How to Level an uneven floor THE RIGHT WAY

Please stop using leveling cement. In this video I show how to repair an old uneven floor and make it flat and level.

0:00 - Intro
0:19 - Remove existing flooring
2:13 - Plan and Diagram
3:15 - Install and sister new Joists
6:07 - Install new plywood subfloor

[nikkikiska]

Pretty good. A couple quick tips for those looking to do the same thing: use the laser to get the first sistered joist level and then do one several bays down, then you can lay a 6' or 8' level (or anything long and straight) between these two sisters and and just butt the remaining sisters up against it instead of monkeying with the laser. Even better, use the laser to install a temporary reverse ledger along one wall and you can just butt the ends of the sisters up against that whike installing. Finally, even with good, relatively straight lumber, sort it so all the crowns are facing the same way and use the straightest pieces on the ends, the next straightest pieces one bay from the ends, and so on, which makes for the most consistent floor possible.

[KentuckyMelons]

From someone who has learned from my own mistakes over the past 50+ years. 1. Never use white 'soft' pine for floor joists. They are weak in strength & it's an all you can eat buffet for termites. I use hardwood treated yellow pine for floor joists especially ground level floors. 2. Never put 4 corners together on subfloor seems. It's best to rip a full 4x8 sheet in half & start with that one so you will have staggered seams instead of seams meeting at 4 corners making your floor weak in strength. Good job though leveling the floor out.!!

[cajunboy]

Great job. I have old house with one room that has sagging floor and I was thinking about doing same thing you did. Thank you for the info.

[TheKot]

I have a old farmhouse as well 1923 and we bought it with some slanted floors this will be my winter project. Great video

[scottmoore]

Probably one of the best ideas ive seen. When i get my kitchen gutted, i may try this if its that jacked

[AndrewFedyszak]

I had never seen it done that way in uk. You can buy woden wedges called firrings, normally used to create fall on flat roofs. So you could just fix them to top of joists. They are only available in certain sizes, but i used one with 2 inch drop over 8 foot length, which looks like difference you had to fix.

[renoyo]

awesome job and great video dude. that cigarette is from around 1948 after looking it up!! so cool!

[jeremywheeler]

Very nice approach. I have a 6ft length of floor that differs by 3/4 in that I'll do this to if I don't just go with leveling compound.

[donwolfjr]

Great video!!! Gives me a lot more confidence in working in my crawl space!!! : ) Don W., Ohio

[tricatfilms]

This is great, thank you, I was on the fence about jacking up the joists (and slowly raising to fix the uneven floor) from the floor below but that seems like it wouldn't work in my situation. This may be my best option!

[vladster]

I really like this aproach. To me this seems the smartest and certainly most proctical than the others' out there (the self-levelling cement) As a person that enjoys framing I find this the best. 😀👍

[leonjulytv]

What was used to fill the gaps of the subfloor? Thank you

[QuintinBulnes-ry]

How about installing insulation in between the beams of the floor, would this be necessary?

[ncey]

I have a similar slope from settlement across the length of my whole house and considered doing this, but I came to the conclusion that A) levelling the floor would mean it wasn't square with the ceiling which might stand out on longer walls and B) I would end up losing about 500mm from the height of the room nearest the settlement. Seemed much easier to chalk it up to "character" and move on with life

[kintin]

Thank you i have a room just like this thank you for sharing

[jakeledg]

Why wouldn’t you support the sagging joists with a cross beam?

[xxnonstopdancingxx]

1:05 March 1955? Fish under the sea dance was November that year. Good year for socials

[jimphillips]

I bet carrying the 3/4 inch subfloor sheets upstairs made your day. ive got the exact same situation in an upstairs bedroom, old pipes and electrical and work.

[Energia-]

I liked that you used pipe wrenchs to remove that old black iron pipe. Most guys would've used a sawzall.

[rivernet]

Would have liked a little explanation of the cause. How did second floor get 1.5" out yet the ground floor wasn't? My best guess is, it was, due to settling. Why not address the issue there, at the cause?