Hardwood floor uneven

[asleiman]

I have installed this floor nearly 30 years ago. during installation I notice this spot was rising then it dipped as it closer to the wall. lack of experience and times. so I lived with it.
Now I want to repair it . as I started to look for the root cause I find that one of the posts is about a 3/8 in taller than the rest. I did not know or notice it when I was installing . so now I raised the floor took out the post and cut it to size and reinstalled . after a while few months the floor settle down but still has the rise . of course I am gonna refinish the entire floor which about 24x18.
looking for suggestion on how to push the floor as down as possible .
1- may take out few plank( about 3 ) closest to wall to allow the floor to move.

any suggestion would be greatly appreciated

 

[asleiman]

Here is a pic of the floor

 

[highup]

The posts you mention are under the house, right?
If so.......the floor took decades to settle into that shape. If you removed some thickness from a support under the house, it will probably never return to a flat shape again by simply doing that. Possibly a bit if it's a load bearing wall.

 

[highup]

Also, I can't tell much from the photo. It looks like a gap or space by the wall, not I high spot. Maybe I'm not looking at it right.

 

[asleiman]

Good Morning Highup
Yes the post are in the basement and support the main beam. You are right it did go down a little by removing the thickness.

Here is a couple more pictures better showing the hump

 

[asleiman]

 

[asleiman]

the feeler gauge is about 3/16 in
I removed the extra length from the post and cleaned the beam. The floor did go down and the gap closed as we reinstalled the post.
Now I think is going to need more , either replace the board and reinstall new ones.

 

[highup]

Is the first image that you showed a photo taken after the floor went down?

 

[asleiman]

Yes these photos after the floor went , I let it settle since spring , it did not go any further. I also did help it with a heavy hammer with piece a wood

 

[highup]

I never did ask what the floor is. Is it engineered nail down or floating? Or is it full three quarter inch thick solid wood?

 

[asleiman]

I never did ask what the floor is. Is it engineered nail down or floating? Or is it full three quarter inch thick solid wood?

It is full 3/4 solid thick wood, nail down

 

[highup]

the feeler gauge is about 3/16 in
I removed the extra length from the post and cleaned the beam. The floor did go down and the gap closed as we reinstalled the post.
Now I think is going to need more , either replace the board and reinstall new ones.

Yes, if that area won't go down any further, your options are limited. I don't suppose there's a way to connect a steel plate on the underside of the beam and pull it downwards...... or some other method to span the humped area and pull it down.
Heck, cut the beam in half and once the floor is flat, sister on two beams or 2X materials or long steel plates to put the strength back.
Just don't let the house fall down in the process.
It should be noted, that I did not mention the last idea....... his name was Darwin.

 

[asleiman]

Yes, if that area won't go down any further, your options are limited. I don't suppose there's a way to connect a steel plate on the underside of the beam and pull it downwards...... or some other method to span the humped area and pull it down.
Heck, cut the beam in half and once the floor is flat, sister on two beams or 2X materials or long steel plates to put the strength back.
Just don't let the house fall down in the process.
It should be noted, that I did not mention the last idea....... his name was Darwin.

Thank s Darwin. Cutting the beam is out of the question. we are in the process of repair not demolition.

 

[highup]

I was hoping you were going to say that.
.......maybe only cut it half way.

 

[asleiman]

Just removed the post and notched under it about 1/4 in , remove one board, will replace it . The rest of the will take out sending

 

[highup]

Sounds good. It took a long time to get that hump, so probably more than that amount of time for it to return to flat. Gotta stop at some point and deal with it. I think you have this. ...and it's a floor, not part of the space station.