Leveling a dip

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Q: We are putting down a hardwood floor, but we’ve found one area that dips down. Can we use self-leveling compound to fix it? Can it be stapled through?

How thick can the compound be?

A: If this leveling compound is too thick, so as to prevent the nail from getting a good hold in the sub floor, it could be more detrimental than helpful. It depends how much of a dip it is, and how large an area. If not very deep, and not spread over too large an area, it might work. You could perhaps also glue that area with a product such as Bostik’s Best urethane adhesive. I don’t know if a staple will go through the compound or not. My nailer shoots cleats, and I have had no problem on the one job which had such in some areas. Is it more practical to grind or plane down the area surrounding this spot rather than try to fill the dip?

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