Tried self leveling concrete and failed miserably. I'll show you how I fixed my mistake, and hopefully give you some tips so you don't make the same mistake.
I really appreciate you highlighting mistakes. It takes a certain level of strength. But it's easier to learn from others mistakes than successes, so you're helping other DIYers.
I guess your first pour was not wet enough. Don't think self leveling doesn't level well, it does, just keep your mix wet and move it around with a squeegee or similar. The screws is a good way to mark the floor level. I say this after 30 yrs carpentry... It's not the mistakes that you make but how skilled you are at putting them right. (which you did) over all, you did great and got it done!
Do you mix your leveler wetter than the instructions? I had the same issue. I used a trowel, moved it around. Looked flat. Was done in like 15 min. After it dried I took a level to it an there is about 3/8” to 1/2” difference. Only thing I can think of is that I should have used more water than the instructions called for.
I had never used this product and screwed it up like many others. The second time I spent days preparing and followed all the tips from this video and comments: I chiseled all the high spots, put screws in that were level with each other as a guide, made the mix very thin, had someone else keep mixing while I poured and troweled, and did it all quickly. The second time it came out great. This isn't a bad product, but you must be very careful, otherwise you create a lot more work for yourself.
You sound just like me. I am an a experienced DIYer who has rebuilt motors, renovated and installed a new kitchen and bathroom before but never used leveler. I researched everything to death but assumed this was a no brainer after watching one or two videos. I just ran into the same problem with pouring floor leveler to level a section of plywood for a shower pan. My dried higher in the center and now my pan sits worse than before. So disheartened and humbled.
Same situation. Reasonably competent/stubborn DIY and hey, look - it works for other people on youtube! I am now adding a step to search " disasters | gone wrong" to find such nuggets of wisdom as you provide. Self leveling indeed ... ha! Self smoothing is 100% right on. I'm pouring "puddles" to try and level bits of a family room that have sagged slightly (1/8 to 3/16 ... 1960's house) in prep for some rigid vinyl plank. And did the puddle even self level over a 3' span? Noooo...but it sure is a nice smooth hump! In my case, a shop vac with cyclone attachment + hepa filter + palm sander with diablo sandNet pads makes short work of leveling said bumps. (if you haven't tried the sandNet pads, they're the bomb. Mesh means they pretty much don't load. Got mine on sale in a multi-grit pack at Home Depot) Thanks for taking the time to share your pain!
That sounds like a rabbit hole of entertaining videos. I'll check out the sandNet pads. Seems like they get awesome reviews. Also, I had never even heard of a cyclone attachment, but I looked them up and they look awesome. Did you build one yourself or just buy one off the shelf?
While building a cyclone was tempting, efficiency required purchasing one. I bought an Oneida Dust Deputy and hooked it to a 12 gallon shop vac. (and added a washable HEPA filter in the vac). In the end, the palm sander wasn't up to any sort of bulk removal. Neither were 40 grit flap-sanders on an angle grinder. What DID work was a diamond cup grinding wheel (one of these) www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07ZKNBTDC paired with an enclosing dust shroud (one of these: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YD15B87). Hooked to my Harbor Freight angle grinder and it absolutely chewed down the leveler. I did try it - briefly - without the shroud and ... well, you want the shroud hooked to a dust collector. (imagine dropping an open bag of cement and *poof* ... the entire room covered in fine, grey powder....)
@@EvolutionDIY I built one using about $10.00 dollars in PVC pipe/fittings, rubber PVC connectors and two old buckets. Amazing how well it works. I used this video for inspiration. czcams.com/video/1WnitgYFnE0/video.html
Thanks for posting this! I'm doing it this weekend and been watching a ton of videos on it. Gotta spread it fast, encourage the flow, use the spike roller RIGHT AWAY to get air out and to fix multiple pour "seams". And.....work.....FAST! Hopefully I wont mess up! :O
If you can have someone mix for you that will ease your stress. LOL Trick to mixing is add all required water and half of the leveler and mix about 30 seconds. Using a trowel make sure to scrape side for any unmixed material. Then add remaining leveler. Mix for another 30 seconds and check for dry clumps again. Then mix 2 minutes. Use a timer. I have a egg timer that works well for this messy job.
I'm in the same boat bro, only it's a basement rec room I screwed up. Wish I would have seen your video before starting. Very true - "Self-Levelling" compound is a misnomer.
This video on offers valuable insight into troubleshooting common issues encountered during DIY projects. It's a great example of how perseverance and problem-solving can turn a setback into a successful outcome.
Unfortunately, I made the same mistake. Thank you for the video. Very helpful in deciding how to proceed. I don't have a air hammer or compressor. Ill be grinding before my re-pour. Ill be using the screw trick for sure. Thanks again!
Such a bummer. Good luck with your fix. One tool I have acquired since this video is a dust shroud with a shop vac attachment for my angle grinder. It really cuts down on dust a lot. If you combine that with a shop vac that takes the paper bags inside, it works out pretty nice. Good luck!
Damn self leveler did both of us dirty from the start. Sad thing is we went back for round 2 two show the damn thing who the boss is. I went through the same process🧐 Because there is literature on on the back of every product but who reads it much better to search it up on the interwebs to see which noob already made a mistake.😂
I work with it professionally. They sell grinders with dustshrouds. Use one of those to grind your high spot down then use leveller to raise whatever is low.
I got a DeWalt dust shroud and vac attachment and diamond blade and was blown away by how well the whole system worked. It captured nearly all the dust.
Posting this for ideas for the next person. Depending on how high the high spots are, you can also use a Carbide Stone Fluted Rubbing Brick to knock things down. If you do this a few days after the pour the material will come right off. Low spots are easier. Just reprime and mix a small batch to fill in using a screed scooping out any excess material.
@@YungFlipFlop243 Yes. The stone can remove material pretty fast but you need to use before the material gets real hard. The grinders can be very aggressive. I have a bosch which can take 1/4" bites in seconds.
Thanks for the video. So many "experts" have videos on this that makes it look easy but so little can be found on what happens when things go wrong. Also as I just learned earlier, Mapei makes a self level plus that takes 24+ hours just to walk on BUT it's a far better product for a single person, DIY or novice as there's substantially more time to work the product. Mine started to set up after only 7 minutes to where the rake marks never leveled out. Thankfully I had the smart idea to start using a floor scraper after it sat for an hour and hadn't fully cured so it was easy to remove 2/3s of it before I was screwed.
What product did you use initially? I used Customs Leveler RS from HD with a trowel to break the surface tension but ended up with a high spot in the middle of the pour area from front to back. I poured a 32x60 section for a shower pan so it is a small area but it is over new plywood that is screwed down. Not sure how to proceed at this point. Should I grind the high spots down or just try to remove the whole pour with a rotary hammer just like I did to remove the original tile.
Been there and done that! (5m x 3m Extension to my house). It looked like it all went very well until I tried to lay the flooring on top. I ended up having to chisel half of the floor up and start again. Things I learned:- Spend a lot of time checking the levels of your floor before you start. Use screws to show what height you need to pour to (I didn't). Have a break and then check it all a second time (in all directions). I used Mapei self leveler: Put 10% extra (Cold) water in it to give yourself a bit more time (otherwise it goes off really quick). Use a rake to move it around when you pour it because the latex part floats to the top and you'll get riges in it where the concrete part ends up to near to the surface. Grinding afterwards is a very bad idea. Don't try it!
The main problem with self leveler is it's not a diy project, you need to be a professional at finishing concrete to improve the chances of success, I'm a professional and have only used the stuff once, I find good straight edges and thinset mixed to the proper consistency is the best leveling compound is much easier to work with along with a much better working time.
I had a contractor do mine and they offed up really really badly. There is a ridge between every pour plus many faults. Now have to tear up a 5x5' patch that is a mound in my kitchen.
I bet. Like why does this guy charge so much to mix some water in this, and pour it on the floor. It does all the work for him. I should have just done it myself….
Wow, I cannot wait for nothing but the facts. So much talking. I am happy to hear that most viewers have the time just watch and watch you talk about well, thank you for your input and would really appreciate your wisdom in a much shorter format.
Awesome video, thanks for posting a mistake you made and how you solved it. I’m planing on putting Coretec LVP in my whole house but I have to level it out first. I bought a leveling kit with a gauge rake and spike roller to help smooth it out.
In my experience 1 Buy decent bags. . 2 watch the consistency. Consistency is key. It needs to be runner than you think. I've just had two lads screw it up just like that. Fortunately their second screw up was a winner the latex they were paid to use was the last bag they ended up using. It went down nicely despite them, and was twice as runny.
Yeah I found consistency makes a huge difference. I did mix mine a little on the watery side on round two and it was much better. They scare you because on the bag they say mix it EXACTLY like it says. I didn’t go overboard, but I did put just a little extra water in. It definitely helped out.
When the time is right, gonna get my wife to watch this...I've DIY'd the crap out of our home, successfully, but the 1st floor of her condo that we're renting....ouch. Every weekend that passes that we can't rent it is making the DIY method less and less finacnially sound.
Hi may I ask, what was the variation of your failed screed? I have just laid a self levelling compound over 21 sq meters (approx 4x5m) and have a tolerance of about 5mm. Really upset. I was hoping for 1mm.
Hilarious. Feel your pain, dude. Am in the same boat and nothing makes you feel more incompetent. They make it seem so idiot-proof... Great idea about the screws. At least yours is small. I've got 20m² to do 😂
Great video, thank you for sharing. I have a similar issue and need to figure out a solution. Question: It looks like you laid your tile directly on the concrete. Did you consider using a membrane or cement board?
About 3 years ago bought a laminate floor from Home Depot, they had their installers put it in and they used the leveling cement but in a rather large area (in front of a couch) the floor is now making crunching sounds and it bounces...a lot! The cement I think was too thin and it is crumbling. Have seen a couple ideas on how to fill the gaps but still looking for ideas on how to fix the dang bounce. So mad I didn't realize this sooner as the 1 year warranty is a thing of the past. Thanks.
It sounds like if the floor is “bouncing” then that is probably what caused the leveling concrete to start to break. Even a little thicker would probably break if the floor is flexing (bouncing). Is this over a basement where you could access from the bottom and put in some sister joists to beef up the floor strength?
@@EvolutionDIY When I said bouncing I really meant the laminate portion, not the subfloor. Under the laminate is a layer of plywood and yes, there is a basement below. I don't think the installers used enough leveling cement but and they rushed the drying with fans in order to start the project. The floor was pretty unlevel in this area.
My contractors did a Horrible job on levelling. Absolute crap. I am so glad I said I would lay the floor otherwise they would have happily laid the flooring on a shitty floor and taken my money. I am applying leveller to fix their mistakes - they are goons and I do not want them back. Am checking out this video to see how to take out the 1" high mound they left in a corner pour !!!
@@SirRommy Instructions for self-levelers explicitly say to turn ventilation off to avoid premature drying. They likely did other things wrong too. You are a perfect example of how homeowners get screwed when they don't learn and control how the job needs to be done. This happened to everyone who's here :-) We're doing our day job, and then repair the house in free time because we refuse to pay for atrocities done to it. Example of how a "big box store" does business through 2 middlemen: czcams.com/video/ynwjnSqUeVw/video.html
Thanks for the useful video. I"m planning on laying a self-leveling compound on top of granite tiles so I don't think that screws are an option for me. Does anyone have advice on taking an alternative approach to screws to determine a level line? Thanks.
Did you use the recommended primer and make sure the self-leveling was spread evenly? My guess is no primer and the product/mix was not correct. At least you had good adhesion to the slab. You could have poured a second layer that was more flowable.
I did use the recommended primer which is what made it so hard to chisel up. I followed the directions for the mix, but maybe it was a tiny bit thick. In the end, I did end up pouring a second layer on top (yes I primed again) and it came out pretty good.
you should have just floated the rest out with floor patch....if you mix it right it molds its self with a finishing trowel....totally legal in the flooring business
Good video. I would have used a surface grinder and vacuum attachment before I would have chiseled. Less work. They just need to make a SLU that sets up over an hour instead of 20 mins in my opinion.
I agree. I would have gladly traded longer working and set time for the 3 days I spent “fixing my mistake. Next time I’ll use the grinder/vac, although I pray there is no next time!
@@EvolutionDIY I don't think you really made a catastrophic mistake. You prepared well and the SLU has a mind of its own. You can help it alon, but it sets up so quickly...there just isn't enough time to screed it like you have with concrete. Cold water and bags in the installation room for 24 hours for relative humidity would have given you a few extra mins. Way to recover and not give up!
Dude I did the exact same thing!! But what’s worse is I poured a second layer that sucked as well before I saw your video and watched others about how to do the screw trick. I thought yeah ill just poor it in the known low area and trowel out a thin layer everywhere else and let it do its thing. WRONG its wavier then the lake. Now I have a high ridge where once was the low spot. But it looked great when it was wet Anyways I got a laser and set all the screw heights to the same elevation as the current known high spot. My only question is, what did you do on the high spot you were trying to match? Did you just give it a skim coat of new material or leave it dry? And if so was there a lip where the new batch meet the old material? Thanks for the tips. Wish me luck I’m going for round 3 this weekend I must prevail!!
He chiseled the high spots down instead of bringing the rest of the floor up. Then he put in screws and leveled them with each other. The screws must be higher or even or even with the high spots to create a level floor on the next pour
Why you just apply a super thin layer again on top of it you know you can do that right he basically have to use a trowel or gauge rate to get the thickness that you want and then it's self levels and smooths out
10000 wasted dollars later, house full of dust, wife is mad as hell, kids are upset, in laws are making fun of you, and NO I WILL NOT CALL A PROFESSIONAL! DAMMIT!
Those pneumatic chisels are almost useless they are very weak. I wonder if you could just screw the screws down tighter or back them out when you were done.
"Back the screws out"...such a simple idea I didn't even think of. Totally would have worked I bet. I love how I chose to do the most labor intensive difficult method of grinding the heads off. Next time.......
Christ, I used 3 50lb bags in my kitchen, I need to rip the whole thing out somehow ~150lbs.... I'm hoping I can rip out the high spots, and just deal with the slight dips with thinset because I am laying cement backerboard with thinset anyways before tiles.
@@EvolutionDIY It took me about 1/2 a day, but I got a large thick metal grinding blade, and with 2x shop vacs, and a bunch of fans pointed out the windows, I grinded every pre-marked high spot on my floors, then poured another 30lbs of compound to level everything correctly. What a huge pain in the ass. The problem is, if you look up the home depot tutorial he STATES IT SELF LEVELS. He just trowels the edges slightly. What a horrible video from a major corporation that made the job go to shit.
Yes you can. See why the instructions say. I think you might have to prime the floor again and then pour on top. I primed mine again, but I’m not sure if I had to. Also, if you are leveling a large difference (like 3 or 4 inches), it actually tells you to pour on top. You do like 3 or 4 pours of 1 inch each, all on top of eachother.
@@EvolutionDIY You always need to reprime. That is the biggest mistake people do using self-leveling concrete. The previous leveler will suck the water out and the leveler will not flow properly and setup.
I think maybe I skipped right to the part that says this many parts of water with this many parts of powder, mix it and go. I feel like it wouldn’t have been a bad thing for me to re-read those directions one more time....
Same here...we watched all the successful vids, but no one mentioned how awful this $hit is! Husband is currently chiseling out a (thankfully) small bathroom. So far, only $200 down the drain (and days of prep work.)
@@EvolutionDIY trust me ,that sucks for shure, biggest fuck up ever 🙄 Yes I had to chsel all that away with same tool like yours ,just mine is normal size, I don't have that amazon 2 inch bit. Well it was so bad ,that it's a lot cheaper to remove it before pouring new one, and this time I'm calling professionals that's a fact...
You never mix it right you mix it too hard and that's why that happened when you mix it soft you give it enough time to solicitify even though and then when it even out and stop working during that by that time it levels itself but if you mix it too hard it's not going to get to do what it's supposed to do and then you probably never spread it and help it so it can level out itself say dry before the time
I really appreciate you highlighting mistakes. It takes a certain level of strength. But it's easier to learn from others mistakes than successes, so you're helping other DIYers.
I guess your first pour was not wet enough. Don't think self leveling doesn't level well, it does, just keep your mix wet and move it around with a squeegee or similar. The screws is a good way to mark the floor level. I say this after 30 yrs carpentry... It's not the mistakes that you make but how skilled you are at putting them right. (which you did) over all, you did great and got it done!
Do you mix your leveler wetter than the instructions? I had the same issue. I used a trowel, moved it around. Looked flat. Was done in like 15 min. After it dried I took a level to it an there is about 3/8” to 1/2” difference. Only thing I can think of is that I should have used more water than the instructions called for.
I had never used this product and screwed it up like many others. The second time I spent days preparing and followed all the tips from this video and comments:
I chiseled all the high spots, put screws in that were level with each other as a guide, made the mix very thin, had someone else keep mixing while I poured and troweled, and did it all quickly.
The second time it came out great. This isn't a bad product, but you must be very careful, otherwise you create a lot more work for yourself.
Super glad you got a good result on the 2nd try. I agree the product is good, just takes some practice.
You sound just like me. I am an a experienced DIYer who has rebuilt motors, renovated and installed a new kitchen and bathroom before but never used leveler. I researched everything to death but assumed this was a no brainer after watching one or two videos. I just ran into the same problem with pouring floor leveler to level a section of plywood for a shower pan. My dried higher in the center and now my pan sits worse than before. So disheartened and humbled.
Well I’m glad it’s not just me😂. Good luck with however you fix it.
Same situation. Reasonably competent/stubborn DIY and hey, look - it works for other people on youtube! I am now adding a step to search " disasters | gone wrong" to find such nuggets of wisdom as you provide. Self leveling indeed ... ha! Self smoothing is 100% right on. I'm pouring "puddles" to try and level bits of a family room that have sagged slightly (1/8 to 3/16 ... 1960's house) in prep for some rigid vinyl plank. And did the puddle even self level over a 3' span? Noooo...but it sure is a nice smooth hump!
In my case, a shop vac with cyclone attachment + hepa filter + palm sander with diablo sandNet pads makes short work of leveling said bumps. (if you haven't tried the sandNet pads, they're the bomb. Mesh means they pretty much don't load. Got mine on sale in a multi-grit pack at Home Depot)
Thanks for taking the time to share your pain!
That sounds like a rabbit hole of entertaining videos. I'll check out the sandNet pads. Seems like they get awesome reviews. Also, I had never even heard of a cyclone attachment, but I looked them up and they look awesome. Did you build one yourself or just buy one off the shelf?
While building a cyclone was tempting, efficiency required purchasing one. I bought an Oneida Dust Deputy and hooked it to a 12 gallon shop vac. (and added a washable HEPA filter in the vac). In the end, the palm sander wasn't up to any sort of bulk removal. Neither were 40 grit flap-sanders on an angle grinder. What DID work was a diamond cup grinding wheel (one of these) www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07ZKNBTDC paired with an enclosing dust shroud (one of these: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YD15B87). Hooked to my Harbor Freight angle grinder and it absolutely chewed down the leveler. I did try it - briefly - without the shroud and ... well, you want the shroud hooked to a dust collector. (imagine dropping an open bag of cement and *poof* ... the entire room covered in fine, grey powder....)
@@EvolutionDIY I built one using about $10.00 dollars in PVC pipe/fittings, rubber PVC connectors and two old buckets. Amazing how well it works. I used this video for inspiration. czcams.com/video/1WnitgYFnE0/video.html
Thanks for posting this! I'm doing it this weekend and been watching a ton of videos on it. Gotta spread it fast, encourage the flow, use the spike roller RIGHT AWAY to get air out and to fix multiple pour "seams". And.....work.....FAST! Hopefully I wont mess up! :O
If you can have someone mix for you that will ease your stress. LOL Trick to mixing is add all required water and half of the leveler and mix about 30 seconds. Using a trowel make sure to scrape side for any unmixed material. Then add remaining leveler. Mix for another 30 seconds and check for dry clumps again. Then mix 2 minutes. Use a timer. I have a egg timer that works well for this messy job.
I'm in the same boat bro, only it's a basement rec room I screwed up. Wish I would have seen your video before starting. Very true - "Self-Levelling" compound is a misnomer.
@@EvolutionDIY Thanks for the advice - At least I have a good grinder with a dust shroud.
This video on offers valuable insight into troubleshooting common issues encountered during DIY projects. It's a great example of how perseverance and problem-solving can turn a setback into a successful outcome.
Unfortunately, I made the same mistake. Thank you for the video. Very helpful in deciding how to proceed. I don't have a air hammer or compressor. Ill be grinding before my re-pour. Ill be using the screw trick for sure. Thanks again!
Such a bummer. Good luck with your fix. One tool I have acquired since this video is a dust shroud with a shop vac attachment for my angle grinder. It really cuts down on dust a lot. If you combine that with a shop vac that takes the paper bags inside, it works out pretty nice. Good luck!
Damn self leveler did both of us dirty from the start. Sad thing is we went back for round 2 two show the damn thing who the boss is. I went through the same process🧐 Because there is literature on on the back of every product but who reads it much better to search it up on the interwebs to see which noob already made a mistake.😂
Running into the exact same thing. So I'm going to get some screws. Thanks!
I work with it professionally. They sell grinders with dustshrouds.
Use one of those to grind your high spot down then use leveller to raise whatever is low.
I got a DeWalt dust shroud and vac attachment and diamond blade and was blown away by how well the whole system worked. It captured nearly all the dust.
Good to know. I'll look into a grinder with a dust shroud. This was not the first time I had a ton of dust caused by a grinding project.
Posting this for ideas for the next person.
Depending on how high the high spots are, you can also use a Carbide Stone Fluted Rubbing Brick to knock things down. If you do this a few days after the pour the material will come right off. Low spots are easier. Just reprime and mix a small batch to fill in using a screed scooping out any excess material.
@@jhalleck I’ve got a really large high spot. Will this knock it down quickly?
@@YungFlipFlop243 Yes. The stone can remove material pretty fast but you need to use before the material gets real hard. The grinders can be very aggressive. I have a bosch which can take 1/4" bites in seconds.
Don't beat yourself up. Good on you for trying it.
Thanks for the video. So many "experts" have videos on this that makes it look easy but so little can be found on what happens when things go wrong. Also as I just learned earlier, Mapei makes a self level plus that takes 24+ hours just to walk on BUT it's a far better product for a single person, DIY or novice as there's substantially more time to work the product. Mine started to set up after only 7 minutes to where the rake marks never leveled out. Thankfully I had the smart idea to start using a floor scraper after it sat for an hour and hadn't fully cured so it was easy to remove 2/3s of it before I was screwed.
What product did you use initially? I used Customs Leveler RS from HD with a trowel to break the surface tension but ended up with a high spot in the middle of the pour area from front to back. I poured a 32x60 section for a shower pan so it is a small area but it is over new plywood that is screwed down. Not sure how to proceed at this point. Should I grind the high spots down or just try to remove the whole pour with a rotary hammer just like I did to remove the original tile.
Been there and done that! (5m x 3m Extension to my house). It looked like it all went very well until I tried to lay the flooring on top. I ended up having to chisel half of the floor up and start again. Things I learned:- Spend a lot of time checking the levels of your floor before you start. Use screws to show what height you need to pour to (I didn't). Have a break and then check it all a second time (in all directions). I used Mapei self leveler: Put 10% extra (Cold) water in it to give yourself a bit more time (otherwise it goes off really quick). Use a rake to move it around when you pour it because the latex part floats to the top and you'll get riges in it where the concrete part ends up to near to the surface. Grinding afterwards is a very bad idea. Don't try it!
why is grinding a bad idea? I have a few high spots
@@gizmo9006 Grinding is really difficult and dusty. That is rock hard !
@@maryjayne8746 I have an angle grinder with diamond bit its not that dusty with a dust shroud and vacuum. not ideal but its happening
@@gizmo9006 grinding creates a lot of dust. Much better to to chisel -- either with a hammer gun or a hammer and chisel
The main problem with self leveler is it's not a diy project, you need to be a professional at finishing concrete to improve the chances of success, I'm a professional and have only used the stuff once, I find good straight edges and thinset mixed to the proper consistency is the best leveling compound is much easier to work with along with a much better working time.
I had a contractor do mine and they offed up really really badly. There is a ridge between every pour plus many faults. Now have to tear up a 5x5' patch that is a mound in my kitchen.
I definitely learned this the hard way.
And customers always make a point of telling me it's 'self' leveling like my job is easy... Brilliant idea with the screws btw
I bet. Like why does this guy charge so much to mix some water in this, and pour it on the floor. It does all the work for him. I should have just done it myself….
Wow, I cannot wait for nothing but the facts. So much talking. I am happy to hear that most viewers have the time just watch and watch you talk about well, thank you for your input and would really appreciate your wisdom in a much shorter format.
Thanks for feedback. Always looking for improvements. I’ll consider as I make future videos.
Love the honesty… Self reflection and dry-humbleness? Yep… I jacked 1800 sq. ft. up myself and have procrastinating… 🤦♂️😂 Great vid! Thank you!
Awesome video, thanks for posting a mistake you made and how you solved it. I’m planing on putting Coretec LVP in my whole house but I have to level it out first. I bought a leveling kit with a gauge rake and spike roller to help smooth it out.
In my experience 1 Buy decent bags. . 2 watch the consistency. Consistency is key. It needs to be runner than you think. I've just had two lads screw it up just like that. Fortunately their second screw up was a winner the latex they were paid to use was the last bag they ended up using. It went down nicely despite them, and was twice as runny.
Yeah I found consistency makes a huge difference. I did mix mine a little on the watery side on round two and it was much better. They scare you because on the bag they say mix it EXACTLY like it says. I didn’t go overboard, but I did put just a little extra water in. It definitely helped out.
When the time is right, gonna get my wife to watch this...I've DIY'd the crap out of our home, successfully, but the 1st floor of her condo that we're renting....ouch. Every weekend that passes that we can't rent it is making the DIY method less and less finacnially sound.
Hi may I ask, what was the variation of your failed screed? I have just laid a self levelling compound over 21 sq meters (approx 4x5m) and have a tolerance of about 5mm. Really upset. I was hoping for 1mm.
Hilarious. Feel your pain, dude. Am in the same boat and nothing makes you feel more incompetent. They make it seem so idiot-proof... Great idea about the screws. At least yours is small. I've got 20m² to do 😂
Thanks, you are right, it does not flow and self level as expected.
Yeah there is definitely a learning curve.
This video is great and extremely helpful. Thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
i feel your pain i wasted about 150 on floor leveler i dont think my floor was much different
Great video, thank you for sharing. I have a similar issue and need to figure out a solution.
Question: It looks like you laid your tile directly on the concrete. Did you consider using a membrane or cement board?
Thank you for sharing. Im in the same boat and i think i need another bag of leveler.
The 2nd time goes much better (in my experience). You know more what to expect. Good luck!
About 3 years ago bought a laminate floor from Home Depot, they had their installers put it in and they used the leveling cement but in a rather large area (in front of a couch) the floor is now making crunching sounds and it bounces...a lot! The cement I think was too thin and it is crumbling. Have seen a couple ideas on how to fill the gaps but still looking for ideas on how to fix the dang bounce. So mad I didn't realize this sooner as the 1 year warranty is a thing of the past. Thanks.
It sounds like if the floor is “bouncing” then that is probably what caused the leveling concrete to start to break. Even a little thicker would probably break if the floor is flexing (bouncing). Is this over a basement where you could access from the bottom and put in some sister joists to beef up the floor strength?
@@EvolutionDIY When I said bouncing I really meant the laminate portion, not the subfloor. Under the laminate is a layer of plywood and yes, there is a basement below. I don't think the installers used enough leveling cement but and they rushed the drying with fans in order to start the project. The floor was pretty unlevel in this area.
My contractors did a Horrible job on levelling. Absolute crap. I am so glad I said I would lay the floor otherwise they would have happily laid the flooring on a shitty floor and taken my money. I am applying leveller to fix their mistakes - they are goons and I do not want them back. Am checking out this video to see how to take out the 1" high mound they left in a corner pour !!!
@@SirRommy Instructions for self-levelers explicitly say to turn ventilation off to avoid premature drying. They likely did other things wrong too. You are a perfect example of how homeowners get screwed when they don't learn and control how the job needs to be done. This happened to everyone who's here :-) We're doing our day job, and then repair the house in free time because we refuse to pay for atrocities done to it. Example of how a "big box store" does business through 2 middlemen: czcams.com/video/ynwjnSqUeVw/video.html
You always need to use the proper primer. The primer enhances flow and keeps the water from wicking out drying out the mixture.
Thanks for the useful video. I"m planning on laying a self-leveling compound on top of granite tiles so I don't think that screws are an option for me. Does anyone have advice on taking an alternative approach to screws to determine a level line? Thanks.
Did you use the recommended primer and make sure the self-leveling was spread evenly? My guess is no primer and the product/mix was not correct. At least you had good adhesion to the slab. You could have poured a second layer that was more flowable.
I did use the recommended primer which is what made it so hard to chisel up. I followed the directions for the mix, but maybe it was a tiny bit thick. In the end, I did end up pouring a second layer on top (yes I primed again) and it came out pretty good.
you should have just floated the rest out with floor patch....if you mix it right it molds its self with a finishing trowel....totally legal in the flooring business
Yes I am watching your video because I screwed up my floor trying self leveling compound 😂
I love the screw idea, great idea
Thanks. It worked out good. Not sure what I would do if I were pouring in a basement, or on concrete, but for this project, it worked out.
Mine looks like the map of Africa. Still some low spots but at least covered the mastic paint
I’ll NEVER install any tile, porcelain, ceramic, or stone crap again. The self leveling compound was a disaster for me too. It’s a shit job
Good video. I would have used a surface grinder and vacuum attachment before I would have chiseled. Less work. They just need to make a SLU that sets up over an hour instead of 20 mins in my opinion.
I agree. I would have gladly traded longer working and set time for the 3 days I spent “fixing my mistake. Next time I’ll use the grinder/vac, although I pray there is no next time!
@@EvolutionDIY I don't think you really made a catastrophic mistake. You prepared well and the SLU has a mind of its own. You can help it alon, but it sets up so quickly...there just isn't enough time to screed it like you have with concrete. Cold water and bags in the installation room for 24 hours for relative humidity would have given you a few extra mins. Way to recover and not give up!
Dude I did the exact same thing!! But what’s worse is I poured a second layer that sucked as well before I saw your video and watched others about how to do the screw trick.
I thought yeah ill just poor it in the known low area and trowel out a thin layer everywhere else and let it do its thing. WRONG its wavier then the lake. Now I have a high ridge where once was the low spot. But it looked great when it was wet
Anyways I got a laser and set all the screw heights to the same elevation as the current known high spot.
My only question is, what did you do on the high spot you were trying to match? Did you just give it a skim coat of new material or leave it dry? And if so was there a lip where the new batch meet the old material?
Thanks for the tips. Wish me luck I’m going for round 3 this weekend I must prevail!!
He chiseled the high spots down instead of bringing the rest of the floor up. Then he put in screws and leveled them with each other. The screws must be higher or even or even with the high spots to create a level floor on the next pour
Why you just apply a super thin layer again on top of it you know you can do that right he basically have to use a trowel or gauge rate to get the thickness that you want and then it's self levels and smooths out
10000 wasted dollars later, house full of dust, wife is mad as hell, kids are upset, in laws are making fun of you, and NO I WILL NOT CALL A PROFESSIONAL! DAMMIT!
Oh so true. I hope this is an exaggeration of your story, and not the actual situation :) “It will save money he said! I want it done right he said!”
Those pneumatic chisels are almost useless they are very weak. I wonder if you could just screw the screws down tighter or back them out when you were done.
"Back the screws out"...such a simple idea I didn't even think of. Totally would have worked I bet. I love how I chose to do the most labor intensive difficult method of grinding the heads off. Next time.......
Thanks for sharing this. Really helpful!
Could you not pour another layer of compound over the top?
Yes I could have and actually as you’ll see in the video, that is finally what
I did (after chiseling down the high spots).
Christ, I used 3 50lb bags in my kitchen, I need to rip the whole thing out somehow ~150lbs.... I'm hoping I can rip out the high spots, and just deal with the slight dips with thinset because I am laying cement backerboard with thinset anyways before tiles.
😳
@@EvolutionDIY It took me about 1/2 a day, but I got a large thick metal grinding blade, and with 2x shop vacs, and a bunch of fans pointed out the windows, I grinded every pre-marked high spot on my floors, then poured another 30lbs of compound to level everything correctly. What a huge pain in the ass. The problem is, if you look up the home depot tutorial he STATES IT SELF LEVELS. He just trowels the edges slightly. What a horrible video from a major corporation that made the job go to shit.
Feelin your pain!
Ugh I did same thing can I pour more self leveler on top of old
Yes you can. See why the instructions say. I think you might have to prime the floor again and then pour on top. I primed mine again, but I’m not sure if I had to. Also, if you are leveling a large difference (like 3 or 4 inches), it actually tells you to pour on top. You do like 3 or 4 pours of 1 inch each, all on top of eachother.
@@EvolutionDIY You always need to reprime. That is the biggest mistake people do using self-leveling concrete. The previous leveler will suck the water out and the leveler will not flow properly and setup.
My went wrong too....😢
get some screed tripods they work better
good vid, i did two attempts on my laundry area, fucked up both times, no it just looks like a moon surface and i dunno wtf im gonna do :')
Install linoleum or vinyl sheet floor....easy, feels nice on the feet, warm, and easily replaceable
im not in the same spot as you but if it happens il use this 👍🏻
if you read the bag most say self smoothing in the fine print
I think maybe I skipped right to the part that says this many parts of water with this many parts of powder, mix it and go. I feel like it wouldn’t have been a bad thing for me to re-read those directions one more time....
@@EvolutionDIY hey everyone does it I am a floorlayer so i hear it all the time is that the stuff that goes level on its own lol
It’s weird on HGTV, it lays down perfect every time. 😂
@@EvolutionDIY you want a good one like ardex K15 or if you need a latex screed then ardex NA. or try uzin L3 gold
Omg. I’m in a worse situation. My heat kicked on half way and it set up on me.
Man that sucks. Good luck! I’m sure some hard work will get it fixed.
Too late. I wish I watched this FIRST!
Oh no, I feel your pain.
Same here...we watched all the successful vids, but no one mentioned how awful this $hit is! Husband is currently chiseling out a (thankfully) small bathroom. So far, only $200 down the drain (and days of prep work.)
You didn't think just to sand the floor?
Self leveler doesn’t level
I didn’t do much research.
😅
Dude I hear you complain about 80 ft² I had 450 ft² and that was depressing man, I was pissed...
Oh no that sucks. Did you have to chisel it all up, or pour on top or what? Sounds like a pain in the ……
@@EvolutionDIY trust me ,that sucks for shure, biggest fuck up ever 🙄 Yes I had to chsel all that away with same tool like yours ,just mine is normal size, I don't have that amazon 2 inch bit. Well it was so bad ,that it's a lot cheaper to remove it before pouring new one, and this time I'm calling professionals that's a fact...
You never mix it right you mix it too hard and that's why that happened when you mix it soft you give it enough time to solicitify even though and then when it even out and stop working during that by that time it levels itself but if you mix it too hard it's not going to get to do what it's supposed to do and then you probably never spread it and help it so it can level out itself say dry before the time
wrong