Building a new interior wall on cement floor

weelam · 03-12-2010, 04:44 PM

We are remodelling our bathroom (first floor on top of slab). We need to erect new walls, but the floor needs to be relevelled. Do we need to relevel the floor prior to erecting the wall?

HELP Please

Willie T · 03-12-2010, 05:13 PM

You should.

weelam · 03-12-2010, 05:26 PM

Thanks for the response.

How long should be wait until we build the wall to allow the floor to cure?

The floor is level, but we have removed old tile, but there are gouges in the slab. We are planning to pour a self-levelling compound onto the floor to compensate for these gouges.

We are then planning to tile.

troubleseeker · 03-12-2010, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by weelam

Thanks for the response.

How long should be wait until we build the wall to allow the floor to cure?

The floor is level, but we have removed old tile, but there are gouges in the slab. We are planning to pour a self-levelling compound onto the floor to compensate for these gouges.
We are then planning to tile.

I'm a little confused. If the floor is level, I would not pour self leveling compund just to fill in some gouges from old tile removal, but if you do, I would pour before erecting the new wall. The cure time for the product wil be stated on the bag. It has been my experience that most applications of self leveling compound turn out to be a far less happy experience than anticipated. I'd suggest just using a long trowel and some mortar to float out the gouges.

weelam · 03-12-2010, 06:35 PM

So, you are saying that we don't need to relevell the entire floor, just the bits that are gouged.

That would make our life much easier.

Thanks for your help.

vsheetz · 03-12-2010, 10:36 PM

What cause problems are bowls and rises in the floor - usually not holes and chips of a inch or two in size. Got pictures to help us understand your situation?

weelam · 03-13-2010, 03:04 PM

Here are photos

troubleseeker · 03-13-2010, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by weelam

So, you are saying that we don't need to relevell the entire floor, just the bits that are gouged.
That would make our life much easier.
Thanks for your help.

Yes, if the floor is level and flat, you only need to float out the gouges.

What is the area in last pic that looks like slab demo for plumbing work?
You may want to use a mesh isolation membrane over these cold joints in the concrete to prevent cracks from telegraphing through the tile. Local tile supplier can give you advice.

weelam · 03-13-2010, 05:49 PM

The area to the right in the last picture is what is left after demolishing the existing shower. We are putting down a new shower floor and know how to do that. We will be waterproofing that, so there should be no water ingress under the new tile.

Willie T · 03-13-2010, 05:58 PM

If you are putting down new tile where old came up, and the basic floor is level, why do anything? Thinset will fill in all those little holes.

weelam · 03-13-2010, 06:24 PM

That's what I said to my husband, but he said that it needed to be levelled. Thanks for the vote of confidence in my judgement.

My husband is an engineer, so everything must be done to the nth degree.

Willie T · 03-14-2010, 09:18 PM

I did a 32" wide tile walkway from the house to the street. It ran right alongside a too-narrow driveway so we could have a place to walk. I wasn't sure just how flush the top of the tile would come to the driveway surface, so I left the base concrete an inch or so low... smoothed it out with simply a garden rake.

I filled in all that depth with thinset where and when needed to match the driveway. It's held fine for several years now, despite rain & sun, Winters and Summers.