i’m doing a small bath remodel and need to level the floor. the subfloor was replaced and it is alot better after having sistered the some of the existing joists. however, the floor still needs a leveling compound poured over it. i’m wondering whether its better to pour the leveling compound first and then install the durock over that or if the durock should go down first and then pour the leveling compound on top of that?! thoughts, advice, suggestions…
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"When we build, let us think that we build forever. Let it not be for present delight nor for present use alone." --John Ruskin Laminate is just a picture of hardwood printed on countertop for your floor.We can imagine something that only exists in our heads, in a form that has no measurable, tangible reality, and make it actually occur in the real world. Where there was nothing, now there is something.
Forrest - makin' magic every day
The cement panel should be glued down anyway as well as screwed. Some guys do this with thinseet. if the vaariance you have is no more than a strong eighth of an inch, I would use thinset to shim up the lowspots as I was setting the durock to it by troweling it on thicker there.
Then if it is still off a hair here and there, you can trowel on leveling compound before setting tiles.
How much variance are we talking about?
What size tiles ?
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we're talking 3/8" to 1/2" variance. floor will receive 12" x 12" honed granite tiles. so you're saying use thinset to shim up the low spots rather than use a leveling compound such as ARDEX SD-L??
not really.
Somebody else might have a different thoughton this, but the quarter inch variance I was saying as a max is less than the 3/8" you have as a minimum.I have always troweked leveling compound on so I am unfamiliar with the poured on type.12x12 tiles are far harder get a flat floor out of than smaller sizes so the surface has to be pretty flat. I can't remember for sure, but didn't you mention having already re-framed to get the floor flat?
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I sistered some joists to facilitate the relocation of plumbing fixtures (the original plumbers hacked the bits out of the joists). However, not all of the joists could be sistered, for various reasons, and like i said, there are still some leveling issues. I'm thinking pour the leveling compound first, then 1/2" durock screwed down atop that. or do you think i need thinset & screws?!?!
Yeah, for that much variance, I would use a leveling compound first and then glue down the durock with screws also.
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If you are tiling the floor just use a mud bed and wire lath. Thats how the old timers used to does it. :)
I'd put down the backer board first (just like normal, set in thinset and screw it down) and then pour self-leveling cement. I did exactly the same thing in my kids' bathroom and our master bathroom and ended up with a dead level, perfectly smooth surface on which to set the tile.
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