How to Lay Laminate Wood on an Uneven Concrete Floor

Clean the concrete with a wire brush and hard bristle broom. Prep any cracks or crevices with a crack sealer made for concrete floors. Loosen hardened lumps and bumps with a chisel.

Nail 2-by-2 wood strips across all door openings to prevent the leveling compound from floating onto areas where you don’t want it go.

Apply the latex bonding agent with a paintbrush around the perimeter of the uneven area. If you are leveling a large area, use a mop to apply the bonding agent after you have outlined the perimeter with the paintbrush.

Mix the floor leveling product according to the manufacturer’s direction to achieve the right consistency. Use a wheelbarrow for a large project and large bucket for a small area. Be quick in your mixing as floor levelers typically dry quickly.

Start at the far left corner of the room if you are leveling the entire floor to pour the leveling mixture. Otherwise, if you are only leveling a small section, start at the upper corner of the area where you painted on the bonding agent.

Pour the leveling mixture slowly onto the floor. Work outwards from the corner. Do not try to “help” the leveler compound mixture. It will float and spread onto the floor on its own. For a large area, or leveling an entire room, you should work from left to right, starting in a corner, and continue to work outwards and away from the corner so you can back yourself out of the room and exit through a door. If you mixed the compound correctly, there should be no lumps or bumps. However, if you do see lumps or bumps, use a trowel to smooth and eliminate the lumps or bumps.

Leave the room and allow the concrete floor to dry and cure for 12 to 24 hours, or according to the instructions provided by the leveling compound manufacturer.