Amature floor installer needs help.

Sep 15, 2010 10 Replies

I just bought an older home that needs extensive updating to its floors. I stripped the floors down to the subfloor and found many low-spots believed to be caused by a "settling of the house". So, I purchased a self-leveling compound and followed the instructions. I first primered the area, mixed the compound, and poured it in an area I believed to need the most help.



Well, I went the next day to check on it. I placed a 6 foot box level over the middle and found that I know had a seesaw affect. I think I may have poured to much in the middle. Is that possible? Is there a way to correct that? Should I break up the cement, clear the area, and start all over? It's getting quite expensive.



DIYamature



------------------------------------- . / V\ / ` / < < | / | / | / | / \ \ / ( ) | | ________| _/_ | | < _________\______)\__)


------------------------------------- . / V\ / ` / < < | / | / | / | / \ \ / ( ) | | ________| _/_ | | < _________\______)\__)

You might have to rent a floor snader to get it back down to level. A laser pointer would be also usable to check for waviness.

I'm curious as to what you used and what kind of subfloor. I've got hardwood here, and I don't believe that any of the cement based are designed for that. That should be all the the self leveling, as far as I know. I talked with a tech rep from "Level Quick" and he disabused my notion of using it on hardwood flooring.

BTW, there are a number of youtube videos on pouring and spreading.

Jeff

------------------------------------- . / V\ / ` / < < | / | / | / | / \ \ / ( ) | | ________| _/_ | | < _________\______)\__)

------------------------------------- . / V\ / ` / < < | / | / | / | / \ \ / ( ) | | ________| _/_ | | < _________\______)\__)

You should check to see if your floor structure is stiff enough to install tiles on. 3/4" plywood over *properly* sized floor joists on 16" centers is the minimum.

If the dips are not too large or deep, the tiling process will cover them. The backer board you use under tiles will bridge low spots, just be sure and place enough thinset to support them fully, then nail tightly in the high spots. Drive the nails over the dips just enough to pull the backer board flat.

If there are still low spots, use a fairly thick layer of thinset under the tiles, and level across several of them with a 48" straightedge as you go.

And unless you are trying for an amusing effect, you might spell amateur correctly :-)

formatting link
A floor sander is an interesting idea. What kind of sander paper or

------------------------------------- . / V\ / ` / < < | / | / | / | / \ \ / ( ) | | ________| _/_ | | < _________\______)\__)

DT wrote the following:

...and maybe you can set your computer to the correct date.

Join the Discussion

Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.

Didn't find your answer?

Ask the community — no account required