Nice product awareness video. What I would have like to see come after is an in depth series describing and showing the whole process from beginning to end, for each product. By in depth I mean: what pitfalls to watch out for, the examination of the substrate or slap, more in depth explanation of the whole process, per product.
The reason to use a self leveling is to not get down on your hands and knees and use a trowel. In the US all but the smallest leveling projects are done using a pump. However even for a small or DYI project, it does not make sense to trowel, which defeats the capabilities of the material itself. Smoothers are tools that are specific to floor leveling that look like plaster knives at the end of a broom handle - sometimes they have spacer nubs on the blade to get a predetermined fixed thickness ( not always good for a floor that needs a variable thickness of leveler). For thicknesses up to a 1/4" (6 mm) spiked rollers, also called porcupine rollers, work very well. Much beyond that thickness though the roller may leave dimples in the surface of the leveling compound. Bostik are tile people trying to figure out self leveling. Tile people are used to troweling everything.
Silly advice the trowel is there not to smooth but to spread the compound and push it into corners etc. You then let it level itself or use a spiked roller if you desire.
Having used Bostik Cempolatex to level our kitchen floor, I can honestly say that self levelling compound is not the solution that many people may think it is. The first application went down reasonably well, but after drying out there were quite a few dips, ridges and lumps all over the floor. I soon found out that to correct the imperfections was not possible and after a few choice words with my wife I decided to lay a second application over the first. Using four 25Kg bags at a time, this turned out to be quite an expensive exercise, so I was keen to follow the instructions precisely. The floor was sealed again with PVA and a friend mixed the compound while I spread it out on the floor. As soon as the compound was poured, I could tell that it wasn't going to happen, as the compound started to "go off" as it hit the floor. The end result after drying was a disgrace. The surface was rippled in places with deep ridges that were worse than the first layer and certainly not usable as a surface to work with. We are now in the process of employing a builder to concrete the whole floor, which we should have done in the first place. Needles to say, I'll not be using self leveling compound again, well not Bostik anyway, simply because it doesn't. Like many others, I believed that you mix it, pour it, spread it and leave it to dry, hopefully giving a nice even floor. This belief couldn't be further from the truth. Be warned. If you haven't used this product before, employ the services of a builder
I fit vinyl flooring like karndean and i will say that if you want a proper flat and smooth finish then you absolutely must employ a professional as the quality of the finish even comes down to knowing the characteristics of which product is used and there are a lot of different products on the market
I echo this experience and decided to go with a 'professional' for the rest of downstairs, but I don't think he done all that better job than I would have, especially for the price. Lumps and dips all over the shop. What to do now. I'm going to grind down a couple of speed bumps and then maybe throw down a couple more bags myself maybe.... I dunno
Nice video but a very critical OMISSION! You must FIRST seal all gaps between the floor and walls and caulk all the gaps between the floor boards! Otherwise the leveler will pour through the gaps!
It would be useful to have a better explanation nof which product to use in different sitiations. Over existing thermoplastic or vinyl tiles, for example and mixed substrates where floors of extensions meet the pre-existing building.
Having surveyed the usual DIY discussion boards there are a lot of people who have old thermoplastic tiles stuck down with bitumen, all wondering whether to lift the tiles and if so then how to remove / prime the bitumen in order to lay SLC / tiles / vinyl.
Hi there don’t mean to be a pain as I do like to watch the videos I watched this and should suggest you maybe add the fact you should in most cases you should be using a primer pre use of the levelling compound! And have never talked to a compound supplier that doesn’t recommend it in most scenarios!
I always pilot where I’m screwing otherwise the screws will lift the board making you take it out and back in.Wood clue is the same as PVA.And nails are no good on floors good job Rodger👍🏻
+Skill Builder Yes, I understand that. The information is useful and a good demo in principle in any case. I do have one request. Could you do a video or two on concrete staining. I'm fascinated by the lustrous and creative finishes seen on UA-cam when people are staining slab concrete floors. However, I'm really curious to know if similar finishes could be achieved on cementitious renders, screed or levelling products. Or on cement fibre boards.
I have a crack in my concrete floor, runs about a 2 foot long, 4-8mm deep. It's just inside the bedroom door as you enter, then the rest of the floor slopes down away from it. I't preventing me from laying a wooden floor in the bedroom, 20 square meters. My question is. Can I use levelling compound to create a long gentle slope, from where the crack steps down. or do i have to fill up the entire room to be level with the upper crack? I can't lower the high spot because I want to run the floor in from the hall.
Hi Roger, Doing a large room with between 0-3cm of irregularity. It's a clean, dust free sealed wooden floor. I have cleaned it and then put down a PVA adhering seal on the wood. I'll be using the compound with fibres. Questions. Do you allow for expansion at the edges? (ie) soft/mousse perimeter? Would you recommend going in on spiked shoes and a long handled spiked roller? For a big room how to work as the compound goes off but new batches need pored? Even with a helper the batches take time to get mixed up. Thanks, Mark
Hi Roger I watch your Skill Builder Videos a lot, even saw Robin on the TV recently, they are a great resource for DIYers. When laying self levelling compounds in a space with a gradient is it best to work from thick to thin or thin to thick (assuming there are exit options at both ends of the gradient. In my case the gradient is probably 10 to 15mm over 10 M, not alot but the floor needs smoothing because it has 3 different screeds of varying quality and the dust from it is awful. Do you have any advice for priming the screed where tiles laid with bituminous adhesive have been removed. Cheers Ian
Excellent video. I've just had an extension built on the side of the house which has been knocked through to the existing kitchen. The extension has been screeded (65mm) 2 weeks ago and I'd like to get a new kitchen fitted as soon as possible. How long do I need to leave the screed before applying a self levelling compound over the whole lot. I have about 40 sq metres to do in total.
Unfortunately the only safe solution is to allow the screed to dry at the rate of 1mm per day but if you have underfloor heating you can gently warm it up after 28 days of curing. Don't do it before this or it will crack. What a lot of people do is to fit the kitchen and leave the kick boards off then screed up to the units. Personally I like to lay a floor wall to wall and then put the units on it.
Hi Roger, I have a veranda which has been covered in bitumen for years and painted over with silver paint, it has a number of channels in it where it was laid badly, can I use any of these products to fill these. Thank you
I'm very confused... 2:39 it says, "Check that the floor is Level"... Why would you do that??? Isn't the reason I would be using this product is to LEVEL the floor? The reason I would be using this product is Because my floor is NOT level.... So of course the floor will not be level, or I wouldn't be needing this product. Please help me to understand.... Thank you.
Hi Judi Ha ha! I can see your confusion. 2.39 you can see the floor is in a bit of a state but if it is level we can choose a product that suits minimal build up since all we need there is a smoothing compound. If, after checking the level, we find the floor is running out by, say, 20mm we would then be looking for a product that allowed for that kind of build up. Some self-levellers will give you a build up beyond that but it starts to become expensive and if you found your floor was that far out of level you might consider another solution entirely.
How do you deal with soor thresholds? How do you stop the compound from going into other rooms damaging carpet etc? Presumably you use a barrier of some sort strip wood etc?
Hi, I’ve got a first floor bedroom which has sunk in all directions, probably because it’s either missing noggings or maybe spaced at limits which squeaked until I added more screws, I then have added strategically placed hardboard to bring it up and on top of that cereal packet cardboard to even out anomalies. But still have a gap of about 4 mm . As this is isn’t working what floor levelling compound should I use which won’t be too heavy and make it worse , ie sinking further, or have you any other ideas please. Many thanks Adrian Ps floor is wood beams /conti board floor panels
Hi Ive got a concrete workshop floor and the surface was not very hard (dusted up and was quite soft). a hardener was applied to the floor (Everbuild 403 CONCRETE HARDENER & DUSTPROOFER) which worked, stoping the dust and strengthened the surface. Although harder wearing now it isnt very smooth or level so before I kitted the workshop out i was going to use CEMPOLAY Ultra strong to finish and create a final wear surface. do you think this will be ok after the use of a silicate hardener and if so would i need to use an acrylic sealer or similar first before i lay the compound?
Oddy enough that is a Snicker Workwear top. I don't think it did well for them. I am a keen cyclist and I often think about wearing an old cycling top to work because they have those handy back pockets. I am surprised Snickers haven't made a version of it.
@@SkillBuilder I saw the name on the shirt, I just wanted to rib you a bit mate. Now come to think about it you do look like a cyclist. Great way to keep fit and get around, I used to cycle a lot when I was younger, I should take it up again to lower the cholesterol. Problem is they are rally disliked on the roads over here. Cheers mate
@@MrJFoster1984 I am lucky enough to live in the Surrey Hills where there are thousands of cyclists out on the weekend. For the most part the motorists are patient and courteous but some cyclists don't help the cause because they are anything but. It is a shame to see every pastime ending up in a tribal war. There is even animosity between some roadies and off-road mountain bikers. The new battle is between e-bikes and those who still choose to use the pedals.
Great video thanks. How about surface preparation do you recommend using a pva treatment first. Like Cementone Rendabond PVA. What dilution ratio for a new concrete floor ?
There are acrylic primers for floors but PVA is not the ideal product. It is OK if it is diluted and soaks in but often is skins over a layer of dust and causes the screed to lift. It is better if the screed material can soak into the concrete. I like to brush the floor with water before putting the self leveller down. It helps prevent air bubbles but a spiked roller also works.
Hi, thanks for the video, very helpful.... Question, I want to lay the fibreflex over my floor boards.. Do I need to fill in between the boards, before laying , and I'd so, what should I use.. Best Regards Mick
Hello skilled builder. I have Yellow tongue flooring and need to level it before laying a 1200x900mm shower base. Can you please confirm the correct compound to use. Regards Joe
Thanks. Sorry I missed this comment so I am late. We use a Senheiser or sometimes a Rode mic. The videos are made by Motion.uk. I can't claim any credit for that. I worked out a long time ago that it is better to get the professionals in to do the video work.
Hi I have moved my garage and laid concrete over an existing driveway damp is now coming up inside the garage I have removed all items from the garage and jet washed off all the old mould the concrete seems very brittle and dusty in some places there are holes approx 20mm deep where the new concrete has lifted when washing or sweeping I guess there was no damproof membrain used in the old or the new concrete what is the best product for damproofing and leveling the floor please.
Elegant video Roger - I'll be looking for others you've made now. Which product do you like for pouring over pavers, where the mortar between is up to 10mm down, and I'm trying to level a fall of around 15mm across the whole floor (room approx 20 x 15 ft)? It was previously an external floor, now internal, if that makes a difference to the product. I can comfortably raise the floor by 25mm from the highest point, if multiple pours are necessary?
Thanks for the comment. The job you are describing is interesting. I assume that there is no damp. If there is then a lot of self levellers will be a problem and you need to think about painting a liquid damp proof membrane over the whole lot. It depends on what you are going to use as the finished floor. I would not use a self leveller for this job because it costs £15.00 to £20.00 per bag. That said you can bulk the deep lay products out with sharp sand. My approach would be to lay down a mix of 3 parts screeding sand and 1 part cement. Throw a few hand fulls of chopped fibres (from Selco) into the mix so it binds it together and pour some SBR into the mixing water. Try not to make it too wet otherwise it will puddle. Trowel it down and make the area up with a spirit level. Use a urethane float in a circular motion to make it flat. If the surface is not good enough when you are done you can then pour a latex self leveller over the whole floor but you will need to let it cure and dry first.
Thank you very much for the detailed reply - there IS the possibility of damp, and I had not factored that in! You may have saved me from a costly (and worse, labour intensive) mistake. Your suggested approach is quite a good idea - I'll give that some thought. Thanks again.
Hi Roger, great video but I notice you don't include cempolay ultra, I have used on an uneven concete floor which worked well but I now want to use on a panted concreted floor but bostik tech line said you can't use on painted surface, would you agree? If so can you recommend anything I can use for internal domestic use that can be used as a final surface that cab then be painted as with cempolay ultra?
Roger, I have an area of approx 1sq metre to cover. The existing flooring must have had quarry tiles at some point, but what is left , I am really not sure. I need to be able to level the floor in order to install a 450kg Aga. I have been advised that the Aga is likely to weigh less than this, and can quite happily sit on top of paving slabs or a concrete base, dependant upon how much I need to raise the oven up by to worktop level. Do you have any advice? Many thanks
I have a few rooms that are uneven on a concrete slab, and the installer only poured bostik SL175 in a few different spots, should I have them pour it in the entire room to level it out perfectly? Wood floors going in after this so I want it to be perfect!
Great video. But what sense does it make to put this stuff on a timber floor. Such a floor will inevitably have wires and pipes under the boards which some day will need attention. Then you'll have to smash thru this self levelling stuff to get at them.
youtischia You are right to question the sense of it but in the building industry we are contstantly covering and uncovering. It is easy enough to run a carbide blade through this or even a diamond on a circular saw to create a trap
youtischia yes you are completely right in what you are saying...generally we would usually install a 6mm ply board to the floor first which will be fixed with flooring grade staples,then prime and pour the desired flexible latex to that...can go thicker or thinner with the ply depending on thickness required...the reason for this is you ever need access to the sub floor you can run a circular saw/multi tool through the area you need to and simply use a pry bar to lift up! Doing it this way the latex comes up with the ply and leaves clean boards underneath or even if you want to take the entire area up its sooooo easy. Using the method I can uplift an average room in about 10 minutes leaving the floors clean and tidy :-)
Hi i need some advice. I have concrete beams with blocks and wanted to raise the serfice by 15mm and get the floor leveled. Mostly I also need the floor to be demp proof. So what self leveling compound good for demp proofing and can be raised by 15mm? In addition can later be tiled on top or maybe save cost by polishing the floor to give it a nice finish. The compound should be for external use as the part of the surface partly outdoor as well. Any advice will be appreciated. Thank you.
Would one of these products work over sheet vinyl (duradek)? Our deck has some minor settling in a couple places and the low spots hold water from getting to the floor drain. The vinyl deck is in good shape otherwise so I don't really want to rip up the vinyl in order to level. I've found a product that I can use to put a waterproof membrane over the existing Duradek, but now I'm searching for a levelling compound that will work.
Hi. So I’ve a new concrete floor but it’s slightly lower than than existing it’s tying into (5-6mm). The floor is going to get a lot of flight cases on wheels going over as it’s my storage unit. What one here would you recommend and what type of roller is recommend also. Looking to paint it after done as existing. It’s a smooth finish that’s there already thanks
Use a fibre reinforced screed. It could be Cempolay or another make. You may need to prime the floor first. It takes a few minutes to brush a primer on and about 1 hour to dry.
Hi there... I want to level. my kitchen floor I have wooden floor board sitting on concrete and on some parts of the floorboard there are old vinyl tiles stuck down.. I don't want the work to remove them. Would any your self levelling cover this? also I reckon it would need to be about a half inch thick. cheers
Very informative and interesting video. I’ve got a very poor but stable quarry tiled floor that I guess would require up to 20mm screed to fill in from bottom to cover the entire floor, what product would you recommend to fill this in one go? Then would you suggest a self levelling latex to bring the floor to very flat for an LVT tile like Karndene or Amtico. I’ve checked and BS 8203 allows for 3mm gap over 2m straight edge, if there is more than this will it cause problems?
Hi, I'm wondering what you decided to use in the end and how it worked out? I have the same floor - very irregular stone flags in a cellar. Not too fussed about the final surface being perfect, just need it flat enough that I can move heavy things on wheels around smoothly
What is the best product to use on leveling the corner of a room in a wood frame and wood floor apartment building (second floor). The dip is about 3-4cm deep and the building is 40 years old. Total area that requires treatment is about 5 square meters.
A laex based screed with tiny chopped fibres will be best for that job. If you can't find it then buy some tiny chopped fibres and put them in the water.
I was surprised you did not suggest priming the floors first. Also, the timber floors had gaps in them. Shouldn't they have been filled to stop the liquid compound pouring through
Love the video's very helpful, dumb question for you.. it's called self leveling but it appears there's a lot of working of the material involved.. what happens if you just work it to the sides and leave it after that.. will it end badly or just not as smooth ?
It will be smooth but not necessarily level. It is funny stuff and people often expect too much of it. You can build up areas but really if you just want to smooth the floor over it is best to push it around a bit to get the same thickness. I find a spiked roller does the best job. It costs but it makes the job perfect.
I'm surprised to see no priming, a spiked roller only on the last two and on the timber - no filling of gaps? Have I missed something? I have 80m2 to do, I've only ever done 45m2 max, so thought I'd check in but can't mess it up.
Hope someone will answer this, I have removed my old ceramic tiles and am left with the old Marley bitumen adhesive although quite thin it is near impossible to remove unless I totally take up the conctrete floor. I am going to re-tile with Porcelain tiles. Any ideas? Excellent video btw.
Try an abrasive grinder pad, the best I used was from Toolstation. It's taken about 9 hours to get the horrible bitumin tar substance off my kitchen floor.
I am putting some Underfloor Heating down on top of 10mm tile backer boards that have been screwed to a chipboard floor, i'm a bit confused which screed i should use, someone recommended 'Level It 2' but is there any difference between that product and the one's you are using here? I am also told that the screed should ideally be 50mm on top of the underfloor heating, i appreciate any advice you can give me...great videos by the way.
I am assuming that you are putting electric heating down. Did you bed the tile backer on adhesive? it is a good idea because you can take out the undulation then you can go straight on with the tile adhesive. If you haven't then the self leveller will work well but make sure the cable is fixed down otherwise it floats in the screed. If you use a latex self leveller you should be fine. You can buy one with fibre reinforcing in it but it is expensive so the alternative is to buy a bad of short chopped fibres, sold in Selco for rendering, and put those into the latex screed. That will be a strong job.
I was told just to screw the tile backer board to the floor using no more ply screws and washers, i'm actually putting Duralay Heatflow underlay down on top of the screeded floor followed by a carpet and it is electric heating but the more i think about it surely 50mm of self levelling screed seems too much??
You do not need 50mm of screed. The confusion arises because people talk about screeds which are mainly sand and cement and there you do need 50mm minimum if you are using warm water pipe in screed but what you are doing is a different job to that. For electric undertile heating you are only looking to cover the cables. The idea is that the cables can be close to the tile and therefore the heat up is faster. You can do this with tile adhesive if you prefer. Lots of tilers do it in one go. Have a look at our video showing Katrina tiling over electric underfloor. There is no harm in screwing tile backer board down if the floor is flat it will be fine but if it is a little up and down it is easier if you lay a bed of adhesive and then put the screws in to pull it down flat. Please have a look at skill-builder.uk. We will have plenty of bathroom and wetroom videos up on UA-cam soon.
But surely i can't do it in tile adhesive if i'm not putting down tiles? So would 5mm of self levelling screed be enough and is there any difference between the different brands ie: Level It 2 and Cementone Cempolatex?
Can any of these products be used on a painted floor?..I used white floor paint on a cement floor without screeding/leveling to eliminate the pitting/small ditches.The paint I used was an outdoor acrylic heavy duty floor paint.After screeding/leveling could I re primer and re paint over the product again?
The only problem you have is that nobody can guarantee that the acrylic won't lift. It is one of those where you have to take a chance. The worst that can happen is it all comes up. If you get the self leveller down and it stays put then the paint will adhere but you need a self leveller that says it is a wear layer. This is a lot harder than normal screeds.
For the deeper fills, it is much more economical (and just as effective if not stronger) to use a simple cement mix (portland cement 1: sharp sand 3: 10mm pea shingle 2). In fact, with 5mm pea shingle, I have successfully screeded to a maximum depth of 15mm - very strong and MUCH cheaper.
Self smoothing screeds contain polymers. I doubt that a sand and cement mix is stronger. We all use sharp sand and cement screeds up to 75 mm with no problem but it is more about how thin you can do. This is where the polymers and latex come in. I have used SBR, sand and cement. I am not sure that pea shingle does anything useful. Another great thing is to put chopped fibres in the water. You can buy these in Selco
Thanks for your quick reply. (i) You mention "polymers" as if these are the last word in structural durability. Wrong. A polymer is a plastic. Plastic is much weaker than concrete even in a matrix. (ii)Pea shingle. Perhaps you don't know of normal concrete mixes which contain aggregate to increase strength. The pea shingle does just that in a thinner screed application.
Thanks for your input. I would like to see the test results on a thin screed with pea shingle. Words such as 'weaker' and 'stronger' aren't very useful in this context. Concrete has great compressive strength and here the aggregate does a good job but it has little tensile strength and needs fibres or reinforcing steel to stop it snapping under even moderate loads. I have seen 50mm screeds bulked out with aggregate but nobody ever claimed it made them stronger. The big issue with screeds is cracking and loss of adhesion and to prevent this polymers (plastic is a meaningless term to engineers) are very useful in holding the particles together and giving a certain degree of elasticity. Try SBR in your mix and you will be amazed how it it improves it.
Great video Roger, Ive just built a large 3mx4m Shed / Workshop with a concrete base floor. Im going to be fitting pvc click tiles and want to level the floor. As the concrete has the original screeding marks about 2mm-3mm deep in places what floor leveller would you reccomend? You also said the original floor doesnt need a sealer?
I a!ways think using levelling compound on a timber floor, or tiling a timber floor is a bad idea. If you ever need to access pipes or cables, you are going to have a hell of a job doing so?
Web Surfer You are right of course but leaving all the pipes and cables in you house accessible in the relatively unlikely event you will need to repair them is a very difficult thing to do. I have done many jobs for people over the years which involved ripping up floors and most have been covered by their insurance.
You could do it but it depends on how much movement there is on the deck. I am guessing it is plywood and it has sunk due to moisture coming from trapped vapour in the roof space or a leak. The deck should be well supported and it is better to have a fall if you can. You can buy insulation to put on top which has a fall in it and you then felt over the to. If I were you I would look at a fibre glass roof.
Hello I have laid leveling compound on a garage floor but I have not used enough and the compound I have put down needs to be raised a few mm as I have not used enough. Can I top it up? it has only been put down 24 hours but I need the level to be level with some concrete that goes round the sides of the garage. please help
@@SkillBuilder Thanks for the reply, but what I am trying to say is, can you use a nail gun to attached the wood floor planks to the Bostik self-levelling. Will a 18ga 1-1/4 staple crack the cement/Bostik?
Is Bostik different somehow? I didn’t see him apply primer to the subfloor before pouring the sub-floor leveling compound. If you do that to QuickCreet, it’ll crack and flake off.
Are any of these suitable to even out a damaged mastic flooring to prep for laying vinyl tiles, some areas of the mastic have quite deep holes x thank you any advise will be really appreciated x
I want to screed over tiles to lay vinyl floor covering, but don't want to add much more depth to the floor. Can I skim just enough to cover the grout area which is going to be around 1 to 2 millimetres?
I think you need to let the screed settle out to cover the tiles as well as the grout dips but it should still allow you a minimal depth of say 2 mm. I would not try and push your luck by scrapping it too hard off the tile face because the tile pattern will telegraph through. Go with the flow.
What about priming the existing floor before leveling?
Nice product awareness video. What I would have like to see come after is an in depth series describing and showing the whole process from beginning to end, for each product. By in depth I mean: what pitfalls to watch out for, the examination of the substrate or slap, more in depth explanation of the whole process, per product.
The reason to use a self leveling is to not get down on your hands and knees and use a trowel. In the US all but the smallest leveling projects are done using a pump. However even for a small or DYI project, it does not make sense to trowel, which defeats the capabilities of the material itself. Smoothers are tools that are specific to floor leveling that look like plaster knives at the end of a broom handle - sometimes they have spacer nubs on the blade to get a predetermined fixed thickness ( not always good for a floor that needs a variable thickness of leveler). For thicknesses up to a 1/4" (6 mm) spiked rollers, also called porcupine rollers, work very well. Much beyond that thickness though the roller may leave dimples in the surface of the leveling compound.
Bostik are tile people trying to figure out self leveling. Tile people are used to troweling everything.
Silly advice the trowel is there not to smooth but to spread the compound and push it into corners etc. You then let it level itself or use a spiked roller if you desire.
BOOOOOOORRRRRIINNNGG!!!!
My God, you could talk a glass eye to sleep, your soo bori😴 💤
When i was a floorlayer/carpet fitter,have laid tonnes of latex/screed...it's one of the jobs i really enjoyed doing :-)
This man is both terrifying and very knowledgeable.
You damn right hes real good
Bricktops brother 😆
Straight out of a Guy Ritchie film
do it right or do it twice! Or we'll he'll pay you a little visit, you hear?
This dude is the real Pale Rider!
I found by trowelling you’ll get a ridge even if it looks smooth when you do it. Apparently, a spiked roller sorts that issue.
Having used Bostik Cempolatex to level our kitchen floor, I can honestly say that self levelling compound is not the solution that many people may think it is. The first application went down reasonably well, but after drying out there were quite a few dips, ridges and lumps all over the floor. I soon found out that to correct the imperfections was not possible and after a few choice words with my wife I decided to lay a second application over the first. Using four 25Kg bags at a time, this turned out to be quite an expensive exercise, so I was keen to follow the instructions precisely. The floor was sealed again with PVA and a friend mixed the compound while I spread it out on the floor. As soon as the compound was poured, I could tell that it wasn't going to happen, as the compound started to "go off" as it hit the floor. The end result after drying was a disgrace. The surface was rippled in places with deep ridges that were worse than the first layer and certainly not usable as a surface to work with. We are now in the process of employing a builder to concrete the whole floor, which we should have done in the first place.
Needles to say, I'll not be using self leveling compound again, well not Bostik anyway, simply because it doesn't. Like many others, I believed that you mix it, pour it, spread it and leave it to dry, hopefully giving a nice even floor. This belief couldn't be further from the truth. Be warned. If you haven't used this product before, employ the services of a builder
It is not easy and it is harder in hot weather. You need to trowel it out
I fit vinyl flooring like karndean and i will say that if you want a proper flat and smooth finish then you absolutely must employ a professional as the quality of the finish even comes down to knowing the characteristics of which product is used and there are a lot of different products on the market
I echo this experience and decided to go with a 'professional' for the rest of downstairs, but I don't think he done all that better job than I would have, especially for the price. Lumps and dips all over the shop. What to do now. I'm going to grind down a couple of speed bumps and then maybe throw down a couple more bags myself maybe.... I dunno
Nice video but a very critical OMISSION! You must FIRST seal all gaps between the floor and walls and caulk all the gaps between the floor boards! Otherwise the leveler will pour through the gaps!
It would be useful to have a better explanation nof which product to use in different sitiations. Over existing thermoplastic or vinyl tiles, for example and mixed substrates where floors of extensions meet the pre-existing building.
Having surveyed the usual DIY discussion boards there are a lot of people who have old thermoplastic tiles stuck down with bitumen, all wondering whether to lift the tiles and if so then how to remove / prime the bitumen in order to lay SLC / tiles / vinyl.
I wish I'd watched this before starting my job! Good video, thanks.
Those spiked rollers put a real good shine to the floor nice vid mate
This gentleman answered to my problem, you have a brilliant idea.
Hi there don’t mean to be a pain as I do like to watch the videos I watched this and should suggest you maybe add the fact you should in most cases you should be using a primer pre use of the levelling compound! And have never talked to a compound supplier that doesn’t recommend it in most scenarios!
Can I use this on an outside patio if I box it in?
best way to spread self levelling compound is with a 9 inch roller with plastic spikes. goes throughout very smoothly.
Works great for thin applications. If you're going thick, you could get dimples or drag the roller in the SL
you spread it with a flooring trowell then spike the ridges out, trying to spread it with a spikey roller is plain silly. its not designed to do that.
I always pilot where I’m screwing otherwise the screws will lift the board making you take it out and back in.Wood clue is the same as PVA.And nails are no good on floors good job Rodger👍🏻
Great video but alway remember to protect any copper pipes from the leveler. As these products are cement based, cement corrodes copper.
Roger, that was excellent! Thank you so much for a simple and informative breakdown on various products and their application.
Thanks Martin. It is a sponsored video but we think it has some useful information in there and is not just an advert.
+Skill Builder
Yes, I understand that. The information is useful and a good demo in principle in any case.
I do have one request. Could you do a video or two on concrete staining. I'm fascinated by the lustrous and creative finishes seen on UA-cam when people are staining slab concrete floors. However, I'm really curious to know if similar finishes could be achieved on cementitious renders, screed or levelling products. Or on cement fibre boards.
I have a crack in my concrete floor, runs about a 2 foot long, 4-8mm deep. It's just inside the bedroom door as you enter, then the rest of the floor slopes down away from it. I't preventing me from laying a wooden floor in the bedroom, 20 square meters. My question is. Can I use levelling compound to create a long gentle slope, from where the crack steps down. or do i have to fill up the entire room to be level with the upper crack? I can't lower the high spot because I want to run the floor in from the hall.
Hi Roger,
Doing a large room with between 0-3cm of irregularity. It's a clean, dust free sealed wooden floor. I have cleaned it and then put down a PVA adhering seal on the wood. I'll be using the compound with fibres.
Questions.
Do you allow for expansion at the edges? (ie) soft/mousse perimeter?
Would you recommend going in on spiked shoes and a long handled spiked roller?
For a big room how to work as the compound goes off but new batches need pored? Even with a helper the batches take time to get mixed up.
Thanks, Mark
Hi Roger I watch your Skill Builder Videos a lot, even saw Robin on the TV recently, they are a great resource for DIYers.
When laying self levelling compounds in a space with a gradient is it best to work from thick to thin or thin to thick (assuming there are exit options at both ends of the gradient. In my case the gradient is probably 10 to 15mm over 10 M, not alot but the floor needs smoothing because it has 3 different screeds of varying quality and the dust from it is awful.
Do you have any advice for priming the screed where tiles laid with bituminous adhesive have been removed.
Cheers
Ian
Hi Ian, did you find an answer to this? I have the same issue. This is a long shot as I see you wrote this 2 years ago!
Excellent video. I've just had an extension built on the side of the house which has been knocked through to the existing kitchen. The extension has been screeded (65mm) 2 weeks ago and I'd like to get a new kitchen fitted as soon as possible. How long do I need to leave the screed before applying a self levelling compound over the whole lot. I have about 40 sq metres to do in total.
Unfortunately the only safe solution is to allow the screed to dry at the rate of 1mm per day but if you have underfloor heating you can gently warm it up after 28 days of curing. Don't do it before this or it will crack.
What a lot of people do is to fit the kitchen and leave the kick boards off then screed up to the units.
Personally I like to lay a floor wall to wall and then put the units on it.
Roger is an OBE to a DIYer's UA-cam
I have some old Lino adhesive in places on the subfloor and cracks.What leveller do you suggest?
Thank you.
Graham
Hi Roger, I have a veranda which has been covered in bitumen for years and painted over with silver paint, it has a number of channels in it where it was laid badly, can I use any of these products to fill these. Thank you
Yes I think it should adhere. Myabe use the fibre reinforced product
I'm very confused...
2:39 it says, "Check that the floor is Level"...
Why would you do that??? Isn't the reason I would be
using this product is to LEVEL the floor?
The reason I would be using this product is Because my floor is NOT level....
So of course the floor will not be level, or I wouldn't be needing
this product. Please help me to understand.... Thank you.
Hi Judi
Ha ha! I can see your confusion. 2.39 you can see the floor is in a bit of a state but if it is level we can choose a product that suits minimal build up since all we need there is a smoothing compound. If, after checking the level, we find the floor is running out by, say, 20mm we would then be looking for a product that allowed for that kind of build up. Some self-levellers will give you a build up beyond that but it starts to become expensive and if you found your floor was that far out of level you might consider another solution entirely.
@@SkillBuilder
OHHHH Now I understand!!
Thank you for your reply.
Roger great video, whats the roller called and where to purchase thanks
How many days should we check for this levelling for SPC Vinyl flooring especially crack?
fibreflex over old timber floor- just what i need, thanks!
What were your results?
What if you need to do maintenance under the floor? New heating or run wires etc? Cheers
What happens if you don't mix the product for long enough in the bucket and then pour product over the area we're was needed thank you
How do you deal with soor thresholds? How do you stop the compound from going into other rooms damaging carpet etc? Presumably you use a barrier of some sort strip wood etc?
Do you recommend these products as substrate for epoxy resin floor application?,. God Bless!
Could this be used as a finished floor surface on an outdoor balcony? Can it be sealed/stained/painted?
Hi, I’ve got a first floor bedroom which has sunk in all directions, probably because it’s either missing noggings or maybe spaced at limits which squeaked until I added more screws, I then have added strategically placed hardboard to bring it up and on top of that cereal packet cardboard to even out anomalies. But still have a gap of about 4 mm . As this is isn’t working what floor levelling compound should I use which won’t be too heavy and make it worse , ie sinking further, or have you any other ideas please. Many thanks Adrian
Ps floor is wood beams /conti board floor panels
Hi Ive got a concrete workshop floor and the surface was not very hard (dusted up and was quite soft). a hardener was applied to the floor (Everbuild 403 CONCRETE HARDENER & DUSTPROOFER) which worked, stoping the dust and strengthened the surface. Although harder wearing now it isnt very smooth or level so before I kitted the workshop out i was going to use CEMPOLAY Ultra strong to finish and create a final wear surface. do you think this will be ok after the use of a silicate hardener and if so would i need to use an acrylic sealer or similar first before i lay the compound?
Love the red cycling top in this video Roger
Oddy enough that is a Snicker Workwear top. I don't think it did well for them. I am a keen cyclist and I often think about wearing an old cycling top to work because they have those handy back pockets. I am surprised Snickers haven't made a version of it.
@@SkillBuilder I saw the name on the shirt, I just wanted to rib you a bit mate. Now come to think about it you do look like a cyclist. Great way to keep fit and get around, I used to cycle a lot when I was younger, I should take it up again to lower the cholesterol. Problem is they are rally disliked on the roads over here. Cheers mate
@@MrJFoster1984 I am lucky enough to live in the Surrey Hills where there are thousands of cyclists out on the weekend. For the most part the motorists are patient and courteous but some cyclists don't help the cause because they are anything but. It is a shame to see every pastime ending up in a tribal war. There is even animosity between some roadies and off-road mountain bikers. The new battle is between e-bikes and those who still choose to use the pedals.
Great video thanks. How about surface preparation do you recommend using a pva treatment first. Like Cementone Rendabond PVA. What dilution ratio for a new concrete floor ?
There are acrylic primers for floors but PVA is not the ideal product. It is OK if it is diluted and soaks in but often is skins over a layer of dust and causes the screed to lift. It is better if the screed material can soak into the concrete.
I like to brush the floor with water before putting the self leveller down. It helps prevent air bubbles but a spiked roller also works.
This one of the emptying videos.. The only missing the explanation during the mixing and using
Hi, thanks for the video, very helpful.... Question, I want to lay the fibreflex over my floor boards.. Do I need to fill in between the boards, before laying , and I'd so, what should I use.. Best Regards Mick
Hi Michael. You can use mastic. decorators caulk or expanding foam. Years ago we used to use papier-mache'
Hello skilled builder. I have Yellow tongue flooring and need to level it before laying a 1200x900mm shower base. Can you please confirm the correct compound to use. Regards Joe
Thanks for that very nice and clear and useful video xxx
Your videos are more polished every time I watch. Amazing audio! May I ask what mic set up are you using.
Great lighting and editing too. Thank you.
Thanks. Sorry I missed this comment so I am late. We use a Senheiser or sometimes a Rode mic. The videos are made by Motion.uk. I can't claim any credit for that. I worked out a long time ago that it is better to get the professionals in to do the video work.
Thank you for getting back to me. Keep up the great videos and give me a shout if you're ever in Florida
Hi I have moved my garage and laid concrete over an existing driveway damp is now coming up inside the garage I have removed all items from the garage and jet washed off all the old mould the concrete seems very brittle and dusty in some places there are holes approx 20mm deep where the new concrete has lifted when washing or sweeping I guess there was no damproof membrain used in the old or the new concrete what is the best product for damproofing and leveling the floor please.
Thanks Roger, very useful tips.
Which one would you recommend for ceramic floor tiles?
Elegant video Roger - I'll be looking for others you've made now. Which product do you like for pouring over pavers, where the mortar between is up to 10mm down, and I'm trying to level a fall of around 15mm across the whole floor (room approx 20 x 15 ft)? It was previously an external floor, now internal, if that makes a difference to the product. I can comfortably raise the floor by 25mm from the highest point, if multiple pours are necessary?
Thanks for the comment. The job you are describing is interesting. I assume that there is no damp. If there is then a lot of self levellers will be a problem and you need to think about painting a liquid damp proof membrane over the whole lot. It depends on what you are going to use as the finished floor.
I would not use a self leveller for this job because it costs £15.00 to £20.00 per bag. That said you can bulk the deep lay products out with sharp sand.
My approach would be to lay down a mix of 3 parts screeding sand and 1 part cement. Throw a few hand fulls of chopped fibres (from Selco) into the mix so it binds it together and pour some SBR into the mixing water.
Try not to make it too wet otherwise it will puddle.
Trowel it down and make the area up with a spirit level.
Use a urethane float in a circular motion to make it flat.
If the surface is not good enough when you are done you can then pour a latex self leveller over the whole floor but you will need to let it cure and dry first.
Thank you very much for the detailed reply - there IS the possibility of damp, and I had not factored that in! You may have saved me from a costly (and worse, labour intensive) mistake.
Your suggested approach is quite a good idea - I'll give that some thought. Thanks again.
Hi Roger, great video but I notice you don't include cempolay ultra, I have used on an uneven concete floor which worked well but I now want to use on a panted concreted floor but bostik tech line said you can't use on painted surface, would you agree? If so can you recommend anything I can use for internal domestic use that can be used as a final surface that cab then be painted as with cempolay ultra?
Roger, I have an area of approx 1sq metre to cover. The existing flooring must have had quarry tiles at some point, but what is left , I am really not sure. I need to be able to level the floor in order to install a 450kg Aga. I have been advised that the Aga is likely to weigh less than this, and can quite happily sit on top of paving slabs or a concrete base, dependant upon how much I need to raise the oven up by to worktop level. Do you have any advice? Many thanks
Recommend two part self leveling for thickness up to 20mm. Which bostik product would be recommended. Have old bitumen etc and adhesive I can't remove
2nd step before starting- “ check the floor is level” wtf?!
Can you use any of these compounds directly on old floor tiles? Cheers
self levelling but what's all the float work? just spreading?
would Cempolay Deep work well for a top layer re-surface on rough patch for outside on concrete ?
Hi Skill builder, what self leveling compound shall i use to level out on top of bricks with gaps? need to tile on top after.
I have a few rooms that are uneven on a concrete slab, and the installer only poured bostik SL175 in a few different spots, should I have them pour it in the entire room to level it out perfectly? Wood floors going in after this so I want it to be perfect!
Could you tell me how to use Bostik SBR? please thanks.
What bostik should I use , existing floor is cracked tiles and some uneven. Vinyl to go ontop. Do I need to use primer on the existing tile floors. Ta
Great video. But what sense does it make to put this stuff on a timber floor. Such a floor will inevitably have wires and pipes under the boards which some day will need attention. Then you'll have to smash thru this self levelling stuff to get at them.
youtischia
You are right to question the sense of it but in the building industry we are contstantly covering and uncovering. It is easy enough to run a carbide blade through this or even a diamond on a circular saw to create a trap
youtischia yes you are completely right in what you are saying...generally we would usually install a 6mm ply board to the floor first which will be fixed with flooring grade staples,then prime and pour the desired flexible latex to that...can go thicker or thinner with the ply depending on thickness required...the reason for this is you ever need access to the sub floor you can run a circular saw/multi tool through the area you need to and simply use a pry bar to lift up! Doing it this way the latex comes up with the ply and leaves clean boards underneath or even if you want to take the entire area up its sooooo easy. Using the method I can uplift an average room in about 10 minutes leaving the floors clean and tidy :-)
Can this self leveling compound be polished?
i have a question: can it be applied over Bitumen Rolls ????
Hi i need some advice. I have concrete beams with blocks and wanted to raise the serfice by 15mm and get the floor leveled. Mostly I also need the floor to be demp proof. So what self leveling compound good for demp proofing and can be raised by 15mm? In addition can later be tiled on top or maybe save cost by polishing the floor to give it a nice finish. The compound should be for external use as the part of the surface partly outdoor as well. Any advice will be appreciated.
Thank you.
oops I missed it you do include cempolay ultra... Any advise on using over a painted concrete surface (internal domestic)
They always advise not to do it because the paint will lift. I would scutch it up a . I use a diamond disc.
Can I use any of these over an old vinyl floor?
Would one of these products work over sheet vinyl (duradek)? Our deck has some minor settling in a couple places and the low spots hold water from getting to the floor drain. The vinyl deck is in good shape otherwise so I don't really want to rip up the vinyl in order to level. I've found a product that I can use to put a waterproof membrane over the existing Duradek, but now I'm searching for a levelling compound that will work.
Can cover insulation boards with self levelling compounds?
yes if they are Elements boards with a polymer face.
might be a stupid question but why use a float or roller when the product is supposed to be self levelling where the operative term is 'self'?
Hi. So I’ve a new concrete floor but it’s slightly lower than than existing it’s tying into (5-6mm). The floor is going to get a lot of flight cases on wheels going over as it’s my storage unit. What one here would you recommend and what type of roller is recommend also. Looking to paint it after done as existing. It’s a smooth finish that’s there already thanks
Hello great video!! One question, am i able to go straight over CaberDek p5 ? If so which cemoplay would you recommend. Many thanks 🙏
Use a fibre reinforced screed. It could be Cempolay or another make. You may need to prime the floor first. It takes a few minutes to brush a primer on and about 1 hour to dry.
Skill Builder nice one . Thank you 😊
Hi there... I want to level. my kitchen floor I have wooden floor board sitting on concrete and on some parts of the floorboard there are old vinyl tiles stuck down.. I don't want the work to remove them. Would any your self levelling cover this? also I reckon it would need to be about a half inch thick. cheers
Very informative and interesting video. I’ve got a very poor but stable quarry tiled floor that I guess would require up to 20mm screed to fill in from bottom to cover the entire floor, what product would you recommend to fill this in one go? Then would you suggest a self levelling latex to bring the floor to very flat for an LVT tile like Karndene or Amtico. I’ve checked and BS 8203 allows for 3mm gap over 2m straight edge, if there is more than this will it cause problems?
That is a good job That wot you are doing today Ronnie
Hi, I'm wondering what you decided to use in the end and how it worked out? I have the same floor - very irregular stone flags in a cellar. Not too fussed about the final surface being perfect, just need it flat enough that I can move heavy things on wheels around smoothly
What is the best product to use on leveling the corner of a room in a wood frame and wood floor apartment building (second floor). The dip is about 3-4cm deep and the building is 40 years old. Total area that requires treatment is about 5 square meters.
A laex based screed with tiny chopped fibres will be best for that job. If you can't find it then buy some tiny chopped fibres and put them in the water.
All very well if room is empty but how do you do it in a kitchen with fitted units and then recover with vinyl flooring.?
You need to remove the plinth or kickboards. Pull them off with a window sucker . They will need trimming.
I was surprised you did not suggest priming the floors first. Also, the timber floors had gaps in them. Shouldn't they have been filled to stop the liquid compound pouring through
Joe Walshe.. They’d had foam in the gaps if you looked closely. Common sense would tell you to seal any gaps.
How long does it take to dry out on average
Do you not need to seal holes and gaps in floor boards? Surely it will drain through any opening whilst it is still liquid?
Yes run a bit of mastic down or push some polythene strips down in the cracks.
Can this be used over asbestos vinyl tiles?
Love the video's very helpful, dumb question for you.. it's called self leveling but it appears there's a lot of working of the material involved.. what happens if you just work it to the sides and leave it after that.. will it end badly or just not as smooth ?
It will be smooth but not necessarily level. It is funny stuff and people often expect too much of it. You can build up areas but really if you just want to smooth the floor over it is best to push it around a bit to get the same thickness. I find a spiked roller does the best job. It costs but it makes the job perfect.
+Skill Builder Thanks for the reply, top man. Love the channel, will be watching regularly thanks.
Thanks we need subscribers to help us grow. Every single one helps.
Il pop a message to some friends who enjoy diy they will probably love your channel.
Thanks Chris. We appreciate that.
I'm surprised to see no priming, a spiked roller only on the last two and on the timber - no filling of gaps? Have I missed something? I have 80m2 to do, I've only ever done 45m2 max, so thought I'd check in but can't mess it up.
yes you are right we should have filled the gaps, we got away with it (just)
Does the compound prevent dampness from rising up from the ground, I'm going to use it in a cellar?
Hi John
There are two pack damp proof coatings which must go down before this. If you use the self leveller as a damp proof course it will fail.
@@SkillBuilder Thank you for your help.
If the floor is kinda mucky. should it be topped with something? Prior to the top coat
It needs to be vacuumed to remove all dust and debris. You can prime it or brush water into it. Different products recommend different treatments
What thickness of floor level variation this product is effective?
Hope someone will answer this, I have removed my old ceramic tiles and am left with the old Marley bitumen adhesive although quite thin it is near impossible to remove unless I totally take up the conctrete floor. I am going to re-tile with Porcelain tiles. Any ideas? Excellent video btw.
Try an abrasive grinder pad, the best I used was from Toolstation. It's taken about 9 hours to get the horrible bitumin tar substance off my kitchen floor.
@@danstandish370 Thanks for that Dan, I have since purchased some twisted wire brush attachments for my grinder really seems to do the trick.
I primed with a tile adhesive / SBR slurry and tiled on top of that. Did the trick.
I am putting some Underfloor Heating down on top of 10mm tile backer boards that have been screwed to a chipboard floor, i'm a bit confused which screed i should use, someone recommended 'Level It 2' but is there any difference between that product and the one's you are using here? I am also told that the screed should ideally be 50mm on top of the underfloor heating, i appreciate any advice you can give me...great videos by the way.
I am assuming that you are putting electric heating down.
Did you bed the tile backer on adhesive? it is a good idea because you can take out the undulation then you can go straight on with the tile adhesive.
If you haven't then the self leveller will work well but make sure the cable is fixed down otherwise it floats in the screed.
If you use a latex self leveller you should be fine. You can buy one with fibre reinforcing in it but it is expensive so the alternative is to buy a bad of short chopped fibres, sold in Selco for rendering, and put those into the latex screed. That will be a strong job.
I was told just to screw the tile backer board to the floor using no more ply screws and washers, i'm actually putting Duralay Heatflow underlay down on top of the screeded floor followed by a carpet and it is electric heating but the more i think about it surely 50mm of self levelling screed seems too much??
You do not need 50mm of screed. The confusion arises because people talk about screeds which are mainly sand and cement and there you do need 50mm minimum if you are using warm water pipe in screed but what you are doing is a different job to that.
For electric undertile heating you are only looking to cover the cables. The idea is that the cables can be close to the tile and therefore the heat up is faster. You can do this with tile adhesive if you prefer. Lots of tilers do it in one go.
Have a look at our video showing Katrina tiling over electric underfloor.
There is no harm in screwing tile backer board down if the floor is flat it will be fine but if it is a little up and down it is easier if you lay a bed of adhesive and then put the screws in to pull it down flat.
Please have a look at skill-builder.uk.
We will have plenty of bathroom and wetroom videos up on UA-cam soon.
But surely i can't do it in tile adhesive if i'm not putting down tiles?
So would 5mm of self levelling screed be enough and is there any difference between the different brands ie: Level It 2 and Cementone Cempolatex?
Ah sorry. I assumed tiles were going down.What is the floor covering?
Sir,what if I consider this as flooring...no any tiles or vinyl..does it last?
You can buy a version that is suitable as a wear layer and it is very hard
His eyes want me to buy bostik asap! 😈😈😈
Can someone please tell me why you still need to level if it is “self levelling”!
Can any of these products be used on a painted floor?..I used white floor paint on a cement floor without screeding/leveling to eliminate the pitting/small ditches.The paint I used was an outdoor acrylic heavy duty floor paint.After screeding/leveling could I re primer and re paint over the product again?
The only problem you have is that nobody can guarantee that the acrylic won't lift. It is one of those where you have to take a chance. The worst that can happen is it all comes up. If you get the self leveller down and it stays put then the paint will adhere but you need a self leveller that says it is a wear layer. This is a lot harder than normal screeds.
For the deeper fills, it is much more economical (and just as effective if not stronger) to use a simple cement mix (portland cement 1: sharp sand 3: 10mm pea shingle 2). In fact, with 5mm pea shingle, I have successfully screeded to a maximum depth of 15mm - very strong and MUCH cheaper.
Self smoothing screeds contain polymers. I doubt that a sand and cement mix is stronger. We all use sharp sand and cement screeds up to 75 mm with no problem but it is more about how thin you can do. This is where the polymers and latex come in. I have used SBR, sand and cement. I am not sure that pea shingle does anything useful. Another great thing is to put chopped fibres in the water. You can buy these in Selco
Thanks for your quick reply. (i) You mention "polymers" as if these are the last word in structural durability. Wrong. A polymer is a plastic. Plastic is much weaker than concrete even in a matrix. (ii)Pea shingle. Perhaps you don't know of normal concrete mixes which contain aggregate to increase strength. The pea shingle does just that in a thinner screed application.
Thanks for your input. I would like to see the test results on a thin screed with pea shingle. Words such as 'weaker' and 'stronger' aren't very useful in this context. Concrete has great compressive strength and here the aggregate does a good job but it has little tensile strength and needs fibres or reinforcing steel to stop it snapping under even moderate loads.
I have seen 50mm screeds bulked out with aggregate but nobody ever claimed it made them stronger. The big issue with screeds is cracking and loss of adhesion and to prevent this polymers (plastic is a meaningless term to engineers) are very useful in holding the particles together and giving a certain degree of elasticity. Try SBR in your mix and you will be amazed how it it improves it.
Great video Roger, Ive just built a large 3mx4m Shed / Workshop with a concrete base floor. Im going to be fitting pvc click tiles and want to level the floor. As the concrete has the original screeding marks about 2mm-3mm deep in places what floor leveller would you reccomend?
You also said the original floor doesnt need a sealer?
Hi, I need to level the wooden floor in the bathroom I've sealed the floor with pva can I put leveling compound on this
Yes but it has to be the stuff with fibres in it
I a!ways think using levelling compound on a timber floor, or tiling a timber floor is a bad idea. If you ever need to access pipes or cables, you are going to have a hell of a job doing so?
Web Surfer
You are right of course but leaving all the pipes and cables in you house accessible in the relatively unlikely event you will need to repair them is a very difficult thing to do. I have done many jobs for people over the years which involved ripping up floors and most have been covered by their insurance.
Wonder if you can help - Would this be usable to level depressions on a flat roof prior to recovering ? The fall is nominal
You could do it but it depends on how much movement there is on the deck.
I am guessing it is plywood and it has sunk due to moisture coming from trapped vapour in the roof space or a leak. The deck should be well supported and it is better to have a fall if you can.
You can buy insulation to put on top which has a fall in it and you then felt over the to. If I were you I would look at a fibre glass roof.
Do you have a product for external use?
Hello I have laid leveling compound on a garage floor but I have not used enough and the compound I have put down needs to be raised a few mm as I have not used enough. Can I top it up? it has only been put down 24 hours but I need the level to be level with some concrete that goes round the sides of the garage. please help
Are you able to use nails to attached the wood floors to Bostik self-levelling?
You could but it works well on its own
@@SkillBuilder Thanks for the reply, but what I am trying to say is, can you use a nail gun to attached the wood floor planks to the Bostik self-levelling. Will a 18ga 1-1/4 staple crack the cement/Bostik?
Is Bostik different somehow?
I didn’t see him apply primer to the subfloor before pouring the sub-floor leveling compound.
If you do that to QuickCreet, it’ll crack and flake off.
We folllowed the instructions. Sometimes you need to prime sometimes you don't.We had no problems with anything
Are any of these suitable to even out a damaged mastic flooring to prep for laying vinyl tiles, some areas of the mastic have quite deep holes x thank you any advise will be really appreciated x
Are you talking about black bitumen? I am not clear what the mastic is.
@@SkillBuilder yeah sorry thats what it is x
I want to screed over tiles to lay vinyl floor covering, but don't want to add much more depth to the floor. Can I skim just enough to cover the grout area which is going to be around 1 to 2 millimetres?
I think you need to let the screed settle out to cover the tiles as well as the grout dips but it should still allow you a minimal depth of say 2 mm. I would not try and push your luck by scrapping it too hard off the tile face because the tile pattern will telegraph through. Go with the flow.
Where can we buy this floor levelling compound in the UK?
Selco or tiling shops
Very nice so good job and thanks