How to raise entire floor 1/8"

Flooring Forum - DIY & Professional

Help Support Flooring Forum - DIY & Professional:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

toysrwill

New Member
Joined
May 25, 2022
Messages
2
Location
06412
Hello,
I am going to be installing Lifeproof vinyl plank flooring which already has the underlayment attached. Once I remove the existing floor I would like to raise it 1/8". Is it not recommended to put an underlayment under the lifeproof vinyl plank flooring? I have had different companies tell me completely opposite statements. If I can't use another underlayment does anyone have any suggestions on how to raise that much floor up an 1/8" Thanks so much.
 
If it already has pad attached you don't want to add any extra.

Why all the fuss over gaining 1/8th of an inch? I'm going to assume it's to meet up flush with another floor?

One thought would be to feather out some patch to whatever area you are trying to meet up to.

If you are trying to get the entire floor up 1/8th inch I have also used flooring patch (ardex feather finish) and used a notched trowel whatever thickness I want to gain and trowel it over the whole area. After it dries carefully flat trowel another skim coat over it to make it nice and flat/smooth.

Last thought would be cork. I'm pretty sure cork comes in 1/8 thick rolls. But it's not cheap.
 
If it already has pad attached you don't want to add any extra.

Why all the fuss over gaining 1/8th of an inch? I'm going to assume it's to meet up flush with another floor?

One thought would be to feather out some patch to whatever area you are trying to meet up to.

If you are trying to get the entire floor up 1/8th inch I have also used flooring patch (ardex feather finish) and used a notched trowel whatever thickness I want to gain and trowel it over the whole area. After it dries carefully flat trowel another skim coat over it to make it nice and flat/smooth.

Last thought would be cork. I'm pretty sure cork comes in 1/8 thick rolls. But it's not cheap.
Thanks so much for the information. I'm exploring the idea for getting flush with another floor and also to prevent larger gaps on all door trims. I know one option is to replace trim, but looking for alternative. I found 400 Sq foot rolls of cork for only 50 bucks. Big question is can it be used under vinyl flooring that already has underlayment attached to it? Thanks again. Y
Ultimately I may stick with existing 1/4 plywood I already have down and look at something else to clean up trim. Maybe wood filler.
 
Is the door trim painted? How about just caulking the eighth of an inch?
If you really want to raise the the floor to meet the trim or existing floor glue down a row of VCT (or any 1/8” tile) across the door opening and feather off of it on both sides with patching compound. Be sure to feather out far enough to meet manufacturers specs for flatness. A 3‘ or 4’ screed should do. Or just a nice straight and true piece of lumber or plywood. Then smooth out with a trowel. You can scrape and sand it after it dries if needed. Be sure the 1/4” plywood you have down is well secured ( lots of staples) before patching on top of it or it may buckle from the moisture.

Tom’s suggestion to raise the whole floor with patching compound is a good plan but not an easy task if you have no experience with troweling and skim coating.
 
Last edited:
I would use Uzin self leveler, quicker than patching. Nice stuff to work with.
One of the UZIN reps told me for large areas it works really well but I can't remember which one he recommended. Probably just traveling it on with a tall V notch trowel and let it flow out.
The proper primer would probably help.
 
Ken its good to see you found us ,As I was not quick enough to grab it earlier from that other
site
Hope you are all good




Ken remember this trip?
 

Attachments

  • tfp-members-surfaces-2009.jpg
    tfp-members-surfaces-2009.jpg
    83.6 KB · Views: 40
1/8” is pretty thin. Didn‘t know they even made a suitable underlayment that thin? Masonite or plywood?

I also didn’t think self leveling compound was meant to be applied that thin? And over a 1/4” plywood floor? And yea, if you decide to go that route a primer is needed for sure.

Whichever product you choose it seems like an awful lot of work and expense for 1/8”?

Just feather it out.
 
Last edited:

Latest posts

Back
Top