For questions generally relating to the structure and construction of floors in buildings, including designs, materials, support mechanisms, load-bearing calculations, etc. For questions specifically about the top-layer covering of a floor (tile, carpet, hardwood) see the "flooring" tag.
1
vote
1answer
17 views
How do I remove a small amount of water based concrete sealer from a painted floor?
I was using a water based concrete sealer on my painted concrete floors. I did something wrong, and one tiny section didn't dry clear.
My question is, what can I use to remove a small portion ...
1
vote
1answer
27 views
How do I stop the rubber sweep on my front door from squeaking as it moves against the floor?
The main door into my house has rubber at the base of it and it has started to squeak against the wooden floor when opened. How do I fix this problem?
-1
votes
1answer
92 views
Should I triple up 2x6, or 2x8 to help level a floor? [closed]
I want to level my first floor dining room.
The joists supporting the floor is 2x8", 13' long on that side of the main support beam.
They are spaced between 16 to 19" apart, there was some moisture ...
5
votes
1answer
615 views
What do I level a 2" slope in my concrete basement floor?
I want to finish a 12'x36' part of my basement. The trouble I am having is that it is sloped to a floor drain. I was told that DRIcore and shims would work but the drain is a 2" slope down from the ...
2
votes
0answers
38 views
What thickness, size, and quality plywood is required for an aviary floor?
12'L x 5'D x8'H size aviary needs what thickness plywood to hold human weight. Aviary floor is slightly elevated from the ground. Also, please specify how many floor joists it needs to hold the weight ...
3
votes
3answers
234 views
Can I install hardwood floors (not floating) on a concrete floor?
We have recently bought an old house, and the ground floor has a hard floor and is currently covered in tongue and groove laminate - which we hate.
We'd like to put reclaimed floorboards down - is ...
3
votes
1answer
78 views
What should be done about water under bathroom floor tiles?
There is water getting under our bathroom floor tiles. The landlord believes that due to a recent remodel of whole bathroom, water is not draining from the window ledge but is instead going into the ...
4
votes
4answers
262 views
How can I transition between these floors?
I have recently fitted some new laminate flooring to my living room floor. This floor meets directly with the tiled floor of the kitchen. I'm looking to fit some sort of transition bar between the ...
3
votes
2answers
621 views
What should I do about this load bearing wall that is only supported by a joist floor?
My floors pitch in the same spots as they do on the 1st and 2nd floors.
My home was built in the 1890's. I have some soft spots in the basement joists and added 4x4" posts to each side of the main ...
2
votes
1answer
163 views
How should I prepare a plywood subfloor for floating vinyl plank flooring?
The floor of my laundry room was three layers of hideous vinyl flooring of various vintages, a layer of 3/4" plywood underlayment (to match the height of the vinyl to surrounding hardwood flooring) ...
2
votes
1answer
145 views
How can I level my bedroom floor?
I have a second floor bedroom that is 10' wide by 16' long. The floor is 3/8 to 3/4 then back to 3/8 lower, then 1/4 to the bedroom door. How can I even the floor? I can not raise the new floor ...
5
votes
1answer
113 views
What should I do to level an uneven floor with a potential load bearing wall above?
I'm trying to level the first floor in my 90 year old house.
The floor joists are held up by a wooden beam composed of 5 2x8s, which is held up by two steel columns. In the middle of the wooden ...
9
votes
4answers
544 views
How can I remove a single cracked floor tile?
How can I remove a single damaged floor tile without damaging the surrounding tiles? Is there anything that will help the replacement tile from cracking in the same way?
0
votes
1answer
86 views
How to read this floor map scale?
I'm not an interior designer, but I'm going to do the home design myself. I don't know how to read the scale of this floor plan. I'm going to put this into a floor planner website and design, but I ...
10
votes
4answers
5k views
How do you stop the floor from squeaking?
I have a home built in the 1940's. The main floor creaks a lot and more squeaking and creaks seem to spring up in new places all the time.
Is there an easy way to stop the squeaking and creaking? I ...
8
votes
1answer
14k views
How can I level a sloped floor?
I have a 10x13 first-floor room which used to be a porch but at some point was closed in by the previous owners, and sheet linoleum was glued down to the plywood subfloor. Unfortunately they didn't ...
9
votes
2answers
11k views
How do I fix a squeaky floor below my carpet?
I have a squealy floor below my carpet on the 2nd floor of my house. It sounds like the subfloor under the carpet is moving up and down a little and makes this awful load squeak when I step down on ...
8
votes
3answers
2k views
Is a radiant floor enough to heat the room?
I would like to know if an electric or hydronic radiant floor is enough to heat the room or if it's just to have a warm floor. And if yes, what is the efficiency (the time it take to warm the room, ...
2
votes
0answers
106 views
How can I use bulk electrical wire to make a subfloor heating system?
Electrical floor heating kits run US$10 to $15 per square foot, but bulk wire only costs $2.50. With the controller, you're still running under $4 a square foot. I have a construction background, but ...
6
votes
2answers
200 views
Is the back section of this house salvageable or should it be knocked down?
My grandfather's house is getting to be in bad shape after years of neglect and more so the back section of the house is falling apart. Now the back section of the house, if I remember correctly, was ...
6
votes
4answers
1k views
What are the pros and cons of various hardwood floor finishes?
Trying to decide how to stain/finish some new oak hardwood floors. What are the pros and cons of various options like stain+poly, tung oil, etc. I'm wondering about lifetime cost, durability, ability ...
6
votes
5answers
4k views
How can we fix bouncy floors?
Our floors are somewhat bouncy, especially in big rooms with long joists. I think that the main cause is that they used 2x8 joists on 15-20' spans.
We are going to replace/install hardwood in ...
4
votes
1answer
147 views
Will I cause problem/cracks with jumping exercise in upper floor?
Every day I am doing my martial art practice in upper floor. It contains jumping and power movements which cause sounds downstairs.
Is there any problem for concrete by this continuous jerking ...
1
vote
0answers
263 views
How can I stop water from coming up through the floor?
I have a house that is on a high water table, and water is coming up through the floor. The property was excavated around the perimeter a couple of years ago and installed a new Big "O". Drycore was ...
2
votes
1answer
50 views
How do I install a range anti-tip kit into hardwood floor on concrete?
I'm preparing to install an anti-tip kit for an electric range. It's a piece of shaped metal designed to be bolted to the floor with two screws or bolts. The floor is hardwood (probably engineered) ...
0
votes
0answers
59 views
Is it possible to purchase giant sheets of foam rubber flooring?
I need to install a ring of anti-fatigue mat material (foam/rubber) that has an outside diameter of 20 ft and inside diameter of 12 ft. I seem to only find it sold as interlocking squares though ...
4
votes
2answers
212 views
Should I remove nailed-down plywood before laying tile?
In my bathroom there is vinyl on top of plywood, which is nailed to the sub floor. Should I pry up the plywood before putting down cement backer board for tile, or can I go over the plywood?
2
votes
2answers
47 views
How to fix pitched floors in a brick building
I'm looking at a property the was built in the lat 1800s. It's a 3 level brick building with two other building of similar stature on each side. I too a quick look at the second floor, and it pitches ...
3
votes
1answer
268 views
What is this burnt cement floor treatment called?
In Brazil we have a floor finish named Burnt Cement (that doesn't involve burning). Here is a description of the process
In summary, you use a mix of cement and pigment (sometimes marble powder too) ...
27
votes
5answers
19k views
Should I use a subfloor for a finished basement's floor?
We are refinishing our basement and have not yet decided what to do for the floors. Part of the basement will be tile, and we are all set. However, the rec room side is going to be carpet. The ...
0
votes
1answer
149 views
Can I get a smaller toilet installed? (picture included)
At the bottom is a picture of my toilet, where you can see the toilet pipe that enters the floor and that there is ~7 cm of space between the water container and the wall.
Question
Does there exist ...
1
vote
1answer
106 views
Are there any quick setting floor leveling compounds?
The self levelling compound under the vinyl floor tiles in our bathroom has started to break up so the tiles are now coming up. We do not have another toilet so I need a solution that can be walked ...
2
votes
4answers
446 views
Is it likely that there is lead in the varnish of my old 1930's hardwood floor?
I have recently uncovered an old (and presumably original circa 1930) hardwood floor in the hallway of my house. Over the past couple of weeks I have been cleaning and sanding it in order to ...
6
votes
2answers
454 views
What should go between a wood plank sub floor and a hardwood strip floor
I am about to install a hardwood floor into a room in my 1905 farmhouse. The subfloor is 8-12" wide 1" thick planks. The floor I am installing is 2-1/4" prefinished solid hickory tongue and groove.
...
2
votes
2answers
294 views
How can I replace laminate with polished concrete flooring?
I'd like to investigate whether I can replace my first-level flooring - currently faux-wood laminate - with polished concrete. What do I need to know?
Is it even practical to put down polished ...
3
votes
3answers
143 views
What is the proper way to clean a paintbrush and metal pan with KleanStrip paint thinner?
I am finishing my hardwood floors tonight with an oil-based polyurethane. I bought a natural bristle paintbrush and a metal pan, as well as some KleanStrip paint thinner that is "made with Mineral ...
4
votes
2answers
5k views
How do I properly jack up one side of my house?
As I write this, I have a slight lean as I walk on my floor in some parts of my house, and it's even worse on the upper floor. In some parts upstairs, it feels almost like you have to grab something. ...
4
votes
1answer
330 views
Can I hang a hammock from basement joists?
My basement is what I assume is a typical setup, built in the 1970s. 2x8 joists run from the outer cinderblock wall to the center beam with an approximate 11 foot span. I'm thinking about hanging a ...
2
votes
1answer
186 views
Is it a good idea to repair a squeaky floor from above?
I have a second floor that squeaks, a lot.
Attempts at using scored screws haven't helped much, and the carpet is due for replacement, so there is little concern about pulling it up.
A contractor ...
6
votes
2answers
1k views
How do I make a manhole?
I have a 100+ year old house with wooden floors.
At the moment, access to the subfloor is difficult, involving a long 25 meter crawl under the deck.
I'd like to install a manhole in the floor. Is ...
3
votes
1answer
335 views
How do I fix an uneven cement floor prior to hard wood flooring install?
I have recently ripped up carpet and padding on a cement floor for a sixth floor condo unit. I plan on installing 3/4" Bella, 3' wide flooring on it. The problem is that there is a ridge, about 1/8", ...
5
votes
2answers
167 views
Can I have underfloor heating with solid oak floor?
I've seen that many underfloor heating mats (the electric ones) specify the need for tile or stone floor and I'm wondering if it will work as efficiently under a solid oak floor? (or any wood floor ...
4
votes
1answer
548 views
Framing a 10x12 wood floor, using 2x6 PT lumber
I am building a foundation for a 10x12 metal/vinyl coated shed. The foundation is ready with four 12" diameter concrete pillars and another three pillars down the center. I used concrete strong tie ...
2
votes
1answer
138 views
How should I install an access panel in a high traffic floor?
I have a bit of a bastard plumbing joint which resides directly under a main doorway in my house. I recently needed to cut into the flooring in order to make a repair.
I've dealt with trapdoors in ...
5
votes
4answers
649 views
Any ideas on how to keep a refrigerator from moving without wheel locks?
I've got a frig on a tile floor without any wheel locks, and it likes to slide forward every time I open a refrigerator door quickly. So far I have tried:
toilet shims shoved under the wheels. ...
5
votes
2answers
408 views
What can I do about mild water/moisture damage to laminate wooden flooring?
Yesterday, I accidentally left the window open while it was raining heavily. Some rain poured in for a while (maybe a half-hour or so) before I noticed. After I had wiped off the floor, some dark ...
1
vote
1answer
158 views
How can I stop cracking/squeaking sounds while leveling this floor?
I am reconditioning a wooden floor; I pulled up the carpet and am repairing, levelling and then painting the so-so boards I found. I already tried replacing the nails with screws but found that the ...
2
votes
2answers
111 views
How can I repair a big gash in my kitchen floor?
How can I repair this big gash in kitchen floor (I can see wood)
I was cleaning my kitchen floor, and moved the fridge out of the way. Problem is we have our microwave on it with a short cord. ...
5
votes
2answers
819 views
How to finish dirt floor in a basement?
The floor of the basement of our house is half a flat area with a concrete floor where the washing machine and so on are, and half a semi-flat, slightly sloping dirt area, with the dirt area being ...
5
votes
4answers
907 views
How can I tile over a floor where hardwood is attached directly to joists?
My condo building in Boston was built in 1905, and converted from a hotel in the 1950's. Repairing some damaged hardwood in the livingroom the contractor found that the hardwood was nailed directly to ...
