Laminate boards aren t as flexible as vinyl but they still follow the contours of an uneven subfloor and you ll feel the unevenness when you walk on it.
Laminate flooring over uneven subfloor.
Only very small imperfections can be concealed using underlay.
To make a subfloor suitable for installing laminate check out this basic guide first.
For very uneven flooring laminate sheets or tiles may be a better bet.
Because engineered hardwood has a top layer of actual wood you are able to get the best of both worlds.
When you install laminate flooring the subfloor surface has to be completely flat.
First assess the severity of the uneven.
Not only is trying to install laminate over an uneven subfloor difficult but also it can be dangerous.
Fixing an uneven floor for laying laminate b efore laying your laminate flooring it is essential to ensure that your subfloor is even.
Particularly problematic are humps left on.
In an application where the subfloor has uneven tendencies and or crosses over various rooms with differing subfloor surfaces engineered flooring gives you real wood where you otherwise would have to put down new subflooring.
This material is more flexible but may reveal the imperfections in the surface.
These hills and valleys will eventually lead to unwanted bouncy spots squeaks and groans in the final laminate floor.
Underlay will not hide major flaws and a floor that is uneven will need attention before you lay any laminate flooring.
Look at the board where it touches the subfloor and see if there are any dips bumps or otherwise uneven areas.
To test for the flatness for laying laminate flooring on an uneven subfloor lay a 10 foot long 2x4 board.
There are compounds that are available to make.
Otherwise the floor will take the shape of the surface over time.
A level subfloor ensures a more attractive and long lasting finish.