We were starting to redue our kitchen and saw the flow was bowed up. We removed a segement of the subfloor which was 1/4 inch ply wood and realized it was attached to another 1/2 inch piece of plywoood. The bow in the floor seems to be coming from a floor joist. From the high point of the joist we have an 1/2 drop to one side and 1/4 inch to the other side. What do we do? Do we have to tear up the floor joist or built up the rest of the floor with a leveling compound?

Do you have a basement? Look at the joists from below and see if there is sagging on the sides, or bowing of that joist, either or both possibly from a fridge slow leaking over the years. Or a rotten beam or post.

Hi again, it's best to use the Answer box here rather than email responders personally.

So you did have a fridge leak years ago that was fixed... that might explain the sagging. Perhaps the fridge was on the side that is lower than on the other side of the joists?

Rather than tons of iffy leveling compound, I would work on the joists below. It will fix two problems: getting a flatter floor and having a sound structure again. You could replace or sister joists, put a lally column under a 2 x 4 across the sagging ones, etc.

You don't say what's under the 1/2" floor if anything, and if you are removing both the 1/4" and 1/2".

How level your floor needs to be depends a bit on what you will be covering the floor with. Vinyl will be the most forgiving and ceramic/slate/marble tiles the least (in fact I wouldn't use them). Engineered wood going in the direction of the joists might be an option, even though you are supposed to go across them.

Whomever laid the floor started with 1/2 inch and added 1/4 inch plywood on top. I stopped after removing the first sheet of 1/4 inch . The floor is opened under the 1/2 inch plywood and I have access to the joist from top and bottom. Someone suggested using strips of 1/4 & 1/2 inch plywood as shims sleepers to bring the floor level but I'm not to sure about that approach. I don't want to make additional work for myself but I want it fixed correctly, however myy budget is small and well I don't want to just cover it ip if possible.

Anything's possible, but the subfloor should not be just 1/2". How old is this house? Where is it located? You may want to drill a small hole and measure to thickness and whether there's more than one layer.

Jaz

You don't have a cellar? A crawlspace? You can't examine your joists under the whole kitchen?

Hi joypulv ,I have a basement with a drop ceiling but can get access to the joist. What is it I need to do?

If the rest of the floor is good, you have 2 chooses.

Cut the joist so it is level with rest of joists and sister another joist to it. Bolt both joists together.

The other way is to remove bowed joist and install new one. Be sure crown is up.

These ways will work only if you have no wires going through it.
If you have wires going through you will have to remove wires first.

Chuck

I would take out the dropped ceiling and remove the joist completely with a sawzall. Put down your new floor and then put in a new joist.

It would be easier to install new joist before putting in new floor. More room to work.

Chuck