Hi, I'm sorting out tiling my basement floor. The floor is concrete
with a concrete upstand all round (i.e. a paddling pool. The concrete
isn't very level as being a basement you can't get outside it to level
it. Anyway I'd like a level surface to tile on. Current variation is of
the order of 0-10mm and it's pretty level on average as they did use a
self levelling laser when attempting to float it flat.

To find out how uneven it is I was planning (after priming it) to use
water to find the highest point by basically filling it up (water being
very self leveling AFAIK!). Having a rough plan of how much filling
needs to be done I can then hoover up the water using the wetvac I
already have.

The real question is can I use a cheap self-smoothing compound to fill
the worst spots until I'm within say 3mm of level, and the use a more
expensive latex levelling compound to finish off (and bury the
underfloor heating cable in. What I'm concerned about is the interface
and bond between the self smoothing and self-levelling compounds.

Any thoughts?

Fash

Fash wrote:
Hi, I'm sorting out tiling my basement floor. The floor is concrete
with a concrete upstand all round (i.e. a paddling pool. The concrete
isn't very level as being a basement you can't get outside it to level
it. Anyway I'd like a level surface to tile on. Current variation is of
the order of 0-10mm and it's pretty level on average as they did use a
self levelling laser when attempting to float it flat.

To find out how uneven it is I was planning (after priming it) to use
water to find the highest point by basically filling it up (water being
very self leveling AFAIK!). Having a rough plan of how much filling
needs to be done I can then hoover up the water using the wetvac I
already have.

The real question is can I use a cheap self-smoothing compound to fill
the worst spots until I'm within say 3mm of level, and the use a more
expensive latex levelling compound to finish off (and bury the
underfloor heating cable in. What I'm concerned about is the interface
and bond between the self smoothing and self-levelling compounds.

Any thoughts?

Fash

If its only 10mm lay it out with strings and a level, and tile using a
thick bed of fast setting stuff. down to 3.. at the high spots and 13mm
at the low..yes, its expensive, but so is self levelling and so is
rediong it when it all cracks apart.

On Fri, 24 Nov 2006 19:02:20 +0000, The Natural Philosopher
wrote:

Fash wrote:
Hi, I'm sorting out tiling my basement floor. The floor is concrete
with a concrete upstand all round (i.e. a paddling pool. The concrete
isn't very level as being a basement you can't get outside it to level
it. Anyway I'd like a level surface to tile on. Current variation is of
the order of 0-10mm and it's pretty level on average as they did use a
self levelling laser when attempting to float it flat.

To find out how uneven it is I was planning (after priming it) to use
water to find the highest point by basically filling it up (water being
very self leveling AFAIK!). Having a rough plan of how much filling
needs to be done I can then hoover up the water using the wetvac I
already have.

The real question is can I use a cheap self-smoothing compound to fill
the worst spots until I'm within say 3mm of level, and the use a more
expensive latex levelling compound to finish off (and bury the
underfloor heating cable in. What I'm concerned about is the interface
and bond between the self smoothing and self-levelling compounds.

Any thoughts?

Fash

If its only 10mm lay it out with strings and a level, and tile using a
thick bed of fast setting stuff. down to 3.. at the high spots and 13mm
at the low..yes, its expensive, but so is self levelling and so is
rediong it when it all cracks apart.


Don't try using cheap ie. Wickes Own Brand self levelling as it's
crap. :-)

Work out the high point as best you can and lay the tiles out dry to
work out the centre etc
Then start tiling from there with a very thin layer of tile cement on
the highest tile.

Make up the difference with the cement as it's about the same price as
the compound anyway.

www.karman.demon.co.uk/kitchen58.jpg

Doesn't look too bad and my floor was miles off level. ;-)


Mark S.