Neighbor Ted showed me how to level a floor with a 6ft level and shims

Last month I was trying to get my living room subfloor flat for laminate and kept getting gaps. My neighbor Ted came over, saw me struggling, and handed me a 6ft level. He said “stop using that 2ft one, you’re chasing bumps that don’t matter.” We spent an hour shimming the low spots with cedar shims and checking every 3 feet. Has anyone else found a bigger level makes a huge difference for floor prep?

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2 Comments

wadefoster5mo ago

Does the 2ft level make you fix stuff that wasn't actually a problem? I spent a whole weekend sanding down a high spot that was perfectly fine on a 6ft level. Bigger level saved me from myself.

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taylor1745mo ago

Had a buddy who spent two days pouring self leveler in his kitchen because his 2ft level showed a dip. Turned out the floor was actually fine, his level was off by like a 16th of an inch. He ended up with a hump in the middle of the room and had to grind it all back down. Said his wife still brings it up every time they cook dinner.

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