How to level uneven tiles for hybrid flooring and protect carpet and skirting boards?

[ralphvincentpan]

Hi, I'm looking to transition our landing flooring from tiles to hybrid flooring. I'm looking for advice advice on how to protect the carpet and skirting boards from the compound. Hope you guys can help! Thanks

 

[JacobZ]

Hi @ralphvincentpan,

A warm welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community and thank you for your question.

Applying a length of painter's tape along the base of the skirting boards should be enough. As the self-levelling compound will only be 5-10mm thick, then this will be plenty.

For the carpet edge, I'd suggest sticking a piece of Moroday 40 x 3mm x 5m Small Adhesive Seal Roll to the outside vertical edge of the tile and placing a length of Timber behind it to hold it upright.

You should then seal the front edge with silicone to ensure the self-levelling compound does not leak between the tile edge and the rubber.

Once poured, this can all be removed to leave a relatively clean finish. Any imperfections to the edge can be covered with a transition trim.

Allow me to tag @Nailbag and @Dave-1 to see if they have any ideas.

Let me know what you think and if you have further questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Jacob

[Dave-1]

Good Afternoon @ralphvincentpan 

Is there a reason you are going to use a leveling compound? I have seen a few people lay their hybrid flooring on tiles with no backing as well as a masonite layer inbetween to smooth any ruffles.

Hybrid flooring installation over tiled floor 

How to install hybrid floor over tiles? This link opens to a question of the same type of thing from this week. There are a few links that are shown that could help.

If the tiles are too high to be smoothed then yes I would start to think of a leveling compond. Then I would follow @JacobZ recomendations.

Dave

[Nailbag]

Morning @ralphvincentpan 

I can't add any further advice to that of @JacobZ to essentially damming off the carpet area. Though levelling compound is reasonably thick, it does have the ability to ant small gaps to make's it's way through. So, really take the time ensuring you have created a very good seal.

My other tip from laying floating boards over tiles is to use a long straight edge like a spirit level to find any high-points. Though on the surface they may look even and flat, the smallest high-point on a join can be very problematic both in the install and longevity of the join. Intersecting tiles will be the most likely spots. If you find any, use a diamond cup wheel on an angle grinder like this one. They are available for different sized grinders and price-points. But this was the one I have. The double row design produces a faster and smooth finish. Just be aware that they produce a lot of dust so holding a workshop vacuum hose near the work will make a big difference in keeping the dust down. Just don't use your domestic vac as the dust will damage the motor.

Regards Nailbag