By simply the name, it’s often assumed that self-leveling compound does all the work for you. However, since it appears to be easy to use and dries incredibly fast, sometimes mistakes occur.
The whole process of installing and spreading self-leveling compound takes a mere 20 minutes, not allowing very much time for error. Most often what happens is, you begin tackling a project you may not be entirely prepared for, and the end result is a disaster.
To fix a small self-leveling compound mistake, use a chisel to remove bumps so the surface is level. If you need to remove all of the compound, use a chisel and hammer to break it up. Then, use a paint scraper to remove the rest. Afterward, sand the surface with an orbital sander to finish.
We’ll outline all the steps to fix your self-leveling compound mistake and offer some tips to achieve the desired result when working with this product.
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What is Self-Leveling Compound?
Self-leveling compound is generally used for smoothing out surfaces and prepping flooring for wood, carpet, tiles, stone, or other final coverings. It is a chemical mixture consisting of polymer-modified cement.
In contrast to conventional concrete, self-leveling compound has high flow features and doesn’t require an excessive amount of water for proper placement. When you’re planning to lay tile or any other flooring, it’s essential that you have a completely level work surface. Self-leveling compound has become an increasingly popular way to achieve this in very little time.
How to Fix a Self-Leveling Compound Mistake
It’s often understood that self-leveling compound is an easy and convenient way to level out an uneven surface. While this is true, it’s only effective when it’s done with the proper tools, knowledge, and care. Without the proper preparation, you could be presented with a number of issues. To fix a self-leveling compound job gone bad, follow the steps below.
Step 1: Assess the Situation
Before you proceed with fixing your self-leveling compound mistake, you need to understand what issue you are dealing with. Some of the possible problems include a surface that is too soft or even non-level areas of the floor.
If the compound is too soft, you’d be able to mark it with your fingernail. In this case, you need to remove it and completely start over. Whereas, if you’ve been left with uneven sections of your floor, depending on the individual situation, you may be able to fix it by simply sanding it down. Regardless, if the issue seems overwhelming, it’s always best to remove it and start fresh.
Step 2: Preliminary Preparations
During the removal process of self-leveling compound, you should expect to have a lot of dust and debris flying around the room. Take the necessary safety precautions and protect yourself from dust inhalation by wearing the proper gear. Use goggles, gloves and a face mask to ensure that you are safe from any possible flying debris.
Additionally, you can apply some water to the surface of the floor. This will add weight to the dust and make it less likely to float around the room.
Step 3: Remove the Self-Leveling Compound
Based on your assessment, if you’ve determined that you only need to remove certain uneven sections of the compound, you can get rid of them by chiseling. Use a chisel to very lightly remove any bumpy pieces and make them level to the ground. Follow this up with an orbital sander or a similar device, to further flatten the area.
Quick Tip: It’s perfectly fine to make a slight valley in the bad compound as you will be reapplying anyways and can fill these dips at the end.
On the other hand, if you need to remove all of the old self-leveling compound, use a hammer to try and break it up as much as you can. Then, use a paint scraper to collect any of the remaining pieces. If your particular project necessitates some more heavy-duty tools, respond accordingly. The goal is to remove as much of the bad compound as possible.
During the entire removal process, make sure that you are wearing the proper safety equipment and continuously spraying down the surface with water to limit dust.
Step 4: Preparing the New Self-Leveling Compound
When you’re mixing the compound, you should strictly follow the manufacturer’s guide. Most often, mistakes arise because the compound wasn’t mixed properly to begin with. For best results, use a drill to mix up the compound and as much water as the instructions specify.
Cold water is best as it will lengthen the overall drying time of the compound. The end result will appear like a thin milk substance. Self-leveling compound dries very fast so once it is mixed, you should be ready to apply immediately.
Step 5: Applying the Self-Leveling Compound
After you’ve finished mixing up the compound, do not allow for any downtime; start spreading the compound right away. Depending on your situation, apply it to the areas where you have valleys in the old self-leveling compound or to the entire area where the compound previously was.
Once you’ve applied the first application, wait a moment for it to thicken and then even it out using a drywall tool. It’s important to note that when the compound begins to thicken, do not attempt to slow down the process. Adding additional water or heating up the compound can spoil it or cause breakages.
The product will dry and be suitable to walk on in about four hours. However, you should wait an entire day for the compound to dry completely.
Step 6: The Last Resort
After you’ve allowed the necessary amount of time for the compound to dry, examine your work. If you are presented with another problem, this may indicate that the job is just too much to handle on your own. Do not be afraid to call in a professional as being aware of your own limitations is the biggest part of a DIY project.
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Tips for Working with Self-Leveling Compound
In order to ensure the proper installation of self-leveling compound, we’ve gathered the following tips.
- Clean your floor. Sweep and vacuum the floor prior to spreading the compound. You’ll be priming and you don’t want the primer to stick to dust and debris on the floor.
- Cover seams and holes. Seal all holes, cracks, and seams on the floor with caulk and cover with tape.
- Close the gap between the foundation and bottom wall plate. If necessary, install sill sealer and caulk around the edges to create a barrier that prevents the compound from spreading into other rooms.
- Place cardboard around vents and drains. Isolate large holes using shaped cardboard prior to pouring the compound.
- Install dams in doorways. Use strips of wood to dam up doorways and seal it to the floor with caulk.
- Prime the wood. If you’re applying the self-leveling compound to wood, you’ll want to prime first. This will help prevent expansion and contraction of the wood.
- Purchase more compound than you need. You don’t want to run out of compound in the middle of a project. By the time you go to the store and come back with more, it may already be dry.
- Spread as you pour. Move your fill bucket along the floor as you pour and keep it low to the ground to minimize splashing.
- Level with a gauge rake. This tool isn’t completely necessary, but works great for spreading out the compound and helps you gauge the thickness of it.
For other common home improvement fixes, check out: “How To Fix Bulging Drywall Seams” or “How To Fix A Laminate Floor That Got Wet.”
Jessica Stone
Jessica considers herself a home improvement and design enthusiast. She grew up surrounded by constant home improvement projects and owes most of what she knows to helping her dad renovate her childhood home. Being a Los Angeles resident, Jessica spends a lot of her time looking for her next DIY project and sharing her love for home design.
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FAQs
Can self leveling compound be removed? ›
The proper way to remove leveling compound:
Grinding with Proper Tools – Proper tooling on concrete grinder can grind down the leveling compound to sound concrete. Scraping – Sometimes the leveling compound can be scraped off with ride on scrapers without marring the floor.
Yes, it sands quite well, but use a low grit on a power sander or a flap blade on a grinder otherwise you'll be there forever.
What happens if you add too much water to self leveling compound? ›Overwatering will lower the strength of the underlayment and may cause cracking and disbonding. Additionally, a white film may form on the surface of the cured underlayment if the product is overwatered.
How long does self levelling take to go off? ›Normal-drying compounds
For normal-drying self-levelling compounds, a general rule for estimating the drying time is one day per mm of thickness.
It's easy to apply; simply pour it from the bucket and guide it with a trowel, it will self-level afterwards. Self levelling compound suitable for interior use. It can be left as the final finish or painted with our Epoxy Floor Paint.
Can I put another layer of self levelling compound? ›Yes, you can add another layer on top of the existing 2 inch layer. You must prepare the floor and use SikaLevel Primer before the second application.
Is it normal for self leveling concrete to crack? ›A DIY self-levelling cement job might look good for a few months, maybe even a couple years. But if it's not done properly, eventually it can start to crack. If your floors move or bounce, that cement can crack, too.
What causes self leveler to crack? ›Applying a material thicker than recommended can cause excessive shrinkage, leading to cracks and/or delamination from the substrate. Always install SLUs within the application range of the primer. Applying a leveler too soon into a primer can cause the primer to migrate into the SLU, affecting performance.
Why did my self leveling concrete bubble? ›Concrete out gassing is one of the primary reasons for pinholes in self leveling cements and bubbles or fish-eyes in resinous flooring systems. Concrete is a porous substrate which breathes and absorbs liquids when open to the environment.
How runny should self levelling compound be? ›As a general rule, a floor leveling compound has the consistency of a thin soup. If you mix it as you would concrete, to the thickness of peanut butter, you will not be able to pour the mixture or use it properly. When pouring out the mixture, do it slowly.
How long does it take for self levelling compound to dry? ›
Drying Time
The floor levelling compound must be left uncovered for a minimum of 24 hours before applying a floorcovering when applied at 2–5mm. Above this thickness, leave for 48 hours before covering.
Self-leveling concrete is typically used to create a flat and smooth surface with a compressive strength similar to or higher than that of traditional concrete prior to installing interior floor coverings.
How strong is self Levelling compound? ›Compressive strength
Today, you can find self-levelers going from 3,000 psi to more than 7,500 psi. The higher the compressive strength is, the more traffic and load the self-leveler can handle.
“You can integrally color it, polish it or apply concrete dyes, acid stains and water-based stains.”
How do you remove self leveling compound from tile? ›To start the work, I applied undiluted Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up worked in with a small carbide brush attached to a hand-held rotary buffer. The combination of the acid in the Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up combined with the scrubbing action of the brush were effective at removing most of the screed.
Can you drill into self leveler? ›If you try to drive a nail or screw into it, the self leveler will probably chip out. If you are going to fix the wall to the floor, I would use a hammer drill to drill the holes through the baseplate into the floor to limit chipping. Use plastic under the wall too protect it from moisture.
Can you self leveler over self leveler? ›Can You Use Two Layers Of Self Leveler? Yes, you can use multiple layers on top of one another. Just make sure the first layer is fully dry and hard before adding a second. Also use a primer just like you would any other concrete floor unless your new leveler has primer built in.
Can you polish leveling compound? ›It can be applied over wood and concrete surfaces to achieve a hard troweled concrete appearance. This self leveling concrete overlay also known as a SLO can also be polished. It can go through the same polishing process as conventional concrete and produce the same fabulous results.
Can you stain leveling compound? ›Just like regular concrete, self-leveling overlays can be integrally colored, stained, stenciled, saw-cut, sandblasted or polished. In rare instances, contractors have used dry-shake color and other hardeners with some success.
Is self levelling compound waterproof? ›Exceptional waterproofing properties with low permeability to water, resisting 10 bar positive and negative pressure. Rapid curing and hardening properties – can be overcoated within 24 hours.
How thick can you lay self-Levelling compound? ›
Most levelling compounds can only be applied up to 30-40mm and will need to be used in more than one application or with other materials required. However there are some exceptions on the market such as BAL Level Max which can be applied from 2 mm up to 80 mm in one application.
Do you need to prime self-levelling before tiling? ›Primer is absolutely necessary if you have an anhydrite screed (aka calcium sulphate). This is a liquid screed pumped onto the sub-floor that self-levels. It's quite common in modern construction and has many benefits over sand and cement screeds, but you can't tile straight onto it with standard adhesives.
How thick can you put self leveler? ›QUIKRETE® Self-Leveling Floor Resurfacer (No. 1249-50) can be installed from 5/8 inch (16 mm) thick to a feather edge. For areas deeper than 5/8 inch (16 mm), apply QUIKRETE® Self-Leveling Floor Resurfacer (No. 1249-50) in layers no greater than 5/8 inch (16 mm) each.
What is feathering a floor? ›A cement based rapid setting trowel applied finishing underlay designed to smooth ridges, grooves, joins and gaps in the floor.
How much concrete cracking is acceptable? ›Generally, cracks with a width of less than 0.3 mm are acceptable and do not affect the structure. However, they may develop and grow to become structural cracks. Therefore, one should monitor small cracks on houses or structures. Crack width greater than 0.3 mm can create problems for the durability of the structure.
Can you do 2 layers of self-leveling concrete? ›Hi, yes you can put a second coat on wait till floor is completly dry then mix a uni-bond solution 80 parts water to 20 parts uni-bond apply this to the floor and lay second coat before this dries the thinnner the coat the more level it will be.
Are hairline cracks in concrete a problem? ›Hairline cracks may develop in concrete foundations as the concrete cures. Hairline cracks do not cause problems with the stability of the foundation but do cause leakage problems. If the cracks appear shortly after pouring the concrete foundation, concrete may have been mixed poorly or poured too quickly.
How long does it take for floor leveler to set? ›This is approximately 1 to 2 days for the Normal Set product or 2 to 4 hours for the Fast Set product, depending on surrounding conditions. No special curing steps are required.
Can you fix a dip in the floor? ›One of the best ways to fix the issue of uneven floor is to use floor patch product. It can be used in concrete subfloor or wooden subfloor. It is best for leveling floors that has dips, slanting issues, cracks and chipping problems.
How do you fix sunken damaged concrete? ›You have three options: coat the sunken section with a sand-and-cement mixture to make the surface higher, raise the sunken section using a process called mudjacking, or raise the sunken section using expanding polyurethane foam. Patching fixes the safety issue without costing much, but the patch is sure to show.
How do you fix concrete ghosting? ›
Antiquing Concrete Stain is a great option to blend the colors on more porous floors. Concrete dye can also be used to cover imperfections and accent the floor as needed. Topical stains can disguise the tile ghosting still visible after grinding.
How do you flatten uneven concrete? ›The easiest way is to use a self-leveling compound, also called liquid floor underlayment or floor resurfacer, within sections of level-cut rails. The material flows out like thick syrup, then hardens into a smooth, perfectly level surface, sometimes in less than an hour.
Why is my new concrete popping? ›Shrinkage is a main cause of cracking. As concrete hardens and dries it shrinks. This is due to the evaporation of excess mixing water. The wetter or soupier the concrete mix, the greater the shrinkage will be.
When should you not use self-leveling concrete? ›Lastly, self-leveling concrete shouldn't be used in areas where harsh chemicals will be present or where heavy machinery will be installed or operating. This is because—even as good-looking and smooth as it is—self-leveling concrete isn't as resilient or structurally sound as traditional concrete.
How do you seal self-leveling? ›Seal all holes and seams in the plywood with caulk. The leveler will drain through an opening as small as a nail hole, so be thorough. A good choice for filling those holes and cracks is the type of caulk that goes on white but turns clear when it dries because you can tell when it is done setting up.
Does self-leveling concrete dry smooth? ›A single pass of self-leveling concrete is usually 0.25 to 1.5 inches thick. The finished product is smooth and flat, with superior compressive strength to traditional concrete floors.
Can I put plywood over self-leveling compound? ›If you've got a plywood subfloor, like many buildings do, you can leave it in place and apply self-leveling concrete directly on top of it. Once the plywood subfloor is covered, just apply the finish you want to achieve the desired look.
Is self-leveling compound necessary? ›So if you're installing hardwood flooring over top, you will need a self-levelling cement that you can nail through. Also, some products can have tiles installed on top, others require a decoupling membrane on the substrate before the cement can be poured.
Is self-leveling compound as strong as concrete? ›Self-leveling concrete is typically used to create a flat and smooth surface with a compressive strength similar to or higher than that of traditional concrete prior to installing interior floor coverings.
Can you add another layer of self-leveling compound? ›Yes, you can add another layer on top of the existing 2 inch layer. You must prepare the floor and use SikaLevel Primer before the second application.
How do you seal the edges of self-leveling compound? ›
Caulk and Tape Over Holes and Seams
If the liquid leveler is not totally contained, you will end up with a big mess on your hands and probably have to re-pour the floor leveler. Seal all holes and seams in the plywood with caulk. The leveler will drain through an opening as small as a nail hole, so be thorough.
Can you lay self levelling compound in layers? Yes, as long as you clean, prime and abrade the first layer.
How do you fix an uneven floor? ›One of the best ways to fix the issue of uneven floor is to use floor patch product. It can be used in concrete subfloor or wooden subfloor. It is best for leveling floors that has dips, slanting issues, cracks and chipping problems.
Why does self-leveling crack? ›Applying a material thicker than recommended can cause excessive shrinkage, leading to cracks and/or delamination from the substrate. Always install SLUs within the application range of the primer. Applying a leveler too soon into a primer can cause the primer to migrate into the SLU, affecting performance.
How thick can you lay self levelling compound? ›Most levelling compounds can only be applied up to 30-40mm and will need to be used in more than one application or with other materials required. However there are some exceptions on the market such as BAL Level Max which can be applied from 2 mm up to 80 mm in one application.
What is the minimum thickness for self-leveling compound? ›The minimum thickness advised for many levelling compounds is only 2 or 3 millimetres (some require a minimum of 5mm). And whilst even a millimetre less than the prescribed minimum might not seem that significant, it can cause problems.
Can you lay vinyl over self-leveling compound? ›simple answer is no, this is mainly down to the adhesive failing underneath which in turn will pop your screed, any screeding needs to be done direct to the sub-floor and the floor must be primed first this type of work should always be done by a professional as there is a humongous difference between a professional ...
Can you paint over self levelling concrete? ›“You can integrally color it, polish it or apply concrete dyes, acid stains and water-based stains.”