Vinyl floor
Watch More: http://www.youtube.com/ehowatHomeChannel. Installing laminate flooring on an uneven surface requires a hammer, ring shank nails and something called a luan board. Install laminate flooring on an uneven surface with help from a foreman for Lighty Contractors in this free video clip.  When I went to another flooring store they insisted that a floating floor could not be used because it would buckle. Complicating the situation is the fact that my contractor did not remove the existing vinyl floor, which consists of a few layers of vinyl and linoleum. Also, there are built-in cabinets in the rear of the kitchen from the 40's which I want to preserve, and they're in an area that would require heightening the floor in order to level it. I don't really want to disturb them because they're lovely, and they're an integral part of the kitchen. If the floor is concrete the best thing todo is scorch the uneven floor with a grinder making deep grooves in various directions. Clean with water jetting loose dust away. Mix some new concrete. What you shouldn't do is lay tiles on an uneven, settling, or unstable floor. Edit: As Tester101 said, you're both right, my point above was the same unlevel != uneven comment. If the problem is an uneven floor, then cement leveling is the fix I know of. Dealing with uneven floors is a part of the trade when installing flooring. Before you can do a good job of installing wood, laminate, or any other flooring, you need a good sub floor to start out with. Here are some things to consider when your sub floor is uneven. 2. Another option that you could utilize is installing plywood on top of the old sub floor. By putting in new plywood, you can effectively create a new, perfectly smooth surface to install your flooring on. This method is easiest if you are dealing with a wood sub floor. I'm almost finished with a kitchen renovation and am struggling with decisions about the flooring. My house is a Craftsman built in 1918. There was an addition to the original kitchen decades ago and settling occurred, causing an uneven floor. Initially I wanted to install marmoleum, but was told that the sheet installation is tricky and would show every flaw. Instead, I was told I could use click marmoleum (or cork, which I was also considering). Also, there are built-in cabinets in the rear of the kitchen from the 40's which I want to preserve, and they're in an area that would require heightening the floor in order to level it. I don't really want to disturb them because they're lovely, and they're an integral part of the kitchen. The more the floor is uneven the more you will have to use extra cement, which means it won't dry out at the same time. Here, I'll go ask the pros for you to see what you can do since apparently you don't like my idea of asking them. My buddy and I have gotten into a bit of a dispute on facebook, here's what he asks: What you shouldn't do is lay tiles on an uneven, settling, or unstable floor. Edit: As Tester101 said, you're both right, my point above was the same unlevel != uneven comment. If the problem is an uneven floor, then cement leveling is the fix I know of. 1. Self-Leveling Compound. When you are dealing with uneven floors, one option that you have is to use self-leveling compound. Self-leveling compound can potentially be utilized on a concrete slab or a wood sub floor. This type of compound works well when you are working with dips in the floor. Self-leveling compound is similar to concrete. 2. Another option that you could utilize is installing plywood on top of the old sub floor. By putting in new plywood, you can effectively create a new, perfectly smooth surface to install your flooring on. This method is easiest if you are dealing with a wood sub floor. In some cases, foundation damage shows up in the basement only. An uneven basement floor results when part of the basement slab cracks and sinks downward. In other cases, the damage makes its way upstairs and homeowners find that they have tilting, uneven floors in the house. When there's an uneven floor above a crawl space, the cause of the problem often has to do with a central beam. This beam is supposed to provide solid mid-span support for floor joists, but it can sag or sink if the beam doesn't have adequate support from posts. Laminate flooring looks almost as good as real wood when installed properly. When you install laminate flooring, the subfloor surface has to be completely flat. Otherwise, the floor will take the shape of the surface over time. There are compounds that are available to make the floor even, before you install the flooring. These self-leveling compounds level uneven surfaces when poured onto the subfloor. When they dry, the surface will be perfectly flat and ready for the installation of the laminate floorboards. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUpkBOHhShQ http://www.houzz.com/discussions/915569/what-product-should-i-use-for-my-uneven-kitchen-floor http://diy.stackexchange.com/questions/6958/why-cant-i-lay-tiles-on-an-uneven-floor http://www.doityourself.com/stry/3-options-for-uneven-floor-repair http://www.houzz.com/discussions/915569/what-product-should-i-use-for-my-uneven-kitchen-floor http://diy.stackexchange.com/questions/6958/why-cant-i-lay-tiles-on-an-uneven-floor http://www.doityourself.com/stry/3-options-for-uneven-floor-repair http://www.foundationsupportworks.com/why-fix-my-foundation/what-causes-foundation-problems/uneven-floors.html http://homeguides.sfgate.com/install-laminate-flooring-uneven-surface-26628.html
what flooring to use on uneven floor