My side gig restoring old floors has me stumped on this one technique.

I've been fixing up vintage hardwood in my spare time, but dealing with uneven subfloors is tricky. What's your go-to method for leveling without removing the original planks?

4 comments

4 Comments

jessica_walker611mo ago

Saw a contractor on YouTube use a floor leveler compound for this. You pour it thin over the low spots and use a long straight edge to pull it level. The key is to work in small sections so it doesn't dry too fast. Lets you feather it out smooth without a big height change.

milesbarnes1mo ago

Wait, you mix wood shims right into the patch?

drew9341mo ago

Oh man, I was reading this old house forum where they were all about using a self-leveling underlayment for this exact thing. You basically pour it and it finds the low spots itself, which sounds way easier than trying to spread something evenly. I mean, the trick is to prime the subfloor first so it sticks right. Then you can belt sand any tiny high spots after it dries. It just seems like a solid way to save the old boards even if it's a bit of a messy job.

jessica_walker611mo ago

Try feather finish patch mixed with thin plywood shims for really bad spots. That combo lets you fill low areas without adding too much height overall, which keeps your trim fitting right. It's a bit of a messy process but saves the original wood.