How to align floors

To create a seamless look between floors you'll need to align them. Read this guide on how to do just that.

Level of difficulty

Level 3: Advanced

What you need

  • Safety goggles
  • Screws
  • Nails
  • Hammer
  • Saw
  • Battens
  • Noggings
  • Power drill
  • Floorboards

The steps to follow

Note:
To align floors, you can either construct a gradual slope or single step.

Construct a single step

  1. On the protruding side of the flush end, trim the edges of the floorboards. Trim the ends of the floorboards on the lower side of the flush.
  2. Affix a batten on the trimmed side of the joists.
  3. On the protruding side of the flush, nail a thick length of wood panel to the side of the joist.
  4. If you plan to lay a carpet on the floor, you can construct a step tread by nailing short floorboards to the floor.
  5. If you plan to have a bare-wood floor, you should nail a floorboard along the width of the step.
  6. Skew-nail noggings  close to the riser and adjacent joists.
  7. Construct a shallow step at the doorway if you have a raised floor.
  8. Fit a threshold floorboard between the lower part of the floor and the door lining.
  9. On the high side of the floor, trim the door and the lining.

Construct a gradual slope

  1. Remove sections of the skirting boards where you plan to construct a gradual slope.
  2. Cut the floorboards near the protruding side and skew-nail a batten to the joists.
  3. To begin constructing a gradual slope, start lifting the floorboards at the lowest end of the floor.
  4. Then place one end of a stout straightedge on the batten of the protruding side and nail the other end to the joists of the lower floor.
  5. Measure the distance between each joist and the underside of the straightedge.
  6. With an adjustable bevel, jot down the existing angle between the side of each joist and the board.
  7. Cut lengths of 50 mm (2 in) wide softwood at the acquired angle. The pieces of wood will be used to fill the gaps between the joists and the board.
  8. Start nailing these pieces of woods to the tops of the joists from the top of the floor to the bottom of the slope.
  9. Make sure you butt the ends of the floorboards.
  10. Insert more pieces of wood to fill any gaps if needed.
  11. When finished, put the skirting boards back in place

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Don't want to DIY? Get recommended flooring specialists for your home improvement job.

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