Hot take: Are we overleveling subfloors or just wasting time on floors that don't need it?

I read a study from the National Wood Flooring Association that said up to 30% of callbacks come from subfloor issues, but last week I did a job in Denver where the concrete was within 1/8 inch over 10 feet and I still spent 3 hours grinding it flat - has anyone else found a reliable way to tell when good enough is actually good enough?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_ben12h ago

Man, I feel this one. I swear I've spent more hours grinding perfectly flat floors than on actual installs. My favorite move is when I spend an hour chasing a 1/16th inch dip, only to realize the homeowner's couch is gonna sit right there anyway. Guess that's what happens when you work too long in commercial and forget residential people don't check with a level before they walk in.

rowanw9110h ago

Hell yeah, I saw a study from some flooring institute that said something like 25% of all flooring failures trace back to subfloor prep being done wrong or not at all. But here's the thing - that study was for commercial work where you've got tile or stone going down. On residential wood installs, I've talked to guys who say if you're within 1/4 inch over 10 feet and there's no sharp humps, you're probably fine. Last year I stopped chasing tiny dips in living rooms and my callback rate actually went down.