What causes wavy concrete?

Something as simple as humidity in the air can cause swelling and warping in wood, which can create waves in a floor. Similarly, human error can also cause the problems, such as with a tired arm that is troweling a finish concrete floor but dips just a little, causing a ridge that hardens later.

Why does the floor look wavy?

As wood absorbs moisture, it can swell. When hardwood flooring swells too much, individual boards will start to push out around the edges and be higher than the center—creating an indentation that runs the length of the board that gives it a “wavy” appearance.

How do you fix a wavy subfloor?

Use Self-Leveling Compound to Correct Subfloor Wide sags and depressions in a floor sometimes can’t be adequately bridged even by sheets of plywood, so it’s best to fill these areas with self-leveling compound. When mixed with water, the compound settles into low areas and dries to a smooth, level surface.

What does concrete curling mean?

The upward or downward movement of a concrete slab’s corners or edges due to moisture and/or temperature differentials within the concrete is known as ‘curling’ or ‘warping’. It may be evident in concrete elements other than slabs, eg wall panels.

Why is my floor bulging?

When a floor board starts to bulge, it’s usually because it is warped. Hardwood floors usually warp because they have been exposed to water, or excessive humidity. The water causes the fibers in the wood to swell and shrink. A board that is severely bulged will most likely need to be replaced.

How do you fix a bumpy subfloor?

For concrete slabs: If there are only a few problem areas in the concrete, you can mechanically flatten them by grinding, bead-blasting, abrading, or using a patching compound. If the entire slab is uneven, you may have to use a self-leveling concrete compound to smooth it out.

How do you flatten a subfloor?

“If you’re going to float a plywood subfloor over a concrete slab, and you just want your sub-base to be flat, you could do something as simple as putting dry sand down,” or using pieces of sheet vinyl as shims, says Moore. The same approach will work for engineered floating floor systems.

How do I stop my concrete from curling?

HOW to Minimize Slab Curling

1. Use the lowest practical water content in the concrete.
2. Use the largest practical maximum size aggregate and/or the highest practical coarse aggregate content to minimize drying shrinkage.
3. Take precautions to avoid excessive bleeding.