[makin dust]

Hey there folks, Makin dust here for the first time, got some questions for you all to ponder and hopefully fill in the blanks for me. I have a home office cabinet project for a client in a three story condo.
The room is about 10 x 7. The room was originally drawn up as an open deck,(same as what is above it) but got enclosed as an afterthought.
The ceiling slopes to mimic the above deck, and the office floor does too. They never re-floated it level, over 10' it's out 2 5/8", lucky for me that it's falling away from the door.
But it is 1 1/2" thick lightweight concrete on plywood. I had a thought of leveling this up using portland cement applied like my tile guy would when he floats my shower stalls (battens etc).
Is there a compatibility issue with the different cements? I would add adhesive to the mix etc too.I was thinking of using this mix to fill up most of the field and then feather it out with some other product... of which i have no idea:blink: Now let the wisdom spill forth!

 

[Metro M & L]

Try the diy chatroom perhaps.

 

[B.D.R.]

I would be checking with the condo association, and possibly an engineer to see if it is possible, and or allowed.

 

[MAULEMALL]

Hey there folks, Makin dust here for the first time, got some questions for you all to ponder and hopefully fill in the blanks for me. I have a home office cabinet project for a client in a three story condo.
The room is about 10 x 7. The room was originally drawn up as an open deck,(same as what is above it) but got enclosed as an afterthought.
The ceiling slopes to mimic the above deck, and the office floor does too. They never re-floated it level, over 10' it's out 2 5/8", lucky for me that it's falling away from the door.
But it is 1 1/2" thick lightweight concrete on plywood. I had a thought of leveling this up using portland cement applied like my tile guy would when he floats my shower stalls (battens etc).
Is there a compatibility issue with the different cements? I would add adhesive to the mix etc too.I was thinking of using this mix to fill up most of the field and then feather it out with some other product... of which i have no idea:blink: Now let the wisdom spill forth!

lightweight concrete? Are you talking gypcrete?

 

[Leo G]

Fir it out with tapered strips and resheet.

 

[TRMolnar]

Fir it out with tapered strips and resheet.

X2 :thumbup:

 

[MIKE ANTONETTI]

No their not compatible, Mapei makes a self leveler for use over lightweight/gyp concrete. I never used before, I'm on flat houses.

 

[makin dust]

floor level.. not!

Well thanks for some of the replies folks:biggrin: the reason I asked was that the flooring outfit that my client got a bid from wants to glue plywood strips down to somewhat get it level and then pour Ardex over it. I am a GC but I specialize in cabinets and finish carpentry so I don't know a lot about this, but the idea of sandwiching plywood between
two cement products just sounds wrong to me?
My client is a condo board member so is up on the specs needed.
The flooring is 3/8" pre finished, with 1/4" accousticork and a 5/8" plywood sub floor. She doesn't need any of this if she sticks with carpet.
But whether she goes with wood or carpet, we somehow have to get the floor level for my goddarn cabinets!!
... So, that is the reason for my question

 

[makin dust]

I think so...

 

[CarpenterSFO]

If the flooring people aren't subs to you, let them do what they want with the floor, then accommodate any remaining leveling issues in the cabinet base. I don't try to fix the floors when I put in cabinets. If you think the floors will still be significantly out of level, then design your cabinet base appropriately - shoe moulding or something.

 

[BKM Resilient]

Well thanks for some of the replies folks:biggrin: the reason I asked was that the flooring outfit that my client got a bid from wants to glue plywood strips down to somewhat get it level and then pour Ardex over it. I am a GC but I specialize in cabinets and finish carpentry so I don't know a lot about this, but the idea of sandwiching plywood between
two cement products just sounds wrong to me?
My client is a condo board member so is up on the specs needed.
The flooring is 3/8" pre finished, with 1/4" accousticork and a 5/8" plywood sub floor. She doesn't need any of this if she sticks with carpet.
But whether she goes with wood or carpet, we somehow have to get the floor level for my goddarn cabinets!!
... So, that is the reason for my question

********************************
I doubt your client understands structural engineering.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Structural_engineering

I wouldn't like the "sandwich" method either but it may be a more viable choice if WEIGHT is a factor.

You know WHY they use lightweight concrete right?

Generally speaking we don't want layered solutions. Each layer increases the risk of failure. But sometimes those are the only choices--------besides changing the end goals.

In the case of ON OR BELOW GRADE concrete sandwiching wood in between is really a stupid idea. But above grade you don't really have the threat of a constant source of moisture to attack the wood and/or the bond between the wood and cement materials.

My first inclination to repair your issue would have been an Ardex material with pea gravel on the deep end. But that really would need to be approved by a structural engineer because that's some significant weight over there on the side of the room------I can easily imagine "issues" much bigger than you shimming the cabinets.

Ardex technical department is just a phone call away.

 

[makin dust]

Bob, the trouble is that the design calls for a built in desk at the far end (low end), By the time i deduct desk height and two file drawers that leaves me with about a 3 1/2' base board on the bottom of cabinets. By the time i get back to the high side of the room with my units the base board would be about 1" high.

 

[MIKE ANTONETTI]

What does your distributor have Mapei or Ardex , you could have called their tech dept already, not sure about their lightweight self leveler , they may just put 10 lbs less in the bag and call it lightweight. I don't think 400lbs of level distributed would be a major factor, though I'm not a struc . Eng.

 

[CarpenterSFO]

Bob, the trouble is that the design calls for a built in desk at the far end (low end), By the time i deduct desk height and two file drawers that leaves me with about a 3 1/2' base board on the bottom of cabinets. By the time i get back to the high side of the room with my units the base board would be about 1" high.

Obviously they should fix the floor. Is it your problem how they do it?

 

[Anti-wingnut]

Obviously they should fix the floor. Is it your problem how they do it?

I don't think the floor needs to be "fixed". I think it was formerly a weather deck with a sloped membrane floor that has now been turned into a room. Since it is a condo, I would be very reticent to make any fundamental changes to the structure.

 

[MTN REMODEL LLC]

Either shim the floor and resubfloor.....


Or, I had a sunroom addition that was very poorly built.... with both 1.5 inch low differential from the kitchen and a wavy floor..... too difficult to shim across......

Basically after mapping the subfloor, I filled the large dips with various plys as a lightweight filler (sunroom above grade) and used a stapled down screed and a self leveling cement to flatten everything for 18x18 tile.

It performed fine.

Basially the ply filler was just for weight reduction and cost reduction (that SLC is pricey.)

I don't have a bag around now as to it's fill.... but you can figure it's ultimate weight and if it seems questionable talk to an eng.

 

[TNTRenovate]

I'm with Leo.

 

[MIKE ANTONETTI]

Yeah the pricey is about 30$ a bag + primer, etc . No fun.

 

[makin dust]

level floor ... not

Thanks everyone for taking the time to respond to my questions. it never really crossed my mind to factor in how heavy that cement stuff adds up to!! Between the weight and the cost of SLC i think i can see why they want to do it the way they intend to.
But it never hurts ask, learn new things and keep the grey matter ticking!
I'll leave all this to the flooring boys and stick with plywood, cabinet hardware and fancy moldings:thumbup:
For some reason my clients always want my thoughts on things even when I tell them i have NO idea

 

[Anti-wingnut]

I'll leave all this to the flooring boys and stick with plywood, cabinet hardware and fancy moldings:thumbup:
For some reason my clients always want my thoughts on things even when I tell them i have NO idea

If you're not getting paid to design it or build it, keep your mouth closed