I’m looking to build a make shift level pad for setting up and building race cars or muscle cars. My existing floor is in fine shape. Plenty thick. But nowhere near level and I’d rather not build a chassis jig to take up all the space. Wondering what would be a suitable not too expensive material to use and how to go about accomplishing this task.
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Level Concrete surface plate?
- Thread starter coppah37
- Start date
Seems to me a large concrete pad is going to take up more space then a nice chassis jig on wheels that can be moved and re-level as needed.
I used to work at a place that had a 5'x10'x2" Blanchard ground table with framework on wheels and leveling posts. The frame was stuff enough to keep it all flat, once in position drop the 4 leveling bolts and get it dead nuts.
Only issue was it was heavy, and would dent the tiles if left in one place.
I used to work at a place that had a 5'x10'x2" Blanchard ground table with framework on wheels and leveling posts. The frame was stuff enough to keep it all flat, once in position drop the 4 leveling bolts and get it dead nuts.
Only issue was it was heavy, and would dent the tiles if left in one place.
I’m only looking for it to be an inch or so taller than existing floor. It shouldn’t be in the way of anything.
Lay a level grid of steel, then fill with concrete and screed it flat?
Seems like 1-2" poured on top of existing floor isn't going to be very strong. Plus I'd stub my toe/trip over it constantly.
That's all I got, sorry.
BillK
Well-known member
I dont know how you can make something that thin that will work. I suppose you could form it up and use a real wet concrete mix ?? Guess the concrete guys will have to chime in.
When I built my detached garage I had the concrete guys make the floor as flat and level as possible. I paid them extra but they got it about as perfect as possible. I built a couple of race car chassis on it.
When I built my detached garage I had the concrete guys make the floor as flat and level as possible. I paid them extra but they got it about as perfect as possible. I built a couple of race car chassis on it.
Rusty Bolt
Well-known member
You can use special floor leveling compounds that are made to go on thin 1/4 - 1/2 inch. They're reasonably tough.
I've been using High Performance Cement by Quikrete Self-Leveling Floor resurfacer from Lowe's to fix some bad bird baths on my slab. It's $39 for 50 lbs. It can be quite thin (< 1/4 inch) and is rated to be a wear surface. You need to mix it 4+ minutes with a paddle mixer and you need to prime the cement that you're sticking it to with a bonding agent.
I've also tried RapidSet Cement-All from Home Depot. It's "only" $24 for 55 lbs. It's not self leveling but if you add enough RapidSet Flow Control (or similar plasticizer) it gets close. Flow Control is about $3 a package and, IIRC, you can use up to 4 packages per bag of mix. It claims just to need a good pressure washing to get it to bond but I've had mixed results, especially in less than 1/2 inch thickness. If you use this, you really, really, have to keep it wet until it cures - otherwise it just peels and makes a mess.
Both of these products have really short working times - they say 20 minutes but I think 12-15 minutes is more like it.
If your floor is reasonably level, you were to make a dam around the area you want the pad, that's say a half inch tall and use the self leveling floor resurfacer it should work for you. I'd screed it off (even though they say you don't need to).
If you trip over the edge too much you can grind the edge down with a angle grinder and a diamond cup wheel.
I've been using High Performance Cement by Quikrete Self-Leveling Floor resurfacer from Lowe's to fix some bad bird baths on my slab. It's $39 for 50 lbs. It can be quite thin (< 1/4 inch) and is rated to be a wear surface. You need to mix it 4+ minutes with a paddle mixer and you need to prime the cement that you're sticking it to with a bonding agent.
I've also tried RapidSet Cement-All from Home Depot. It's "only" $24 for 55 lbs. It's not self leveling but if you add enough RapidSet Flow Control (or similar plasticizer) it gets close. Flow Control is about $3 a package and, IIRC, you can use up to 4 packages per bag of mix. It claims just to need a good pressure washing to get it to bond but I've had mixed results, especially in less than 1/2 inch thickness. If you use this, you really, really, have to keep it wet until it cures - otherwise it just peels and makes a mess.
Both of these products have really short working times - they say 20 minutes but I think 12-15 minutes is more like it.
If your floor is reasonably level, you were to make a dam around the area you want the pad, that's say a half inch tall and use the self leveling floor resurfacer it should work for you. I'd screed it off (even though they say you don't need to).
If you trip over the edge too much you can grind the edge down with a angle grinder and a diamond cup wheel.
bad_idea
Well-known member
How about cutting out a section of the floor, laying some I beam in the dirt even with the slab. Then fill in the middle with concrete. The beams would be dead level, then just need to pour the area in the middle level. The beams would be good to tack to while fabbing the chassis. I have worked in large shipyard fab shops that have beams set into the floor, convenient for fit up of large assemblies.
meathooker
Well-known member
Get a 5’ x 10’ piece of 1” thick surface ground steel. Set it on epoxy and shim level.
Farmall450
Well-known member
How about cutting out a section of the floor, laying some I beam in the dirt even with the slab. Then fill in the middle with concrete. The beams would be dead level, then just need to pour the area in the middle level. The beams would be good to tack to while fabbing the chassis. I have worked in large shipyard fab shops that have beams set into the floor, convenient for fit up of large assemblies.
That would make a lot more sense than trying to embed a giant plate..
Use a cementious floor leveling product. The floor needs to be ‘pinned’ with floor height plastic pins that the top of the pin is trimmed to the height you want. The height of each pin is set with a laser. Then just pour the floor leveler to the top of the pins and the floor comes out level!