How Do I...........

Eric K

I am doing a small office remodel where the cement floor had lifted up and broke. Under the lifted and broken cement was another pad it seems. The top layer is about 1" thick. To stay level from the wall to where the existing cement is goes from 1/2" to 1". What can I fill in with to adhere to the existing cement. I have primed with surface bonding primer from Quikrete and tapcon some 1/4" chicken wire down. Should I use tile mortar to build up and level to existing or should I use some sort of cement?

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rservices

I would normaly use a self leveling compond, but with all of the paint on the floor I question if it will adhere properly.
But if that is the way that you end up doing it make sure to read the instructions, have someone else with you so you can be mixing and pouring contiuasly. that stuff starts setting the moment you start mixing.

PrecisionFloors

Scarify existing slab(s) first. You can rent a machine Home Deeblow. Fill in all cracks and crevices that may allow pour to seep out if there are any. Then pour Ardex k-15 or equivelant self leveling at least 1/8" above highest point that is there now.

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Eric K

Well with the chicken wire tapconed into the floor and surface bonding primer on I was hoping to help with the adhesion to the existing floor. Water was supposedly the culprit of lifting the original layer. (Which has since been fixed) Is there anything else that can be used other than that self leveling compound. Only reason I ask is because of the price of that stuff. Im not trying to be cheap but if it can be done correctly and less cost I wouldnt mind that but if self leveling compound is the only option then I will go that route.
Thanks for the help so far.

PrecisionFloors

Self leveling is cheaper with far superior results to anything that will be hand troweled on. Remember time is money. I could self level that area in a couple of hours tops, including setup and cleanup. And it would be perfectly flat. Doing it by hand would take three times as long and the results would be no where as good, without going over it multiple times.

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Eric K

Cheaper? Self Leveling = $25.00 per 50lbs bag Mortar = $10-$15 per 50lbs. Unless I am thinking of something different. Then again is the coverage of either the same? Seems like you get less coverage with the self leveling per bag? Or am I wrong?

PrecisionFloors

Remember time is money.



MY (yours could be totally different, only you can know )time is worth a heckuva lot more than $10 bucks a bag. With self leveling I can mix it, pour it, and be on to the next job...or takin my kid to a movie...or taking a few laps in the go-cart. You get the idea. Sure you have the cure time to contend with but time management and scheduling smartly will eliminate most of those headaches imo.

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Eric K

Good point. How many bags would you think I would need to level out that spot. Like I said 1" from the existing lip to 1/2" in the back. Room is about 9 1/2' long. Space to be filled would be around just under 3' to a lil over 4'. BTW, thanks for all the help.

PrecisionFloors

No problem, glad to help Should take about 4-5 bags. For that little bit you can get by with some of the cheaper self levelers if you want. I only use Ardex k-15 on larger pours as it flows ALOT better than some of the others but that one should be a piece of cake even with the stuff from HD/Llowes.

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PrecisionFloors

Oh yeah....after you pour it wait about 10 minutes or so and take a flat trowel or a 12" drywall knife and smoothe the edge down near the existing concrete and you will end up with a nicer transition beteween the two. If you have a few spots that need touched up after its dry just skim over them with regular portland based patch and put a fan on it (Ardex Featherfinish is THE best to work with)...should dry in a half hour or so. Do not over work the self leveler...pour it and let it do its thing.

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Eric K

4 bags. A lil left over in the 4th. Great call. Done in about 30mins. Looks good. Will take a pic and post it. Thanks a lot for the advice.

PrecisionFloors

Glad to hear it! What product did you end up using?

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turner flooring

THIS IS A VERY GOOD CALL. I WOULDN'T HAVE SAID ANY DIFFERENT. jUST TO ADD THAT ARDEX WILL SHRINK A LITTLE, AFTER IT DRIES.

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Eric K

Stuff from home depot. Comes in a red bag. Dont remember the brand. Im going there tomorrow, I will see what brand it was and snap some pics. I hardly had to touch it. Just poured - smoothed out the edges like you said - packed up - went home. Again thanks for the help.