[drewc1734]

Hi everyone! I’m in the process of laying new floor in in my basement. After pulling up the carpet from the previous owner it became apparent from all the dips and unevenness of the cement floor underneath that I would need to use self leveler before installing my laminate.

I primed the floor and proceeded to use 6 bags of self leveler. This is my first time using this and my confidence and comfortably was not great with bag 1 but by bag 6 I was feeling great about the product. Anyways, my question comes from just that. The first bag we did not put enough water in as the rest (quickly fixed by adding more water in additional bags) but when we poured it out it was much too thick and not runny enough to self level. Now that it is dry it is noticeably higher than the rest of the room. I’d say due to lack of my ability to spread it out it’s a good inch higher than the remainder of the room. I’m worried my laminate won’t be able to lay properly over this layer and am debating my options. Should I grind it down? Try to remove it and re apply in that area now that I’m more comfortable with the SLC?
One more thing to add - my basement ceiling height is about 6 and a half feet tall which is my height too. In the corner that’s in question my head now scrapes the ceiling. Because of this I really want to avoid leveling the rest of the room up to the height of the botched corner. Help!!

 

[de-nagorg]

Hi everyone! I’m in the process of laying new floor in in my basement. After pulling up the carpet from the previous owner it became apparent from all the dips and unevenness of the cement floor underneath that I would need to use self leveler before installing my laminate.

I primed the floor and proceeded to use 6 bags of self leveler. This is my first time using this and my confidence and comfortably was not great with bag 1 but by bag 6 I was feeling great about the product. Anyways, my question comes from just that. The first bag we did not put enough water in as the rest (quickly fixed by adding more water in additional bags) but when we poured it out it was much too thick and not runny enough to self level. Now that it is dry it is noticeably higher than the rest of the room. I’d say due to lack of my ability to spread it out it’s a good inch higher than the remainder of the room. I’m worried my laminate won’t be able to lay properly over this layer and am debating my options. Should I grind it down? Try to remove it and re apply in that area now that I’m more comfortable with the SLC?
One more thing to add - my basement ceiling height is about 6 and a half feet tall which is my height too. In the corner that’s in question my head now scrapes the ceiling. Because of this I really want to avoid leveling the rest of the room up to the height of the botched corner. Help!!

If you can get a masons chisel under the offending topping, you might get it to pop off, but that is a big if.

Renting a floor grinder is the next recommendation, careful with it, it can get too much very fast.

ED

 

[Half-fast eddie]

You do realize that code requires 7 ft ceiling height for all habitable space. Point being, you won’t be able to get a permit for this.

Home depot sells these for 4 and 7 inch grinders. It will make short work of the humps.

 

[de-nagorg]

You do realize that code requires 7 ft ceiling height for all habitable space. Point being, you won’t be able to get a permit for this.

Home depot sells these for 4 and 7 inch grinders. It will make short work of the humps.

View attachment 630628

Those are supposed to be used with a WET grinder.

A specialty tool that most do not have.

And very messy, plan to wear a rain suit, and have a wet vac ready to cleanup.


If you do try it dry, wear a respirator, prevent silicosis of your lungs.

ED

 

[Half-fast eddie]

It says wet or dry. Used wet, there will be very little dust but lots of slurry flung all over the room. Used dry, there will be a fine powder everywhere. All over. But either way it will do a quick job taking down the high spots.

 

[de-nagorg]

It says wet or dry. Used wet, there will be very little dust but lots of slurry flung all over the room. Used dry, there will be a fine powder everywhere. All over. But either way it will do a quick job taking down the high spots.

Used dry, it will wear out QUICKLY, and then he might need another one.

Been there done that , both ways.


ED