How level does the floor has to be for laminate flooring

[rkhazin]

Hi,

I am planning to lay laminate flooring over the entire basement floor but 60% of it is covered by 1/8" vinyl tiles and the rest bare concrete. Can I lay over it as is or do I need to level the floor first by stripping all the tiles or perhaps cover the bare concrete with 1/8" linoleum. Suggestions?

Ray

[William.Deans]

Greetings,

1/8" is too much. Harbor Freight tools had a cheap pneumatic floor scraper on special not too long ago. That might make your job a lot easier. If a) it is still on special and b) you buy it for this one job let me know and I might buy it from you for a reduced price used. Otherwise I will just wait until it goes on special again.

Hope this helps, William

[Bert]

Couldn't you just use floor leveling compound to feather out the difference?

MikeB

[Colbyt]

At the risk of sounding unhelpful, may I suggest you read and follow the directions included with the product.

I seem to recall 1/8" deviation in X feet. Yes you are going to need to remove the tiles. After you do that you may still need to skim coat and level the floor. Most basement floors do not meet the minimum standards set for a proper laminate installation. Concrete floors may look level but they aren't.

Colbyt

[tinacci336]

Have you given thought to any moisture problem perhaps affecting that laminated flooring? I think I would want to be sure there was no moisture coming up through the concrete..

Jack

[Sacramento Dave]

Are you talking a Floating or Glue down Floor.

[James "Cubby" Culbertson]

If it's this one,

on sale now. Not sure if you saw it lower. I'm picking one up this week to work on my floor.....long story made short, I'm having to remove self leveling concrete from the floor I was trying to flatten. I hope it works! Cheers, cc