How Can You Keep Your Floors Level?
There are only a few aspects of a home that can create as much anxiety as a floor that is out of level. The reality is that when your floor begins to slope from one end to the other or has numerous ups and downs most homeowners will want to handle it asap. This can be an incredibly frustrating problem, for the most experienced and knowledgeable homeowner.
Here are a few things that can be done in order to deal with a floor that is beginning to show signs of bumping and sloping.
When the Floor Slopes Either for Part of, or Throughout the Entire Room
Floor slopes and slants are extremely common in older and historic homes. When a slop or slant situation arises it is important to remember that this situation might be one where, over the course of say 10 or 20 horizontal feet, the floor slopes down a couple of inches. Except for that slope, the floor itself might be flat.
That said, should it be a more significant problem, where the issue is foundation related odds are that it will require the assistance of a foundation repair company or a general contractor.
What to do When the Floor Sags and Dips
Unlike when a floor has a slant, sags and dips throughout a floor will likely be an issue with the beams and joists below the floor.
When this situation arises, there are a number of potential solutions that you might want to consider.
- Sistering
If you have access to the basementor crawlspace, it is likely possible to jack up any and all saggy joists until they are perfectly level and then sister them in such a way that they remain straight after the temporary jacks are removed. Homeowners understand that sistering is the process of mating up two boards with nails or bolts in a way that allows the new board corrects or supports the other, weaker one.
- Bridging
Another fix-it idea to lay down new hardwood over the already existing floor. If you have a plywood subfloor will bridge any slight bumps and waves in the already existing floor, and leveling compound would help, too. - Adjustable Steel Columns
Another fix is to place adjustable steel columns under the joists in question in order to keep them propped up. This steel column fix is a popular choice as it does require that the base of the column be attached to the basement floor and the top of the column be secured to the joist. - Acceptance/Workarounds
Finally, many homeowners who are planning on staying in their home for the long term, when confronted with the scary reality of bills for floor repairs and related costs, simply have to accept their floors, flaws and all. Older homes often have floors that are not ideal; yes, even beautiful historic houses have bumpy, and sloping floors. Generally, there are a number of minor workarounds that are possible. These often include leveling individual elements within the floor.