pauls340
Well-known member
If you have used a self leveling product to level your concrete floor, what product did you use and are you satisfied? Was it labor intensive? Thanks
Anyone use a self leveling product over concrete
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p_mori7
Well-known member
I've used it before, when levelling the basement floor prior to laying ceramic tile.
I don't remember the brand.
It came as a powder in a big bag, mixed it in a new green garbage can, used a 1/2" drill with a long mixer blade.
It was easy to use. It cures pretty fast. It does not make a crisp "feathered" edge, because it is a somewhat thick mixture. Once it dried I mixed up a wee bit more and hand troweled it to a nice feathered edge so the tile would lay perfectly flat.
I don't remember the brand.
It came as a powder in a big bag, mixed it in a new green garbage can, used a 1/2" drill with a long mixer blade.
It was easy to use. It cures pretty fast. It does not make a crisp "feathered" edge, because it is a somewhat thick mixture. Once it dried I mixed up a wee bit more and hand troweled it to a nice feathered edge so the tile would lay perfectly flat.
Used Ardex K15 rapid self leveling and cheaper equivalents. Ardex was by far the best (and most expensive). Consistency was very smooth and fine and feathers the best. Rapid sets in like 20-30mins so yeah I was sweating it out to get it on, wouldn't call it labour intensive...Prep plan and go for it! Only get one chance coz trying to fix it is a no goer.
If you don't need the feathering, cheaper alternatives would do the job.
If you don't need the feathering, cheaper alternatives would do the job.
ConCretin
Well-known member
There are products that are used to level the substrate for a flooring product and others are overlays that create a finished product.
Self leveling is a bit of a misnomer. If you just dump it out and expect a flat floor, you'll probably be disappointed.
Floor prep products like Ardex are usually applied in smaller areas with the assistance of hand trowels. For overlay products, we typically spread it out with a self indexing rake (they have little tabs on the ends that ride on the surface below to maintain a constant thickness.
As with anything, prep and product choice are everything but installation is not a cake walk either. Personally, If it will be exposed, I'd hire a pro.
Self leveling is a bit of a misnomer. If you just dump it out and expect a flat floor, you'll probably be disappointed.
Floor prep products like Ardex are usually applied in smaller areas with the assistance of hand trowels. For overlay products, we typically spread it out with a self indexing rake (they have little tabs on the ends that ride on the surface below to maintain a constant thickness.
As with anything, prep and product choice are everything but installation is not a cake walk either. Personally, If it will be exposed, I'd hire a pro.
I used it on a 200 square-foot dining room before laying the floor. It worked ... ok. If you're mixing up more than 1 bag it's really a 2 person job. One to mix the next batch while you pour and screed the first. It's really hard to get a smooth, flat surface without a little bit of practice. It's also fairly expensive.
If I could do it all again I would probably carefully measure the topography of the floor and use it sparingly just in the low spots.
If I could do it all again I would probably carefully measure the topography of the floor and use it sparingly just in the low spots.
thegarageguy
Well-known member
There are a few different types of self leveling products, Ardex, Mapei, CMP, Drytek to name a few, but they are acrylic modified, very easy to use.. comparatively speaking
Then there are urethane modified concretes, Duraflex, Garon, Dexotex, BASF, to name a few, mainly used in food processing and commercial kitchens but I use it in garage floors and basements as well, where self leveling and or moisture vapor treatment is required.
Then there are urethane modified concretes, Duraflex, Garon, Dexotex, BASF, to name a few, mainly used in food processing and commercial kitchens but I use it in garage floors and basements as well, where self leveling and or moisture vapor treatment is required.