What this covers
Most finish floors need a flat base: tile cracks over dips, floating floors flex and click apart, vinyl shows every bump. Floor leveling maps the high and low areas with a straightedge or laser, grinds down the highs, primes the surface, and pours a self-leveling underlayment that flows into the lows and cures hard. It works over concrete and, with the right primer and reinforcement, over wood subfloors.
When to call
- A floor with visible dips, humps or a slope.
- Large-format tile or a floating floor planned over an uneven base.
- A patched subfloor after a repair that needs a smooth transition.
What to expect
- MapThe floor is measured to find how far out of flat it is and where.
- PrepareHigh spots are ground, the surface cleaned and primed, and edges dammed.
- PourSelf-leveling underlayment is mixed and poured, spread with a gauge rake and left to cure.
- FinishThe surface is checked for flatness and the finish floor can be installed.
Get a certified company
Look up a certified company by ZIP code. Every company's license, insurance and trades are verified before it is listed, and placement is never paid.
Questions people ask
How flat does a floor need to be?
Flooring manufacturers give a tolerance, often a small fraction of an inch over ten feet for large tile and floating floors. The company levels to the product's requirement.
Can a sloping floor be fixed?
Leveling corrects local dips and modest slopes. A whole floor that slopes because the house settled is a structural question first.
How long before flooring goes on?
Self-leveling compounds cure within a day or so for most floors. Moisture-sensitive products may need longer, and the company checks.
Related: Subfloor repair · Porcelain tile flooring · Laminate flooring · All flooring
This page describes what the service involves. The company you hire sets the scope, the schedule and the price, and your contract is with that company. We verify credentials and collect reviews from real jobs. We do not guarantee any company's workmanship. Safety steps are general guidance. When in doubt, leave the home and call 911.