Flooring Tile - UNEVEN FLoor

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joeinthedark
02-15-07, 04:45 PM
I installed one of those electric underfloor heating systems on a concrete slab and have filled it in with self leveling cement. But the floor is not even. I know that as soon as I lay the tile they are going to be uneven and crack. I am not sure what to do. Should I buy a bunch more of the self leveling cement? Is there some secret to using the stuff. I was under the impression that you just troweled it on and let it dry but this does not seem to work. Any help would be great, Thanks


Tileguybob
02-15-07, 06:22 PM
Give us more detail on what you mean by the floor is not even. You dont want to trowel the SLC on but rather mix it loosely and pour it out like pancake batter so it seeks its own level and flattens out. A rake can be used to pull it along but it is better left to its own devices once it comes out of the pail. If there are small ridges from multiple pours they can be smoothed out with thinset and the flat side of the trowel when you go to set the tile.

joeinthedark
02-15-07, 08:06 PM
I have decided that what needs to happen is to pour more level quick. I was planning on mixing it all at once in a wheelbarrow and lay it all at once instead of doing it little by little in with a bucket. Please let me know if this is the way to go.
THanks


michaeljp86
02-15-07, 08:17 PM
Gravity makes things level, like water. Mix it up so its really thin, not like concrete and pour alot on and it will puddle up like water and make a perfectly lever surface.

Smokey49
02-16-07, 08:05 AM
I've never tried the wheel barrow trick you're contemplating. I'll be interested to know how that works. It's been my experience that self leveling doesn't mean self spreading. Level Quick does seem to work best mixed fairly thin, but still needs a bit of help spreading out. I'll dump it out in the area to be flattened and have a helper get on the other end of a long straight edge and we'll make one pass to get it where it's needed and that's it. I don't touch it again until it's stiff enough to get on at which point I'll whittle the edges with the flat side of my trowel while they're still workable to get a sharper edge. After the stuff is fully cured, I finish the edges with Ardex Feather finish.

HeresJohnny
02-16-07, 11:12 AM
Heres a couple of good slc articles.

http://www.ontariotile.com/robslc.html

http://johnbridge.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=1807

joeinthedark
02-17-07, 08:39 AM
The wheelborrow method worked. It was harder to mix in the wheelbarrow but the pour was easy. I just poured a little at a time, and then just trowled it initally to spread it. It seemed to work. I did not have the overlaps that I had with the first try.

Smokey49
02-17-07, 08:57 AM
I'll remember that for the next one.