At the risk of starting a string like the one my cabinetmaker request started, can anyone reccommend a contractor that does a self-leveling gypsum cement overlay on a basement floor? I have to repair some sewer pipes and after the trenches are patched, I ‘d like to be able to level the whole basement floor and begin Project: Man Cave.
Is this a specialty trade or can most cement or tile guys do this?
Replies
How much thickness do you need, and over what size area?
You might try Duane Miller- Holmes Concrete
330-231-3431
good work, reasonable pricing
if he isn't interested he probably knows someone up your way.No Tag
about 500 squre feet, not more than 1.5 inches.
You want someone with a pump and a big tow-behind mixer. I had about that much done last year, they brought a Bobcat to load sand into the mixer and a small line pump. In the pic they're loading the machine onto the truck, very carefully.
It's worth considering a dehumidifier after the pour is done. The process adds a lot of moisture to your building.
edit: Whoops, same pic twice, how dey do dat?
Edited 12/19/2008 1:07 pm by davidmeiland
I've done that much and more - by hand - using Miracote topping products.
http://www.miracote.com
What's going on top?
haven't decided on what's going on top. maybe nothing. Half the basement is utility, half will be living space. I'll probabaly pour each side separately.
Questions on the Miracote: 1. which product did you use? SL? 2. is is self leveling?
Not familiar with that product, but how could you ever hand-mix 4 yards of SLC and get it on the deck within the 5-10 minute period that a pumped operation would?
Coffey, gypcrete does not make a durable floor surface. Best to put floating flooring over it, or tile if you do it correctly.
It wouldn't be 4 yds.
I used a trowel and a topping binding mortar to fill in the low spots. For my 30' x 30' garage and basement, I used four of their 50# bags. Repaired some gouges and resloped the drain planes to drive any dripoffs under the car and out rather than along the wall or where we walked. For my basement, I resloped the flow to eliminate low spots and direct everything to a new floor drain - that had to have about 12' of slab beat out and replaced.
http://www.miracote.com/index.php?href=productdetail&id=19
After that, I topped with MPC. First spreading with a squeegie and then troweling like a skip coat on DW. It looks and works very similar to DW mud. But flashes in its setup, so you gotta work quick. I used three bags of this.
http://www.miracote.com/index.php?href=productdetail&id=16
I used the sanded version in my garage and then stained it after. Stains just like ceement. This material is scuptable. My stemwalls of the garage's footing raise above the slab like most. On these, I used the material like DW mud and then came back and did a faux woodgrain pattern in it. Then I used a stained wood color (to match the casings and base) to stain this material. Once sealed, it looks just like the stained trim.
In the basement, I simply put two coats of their 100% solids epoxy over the prepared floor (I had to remove a previously applied and peeling cheep 'poxy job with a shotblaster) before applying a sand coat. Several more coats of clear 'poxy and a two part urethane sealer and I got a showroom floor.
http://www.miracote.com/index.php?href=productdetail&id=3
Note that additional topping materials can also be used to gain the final level. I simply laid the 'poxy a bit thick in a few spots where I had shorted the repair mortar. Or a bit more MPC to fill in and smooth out a valley in the garage. And I found I had missed one more after sealing, so a second seal coat a bit heavy was able to flatten that one out.
But they have self levelers also.
OP said 500 SF, not more than 1.5". Sounds like a typical gypcrete pour to me. I did about 750 SF 1.5" and I provided the sand, 4 yards and a little bit was left over. The sub brought a pallet+ of his gyp mix in sacks. His rig had a mixer that directly fed a pump, and with the bobcat to load sand they had almost continuous flow. They were onsite 3 hours including setup and cleanup, and the bill was about $3000. It's a very different process than what you are describing. Mostly done to cover radiant tubing, sometimes for soundproofing in condos etc.
I did a SLC pour for a tile floor, 6 sacks of Level-quik. Myself and a helper made two trash cans full of SLC and poured it more of less all at once. No second chances with a deal like that.
Why would you want to use a gypsum product? About 8 months ago I had to have a gypsum roof deck replaced on a building because of long term slow water l;eaks, which completely deteriorated the gypsum. Why wouldn't you use a cementitious product that is not affected by water?"Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
A gypsum roof deck? Strange choice, maybe there is a reason. Our sub would do either lightweight concrete or gypcrete. This was 2nd floor interior over wood framing, not exterior. Apparently the lightweight does not self-level as well and not fearing moisture much at all I went with gyp. We had to lay a floating floor over it and I wanted a very flat surface.... which I got. There is a bathroom, but it is completely membraned and tiled and the only possible issues I see are a radiant tubing leak or a slow leak at the toilet flange.... either of which is within the realm of possibility and would be a major drag. I had them make me a test piece of the gypcrete and it is not really water soluble the way drywall is, it has a lot of sand and cement in it.
Might be a question of terminology. Here are a couple of pictures of the roof replacement. The structure was as follows, from the bottom up: metal bar joists 48" oc, compressed particle board panels ( a little denser than ceiling tiles), wwm about 6x6, then about 3" of gypsum. It works well unless it gets wet. Picture 05 shows the patches. This is 04 :
View Image
"Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt