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What is a healthy product to use to level uneven plywood under new wood floating floor?

[email protected] | Posted in General Questions on

Our second floor of our home has some areas with dips and uneven. I researched tar paper and it is unhealthy. What is a healthy way to build up the low spots? We are putting down a solid wood floor with a thick pad underlayment and we are going to float it.

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Replies

  1. GBA Editor
    Martin Holladay | | #1

    Bill,
    Most flooring installers would use floor leveling compound, not asphalt felt, to take care of small dips in a subfloor.

    If your subfloor has major problems, the best solution is to install a new plywood subfloor, shimmed as needed.

    I have never heard of any health problems related to properly installed floor leveling compound. However, if someone in your family has chemical sensitivities, you may need to research the issue further or have the sensitive family member smell some cured floor leveling compound.

  2. rocket190 | | #2

    I used Mapei self leveling compound in my house. It's cementious based. It did have a strong odor, kind of sweet, for at least a month, but is odorless now.

  3. dankolbert | | #3

    We use Leveline. Reasonably innocuous. Here's the MSDS http://www.penetronsp.com/uploads/Leveline-Lite-MSDS-E09.pdf

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