Flooring Tile - Preping cement floor for tile

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phil mcc
01-18-05, 09:57 AM
I am planning on putting tile down on the cement floor in my basement bath. It is not level and am planning on using a self-leveling cement. The floor is smooth and the cement directions recommend to rough-up or scarrify the surface for better adhesion. How or what should I use to do this? Thanks.

Tileguybob
01-18-05, 07:56 PM
The cement has to be free of paint or sealer for the SLC to bond properly. Some SLC products need a primer put down first so check the bag for directions. You wont need to rough it up if you put the primer down.
phil mcc
01-20-05, 06:18 AM
Thanks for the response. The SLC I am going to use does requires a primer so I will use it as directed. The cement floor is plain and has no paint or coatings but it probably needs to be cleaned. Any recommendations on what I should use to clean it before I put down the primer? Thanks.

Tilebri
01-20-05, 07:09 AM
Water and a metal brush on a handle, suck up the dirty water with a shop vac with a rubber sqeegee, maybe a little vinegar if needed, rinse and suck up again, Tsp in extreme cases. As long as the slab will absorb water then it is not sealed. If it doesn't absorb water then it will need to be hit iwth a grinder.