beginner laminate installing

[maddwraph]

I recently painted my room and want to install laminate. I am doing everything myself to save money and am patient enough to go slow so that it comes out right. I used to do some bricklaying so I have some background in outside work.

My room has a think linoleum on top of tile looking linoleum (or vinyl, not sure) on top of really old hardwood.

What can I do to level the floor? Its slightly going up towards the middle then slightly slanted going down. It's nothing crazy but I am worried about the laminate not looking level after I install it. If it is able to hide it I am not concerned.

I attached two pictures, I recently removed some carpeting as well.

I plan to use an underlayment even though the pergo brand im getting comes with one.

Would self-leveling compound be a good idea? I would use a trowel as well. I am trying to evade ripping everything up.

 

[Ernesto]

Read the instructions that come in the box.

 

[maddwraph]

It doesnt say anything in the instructions about the subfloor.

 

[Incognito]

Don't evade ripping everything up.

By the way I love your use of the word EVADE there..........as in evading responsibility.

https://www.google.com/search?q=evading+responsibility&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

Don't do a hit-and-run job. Tear out all the old layers and start from scratch. Maybe the original hardwood can be left as an underlayment if it can be sanded reasonably smooth once all the other layers are gone. I suspect once you tear out all those layers there will be little or no need for "leveling" or patching to make the floor acceptable for laminate.

 

[Ernesto]

However the beauty of any floating floor is the ability to go over other substrates if they are flat enough. And removing some old floors may be cost prohibitive like old VAT tiles or old vinyl that has asbestos in it. That means multiple layers of vinyl/lino that are properly adhered. Do not go over other floating floors or parquet.

Flatness standard is 3/16 in 10' radius, or 1/8 in 5 feet. Some vinyl plank has a more stringent flatness standard. I'm certain they address this flatness in the instructions.