Even for those of us who consider ourselves to be pretty handy within the home improvement world, the thought of pouring self leveling concrete IN OUR HOUSE is moderately terrifying. O.K., completely terrifying. Don't worry. You can do this.
The VCT floor I laid, on top of the cement I poured, over the self installed heated floors.
First things first. I ate a whole can of Pringles today. They were Salt & Vinegar and now my tongue feels like I ate a ball of sandpaper. That might not seem pertinent to the task at hand - and it isn't.
When I redid my kitchen a decade ago I really wanted to address my cold floors. So I ripped out all of my ceramic tile and laid down heated floor mats. That wasn't scary at all. Pouring buckets of self leveling concrete over them WAS.
The cement floor would encase the heating elements, allow them to radiate heat still, plus provide a level smooth surface for tiles. That was my reason for pouring cement all over my floors and working myself into a panic.
Whatever your reason, you don't need to be afraid. I say that because I was afraid. Really afraid. Letter from the tax department afraid. You don't need to be.
Table of Contents
Using Self leveling concrete
Self levelling concrete is cement based like traditional concrete, but it flows much easier and sets up more quickly due to polymers added to it. It's used to create a smooth, level surface for laying carpet, ceramic tiles or other floor coverings on.
For use almost exclusively on interior flooring.
Self leveling cement (concrete) can be poured up to a 1 inch thickness.
Materials
- Self leveling concrete*
- Leveling primer**
- a cement mixing paddle
- a strong drill (rent an industrial one)
- 5 gallon bucket
- trowel
- filler (like Durabond 90)
* It may also be called self leveling concrete, leveling compound, self leveling floor resurfacer or self leveling underlayment. Make sure you get REGULAR instead of QUICK DRYING. Regular will give you more time to work and spread out the material before it starts to set.
** Primer is needed when you're pouring concrete onto a porous surface like an existing concrete floor. It isn't needed when pouring onto old tile.
Method
PREP WORK
- Scrape up any loose debris or old tiles from the floor.
- Fill any cracks or holes with Durabond 90 and create a dam to prevent the runny concrete from seeping anywhere you don't want it to go.
- Vacuum so you have a clean surface.
- Gather your materials.
The brand of resurfacer doesn't matter so much as the type. There are 2 types. Quick drying and regular. You want regular.
POURING
- Add the required amount of water to the bucket FIRST. (the bag will tell you how much water to compound mix to use)
- Add ¼ - ⅓ of the powdered compound. Mix with water using the drill. Continue mixing in the remainder of the bag bit by bit until it's all incorporated. Mix for prescribed amount of time as detailed on the bag.
For one bucket of concrete a strong cordless drill will do the job, but if you have any more than 1 bucket to do you're in trouble. The battery will die after 1 or 2 buckets. Then you'll go for your corded drill, which will burn out and will get thrown in the garbage.
Save your anger, your sanity and your relationship and RENT AN INDUSTRIAL DRILL. After the first day I rented a strong drill for $20 for half a day.
- Pour your leveling compound where you want it.
- Trowel it. Using a trowel push and pull the mixture where it needs to go. Push it into corners and pull it towards you. Excuse my hair. It appears I was having a Paul Weller moment.
- Clean up your drips.
- Wait 24 hours to walk on it.
- Wait 3 days to place furniture back.
The mudroom went perfectly well. It couldn't have gone better so I continued onto the kitchen where things were a bit tricker.
Tips for Larger Rooms
A bigger room means you have to pour the buckets of concrete, run back to the mixer and mix up another batch (which needs to be mixed a longgg time), run through the house with a 50 pound bucket of cement and pour it where you left off. And repeat.
- Larger rooms are easier to do if there are 2 people working. One mixing the cement and one pouring it.
- Use a stiff squeegee on a long broom handle for pushing and pulling the compound into place.
NOTE: Wet concrete is caustic and can burn.
YOU HAVE TO WASH YOUR FEET IMMEDIATELY AFTER YOU WALK THROUGH IT. Do so after every time you walk through it. Also don't walk through wet cement if you have open cuts.
- If you find bits of unmixed lumps of cement. Just mush them with your fingertips.
- You may need to do a second coat if the first coat didn't cover. You could still see the heated floor mats I installed after the first coat, so I did a second.
It may look uneven, but it's just an optical illusion. The photo on the right is a levelled floor that is perfectly smooth.
- After leveling if you have any issue with dips and bumps you can correct them with a bit of Durabond 90. (fill, let dry, then sand)
Would you ever want to pour self leveling concrete?
To level an uneven concrete floor.
If you have a wonky basement floor that's uneven you can use self leveling concrete to smooth everything out and get it nice and flat. It's even handy if your concrete floors are just filthy. A thin layer of this will give you nice, clean concrete floors.
To prep a floor for laying down tile or to encase radiant floor heating.
The reason I poured it in my kitchen, bathroom and mudroom was so I could put down radiant floor heating. There's no basement or crawlspace at the back of my house which makes the floors pretty darn cold in the middle of a Canadian winter.
How much does a 50 lb bag of self leveler cover?
How much the cement will cover depends on how thick you will need it to be. This mudroom is around 30 square feet and one 50 pound bag of cement just barely covered it at about ¼" thickness.
Quick drying self leveling cement
Starts to set up in 5 minutes. This is only used when you have a small area to do and are an experienced concrete finisher.
Regular drying self leveling cement
It starts to set up within 15 minutes. This gives the amateur user much more working time. Those extra 10 minutes make a huge difference when you aren't exactly sure of what the hell you're doing.
The Self Leveling Cement *Quick Guide*
A quick guide to pouring self leveling cement. Refer to post for in depth instructions.
Materials
- Regular Self leveling cement*
- Leveling Primer**
- a cement mixing paddle
- a 5 gallon bucket
- a trowel
- filler (Durabond 90).
Tools
- Strong drill (I rented an industrial one)
Instructions
Scrape up any loose debris or tiles from the floor.
Build dams to stop the cement from going anywhere you don't want it to go.*
Fill any holes and/or cracks in the floor that the liquid cement could run down. I use Durabond 90.
Vacuum to get the surface perfectly clean.
Add water to your bucket (amount will be stated on your bag of cement)
Add ⅓ of the bag of cement into the water.
Mix with the drill and cement paddle, continually adding the rest of the bag of cement until everything is incorporated and then mix for the length of time given on the bag.
Here we go. Pour the self leveling cement into the desired area. Push and pull it into place with a trowel. It does self level but needs some help getting around.
And now you wait for it to cure. You can walk on it within 24 hours and place heavy objects back in 3 days.
Notes
*It may also be called self leveling concrete, self leveling floor resurfacer or self leveling underlayment. Either way make sure you get REGULAR self levelling cement. Quick Dry lets you walk on it within 6 hours, but you have a much shorter working time, and for an amateur it's better to have as much working time with the product as possible.
**Primer is needed when you're pouring concrete onto a porous surface like another concrete floor. It isn't needed when pouring onto old tile.
**It's very liquidy so make sure you don't skip this step or you'll have cement running under your dishwasher or down your stairs or into other rooms! I used thin wood, heavy cardboard and duct tape to make dams.
Self levellers can be poured to an inch deep.
If for some reason your cement isn't level, didn't turn out right or wasn't poured quite deep enough, you can re-pour more cement as long as you do it before the initial cement cures. Don't exceed the total recommended depth of 1".
OTHER TUTORIALS REFERENCED IN THIS POST
p.s. I'm out of chips.
→Follow me on Instagram where I often make a fool of myself←
Barns
Amazing job and I LOVE that you walked in it!
Just a quick note about the primer for your other readers... It's needed where you're levelling bare concrete, and is somewhat important. It's basically PVA (which is cheap) mixed 50-50 with water, which will create a very thin waterproof barrier, and stops the concrete sucking the moisture out of the floor levelling compound. Looks like you were pouring on tiles, so this would have been fine, no primer needed :-) On concrete it will still work fine, but the final finish won't be as strong if it dries out too fast.
Happy diy-ing!
Karen
You're exactly right Barns. You need it if you're going onto another concrete. :) ~ karen!
Lori
I need to do this to a hallway and bathroom that have the old wood flooring. So there are small gaps or cracks between some if the boards. What would you recommend for filling those in do that the concrete does not run through them?
Nika
I am impressed by your courage.. good job girl
freya
As is my style, I come to things super late, and have just read your rather marvellously funny blog here! Brilliance.. I've been debating doing the floor in the 'gym' (I say gym.. it's a barn.. a small one.. ok it's a shed.. made of breezeblocks.. but it's got some lovely cladding on the outside. And it has 'potential'!!).. Quoted huge amounts by builders and it's just Not My Style do do it that way. Your posts here have pushed me over the edge into the 'I CAN do it' mindset.. And the bare feet bit really swung it! Always work barefoot.. have broken my toes more times than is healthy as a result.. ah well.. Shall now read your site with glee!
Sheenaah
I need to level the front of my living room where it was an extension and the foundation has settled separately then the house. There is a slight slant but I also have my front door there. How did you make sure you didn't seal the door shut?
Elizabeth
can you just paint or glaze the cement? And not add tile?
Karen
To be honest Elizabeth I'm not sure if self levelling cement is right for that or not. I *believe* so but as an amateur (you and I) it's difficult to get a nice enough finish on it. ~ karen!
freya
Lots of amazing cement stains and dyes available now! And you can buy a glaze that creates a shine to go over the top! Spenr many an hour looking at them..
Barns
Not really ... best way is to rent a polisher, and grind down the original finish so it's level. You can then paint this or dye it. The leveller doesn't really paint well.
Shawna
Hahah cracking up here! Found this post of yours from awhile back while searching for tips on laying self leveling compound, while currently scraping my sons concrete floor to prep it AND Jamming to old STYLE COUNCIL!!! Love it! And Paul Weller!! Thanks for the inspiration.
Dom
Hey!!
Can I pour it over ceramic tiles some are cracked?
Just trying to not have to break all the tiles down to the veneers...
Best
Dom
Erin Parker
I just found this via Pinterest - thank you! Your hair having a "Paul Weller moment" made my freaking day.
Karen
Funny, 'cause when I saw the photo of myself it mainly just appalled me as opposed to making my day, lol. Go Jam. :) ~ karen!
Riley
Did you pour it over vinyl flooring or was that ceramic tile? Also, how has it held up?
I have a horrible project that includes ateas of osb, vinyl and worn out glued down engineered wood floor. And the floor is so very far from flat.
G
Hi Karen,
' know it's been a few years since you did this, but any idea about how much self-leveling you had to pour to cover the radiant floor mats? Like 1/4" or 1/2"?
Excellent post, thanks for doing it. :D
-G
Linda G
Karen, you are hilarious...love reading your writing...you have found your calling.
Stefanie
Thank you for your awesome blog. It served as my tutorial. First time laying self-leveling cement and I did it all by myself successfully thanks to your advice.
Matthew Fitzgerald
One small quibble. Concrete can do tremendous damage to your skin, because it sucks the moisture out. You might get away with working barefoot for one day, but I've seen people unable to walk after tromping through concrete. (Breathing concrete dust is also very nasty, so it is smart to wear a respirator when mixing, or chopping concrete or mortar)
Karen
Yes, I was in and out quickly and cleaned off my feet right away in between bouts. ~ karen!
Johanna
To anyone wary of using self -leveling concrete - don't be. Yes it costs significantly more but it's soo worth it for the time and effort saved.
I had areas to fill that were 20 mm deep and other areas that were only 5 mm deep. Ended up putting the floor down in 2 applications as 1st one didn't quite fill the deepest areas but did have a raised edge across middle of kitchen as my next batch wasn't ready in time - we'd had a bit of a chat and a break in production and last batch had been too much concrete for the depth required.
I now have a lovely even floor just waiting for me to decide whether to paint it or put down vinyl/lino.
As with every other DIY job the time and effort's in the preparation - get that right and the concrete flows no bother (just make sure the person mixing up the next batch gets on it right away as it starts to set quite quickly).
Thanks for you inspiration Karen - saved me over £300 by doing it myself instead of 'getting a man in' to do it for me (and the crisps were an absolute essential) x
Karen
That's great Johanna! I'm so glad you came back to let me know how it went. And yes. Crisps (chips) pretty much make everything go more easily. :) ~ karen!
Johanna
Having had everyone tell me I couldn't lay a level floor in my kitchen myself - an L shape 18 foot by 14 foot this site has both reassured me and made me laugh out loud. I will of course be doing my research etc but now feel able to do this job (with the proper tools and crisps purchased first to avoid frustration) in a fortnights time for that very reason. Fingers crossed x
Karen
Ha! You'll do fine. I had the same problem when I was looking into levelling my own kitchen floor, Johanna. NO information was out there on how to do it yourself yet I knew it couldn't be that hard. I mean it's basically like pouring pudding onto your floor, lol. That's why I did those post on it. To show people that yes, you absolutely can do it. :) Let me know how it goes! ~ karen
Zovesta
Just wanted to drop in and say that I used your post for inspiration and advice and just finished levelling my 122 sq ft room. =) Thanks, Karen!!
Karen
That's great! Thanks so much for letting me know. How'd it go? ~ karen!
Zovesta
Really well, so far! It looks beautiful and is so smooth. It's drying right now, then I can pop down my plywood flooring tomorrow or the next day. =D Thanks again, Karen!
UndercoverNerd
What happened to your feet afterwards? Did the cement come off easily?
Karen
Yes it was fine. As soon as I walked through the cement I went straight outside and rinsed them off. And repeat. I didn't walk around with caustic cement on my feet all day long. ~ karen!
Robin Craft-Jones
Hi, I've taken many notes from you post. I think we will pour a self-level floor over primed T&G plywood. You poured over electric heat. We are looking to use water heat...
Do you have advice for pouring over hydroponic (water) pex heat tubes? We are thinking to 1. primer plywood/fill cracks. 2. have the HVAC guy install water tubing all over floor surface. Then 3. we will pour self-level product 1" thick over tubing. After cured, 4. hire "someone" (any ideas?) to install ceramic "thin" tile slabs ("Stiles" 6 mm thick, 9ftx5 ft) using Thin-set adhesive. Should a membrane be used between the Self-leveler & the Thin-set? Is 1" enough self-level product over the 1/2" tubing? Can you direct us to anyone with knowledge about this process we are contemplating? Or direct us to what trade would have knowledge of this kind? Especially anyone who could install ceramic "stile" slabs near/surrounding Jackson county in Michigan? Thank you so much for responding and giving us any enlightenment at all!
Mike
Karen, Excellent tutorial. I'm having the same "fear factor" reaction going thru the prep as what you talked about. I have 3-4 small areas about 5x5 to fill in. I only need about an additional 1/8" across the entire plywood area. Do you think there will be any problem with the thickness being too thin? Also, I'm trying to bring an area up to match another area. Do you have a suggestion how to make sure you don't pour too much and get it too thick? I'm laying down LVT and I can't afford to have a "bump."