I am going to level a newly built hall with a cast concrete floor to make it even and at the same level as an adjoining room. It will be about 5-15 mm of leveling compound over 21m2, approximately 20 bags of 25kg.
I've read a bit here about problems one might encounter, and I've thought about dividing the room into three sections with strips. Then level one section at a time to make it more manageable.
Now I came across an article at TV4 where I can read this:
"Fiber-reinforced leveling compound is for underfloor heating where it conducts heat, and the fibers work like reinforcing bars.
Easy-flow leveling compound that can be poured into one part of the room, and it flows like water, giving a smooth and level surface."
1) Their description of easy-flow leveling compound sounds good, but does it exist? It would solve all problems. Where can you find it?
2) I have embedded water-based underfloor heating in the concrete slab that is to be leveled. Do I have to use fiber-reinforced leveling then? Does it conduct heat better?
3) If it states that mixed leveling compound should be used within 20 minutes, does that mean I should pour it out within 20 minutes? Or should I have poured it out, pushed it around, measured, and adjusted within 20 minutes? That is, is it completely impossible to adjust after 20 minutes?
I've read a bit here about problems one might encounter, and I've thought about dividing the room into three sections with strips. Then level one section at a time to make it more manageable.
Now I came across an article at TV4 where I can read this:
"Fiber-reinforced leveling compound is for underfloor heating where it conducts heat, and the fibers work like reinforcing bars.
Easy-flow leveling compound that can be poured into one part of the room, and it flows like water, giving a smooth and level surface."
1) Their description of easy-flow leveling compound sounds good, but does it exist? It would solve all problems. Where can you find it?
2) I have embedded water-based underfloor heating in the concrete slab that is to be leveled. Do I have to use fiber-reinforced leveling then? Does it conduct heat better?
3) If it states that mixed leveling compound should be used within 20 minutes, does that mean I should pour it out within 20 minutes? Or should I have poured it out, pushed it around, measured, and adjusted within 20 minutes? That is, is it completely impossible to adjust after 20 minutes?
"Free-flowing leveling compound" that spreads like water unfortunately only exists in Timell's world. I've come to this conclusion after conducting some market research.
It's hard to find someone with experience who can answer my questions, but I have now devised a plan for how I'm going to proceed. I welcome any feedback.
I plan to level a floor measuring 3.5*6 meters. I intend to divide the floor into three sections by separating it with battens placed at the intended floor level. Then, I'll fill these three areas of 3.5*2 meters one at a time. This gives me more time, and I can level each field with a 2-meter aluminum ruler against the battens, hopefully achieving an almost exact level. Once I can walk on the floor, I will remove the battens and fill in the "channels."
According to the flooring suppliers' instructions, a substrate should not deviate more than 1 mm per 2 m; a level can hardly measure this. I don't think I can achieve that precision if I do it all at once without anything to level against. Additionally, the floor should reach the exact height as the adjacent room's floor.
I'll post pictures of the successful/failed leveling project later.
It's hard to find someone with experience who can answer my questions, but I have now devised a plan for how I'm going to proceed. I welcome any feedback.
I plan to level a floor measuring 3.5*6 meters. I intend to divide the floor into three sections by separating it with battens placed at the intended floor level. Then, I'll fill these three areas of 3.5*2 meters one at a time. This gives me more time, and I can level each field with a 2-meter aluminum ruler against the battens, hopefully achieving an almost exact level. Once I can walk on the floor, I will remove the battens and fill in the "channels."
According to the flooring suppliers' instructions, a substrate should not deviate more than 1 mm per 2 m; a level can hardly measure this. I don't think I can achieve that precision if I do it all at once without anything to level against. Additionally, the floor should reach the exact height as the adjacent room's floor.
I'll post pictures of the successful/failed leveling project later.
Your questions in the first post:
1. "flows like water" might be a slight exaggeration. However, it flows and levels itself out very well. (That’s the whole idea with leveling compound)
2. Fiber-reinforced compound is usually used when one has floorboard as a base, instead of a reinforcement mesh.
3. Most likely it’s the time you have after pouring out the compound.
I actually think you can dispense with the aluminum ruler, as long as you mix correctly and don't take too long between each batch, it will flow out by itself. However, a trowel, shovel, or scraper can be good to have to help the compound along the way, so to speak.
What kind of floor are you laying? It sounds like a very small tolerance for error, I think most floors can handle much larger deviations than that.
Good luck with the floor, it will probably go well, it’s a lot easier than it looks.
PS. It helps A LOT if there are two of you, one to mix and one to pour.
1. "flows like water" might be a slight exaggeration. However, it flows and levels itself out very well. (That’s the whole idea with leveling compound)
2. Fiber-reinforced compound is usually used when one has floorboard as a base, instead of a reinforcement mesh.
3. Most likely it’s the time you have after pouring out the compound.
I actually think you can dispense with the aluminum ruler, as long as you mix correctly and don't take too long between each batch, it will flow out by itself. However, a trowel, shovel, or scraper can be good to have to help the compound along the way, so to speak.
What kind of floor are you laying? It sounds like a very small tolerance for error, I think most floors can handle much larger deviations than that.
Good luck with the floor, it will probably go well, it’s a lot easier than it looks.
PS. It helps A LOT if there are two of you, one to mix and one to pour.
Muruc, thank you for the confidence-boosting information!
I remembered incorrectly about the base for the parquet: 2 meters. ± 3 mm. 0.25 meters ± 1.2 mm. 1 m. ± 2 mm
We will be at least 3 guys working, and I will try to rent a "spackelpump" to mix and distribute everything as quickly and smoothly as possible.
I have a 2-meter spirit level that I plan to use once the compound can be walked on. Then you can trim any peaks you find if you don’t wait too long, right?
I remembered incorrectly about the base for the parquet: 2 meters. ± 3 mm. 0.25 meters ± 1.2 mm. 1 m. ± 2 mm
We will be at least 3 guys working, and I will try to rent a "spackelpump" to mix and distribute everything as quickly and smoothly as possible.
I have a 2-meter spirit level that I plan to use once the compound can be walked on. Then you can trim any peaks you find if you don’t wait too long, right?
When it has solidified enough for you to start moving on the surface, it is still soft enough that it's quite easy to tear off a little. So if you discover some small peak or want to arrange some local slope, you should hurry up and fix it right then.
Otherwise, I emphasize preparations.
At least 2 people. If there are two of you, having as many buckets as bags + 1 is not a bad idea; you can measure out the right amount of water in each and mix everything quickly, just before use.
Mark the correct water amount with a marker in a measuring bucket.
If you're mixing in buckets, mix for a short time in each bucket, then mix them all again right before they are poured out. For example, if you have 10 buckets, you can't mix them all in the recommended time sequentially; the first one will have started to solidify before you reach the last.
The biggest task, I think, will be mixing this amount. Carefully consider how you will do it. After that, the rest should go smoothly.
Don't forget to seal all the places where the filler can run out or down under the floor.
Although a "spackelpump," which I don't really know what it is, might solve your mixing problem...
Otherwise, I emphasize preparations.
At least 2 people. If there are two of you, having as many buckets as bags + 1 is not a bad idea; you can measure out the right amount of water in each and mix everything quickly, just before use.
Mark the correct water amount with a marker in a measuring bucket.
If you're mixing in buckets, mix for a short time in each bucket, then mix them all again right before they are poured out. For example, if you have 10 buckets, you can't mix them all in the recommended time sequentially; the first one will have started to solidify before you reach the last.
The biggest task, I think, will be mixing this amount. Carefully consider how you will do it. After that, the rest should go smoothly.
Don't forget to seal all the places where the filler can run out or down under the floor.
Although a "spackelpump," which I don't really know what it is, might solve your mixing problem...
Regarding having flow, hehe.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LT5bPvHKq5Q&feature=related
The film from Poland shows the casting of floor heating in self-leveling compound, or Eistrich, as it's called in German. They pump out 5-10 cm of compound from a silo, 30 tons pre-mixed. 9 zloty/m2 per cm.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LT5bPvHKq5Q&feature=related
The film from Poland shows the casting of floor heating in self-leveling compound, or Eistrich, as it's called in German. They pump out 5-10 cm of compound from a silo, 30 tons pre-mixed. 9 zloty/m2 per cm.
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Mikael_L, by "spackelpump" I meant what seems to be called a brukspump. A machine that mixes and pumps out self-leveling compound automatically. You cut open the bags and throw them in, and the compound is shaken down and mixed with water.
I thought it might be worth the money to rent one of these instead of having an army of people and buckets standing with mixers
I thought it might be worth the money to rent one of these instead of having an army of people and buckets standing with mixers