It is very important to have all the floors the same level if you are looking for a seamless looking floor. If you happen to have a situation where the existing floor cannot be torn out, then another option is to build up the other areas to the level of that floor.

 

I would avoid trying to feather out an area that is higher, unless it is a 1/16th of an inch or less. It is only going to cause problems if you do, so I would not do that.

 

I have several videos that will show you how to remove existing floors like-

• carpet
• vinyl/linoleum and underlayment
• Tile 
• laminate and vinyl plank

These videos can be found inside my members only area – Laminate University

Be sure to check this out

    How perfect does the floor need to be? My answer to this question is based on what I would do. I would not get to worked up by what the manufacturer states in their warranty. There is not a floor that I have ever installed plank over, that would meet the specs of most manufactures. With that being said, I still want the floor to have a good foundation under it and I am going to try and get the floor as flat as it needs to be. But, it will not be perfect….. What you are looking for are the problem areas and they are usually easy to find.

Wood subfloor –

• more often then not, high and low joists can be a problem

It really depends on what direction you install your plank, if you run the plank parallel to the joists then the plank will flow right over these problem areas. If you install the plank perpendicular to the joists then this will affect the plank and can cause the plank to straddle the joist like a teeter totter and there will be hollow spots on both sides of the joist. Vinyl plank will eventually form to the floor so it’s not as critical to spend a lot of time and effort to fix this area. It will be more of a visual thing, meaning you will probably see the hump in the floor. Laminate absolutely hates high joists. It will always have a sponge feel to it on both sides of the high joist and it will strain the joints causing problems in the future.

 Concrete slab-

This is always a toss up, the problem areas can be anywhere. The good news is that with some floor patch and/or a grinder, most of these problem areas can be fixed pretty easily. So do not get discouraged by the floor prep.   I have more information on how to deal with these areas and a few videos that show how to fix them. They are located only inside Laminate University, feel free to check it out.     

Like I talked about in the video above, you will need to undercut some areas before you start installing the plank.

Once you are done cutting, be sure that the plank can slide under these areas freely.

If the plank does not move easily, then it is too tight and this can cause the plank to buckle in that area. Just take your time and double check everything. 

I only use transitions in areas that the plank will be ending. I do not use transitions to break up the plank at doorways. 

I know ALL manufacturers state in their warranties that transitions must be used in doorways and after a certain length of a run. You can follow this if you are worried about a problem. 

Here is what I do-

I never use transitions to break up the plank. I flow the plank seamlessly throughout the entire area. If in the future there was a problem with buckling, I would then cut the floor at the door and add a transition at that time. 

Now you can decide what you would do!