: during adaptation or after installation.

Laying of multilayer sheets under laminate is carried out at a temperature of 20-30 degrees C and relative humidity. Then the sheets are in optimal conditions and behave well when working with them.

In rooms with high levels of humidity, for example, in bathrooms and kitchens, it is better to use other floor leveling methods and alternative finishing materials. If the microclimate is like in the tropics, the plywood will bend, the laminate will deform, and the floor will become unusable.

Plywood sheets– an excellent option for leveling a wooden floor under a laminate. It is convenient and simple. Any beginner in the construction business can use this leveling technology.

Video on how to level a wooden floor with plywood

Do-it-yourself wooden floor under laminate We insulate wooden floor on the joists
How to lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor - video and installation features
Warm water floors on wooden floors
Wooden floor

To level a floor with plywood under a laminate, there are several methods that differ from each other in the installation method:

plywood sheet without logs, using glue;
plywood sheet without logs, using an adhesive base;
lags.

Laying plywood on the floor

In order not to use logs when leveling floors with plywood, you need to attach a large number of physical effort, but you can save a lot of time, since installation of the coating begins after laying the plywood.

Leveling floors using the adhesive method

This leveling scheme can be used when the errors in the height difference in the screed are insignificant. If the screed was made independently and recently, then you definitely need to wait until the surface has completely dried, and only then begin production next works. Before installation, you need to check what humidity the room has. IN this process A plastic film will help you, which you need to forcefully lean along the perimeter of the room against the bars and wait a while. If after several days no perspiration has formed on the film, then the leveling process can begin.

To begin installing plywood, you first need to cut the material into pieces, and then the resulting parts are laid out around the room - the way they will be fastened. Thanks to this procedure, the necessary pieces of the required configuration are adjusted and cut out, because parts of certain sizes are needed in corners and interior passages.

Construction stores sell plywood sheets measuring 1.25 meters on one side, but it is impossible to use material of similar dimensions for leveling. It is necessary to cut the material into four equal parts; after completing this stage, it is necessary to check all ends of the part for cracks and delamination.

Fastening plywood sheets

When the blanks are made, you can begin the process of experimental installation with your own hands. Do not stack plywood elements close to each other, this will building material deformation is possible, as it can react to influences environment, for example, due to unstable room temperature or high humidity in the rooms. And so that there is no deformation, and subsequently there is no creaking, the gap between the plywood blanks should be about 8mm.

The gap between the wall and the material being laid is about 15mm. This is done for unhindered air circulation, resulting in the creation of optimal conditions for laminate or parquet, which are laid on a plywood base. When such a base is used when laying laminate flooring, it is possible to avoid the formation of any defects, since parquet or laminate flooring is very sensitive to high humidity.

When installing plywood sheets, you need to make sure that you do not form a joint between the blanks, so the sheets are shifted. How to properly level a floor under a laminate - many people ask this question, since the quality and evenness of the floor will determine how long the finishing coating will last, as well as its appearance. When all the blanks are laid on the surface and all the material is prepared, it is necessary to number the plywood sheets.

It is also necessary to draw a laying diagram and leave marks on the floor with chalk - this is done so as not to confuse the order of laying, so as not to rack your brains in the future. After completing this procedure, the workpieces are removed from the floor surface.

How to properly prepare the base

Many people are interested in how to level a floor with plywood, and absolutely all construction manuals, as well as qualified workers, will answer that such work can be done when you are sure that the base has a perfectly flat surface.

When preparing the base, dust is removed and minor defects are also eliminated, after which a primer is produced, which you can make yourself (adhesive is mixed for wooden products with any solvent, or a mixture of bitumen and gasoline is made). This solution will be ideally absorbed into the base of the concrete, this has a good effect on increasing the adhesion of the plywood sheets and the base of the room. The primer mixture can be applied using a roller. After the surface has dried, the installation of plywood sheets begins.

Installation of plywood

This section will discuss the technology of laying plywood. Before you start laying it, you should first decide which adhesive composition is best to use. As discussed earlier, you can use bitumen or specialized glue. The adhesive mass is applied 2mm wide. To ensure that the solution is evenly distributed, it is recommended to use a roller.

Fastening of the material occurs not only on glue mixture, also use self-tapping screws; the dimensions of this fastening material must be greater than the thickness of the plywood, at least 3 times. At this stage, they resort to using a hammer drill. Self-tapping screws are installed at a distance of 20 cm from each other.

When the plywood sheets are laid, connectors are made in the screed. To do this, holes are drilled required depth and diameter. Then the drill is taken big size, with its help they countersink a hole in the plywood, where the self-tapping screw is completely recessed. Upon completion of the entire procedure for laying plywood sheets, the surface of the material is sanded using sandpaper, and if you have a grinding machine, this procedure can be performed with it.

Plywood type base leveling

Leveling the floor with plywood without using adhesive solutions

When leveling the floor using adjustable plywood, then in this case you can not use adhesive solutions. To do this, holes are made that the diagram requires, after which the material is applied to the floor surface and a hole is made in it. In this hole, anchors with a washer and nut are installed. To set the height of the nuts, use a building level; if available, it is better to use it. After installing the anchors along the entire floor and after calculating the level, you should lay down the plywood, which is secured with nuts; the remaining rod must be cut off.

This method is installation of several layers. Each subsequent layer is fastened overlapping the previous one.

Leveling using joists

In order to independently level plywood floors, a method such as leveling with joists is ideal, because it allows absolutely anyone to complete the work without resorting to additional labor.

mandatory presence of a hammer drill and a screwdriver;
two types of levels are required, liquid and laser;
hammer;
jigsaw;
You need a tape measure, preferably a long one.

Leveling the base with joists

Prepared in the same way as for other methods of laying plywood. After arrangement concrete screed it must be allowed to dry, it must also be perfectly cleaned of dust and various kinds pollution. The logs are being prepared. For this, pre-prepared wooden blocks are used.

There are many offers on the construction market for the sale of ready-made logs, but when choosing, you need to ensure that the material you buy is completely dry. This type of lumber is produced only coniferous wood The ideal cross-section for this type of work is considered to be 40x100mm. Wooden spacers are required. To properly install the logs, they are installed across from the light that comes from the windows; the gap between the parts should be approximately 45 cm.

If necessary, the resulting gaps are filled with soundproofing material, ideal mineral wool. When these requirements are met, the result is not only a warm floor, but also a silent one.

You cannot install parts close to the wall, you should definitely leave at least 2cm, this is done to prevent deformation of the laminate or parquet from temperature changes that can occur as a result seasonal changes. Also, during the installation process, you need to ensure that the lag structure is made in accordance with the level that was noted earlier. If any unevenness occurs, the height is adjusted using wooden wedges. Do not forget about sound insulation, and you must install soundproofing material, it can be linoleum or polyethylene.

You should only use well-dried plywood; it is cut into equal sizes, after which they are installed by screwing them to the joists; do not forget to leave gaps of approximately 3mm. If you fasten the sheets tightly, then your floor will definitely creak.

Wood products very often change their volume due to temperature changes, as well as unstable humidity in the building. So that later, when it is done, the floor does not rise and unevenness is formed - this is why they leave a gap in the joists and walls. If you are installing joists in a corridor, then the installation should be done across from human movement; this nuance will allow you to get a stronger and more reliable floor.

Laminate is a fairly popular floor covering. But required condition its installation is on a flat floor. That is why it is leveled using plywood or other methods.

Before installing laminate flooring, you need to ensure that the floors are perfectly level. The alignment process depends on the initial state flooring. If you neglect this procedure, the laminate will quickly become unusable, begin to crack, and lose its attractive appearance.

In places of unevenness, the finishing coating will crack and change shape. If there are elevations, the laminate will begin to swell. If the base is loosened, then the coating itself will begin to diverge. That's why everything needs to be done necessary measures for leveling the floor.

If the presence of unevenness is a couple of millimeters, then there is no need to level the coating. It is enough to use a thick substrate.

Laminate is quite popular among floor coverings. It is made of wood and covered on top protective layer, which prevents mechanical and chemical influences. It is widely used in both residential buildings, and in office buildings.

Advantages of laminate:

Attractive appearance;
Acceptable price;
Easy installation;
Quality.

Perform alignment wooden base with your own hands really. Wherein price policy question is acceptable. You don’t need a lot of tools for the procedure, just desire.

How to level an old wooden floor under laminate: methods and techniques

The alignment procedure has several methods. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. To determine best option For your own case, you need to familiarize yourself with each of them.

Methods for leveling flooring:

Manual or mechanical scraping;
Using OSB, chipboard or fiberboard plywood;
Self-leveling mixtures;
Putty made from shavings and PVA glue;
Use of lags;
Concrete screed.

Looping involves the use of special grinding machines. This technique will take sufficient quantity time and effort. You will have to deepen all the nails and screws so that their caps do not peek out. If this is not done, then breakdown of the unit is inevitable.

If the floor has some differences, then leveling with plywood is suitable. It's simple and effective method. Plywood raises the floor by only a couple of centimeters, which is very convenient in a room with a low ceiling.

For the best effect, you need to use two layers: the first from fiberboard, the second from plywood. In this case, the joints should not coincide.

For minor unevenness, self-leveling mixtures can be used. Before leveling, you need to carry out preparatory work: replace damaged boards, fill the cracks, fix loose boards, prime the floor and take care of waterproofing. You can use additional reinforced polyethylene mesh, which should be laid on a small layer of the mixture. It is used if the self-leveling floor height should exceed 1 cm.

Leveling with putty is the most cheap way. Preparatory work with this method, they include securing the guide strips. The interval between them should be 50-60 cm. The mixture should be applied to a clean floor treated with degreasers. After drying, you need to secure the plywood on top.

When the old floor has completely deteriorated, it is better to use joist mounting. To do this you need to get rid of the old boards. Expanded clay is poured between the joists, then there is a layer of polystyrene foam or gypsum fiber board and the whole thing is covered with plywood.

Concrete screed is often used to level the floor. The disadvantage of this procedure is the large weight of the concrete. That is why the rough wooden floor must still be strong enough to withstand the required load.

Leveling a wooden floor: how to determine the presence of unevenness

To properly level the floor and ensure the durability of the floor covering, you must perform necessary measures. This can be done in several ways. But before such a procedure, it is necessary to inspect the quality of the wooden base.

Parameters for assessing floor quality:

Presence of insects and rot. Need to study carefully wood covering at both sides. If there are no traces of harmful influence, the floor does not need to be changed.
Evenness of the floor covering. For this they can use laser level or visual assessment. If you have the skills, you can resort to the help of a construction level.
The presence of irregularities and bumps. To do this, pull two ropes and monitor the contact of the thread with the floor.

Before the procedure for determining unevenness, it is necessary to clear the floor of any objects. This will help more accurately determine the presence of flooring defects. You can use any of the methods to check the evenness of floors. You can also use a mounting level or hydraulic level.

Degrees of roughness:

Small – 5-20 mm;
Medium – 20-60 mm;
Large - from 60 mm.

After identifying the unevenness, you can choose the leveling method. Laying plywood is considered the most optimal. This is a simple option that anyone can do on their own.

The sequence of leveling the floor with plywood under the laminate

This technique does not take much effort and does not require special skills. We level the floor ourselves with our own hands. For this you only need desire and set necessary equipment and materials.

Tools for leveling plywood floors:

Medium hammer;
Hammer;
Screwdriver;
Roulette;
Level.

Fastening plywood is the most effective way to level the floor. It can be used when the base has completely deteriorated or has severe unevenness. But at the same time, all power components must be strong enough.

Sequence of work on leveling the floor with plywood:

First you need to secure the logs. To do this, you need to determine the zero point to which the plywood will be attached. This point starts from the highest point of the old floor. To it you need to add the thickness of the planks (joists) themselves. Next, you need to make marks around the entire perimeter of the room, indicating the height of the new floor.
Then you need to stretch it with construction thread. Screws need to be secured along the entire floor at the level of the cord. This will serve as a guide for further work.
At the pointer level, you need to install lags. The interval between the centers of the planks should be no more than 60 cm. If the lag does not reach the floor, then you need to make a lining.
After the evenness of the planks is determined using a level, you need to begin securing the plywood. The material is attached to self-tapping screws when the cap is deepened by 2-3 mm.
After this, you need to check the evenness of the floor again.

The plywood joints must coincide with the joists. They should not be in the air and create a gap. Otherwise, this coating will not last long.

After leveling, you should take care of ventilation. This will increase the lifespan of the floor. To do this, just make small holes in opposite sides of the room.

Tips: how to level a wooden floor under laminate (video)

The process of leveling the floor when using plywood does not have any difficulties. You need to prepare in advance and study all the nuances and features of using plywood. It is also advisable to have the necessary tools on hand.

Tsugunov Anton Valerievich

Reading time: 6 minutes

The durability and appearance of the laminate largely depend on proper preparation floor bases. Many apartment owners who have chosen laminate flooring complain about loose locks and cracking panels when walking. main reason These troubles come from laying laminate flooring on an uneven floor. In order for laminate floors to serve for a long time and not cause problems during operation, before installing them you need to take care of a perfectly level base. Let's find out how to level a laminate floor in different ways.

In order to find out whether it is necessary to level the floor under the laminate, it is necessary to examine the surface for unevenness. To do this, you can use a rule, a meter-long ruler, or in an even piece plywood. When applying the tool to the floor on each surface area, pay attention to the gaps between the base and the rule. Laying laminate flooring on an uneven floor is unacceptable, so if the height of the gaps exceeds 2 mm, then the base must be leveled. The same applies to height differences, which are determined building level. Leveling will be required if the difference between the highest and lowest point of the floor exceeds 2–3 mm.

Leveling a concrete base in different ways

You can prepare a concrete floor for laminate different methods. The choice of method depends on the scale of the unevenness, the time allotted for repairs and your financial capabilities.

Standard cement-sand screed

This method is intended for preparing a subfloor that has significant flaws. The cost depends on its thickness, but in general the price of the material is relatively low. The main disadvantage of this method is long time waiting time – 28 days.

Leveling the floor under the laminate with your own hands using a cement-sand mortar is as follows:

Before starting work concrete floor primed in 2 layers.
Using a level, the highest point of the base is determined, the boundary of the future fill is marked on the walls and the cord is pulled. They are installed and leveled on the base at a distance of 1.5–2 m.
The solution is prepared from cement and sand in a ratio of 1:3.
The screed is poured between the two beacons to the required level and leveled using the rule.
Within 48 hours, the screed is moistened with water and then rubbed with a trowel with a solution of sand and cement in a 1:1 ratio. At this stage, the beacons are removed and the voids are filled with fresh solution.
The floor is closed for 14 days plastic film, after its removal, the screed is moistened with water for 5 days, then left until completely dry.
After installation of hydro- and sound insulation, preparation of the floor for laminate is considered complete.

Dry screed

Performing a dry screed using loose and sheet materials allows you to prepare the floor for laminate as quickly as possible. The main disadvantage is the fear of moisture.

The essence of the technology is as follows:

On concrete plates a layer is placed on which the profile fixed to the level is placed gypsum mortar and acting as beacons.
Expanded clay is poured into the space between the profile, on top of which a layer of vapor barrier is placed.
The top layer of the structure is made of plywood with a thickness of 10 to 12 mm or gypsum fiber sheets, which are glued and additionally fastened with self-tapping screws.

Leveling with plywood or chipboard

How to lay laminate flooring on an uneven floor that has significant differences in height? For this purpose, plywood is used, laid on.

Leveling using plywood occurs as follows:

Before starting work, the level of the future floor is marked on the walls, hydro- and sound insulation and shock-absorbing lining are laid.
At a distance of 3 cm from the walls and about 50 cm from each other, logs are laid and secured with dowels - wooden beams with a section of 50×60 or 40×80. Height differences are compensated by wooden spacers attached to the base.
Sheets of plywood or chipboard are attached to the top with self-tapping screws so that their joints are located in the middle of the supporting module.

How to level wooden floors

Preparing a wooden floor for laminate may include different actions, the choice of which depends on the degree of floor unevenness.

First you need to assess the condition of the current flooring. Floorboards and joists are checked for strength, all elements are inspected for the presence of fungus and rot. Defects are eliminated - creaking floorboards are fixed, damaged ones are replaced with new ones, problematic joists are strengthened with beams. The gaps between the floorboards are filled with a mixture of sawdust, putty and varnish.

Laying laminate flooring on an uneven wooden floor is not allowed, but it can be installed directly on the old flooring if certain conditions are met:

the boards are not bent, do not creak or sag;
there are no gaps between the floorboards, there are no traces of fungus on all elements;
After measurements, no height differences of more than 2 mm were detected.

Advice: even in the case of perfectly smooth wooden base Under the laminate, do not forget about a special cork backing.

For minor differences in height, a scraping machine or electric planer is used for leveling. Before sanding, be sure to secure the boards using long self-tapping screws and recess the nail heads into the wood to a depth of about 2 mm.