I have to renovate the sunroom and want to put tiles on the floor. I have a new slab measuring 16'x16', it has a rough surface as it was treated with a large brush, but this slab has large unevenness from 0'' to 2''. Can this material be used to level the floor?
Certainly could, though you might consider using a self-leveling material as a final layer to really ensure you're nailing that perfectly flat surface before putting down tile.
Nice video. Can I use this product over a larger area? I have a 40 by 12' patio slab that is uneven in spots. I want to repair it, and ultimately put tile on top. Would this product be the correct choice? And, what technique would I use to apply it over such a large area?
Thanks! This would actually be a really nice solution for that application - allows you to maintain slope and get back to a nice, consistent slab that will allow you to lay tile without too much of a headache. As for the technique, work in sections and make sure to follow the existing expansion joints that are already cut into your patio. You'll have a fair amount of working time with this mix, so as long as you have a little help, it definitely sounds like it's doable. Let us know how it goes, and don't hesitate to give the 866-SAKRETE team a call to talk through it!
So if I’m pouring 6-10 bags, I need to add that many quarts worth to the mix in place of water? As opposed to apply the slurry to the surface first - I have to do both? I’m topping a 5x10 surface
To clarify, we're really talking about two distinct steps here, even though we're using the same products. The slurry coat is essentially acting as your primer. If you'd prefer to just use a straight primer, that would also be viable. For a 5' x 10' area, you'd probably be looking at no more than one bag if you're going the slurry route. As for the water replacement, you're correct that you'd be replacing 50% of the mix water (call it 1.75 qts per 60# bag). For what it's worth, that's a best practice and our strong recommendation, but you can likely get away with cutting back on the Bonder & Fortifier a bit if preferred. That said, we always recommend doing it right the first time, even if it's overkill! Give us a shout at 866-SAKRETE if you'd like to talk through this one in more detail.
I have an apron to a garage, I need to fill a small incline do you think this would be a better material as opposed to any other products.. Also, would love to send a photo for feedback
Since you probably want to get that "ramp" feathered down tight to the driveway, you should use Top 'N Bond. That mix will go from 0" (feather edge) to 1/2" in depth, and you can always build it up in layers if needed. Sand Mix has a MINIMUM 1/2" depth - not ideal for what you're trying to accomplish. Shoot us some photos on social media, info@sakrete.com or call us at 866-SAKRETE to dig into this one more!
Definitely strong enough, but you're going to want to do some serious surface prep before overlaying a smooth surface. Sanding would be a bare minimum, but you probably want to go all the way up to scarification. You might also consider a Flo-Coat type overlay if you can get away with a thinner top layer. Give the 866-SAKRETE team a call to talk through it, or send us a message!
Awesome! Thank you. I have a badly gauled? pitted and crumbling slab (the top surface) and it will be hard to remove and replace as it is a raised slab 2' off the ground with a deck built up against it. All but impossible to remove and replace without tearing down the deck. It's butted up against the house as well. I'd like to resurface it but not necessarily raise it. Which product do you recommend to bond best with the large crumbling sections etc? I like your tip on use bonding agent 50/50 and would that apply to the other top coating products you offer? Lastly, I liked your idea of using this as a bedding product to set pavers in. I just had the idea of laying slate over the concrete if this would bed it.
The core question we've got to ask is how deep that damage goes - need to diagnose that first. Pitting is one thing, but the word "crumbling" is concerning. First thing you need to figure out is how deep you need to go to get down to SOLID concrete. The depth that you need to patch is going to determine your product. From there, you could use a product like Flo-Coat to resurface that entire patched slab to make it look uniform. The slate overlayment is also an interesting idea, but if you want to minimize height differential, you might try a product like Dri-Bond from Techniseal, which is one of our sister companies. Dig into those details and shoot us another message here, on social, at info@sakrete.com or via Live Chat on Sakrete.com!
Exactly. You've got to get down to good concrete before doing anything else! We actually just posted a new video on the fundamentals of concrete repair - might be a good place to start. ua-cam.com/video/5NJQEpTHk-Q/v-deo.html
How much time do you have before it starts to set before you can't trowel or use a bull nose float? thinking about caping a 10x12 slab that was layed badly. Plus do you need to have a stress relief cut?
Working time is about the same as regular concrete - no special considerations there, but very subject to weather conditions of course. Highly recommend matching the control joint / stress relief cut location to where it is on the underlying slab. Just remember that joint only needs to be 1/4 of the total cap depth...probably going to need to buy a new groover for this one! By the way, we'd love to see the before and after. Tag us on social!
Can you add this product on top of wet concrete? Meaning, as I’m building my pad with regular mix, can I switch to this product at the end to top it off?
@@SakreteOfficial the regular mix is just normal contrete mix. It doesn’t have the smooth sand finish of this product. What I wanted to ask is if it’s ok to finish it off with this sand mix just for appearance.
Understood. Still don't think that's necessarily the way to achieve the results you're looking for. Honestly, finished correctly, you can get just as smooth of a finish on standard High Strength as you can with Sand Mix...just going to require a bit more trowel work!
The "overlay" application we're looking at in this video is a bit unique. Because concrete does not like to bond to concrete, we're taking some extra steps to GUARANTEE that we're maximizing bond strength. 50/50 water to primer is potentially a bit of overkill, but at a bare minimum you need to be sure to prime the original surface using either a slurry coat of Sand Mix or (even better) undiluted bonding agent. For all "standard" applications where you're not trying to bond to existing concrete, mixing with water is 100% the way to go!
@@SakreteOfficial I intend to level a new slab that goes from 1/2" to 1 1/2" gap and then lay tile on top of it (interior floor). Would it be good enough to use the bonding agent only on the slab and just add water (no bonding) to the mix? Thanks for the reply.
That'd certainly work - the bonder IN the mix is just added security. But since you're covering this up with tile, a few superficial surface cracks won't hurt anyone.
Interesting! Sand Mix is more like a 1:3 cement to sand mix, so you might be better off going with straight-up Portland cement and mason sand to make this custom mix.
Anything over 2" deep and you're in the realm of "standard" concrete. The rest of these recommendations still apply - always a good idea to polymer modify if you're going to try to bond to existing concrete!
Certainly - we just don't have a solid recommendation for ratios since we don't manufacture (and therefore haven't tested) Sand Mix with a flow-enhancer.
You're going to get some disagreement on this one depending who you ask...but our position is that bonding agent is NOT necessary. Since we're really not trying to bond TO anything in a shower pan application, all that bonding agent is going to do is increase the strength of the mix, which is unnecessary in this case since Sand Mix hits 5000psi! Tile pros, please weigh in!
Great question that we should've addressed. Sand Mix will cure out exactly like regular concrete, so all of the usual rules apply. Moist cure or - better yet - applying Cure 'N Seal will be a good course of action.
The 2" depth limit really only applies to wet-mixed Sand Mix. For use at dry pack consistency for shower pans, this is pretty much the same as your standard 4:1 mud bed mix - just a heck of a lot stronger. Just follow ANSI 108.1 and the TCNA code!
Very dry compared to what you might expect! With so little aggregate in this mix - and the polymer modification - you can get away with a 2 - 3" slump and still get a rock-solid repair.
Absolutely - you'll just have to build a form! Depending on how much additional material you need to lay down, you might consider Fast Setting Cement Patcher as an alternative - that mix can go down to 1/4" depth.
Not sure about that statement...a new slab costs around $10/sq.ft. Doing a cap like we're showing here is less than $2/sq.ft. Plus, sometimes you just need a patch! No sense in tearing out a slab that's just missing an edge or needs to be raised by an inch.
@@SakreteOfficial As a first timer, I poured concrete mix for the slab of my addition. It ended up having a slop that goes from feather edge to over 1" with reference to the old slab. I am planning on using Sand Mix for the gaps that go to 1/2" and use the Top 'n Bond for the gap that goes to 0". I will screed to level this time. Does it sound like a plan? or adding the 2 quarts. of bonding fortifier per bag adds too much cost and should go to self-leveler instead? I plan to put tile on top of it.
![How to Repair an Uneven Slab [Best Method] | Concrete Repair DIY](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/nHpawFxNlXA/mqdefault.jpg)
I can feel how much he enjoys his job… great instruction video very helpful. Thank you. I subscribe
Thanks for the sub! And you're right - nobody loves concrete quite like our man Dirk!
I have to renovate the sunroom and want to put tiles on the floor. I have a new slab measuring 16'x16', it has a rough surface as it was treated with a large brush, but this slab has large unevenness from 0'' to 2''. Can this material be used to level the floor?
Certainly could, though you might consider using a self-leveling material as a final layer to really ensure you're nailing that perfectly flat surface before putting down tile.
Nice video. Can I use this product over a larger area? I have a 40 by 12' patio slab that is uneven in spots. I want to repair it, and ultimately put tile on top. Would this product be the correct choice? And, what technique would I use to apply it over such a large area?
Thanks!
This would actually be a really nice solution for that application - allows you to maintain slope and get back to a nice, consistent slab that will allow you to lay tile without too much of a headache.
As for the technique, work in sections and make sure to follow the existing expansion joints that are already cut into your patio. You'll have a fair amount of working time with this mix, so as long as you have a little help, it definitely sounds like it's doable.
Let us know how it goes, and don't hesitate to give the 866-SAKRETE team a call to talk through it!
So if I’m pouring 6-10 bags, I need to add that many quarts worth to the mix in place of water? As opposed to apply the slurry to the surface first - I have to do both? I’m topping a 5x10 surface
To clarify, we're really talking about two distinct steps here, even though we're using the same products.
The slurry coat is essentially acting as your primer. If you'd prefer to just use a straight primer, that would also be viable. For a 5' x 10' area, you'd probably be looking at no more than one bag if you're going the slurry route.
As for the water replacement, you're correct that you'd be replacing 50% of the mix water (call it 1.75 qts per 60# bag). For what it's worth, that's a best practice and our strong recommendation, but you can likely get away with cutting back on the Bonder & Fortifier a bit if preferred.
That said, we always recommend doing it right the first time, even if it's overkill!
Give us a shout at 866-SAKRETE if you'd like to talk through this one in more detail.
If I did this to a 10x10 slab, adding 1 inch of height, would it still be durable enough to use wedge anchors to anchor the shed sill plates?
As long as you're relying on the underlying full-depth slab to hold the wedge anchors in place, that shouldn't be an issue.
I have an apron to a garage, I need to fill a small incline do you think this would be a better material as opposed to any other products.. Also, would love to send a photo for feedback
Since you probably want to get that "ramp" feathered down tight to the driveway, you should use Top 'N Bond.
That mix will go from 0" (feather edge) to 1/2" in depth, and you can always build it up in layers if needed.
Sand Mix has a MINIMUM 1/2" depth - not ideal for what you're trying to accomplish.
Shoot us some photos on social media, info@sakrete.com or call us at 866-SAKRETE to dig into this one more!
I did a bad finishing job on a new pour for my garage. I am thinking about adding a 1” layer. Would this be strong enough for a new garage floor?
Definitely strong enough, but you're going to want to do some serious surface prep before overlaying a smooth surface.
Sanding would be a bare minimum, but you probably want to go all the way up to scarification.
You might also consider a Flo-Coat type overlay if you can get away with a thinner top layer.
Give the 866-SAKRETE team a call to talk through it, or send us a message!
Awesome! Thank you. I have a badly gauled? pitted and crumbling slab (the top surface) and it will be hard to remove and replace as it is a raised slab 2' off the ground with a deck built up against it. All but impossible to remove and replace without tearing down the deck. It's butted up against the house as well. I'd like to resurface it but not necessarily raise it. Which product do you recommend to bond best with the large crumbling sections etc?
I like your tip on use bonding agent 50/50 and would that apply to the other top coating products you offer?
Lastly, I liked your idea of using this as a bedding product to set pavers in. I just had the idea of laying slate over the concrete if this would bed it.
The core question we've got to ask is how deep that damage goes - need to diagnose that first. Pitting is one thing, but the word "crumbling" is concerning.
First thing you need to figure out is how deep you need to go to get down to SOLID concrete. The depth that you need to patch is going to determine your product.
From there, you could use a product like Flo-Coat to resurface that entire patched slab to make it look uniform. The slate overlayment is also an interesting idea, but if you want to minimize height differential, you might try a product like Dri-Bond from Techniseal, which is one of our sister companies.
Dig into those details and shoot us another message here, on social, at info@sakrete.com or via Live Chat on Sakrete.com!
@@SakreteOfficial so chisel out the pitted areas a little bit to see how far down it keeps crumbling? Thanks for the reply.
Exactly. You've got to get down to good concrete before doing anything else!
We actually just posted a new video on the fundamentals of concrete repair - might be a good place to start.
ua-cam.com/video/5NJQEpTHk-Q/v-deo.html
1 part sand 1 part Portland, for a bonding agent make a (Portland slurry) and paint it on.
That'll work!
How much time do you have before it starts to set before you can't trowel or use a bull nose float? thinking about caping a 10x12 slab that was layed badly. Plus do you need to have a stress relief cut?
Good questions
Working time is about the same as regular concrete - no special considerations there, but very subject to weather conditions of course.
Highly recommend matching the control joint / stress relief cut location to where it is on the underlying slab. Just remember that joint only needs to be 1/4 of the total cap depth...probably going to need to buy a new groover for this one!
By the way, we'd love to see the before and after. Tag us on social!
Can you add this product on top of wet concrete? Meaning, as I’m building my pad with regular mix, can I switch to this product at the end to top it off?
Would not recommend that...but talk to us about the application. Why not just pour the regular mix a little thicker?
@@SakreteOfficial the regular mix is just normal contrete mix. It doesn’t have the smooth sand finish of this product. What I wanted to ask is if it’s ok to finish it off with this sand mix just for appearance.
Understood. Still don't think that's necessarily the way to achieve the results you're looking for. Honestly, finished correctly, you can get just as smooth of a finish on standard High Strength as you can with Sand Mix...just going to require a bit more trowel work!
The instructions in the bag say just add water, this video says add 1/2 water and 1/2 bonding agent. What's going on here? What's the difference?
The "overlay" application we're looking at in this video is a bit unique. Because concrete does not like to bond to concrete, we're taking some extra steps to GUARANTEE that we're maximizing bond strength.
50/50 water to primer is potentially a bit of overkill, but at a bare minimum you need to be sure to prime the original surface using either a slurry coat of Sand Mix or (even better) undiluted bonding agent.
For all "standard" applications where you're not trying to bond to existing concrete, mixing with water is 100% the way to go!
@@SakreteOfficial I intend to level a new slab that goes from 1/2" to 1 1/2" gap and then lay tile on top of it (interior floor). Would it be good enough to use the bonding agent only on the slab and just add water (no bonding) to the mix? Thanks for the reply.
That'd certainly work - the bonder IN the mix is just added security. But since you're covering this up with tile, a few superficial surface cracks won't hurt anyone.
can i use sand mix to make hypertufa pots, which calls for one part cement, one part sand and one part peat moss? I would add the peat moss of course.
Interesting! Sand Mix is more like a 1:3 cement to sand mix, so you might be better off going with straight-up Portland cement and mason sand to make this custom mix.
@@SakreteOfficial thanks for your reply!
I'm assuming that I can stamp and dye this sand mix?
Absolutely. No large aggregate would make this a great stamping mix.
Thanks for the info. Can I cap a driveway with this same method?
Absolutely. If you've got the room to add 0.5" or more, this would be significantly easier than doing an overlay that large.
@@SakreteOfficial What's the difference between a cap and an overlay? Thanks!
What if top layer is thicker than 2 inches?
Anything over 2" deep and you're in the realm of "standard" concrete. The rest of these recommendations still apply - always a good idea to polymer modify if you're going to try to bond to existing concrete!
Can a flow additive be added to this sand mix?
Certainly - we just don't have a solid recommendation for ratios since we don't manufacture (and therefore haven't tested) Sand Mix with a flow-enhancer.
Σας ευχαριστώ πάρα πολύ για το ενδιαφέρον. Τι βίντεο σας με βοηθησε πάρα πολύ. 😊
Αυτό είναι υπέροχο!
Do you need bonding agent, if you are using for a shower pan?
You're going to get some disagreement on this one depending who you ask...but our position is that bonding agent is NOT necessary.
Since we're really not trying to bond TO anything in a shower pan application, all that bonding agent is going to do is increase the strength of the mix, which is unnecessary in this case since Sand Mix hits 5000psi!
Tile pros, please weigh in!
how does this cure? do you need to keep it wet?
Great question that we should've addressed. Sand Mix will cure out exactly like regular concrete, so all of the usual rules apply. Moist cure or - better yet - applying Cure 'N Seal will be a good course of action.
@@SakreteOfficial thanks
What happens if I go above 2 inches more like 4 or 5 inches in use of a shower floor
The 2" depth limit really only applies to wet-mixed Sand Mix.
For use at dry pack consistency for shower pans, this is pretty much the same as your standard 4:1 mud bed mix - just a heck of a lot stronger. Just follow ANSI 108.1 and the TCNA code!
1 part portland ciment 3part sand
That'll do it too! Old school, baby.
@@SakreteOfficial Is this right? I can create my own Sand Mix with portland cement and sand? would be more economical for me.
Technically! Sand Mix is a roughly 3:1 sand to cement product - but batch-to-batch variations are going to get ya when you're field blending.
That's real dry
Very dry compared to what you might expect! With so little aggregate in this mix - and the polymer modification - you can get away with a 2 - 3" slump and still get a rock-solid repair.
Nice screed
It's a 'lil baby screed!
can you re surface steps with it ?
Absolutely - you'll just have to build a form!
Depending on how much additional material you need to lay down, you might consider Fast Setting Cement Patcher as an alternative - that mix can go down to 1/4" depth.
bad example, it's grows.
Whatcha talkin' about?
The company’s are ripping folks off, there’s almost no savings in DIY
Not sure about that statement...a new slab costs around $10/sq.ft. Doing a cap like we're showing here is less than $2/sq.ft.
Plus, sometimes you just need a patch! No sense in tearing out a slab that's just missing an edge or needs to be raised by an inch.
Good luck finding a contractor willing to do a small job.
Sand Mix and Top N Bond is a good alternative to very expensive self-leveler.
To be fair, neither are self-leveling...but they sure can do a heck of a lot of great repairs!
@@SakreteOfficial As a first timer, I poured concrete mix for the slab of my addition. It ended up having a slop that goes from feather edge to over 1" with reference to the old slab. I am planning on using Sand Mix for the gaps that go to 1/2" and use the Top 'n Bond for the gap that goes to 0". I will screed to level this time. Does it sound like a plan? or adding the 2 quarts. of bonding fortifier per bag adds too much cost and should go to self-leveler instead? I plan to put tile on top of it.