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Need help leveling basement floor Darryl 12-01-2006
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Posted by Darryl on December 1, 2006, 5:59 pm


I'm putting in a wooden floor over my basement smooth-concrete floor.
6mil plastic, then treated 2x4 sleepers Hilti-nailed to the concrete,
then 3/4 osb panels over that. Half the floor is done, and it has gone
well so far. I'm adding the floor for insulation purposes, and so that
I can use different floor coverings in different rooms.

However, a 20x20 section of the floor slopes down to an unused sump
pit. How do I level the floor to compensate for this slope? Do I
first nail the 2x4s to the sloping floor (a very slight slope) and then
somehow level the osb panels, or do I make the concrete level first
before attaching the 2x4s?

And if I level the panels somehow, how do I do it in a way that would
prevent the floor from flexing? If the panel doesn't rest securely on
the sleepers (for example, if simple shims are used, leaving gaps
between the sleeper & panel), the final floor will bounce.


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Posted by Rich on December 1, 2006, 6:11 pm


Darryl wrote:
> I'm putting in a wooden floor over my basement smooth-concrete floor.
> 6mil plastic, then treated 2x4 sleepers Hilti-nailed to the concrete,
> then 3/4 osb panels over that. Half the floor is done, and it has
> gone well so far. I'm adding the floor for insulation purposes, and
> so that I can use different floor coverings in different rooms.
>
> However, a 20x20 section of the floor slopes down to an unused sump
> pit. How do I level the floor to compensate for this slope? Do I
> first nail the 2x4s to the sloping floor (a very slight slope) and
> then somehow level the osb panels, or do I make the concrete level
> first before attaching the 2x4s?
>
> And if I level the panels somehow, how do I do it in a way that would
> prevent the floor from flexing? If the panel doesn't rest securely on
> the sleepers (for example, if simple shims are used, leaving gaps
> between the sleeper & panel), the final floor will bounce.

I had a similar situation once and how I solved it was cut a 2X4 to the
desired height from the floor joist above to the top of the sleeper then
used that to determine shims and nail length needed to level the floor that
would be applied on top of the sleeper. Your example may need wedges cut
instead of shims as I don't know what the slope is but use the 2X4 method to
see what you need then determine which way to go about it.

Rich




Posted by lee houston on December 1, 2006, 6:12 pm



> However, a 20x20 section of the floor slopes down to an unused sump
> pit. How do I level the floor to compensate for this slope? Do I
> first nail the 2x4s to the sloping floor (a very slight slope) and then
> somehow level the osb panels, or do I make the concrete level first
> before attaching the 2x4s?

Neither. Make the two by fours level by adding shims between
them and the concrete floor? then add the osb panels as you
have on the finished portion.

lee


Posted by Wayne Whitney on December 1, 2006, 6:22 pm



> However, a 20x20 section of the floor slopes down to an unused sump
> pit. How do I level the floor to compensate for this slope? Do I
> first nail the 2x4s to the sloping floor (a very slight slope) and then
> somehow level the osb panels, or do I make the concrete level first
> before attaching the 2x4s?

For the region where the concrete slab is sloped, I suggest starting
with a thicker sleeper (e.g. a 3x4 or non-flat 2x4) and scribing the
bottom edge to the floor slope at the proper height to be in plane
with the other sleepers. Then you are level and can just attach the
osb panels.

To do the scribing, put the sleeper down on the floor, raise up and
support one end to make it level, and determine how much higher the
top of the sleeper now is than where you want it. Then set a pair of
dividers to this amount and scribe the sleeper to the floor. If you
cut the sleeper on the scribe line, then it should fit snug against
the floor and be level on the top at the proper elevation.

Cheers, Wayne


Posted by buffalobill on December 1, 2006, 8:05 pm



http://www.buildingscience.com/resources/mold/Read_This_Before_You_Design_Build_or_Renovate.pdf

http://www.buildingscience.com/resources/basements.htm

Darryl wrote:
> I'm putting in a wooden floor over my basement smooth-concrete floor.
> 6mil plastic, then treated 2x4 sleepers Hilti-nailed to the concrete,
> then 3/4 osb panels over that. Half the floor is done, and it has gone
> well so far. I'm adding the floor for insulation purposes, and so that
> I can use different floor coverings in different rooms.
>
> However, a 20x20 section of the floor slopes down to an unused sump
> pit. How do I level the floor to compensate for this slope? Do I
> first nail the 2x4s to the sloping floor (a very slight slope) and then
> somehow level the osb panels, or do I make the concrete level first
> before attaching the 2x4s?
>
> And if I level the panels somehow, how do I do it in a way that would
> prevent the floor from flexing? If the panel doesn't rest securely on
> the sleepers (for example, if simple shims are used, leaving gaps
> between the sleeper & panel), the final floor will bounce.


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