Self leveling mortar?

[imagineer]

Question for those with concrete floor experience…

I want to improve the floor in Mrs. Imagineer’s greenhouse. Currently, the floor is 4”x8”x2” thick brick pavers, dry-set on a ~1” bed of ‘sand’. Actually, I was too cheap to purchase masonry sand and used spent waterjet garnet instead. (Where I work, we generate about 2 tons of spent garnet each day.)

Whereas I did an ok job of leveling out the garnet before putting down the pavers, the floor is not ‘pool table level’. Also, ants and all matter of bugs are living their best lives in the garnet.

Late this summer when the greenhouse will be empty, I want to take up all the pavers and remove the garnet. Then pour in some sort of self-leveling concrete or mortar. I’ll add mesh or rebar for strength if needed. After it’s dry, I’ll reset the pavers.

My questions:

Does a bagged masonry product for a project this size (11’ x 12’) like this exist?

Expecting the project will need about 1 – 1.5 yards, can it be mixed & poured fast enough that it can fill the frame and settle before it sets? I figured I’d rent a cement mixer for the project.

Would it be better to do this in 4 pours, leveling the 2nd, 3rd and 4th pours to the 1st?

 

[DavidR8]

I'd just use regular concrete. With care and attention paid to leveling the forms and screeding it should be plenty good for a greenhouse.

 

[mike93lx]

Why not just pour a concrete slab? It would be so much easier

 

[imagineer]

Regular concrete . . . I'm hoping to not have to make level forms to pour into. The greenhouse sits on 2x12s on edge with the tops of the pavers about 7" down from the top of the 2x12s. There won't be much opportunity to screed. The actual finished height of the floor is arbitrary.

Just pour a slab? . . . I avoided having a property tax re-evaluation by not using a concrete slab (any structure, on concrete with utilities, requires getting a building permit; which would have triggered the county auditor). The greenhouse is considered "temporary" and is designed to be unassembled and moved if needed.

 

[mike93lx]

Regular concrete . . . I'm hoping to not have to make level forms to pour into. The greenhouse sits on 2x12s on edge with the tops of the pavers about 7" down from the top of the 2x12s. There won't be much opportunity to screed. The actual finished height of the floor is arbitrary.

Just pour a slab? . . . I avoided having a property tax re-evaluation by not using a concrete slab (any structure, on concrete with utilities, requires getting a building permit; which would have triggered the county auditor). The greenhouse is considered "temporary" and is designed to be unassembled and moved if needed.

They'll never know

 

[imagineer]

They'll never know

Unfortunately, I've got a neighbor looking for revenge. (https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/fire-barrel-misadventures.524274/#post-10394373, post #29)

 

[mike93lx]

What if the slab is inside and not supporting the structure?

 

[imagineer]

What if the slab is inside and not supporting the structure?

That would skirt the issue of the permit, but being inside a frame with access though a man-door, I doubt I'd be able to screed it level without making a mess of it.

Besides, Mrs. Imagineer and I are 5 years or so from retirement and if we end up moving, the greenhouse will come with. I'm thinking it will be easier to break up and discard a weaker 2" thick layer of self-leveling than a full slab.

 

[mike93lx]

That would skirt the issue of the permit, but being inside a frame with access though a man-door, I doubt I'd be able to screed it level without making a mess of it.

Besides, Mrs. Imagineer and I are 5 years or so from retirement and if we end up moving, the greenhouse will come with. I'm thinking it will be easier to break up and discard a weaker 2" thick layer of self-leveling than a full slab.

Screeding as you move back to the door is a normal thing, but if you really don't want to do a slab, I wouldn't pour self leveler for this at all. You can easily get it flat with normal, compacted base. If you don't compact anyway, the leveler will crack. It's the wrong stuff for the application

 

[duneslider]

This is not the right application for self leveler and it would end up costing a fortune compared to concrete. Just pour the concrete 2" thick, it will come out just as easy as 2" of self leveler would

 

[Hilltopmasonry]

Self leveling concrete/grout/mortar is crazy expensive

I would just use concrete and make it a little wet

 

[duneslider]

Or do like all those youtube videos I see and pour in the concrete mix dry, level it off and mist it with a hose. Easy-Peasy.

 

[imagineer]

Self leveling concrete/grout/mortar is crazy expensive

I would just use concrete and make it a little wet

This is probably the direction I'll go, and add an extra mesh panel.

Still, the problem will be time. There's no way to back a cement truck to the the site, so I'll be pulling this off using a portable mixer and bags of concrete. As it's configured now, it's 11' x 12', which will take about 70 - 80lb bags. I need to figure out how to mix and pour all the material and still have time to try and level it before it sets up. Fortunately, I've got til September to figure it out.

 

[f121]

I’d just bang a self leveling screed down. You have to trowel it somewhere near flat and then gravity does the rest. Pretty easy job.

 

[rancherbill]

I want to improve the floor in Mrs. Imagineer’s greenhouse. Currently, the floor is 4”x8”x2” thick brick pavers, dry-set on a ~1” bed of ‘sand’. Actually, I was too cheap to purchase masonry sand and used spent waterjet garnet instead. (Where I work, we generate about 2 tons of spent garnet each day.)

Whereas I did an ok job of leveling out the garnet before putting down the pavers, the floor is not ‘pool table level’. Also, ants and all matter of bugs are living their best lives in the garnet.

Leave it alone. Buy an ant trap (or whatever) to get rid of the critters. You want / need drainage. There is lots of water in green houses and you'll end up with mold and mildew.

My green house has washed sand (mortar) and re-used patio bricks. The ants thought they were in heaven until I put some ant traps in the greenhouse. I conpacted the sand with a simple 8' 4x4 held vertically used as a tamper. Lift the post about a foot and let it fall down. It slams with a lot of force and then I simply smoothed with a 4' board. It has stayed very flat. and smooth.

 

[duneslider]

Find someone that rents one of these MudMixers in your area. MudMIxer They work amazingly well and will make quick work of your job, especially if there are two of you, take turns loading the bags and spreading things around.

 

[Kaizen]

level pavers and use polymeric sand in the joints. you'll be done in a few hours and only need a few bags. usually available locally in a few different places

EZ Sand 40 lbs. Gray Polymeric Sand 40100398 - The Home Depot

Techniseal EZ Sand is a trusted and proven mix of graded sand and binder that flows smoothly down joints for a fast and effective installation of pavers or slabs on surfaces exposed to normal traffic.

www.homedepot.com

 

[zendriver]

Unfortunately, I've got a neighbor looking for revenge. (https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/fire-barrel-misadventures.524274/#post-10394373, post #29)

Cubic Yard and a half, He's not going to see you bring in 70 bags of something?

IMO, put a level chalk line on each side of the wood where you want the top of the floor. Put the first mix 8" strip out from the wood, level along the chalk line and screed the rest off that.

That's how the pros do it.

"self leveling" a runny 2" slab does not sound that durable, IMO