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Levelling concrete floor – help!

grandchat27 | Posted in Construction Techniques on February 19, 2007 04:05am

Hello,

I am putting hardwood (engineered hardwood) floors on my sidesplit house on grade.  The cement floor is not level, so I want to make sure it’s level before I install the engineered flooring.  As such, I need some help.

My first thought, would be to put some type of self-levelling thinset down to level the floor.  Allow to cure, and go to work on installing the engineered floor.  If this is the way to go, could anyone recommend any brand of self-levelling product.

My second thought would be to “wet sand” (if that is the proper term?) the floor until it’s close to level.  From there, thinset as necessary.

Are either of the two options above right?  If not, how would you guys approach it?  It’s not “crazy” out of level, but enough to worry about. 

Lastly, what type of product would you recommend putting underneat the engineered floor (b/w the concrete and the floor).

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

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  1. FastEddie | Feb 19, 2007 04:40am | #1

    Last thing first ... if you're going to put down engineered flooring on concrete, then there is nothing to put between the wood and the concrete other than adhesive.  Anything else will interfere with the adhesion.

    Any number of self-leveling cementitious products would work.  Ardex is one branch name, there are several others.  Go to a full-service tile store, not Home Depot, and ask for advice there.  They will probably have something in stock.

    Note that self-leveling products don't quite self-level.  When you pour it out, it has a pancake-batter edge.  Once you pour enough on the floor and move it around so it wets the entire sub-floor, then it will even out.  You might not have to do the entire floor.  Get a good straight edge, at least six feet long, and check the floor for dips and high spots.  You can buy a cheap level at HD or Lowes that will work well, and they are about that long.  Small dips can be filled with floor leveler and a screed, like a metal level.  High spots can be chipped off or ground down.

    Some rental places have floor grinders.  They look like floor buffers, but have abrasive pads.  The Lowes rental store near me has one.  They are a bit messy, but will take off high spots pretty easily.  A one-day rental should be enough.  I would fill the low spots first, then go back the next day and grind the whole floor smooth.

    And you do realize that you want a flat floor, not necessarily level.  For example, you could have a piece of sheet glass that is considered flat, and you can tilt it so that it's uneven, but it's still flat.  Point being, the subfloor for a glue down wood floor needs to be flat, without dios or bumps, but it can be un-level.

     

    "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

    1. FastEddie | Feb 19, 2007 06:56am | #3

      You also need to be careful what leveler product you buy.  Check the floor first to see how deep the dips are.  Some levelers are good from feather edge to 1/4" or less, some from 1/4" to 3/4" etc.  And as noted by hvtrim, a bonding agent can be very important ... read the instructions.

       "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

  2. hvtrimguy | Feb 19, 2007 05:42am | #2

    I did a self level job on a garage floor that was finished off and used a self leveler from a tile store. First I used a straight edge to find the dips and marked them out with a magic marker. then floated out the leveler. like the other post said, you still have to mush it around a bit. then screed it like already said in last post. I did however have to put down a second application in a few spots because the leveler only goes so thick. Also, I painted the areas initially to be floated with a bonding agent. No call backs and the floor laid nice. it was a laminate floor however.

    "it aint the work I mind,
    It's the feeling of falling further behind."

    Bozini Latini

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