Hey everyone im a first time floor installer. Im pretty handy i work hvac with a welding background so i can work around the fabricating and door jams i am sure. my problem is when i ripped up the carpet there was the very bottom of a old lolly column. its been cut fairly close to the floor and just hammered over the sharp edge. i have a hard-wheel grinder i can get the metal down real flush but the concrete around it is slighty raised im not sure i would even call it a 1/4 inch over the 8' effected diameter. the rest of the floor looks fairly well. i bought the lifeproof boards because i heard they were one of the nicer brands. so do i get that metal down with my grinder and see if the floor is not affected to bad when i get to that certain area or try to chip away at it a little? I was thinking home depot probably has some kind of mix bag you can get and self level it out but i could see myself making it worse iv never been quiet the rock mudder. thanks for the responses in advance
Concrete floor question
- Thread starter Tylero17
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I had to look up a lolly column. Never heard of that before. From the sounds of what I read they're just small pads on the floor. You want to grind any of that metal so that it's flat or flush with the floor surface, and even slightly below that's okay because you probably need to smooth over it with some filler.
If the metal pads or parts of that column were in place and the concrete was pulled up to it then I think I see what you're describing.
I'd take a hammer and chisel or an air chisel and buzz out any of that concrete that's sticking up higher than the rest of the floor. That would be better than trying to put filler on the floor to feather out the high spot.
If the metal pads or parts of that column were in place and the concrete was pulled up to it then I think I see what you're describing.
I'd take a hammer and chisel or an air chisel and buzz out any of that concrete that's sticking up higher than the rest of the floor. That would be better than trying to put filler on the floor to feather out the high spot.
Chisel/grind/bush out the concrete around the raised up metal that's above your desired elevation FIRST.
Then your grinding wheel can take the metal down where it needs to be.
Easy money.
THEN you want to look at the bigger picture to determine if you need a self leveling product or a trowel on floor prep material comparable to Ardex Feather Finish (Industry Standard)
We generally swing a big straight edge around to inspect for FLATNESS.
That's how it's done. 95% of the time it's going to be easier to fill the low spots rather than chisel/grind/bush the high spots. In your case you will be taking the high spots down then dealing with flatness.
Then your grinding wheel can take the metal down where it needs to be.
Easy money.
THEN you want to look at the bigger picture to determine if you need a self leveling product or a trowel on floor prep material comparable to Ardex Feather Finish (Industry Standard)
We generally swing a big straight edge around to inspect for FLATNESS.
That's how it's done. 95% of the time it's going to be easier to fill the low spots rather than chisel/grind/bush the high spots. In your case you will be taking the high spots down then dealing with flatness.
hey there, i started going on the floor and i got the high spots down pretty well i think the floor will actually eat up the crete thats a little wonky. i ran into a new problem maybe you can help me with i have a few spots in my basement that are going to suck and this walls one of them, and theres also a nook in the room, so 3 parallel walls ill end up running into. assuming i need to put a full length board in that next spot, the width of the board brings me a little further out past what my baseboard will cover up on the right side of the wall there. it will leave me with about a inch width piece to try and slide between the wall to pick up the gap. if that doesn't make sense ill take more pics and doodle on them. thanks in advance friend
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Once you have a good layout and starting point, the rest of the floor is what it is.
Here’s one that I wrapped around an entry and hallway and when I got into the bedroom I was a hair off from the base covering. I had to put a sliver in. The second picture is a bit bigger of a sliver but still a small rip nonetheless. That’s just where things ended. The reality is once it’s all done, and base is hung with furniture put back in place, nobody will ever notice.
Here’s one that I wrapped around an entry and hallway and when I got into the bedroom I was a hair off from the base covering. I had to put a sliver in. The second picture is a bit bigger of a sliver but still a small rip nonetheless. That’s just where things ended. The reality is once it’s all done, and base is hung with furniture put back in place, nobody will ever notice.
For starters I would undercut the moldings and jambs so the boards can slide underneath. Now I know this is water under the bridge but when starting the job it helps to do a little figuring so you don’t have such narrow strips going into too many places. From the looks of the picture you’re going to have to put in that 1” or 3/4” piece. I’ve never worked with that particular product but if you can’t get it to click together one trick I’ve used is to cut off the bottom part of the groove and glue the remaining top part of the groove to the tongue. Some blue tape to hold in place.
Good luck!
Good luck!
Oops…Didn’t see CJ’s post…I was typing…
what he said…lol
what he said…lol
JP is right. Undercut your casing and jambs is the ticket. This will allow your flooring to slip underneath without any peekaboos. Now the trick is how do you angle lock the planks together when the casing and jamb prevents you from getting any angle. I always try to get the planks locked together if I can. Shaving the groove and gluing the joints is quick and easy but once you glue it, it’s a done deal. If you have to remove that plank you are now removing 2 or 3 planks.
My go to trick is these pry bars. Slip em underneath the plank and they give it just a little angle. Often times it’s enough to then tap the planks together. For your dog leg I would use a pull bar to lock that joint together. When using the pull bar I will sometimes use the small end of the pry bar to get behind and underneath the plank to angle it up so you can lock the joint. Angle is your friend. Angle, angle, angle. Just laying the planks flat and trying to beat them together will destroy the tongue before you get it clicked together.
If you try all that and it still doesn’t work then that’s when you take the same pry bar and use it to skive off the top lip of the groove side of the plank. Now you should be able to just pull the planks together. CA adhesive, super glue, is the ticket. It’s permanent so maybe test fit your piece first before you just send it home with adhesive. Don’t use too much, cus it can ooze, and them same magical pry bars are great for applying force to hold the sliver tight to the next plank until the super glue kicks n sticks.
The last pic is a hallway that I made my starting point. I used my pry bars a lot to connect the adjoining rooms but that’s all part of the deal cus that’s just how that house laid out. You can see my bottle of super glue on the floor in front of the hall cupboards cus there were a couple planks that got skived and glued together.
My go to trick is these pry bars. Slip em underneath the plank and they give it just a little angle. Often times it’s enough to then tap the planks together. For your dog leg I would use a pull bar to lock that joint together. When using the pull bar I will sometimes use the small end of the pry bar to get behind and underneath the plank to angle it up so you can lock the joint. Angle is your friend. Angle, angle, angle. Just laying the planks flat and trying to beat them together will destroy the tongue before you get it clicked together.
If you try all that and it still doesn’t work then that’s when you take the same pry bar and use it to skive off the top lip of the groove side of the plank. Now you should be able to just pull the planks together. CA adhesive, super glue, is the ticket. It’s permanent so maybe test fit your piece first before you just send it home with adhesive. Don’t use too much, cus it can ooze, and them same magical pry bars are great for applying force to hold the sliver tight to the next plank until the super glue kicks n sticks.
The last pic is a hallway that I made my starting point. I used my pry bars a lot to connect the adjoining rooms but that’s all part of the deal cus that’s just how that house laid out. You can see my bottle of super glue on the floor in front of the hall cupboards cus there were a couple planks that got skived and glued together.
Hey I’m back again my man l worked on it a little bit last night and the last piece that wedges between the stairs and column took me forever and it’s got a few imperfections I’m trying to talk myself into living with because it was a pain in the nuts. In the picture the blue circled area my measurement was off and I was wresting the thing like a alligator to get it in. I saved the chopped piece and I was thinking I could glue it back in later since it’s in such a weird spot in the corner I don’t think anyone or myself will ever notice ajd between the glue + trim I think it will hold the piece down fairly well. The red circled area I’m thinking the tongue broke on me because it’s slightly raised. You can feel it with your toe or finger rubbing around the area but again I don’t think anyone exiting or entering the room is going to drag there toe right there… if you’re staring at the stairs, the last piece I put in that was giving me issues, isn’t fully clicked in. I tried cutting a hole in the bottom tread to get my pull bar back there but it wasn’t enough and I don’t want to keep chopping at it. Once the laminate riser goes on for the stairs the seam will be hardly noticeable so I think I can live with all this just to continue the floor lol… the second picture is a small gap I am wondering if they make like Grey silicone something that will kind of match the floor with I can squirt in that hole. I had the slide that whole row back toward the stairs to connect that demon piece I had circled a few imperfections on. Let me know what you guys think if I should bite the bullet and wreck that piece taking it out to re do it or what. I think I can live with it as long as that raised lip won’t give me any serious issues down the road
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That’s one of them situations where you may have to remove a plank you already installed so you can slip the difficult plank in place then reinstall the removed plank. Or maybe you install that row backwards (right to left or vice versa) until you get past the difficult spot then return to your regularly scheduled way of installing.
As far as the peekaboo, if you’re not too far past it, just replace it. Should be easier the second time around
If it’s on the other side of the room and you just now discovered it, I’d be lyin if I told you I never puttied a gap. Grey? Just mix some white putty with some ebony until you get a good match. You’ll need more than you think cus that hole will gobble up the putty. See, how would I know that if I never puttied a gap
As for the proud edge, rub the head of your hammer on it to press it down. Ball peen hammer works great for that. Press hard while rubbing back n forth along the proud edge.
I was scribing a curve the other day and damn if I didn’t have to cut the same piece 3 times before I was satisfied with how it looked. Happens. If you’re right there you’re better off to just replace it. Cuss a little, throw something or take a break if you gotta. Sometimes I do all three then go do something else until I’m ready to deal with whatever it is that’s chappin my ass.
It’s just LVP, you got this.
As far as the peekaboo, if you’re not too far past it, just replace it. Should be easier the second time around
If it’s on the other side of the room and you just now discovered it, I’d be lyin if I told you I never puttied a gap. Grey? Just mix some white putty with some ebony until you get a good match. You’ll need more than you think cus that hole will gobble up the putty. See, how would I know that if I never puttied a gap As for the proud edge, rub the head of your hammer on it to press it down. Ball peen hammer works great for that. Press hard while rubbing back n forth along the proud edge. I was scribing a curve the other day and damn if I didn’t have to cut the same piece 3 times before I was satisfied with how it looked. Happens. If you’re right there you’re better off to just replace it. Cuss a little, throw something or take a break if you gotta. Sometimes I do all three then go do something else until I’m ready to deal with whatever it is that’s chappin my ass.
It’s just LVP, you got this.
Right on… how the peekaboo happened was I ended up siding that row all around to get the problem piece in and now she just won’t slide back for me.. I have absolutely no problem hitting it with the puddy. The raised edge I’m going to hit with a ballpeen later tonight and see if I can’t get it drop… as far as glueing that little piece in I thibk I’m over it. Not totally sure yetThat’s one of them situations where you may have to remove a plank you already installed so you can slip the difficult plank in place then reinstall the removed plank. Or maybe you install that row backwards (right to left or vice versa) until you get past the difficult spot then return to your regularly scheduled way of installing.
As far as the peekaboo, if you’re not too far past it, just replace it. Should be easier the second time around
I was scribing a curve the other day and damn if I didn’t have to cut the same piece 3 times before I was satisfied with how it looked. Happens. If you’re right there you’re better off to just replace it. Cuss a little, throw something or take a break if you gotta. Sometimes I do all three then go do something else until I’m ready to deal with whatever it is that’s chappin my ass.
It’s just LVP, you got this.
. I know damn well I will have to cut that trouble piece out in sections if I remove it to try again. Haven’t decided entirely what’s going to happen yet if I’m going to re do it or give it the glue later.As stated if you’re not too far past it just replace it. If it were my own home I’d use white caulking to match the case molding. Once the painting is done you’ll never notice it.
This pull bar is called the knuckle buster and it’s the best pull bar ever. I can’t tell you how many pull bars I’ve bent and eventually broken trying to beat a row back in place. Or you could just putty the hole.
Cj in the picture a few post above you can see where I fk’d up the measurements and plan on glueing that small piece back in place.. anything you have ever done before? I think imThis pull bar is called the knuckle buster and it’s the best pull bar ever. I can’t tell you how many pull bars I’ve bent and eventually broken trying to beat a row back in place. Or you could just putty the hole.
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Ok with throwing some puddy in the jams that moved on me. I just have the lifeproof kit that came with the pull bar. This is probably the only floor I’ll ever do unless I buy another house some day.
With a 2x4 as protection, smack the opposite side of the casing with a sledge hammer and the gap will disappear.
...tappy tap tap.
...tappy tap tap.
You can glue that piece in and be done with it. Nobody will know but you and the next guy that rips that floor up. Install the next plank first then go back and put that little flipper piece in. Put a little super glue on the cut edges you’ll be bumping together as well as in the groove. Blue tape off the surface of the planks first if you’re an oozer cus if you wipe that stuff off it smears and then the smear is permanent. Won’t matter in that corner but if it’s in an area with striking light, you’ll see it.
