Self levelling compound recommendation.

Hi,

I need to level my concrete floor and parts of it need bringing up by about 3cm. I am a novice at this but gonna give it a go myself.

Can anyone recommend a self levelling compound that has the longest drying time possible? It's probably going to take me a while to do so I don't want it drying out too quick. The ones I seem to find are rapid set and that's not what I want.

Price wise I would like as cheap as possible.

Thanks. Craigh Trouble is the depth your trying to achieve in places @30mm -

from our hosts -

Mapei Ultimate is a good product, not flexible (but not needed over a concrete floor), good price but can only pour max 10mm at a time but, can add further pours once cured

Mapei Ultraplan is flexible, so more for timber floors but no issue going over concrete, more expensive but can pour at max 40mm in one hit so more user friendly

Ardex NA, never used it myself but comes from a good quality brand - no ideas on price or depth

Prime concrete prior to pouring SL for most brands (not required with the Ardex as it’s combined with the bottle of chemical mix supplied)

Trouble is the depth your trying to achieve in places @30mm -

from our hosts -

Mapei Ultimate is a good product, not flexible (but not needed over a concrete floor), good price but can only pour max 10mm at a time but, can add further pours once cured

Mapei Ultraplan is flexible, so more for timber floors but no issue going over concrete, more expensive but can pour at max 40mm in one hit so more user friendly

Ardex NA, never used it myself but comes from a good quality brand - no ideas on price or depth

Prime concrete prior to pouring SL for most brands (not required with the Ardex as it’s combined with the bottle of chemical mix supplied)

Thanks Dave,

Well I don't mind doing it in 2 layers. I could fill the deeper parts first and let that set and then go over the rest of the floor with maybe 10mm.

So if I did it that way are there any other brands that would be better suited to what I need?

The most important thing for me is the drying time because it's gonna take me a lot longer than the average person to get it all down and then for me to spread it around and then use a spiked roller over it. I need it to stay very liquid for quite a long time as it's a bigish living room. Probably 8-9 meters by 3.5 meters.

I will have someone helping me with the mixing though to speed things up a little bit. Brand choice comes down to what’s available, price point, previous use of a brand, recommendation, and probably other things also. Personally, I’ve only used Mapei on a few occasions myself

Had my whole ground floor of house levelled prior to laying Amtico (not by myself) and choice of flooring company was Mapei Ultraplan and all been good for the last 12 years - hence my future choice of Mapei when I’ve had the need for SLC

Great that there’s two of you mixing / pouring, really does speed up the process. Hot weather is more your enemy as speeds up the drying time and working time so at the moment, not an issue. Keep windows open and heating off to max the ‘open’ time of the product - will be fine with the two of you

just look at products, pour depth, price and make a choice - some sacks are 20kg, others 25 so factor that in also with your costings

Good luck We had an old barn conversion - with a sloping shippon floor we wanted to tile. Most of the self levelling compounds we researched seemed to be rapid set...with a variety of ingredients - depending on the depth required and substrata. My wife and I realised we couldn't do the whole job in one pour - so divide up the worst areas into bays with wood strips ( of varying thicknesses ) screwed to the concrete floor and used a level and packing to ensure everything across the shippon floor was level.

We painted the floor with acrylic primer and filled the deepest bays first. The following day we removed the wood strips and filled in the shallow areas (and areas where the strips had been). I recall some flaking - when we took up the wood strips...but it was no big deal.

We used a dustbin and drill/mixer and found we needed to work fast and trowel the compound level - as 'self- levelling' is a misnomer... if you mix it to recommended consistency!

If I remember correctly we used Wickes' own brand compound as we didn't need fancy flexible latex and it was good value. Complicated, maybe, but it worked for us!

What Is Self-Leveling Material?

Self-leveling materials are gypsum or cement-based natural flow materials.

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Self-leveling material is characterized by its ability to form a level and uniform level simply by pouring, and is also known as a leveler.

It is a revolutionary flooring material when compared to mortar, which has a similar role to that of self-leveling materials. While mortar finishes vary greatly depending on the skill of the craftsman, self-leveling material can be poured in and then broken in with a tonneau to complete a smooth floor base quickly.

Uses of Self-Leveling Material

Self-leveling materials are used to prepare floor subfloors with a smooth concrete surface.

Applications include buildings, condominiums, schools, hospitals, factories with heavy vehicles such as forklifts, parking lots, food factories, kitchens, and waterproof basements on rooftops. It is also used for underground adjustment in the preliminary stage of applying finishing materials such as tiles and other floor coverings.

Compared to mortar, which performs a similar function, self-leveling materials are more expensive in terms of material cost, but the short construction period helps to keep costs down.

However, it is difficult to obtain the thickness of self-leveling material in a single installation, and overlaying is required for thicknesses of 20 mm or more. In such cases, mortar is more suitable.

Principle of Self-Leveling Material

The principle of the self-leveling method using self-leveling materials is that a slurry (suspension) of gypsum and mortar poured onto the floor surface naturally flows to form a smooth floor surface.

The self-leveling process follows the following steps:

1. Preparation Before Construction

Pre-construction preparation includes level checking and marking. Marking out is the process of drawing out reference lines that serve as horizontal and central positions, such as the centerlines of columns and finished surfaces of walls. To prevent the self-leveling material from leaking outside, gaps are filled with mortar to prevent direct sunlight and wind.

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2. Preparation of the Substrate

The substrate is cleaned with a special brush as a pre-treatment. Oil and protrusions are treated so that the self-leveling material and the floor can bond well.

3. Primer Application

Primer is applied and allowed to dry to provide adhesion to the subfloor surface. Primer is a base coat applied to improve the adhesion of materials that do not bite well to paint.

4. Placing Self-Leveling Material

After completing the above preliminaries, the self-leveling material is poured. When pouring the leveling material, ripples and air bubbles generated from the frame may remain as shapes, so if necessary, use a trowel to even out the material.

Details are matched to the ink or level point using a trowel. Finish by pouring gently, quickly, and evenly.

5. Curing and Drying

After pouring is completed to the finish level, the curing period begins. Avoid rapid drying until curing is complete. Close the windows to stop ventilation and reduce surface wrinkles caused by wind.

After curing is complete, the self-leveling material is still in a state of excessive moisture, so once curing is confirmed, windows are opened to improve ventilation and promote drying.

6. Finish Inspection and Rework

Finally, as a pre-completion inspection, we inspect the level of the building after it is ready for walking. We check all areas for joints, joints, and height differences. Any joints, bubbles, etc. that may have occurred will need to be corrected.

Types of Self-Leveling Materials

Self-levelling materials can be classified into two categories: gypsum-based and cement-based.

1. Gypsum-Based Self-Leveling Material

It has the property of not expanding or contracting during curing due to hydration reaction. This gypsum-based product has high dimensional stability and is resistant to floating and cracking.

2. Cement-Based Self-Leveling Material

Many cementitious materials feature high strength, and some can be used externally. After curing, they are also characterized by their resistance to water. 

Contact us to discuss your requirements of Self Leveling Compound Basecoat Primer. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.