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decaying floor leveler

3K views 8 replies 4 participants last post by  toolbelt Tina 
#1 ·
As I removed the carpet from the cottage foyer the floor leveler flaked off. The reno took place some 19 yrs ago. The dimensions are about 7x7.

There are parts under the leveler where the concrete is just powder.

Besides removing the loose debris and breaking off the old leveler what should I do?

Add a bonding agent and pour new concrete ( I can only go 2 inch thickness max because of the door clearance.)

Pour new leveler and hope there is not an underlying problem that I am not privy of.

I wanted to insulate and tile the area. Peel and stick tiles if need be to conserve height. Last resort was removing the door and raising the threshold to give me more clearance.

Thanks as always
Tina
 
#3 ·
  1. is there a crawl space under this area w/good ventilation ? ? ? unfortunately, those guys got pd & they're gone,,, 1st, you need to remove ALL the fail'd ' stuff ',,, 2" isn't the right place to use leveler NOR should you expect leveler to remain high in compressive strength,,, its not uncommon to see multiple crks in gypsum bas'd mtls, either.
  2. find out IF you have your ' underlying problem ' by doing a moisture test 1st, too,,, should be fine, tina :thumbup:
 
#4 ·
thanks guys
I should have said slab construction.

I was not going to pour 2" of leveler, but level out with 2" max thickness of concrete. I was asking if it was ok to have concrete that might be only an inch in thickness in some places. I didn't think that was proper.

I have removed the old and am down to the old uneven concrete.

thanks
 
#5 ·
Self Levelling Compounds (SLC's) can be poured at most any thickness. From 1/8" up. You won't be needing anything near two inches to make this repair. If possible, determining the cause of the erosion should the first move.

SLC's require a primer/bonder that is sold with the SLC product.:)
 
#6 ·
All is good when Bud offers his advice when I pose a question.

If they poured the leveler without a bonding agent and did not leave the
slab time to cure properly would that have caused a poor finished product?

What would cause concrete to be just like powder?
 
#7 · (Edited)
What would cause concrete to be just like powder?
During construction it isn't unusual to receive rain soon after the slab is cast. Too much water on the surface will weaken the top side.

Using too much water in an attempt to make the pour easier on the workers is also a possibility and is done sometimes by inexperienced concrete tradesmen.

Additives to stretch the mix (such as gypsum or pear lite) in an attempt to make it lighter-weight for some reason can cause the surface to become powdery. Too much sand would do the same.

Acid spills in abundance can erode a slabs surface.

Who knows what might have happened?:)

If they poured the leveler without a bonding agent and did not leave the
slab time to cure properly would that have caused a poor finished product?
If the powdery surface is a patch or resurfacing and only goes "patch-deep" then the most likely culprit would be way too much water (or sand) used in the mix.

itsreallyconc would know more than I would about this matter.
 
#8 ·
bud knows as much about this as anyone since none of us were there,,, all we know's those guys got pd & they're gone :laughing:

' blessing ' the surface w/addl wtr's not uncommon when its hot & the crew's short on labor,,, never a good idea as the paste weakens - even on my d/w :furious:
 
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