As a professional floor layer, I’ve seen it all when it comes to self-levelling compounds. And one of the most common issues I see is ridges in the surface. It’s not just unsightly, it can also lead to tripping hazards and reduced durability of the flooring. In this article, I’ll walk you through the best…
In this article, you’ll gain a comprehensive understanding of whether or not you can sand self-levelling compound and what alternative methods are available for removing excess material. As someone with experience using self-levelling compound, I often get asked “can I sand self-levelling compound?” The short answer is yes, you can sand anything when you come…
You will be glad to know the answer is Yes. You can use self-levelling compound on Porcelain tiles, so you don’t need to go ripping all those old tiles up. Phewwww! That being said, don’t just go pouring your self-levelling compound directly onto your porcelain tiles as there are some conditions that need to be…
The cost to self-level a floor can vary wildly from scenario to scenario. The best thing I can do is give you a classic example and you can use it as a reference for your own project. To give you an idea – It will cost around £600 pounds in the UK to pay a…
You don’t have to PVA before applying self-levelling compound. However, always check the manufactures Data Sheet for your chosen product. These can normally be found on the manufactures website. Note: All self-levelling compound manufacturers are required by law to produce a data sheet for their products. This will normally contain information on the preparation of…
It is easy to calculate exactly how much self-levelling compound you will need. Bear in mind you should always have a bag or two extra just in case you end up using more than expected. The self-Levelling compound comes typically in either a 20kg or 25kg bag. This is standard across all manufacturers. Self-levelling compound…
You can’t usually apply self-levelling compound directly onto timber floorboards due to Gaps, Steps and Movement between the individual floorboards. Domestic Floor Layers usually insist that the floor is overboard with a minimum of 6mm thick plywood, before applying any self-levelling compound. Note: The floorboards must still be firmly affixed to the floor joists before…
All self-levelling compound has a certain level of flexibility. This very much depends on the type of self-levelling compound you decide to use. The 3 types of self-levelling compound are listed below: Latex mixed – Self-Levelling Compound (Highly Flexible) Water mixed – Self-Levelling Compound (Non-Flexible) Water mixed – Fibre Reinforced – Self-Levelling Compound (Flexible) The…
To prime or not to prime, that is the question. Ideally, you don’t want to be messing around applying a primer before you apply a self-levelling compound. It adds an extra step to the process and it can get complicated deciding which primer to use, in what ratio, and for what substrate material. It also…
If you are working on an upper floor, then you should use a “flexible” self-levelling compound. There is often more potential for movement on upper floors. Unless you are working in a high-rise flat or building that will have solid concrete upper floors. There will always be a certain amount of movement in conventional suspended…
Self-levelling compounds should never be applied over laminate flooring. It should all be removed to get back to a solid subfloor. Laminate flooring is easy to remove yourself, as it just clicks together. Don’t be an idiot, rip it out and start fresh. But if you want to know the reasons why, read below. Laminate…
You might NOT be able to apply a self-levelling compound directly onto a wooden floor, without over-boarding it with Plywood first. If it is on a suspended timber ground or upper floor it will be subject to movement. The only time you can apply a self levelling compound directly to a timber floor is usually…
It is often best practice to over-ply old floorboards before you apply a new floor covering or self-levelling compound. If your floorboards are gappy and uneven the plywood will help to create a smooth unified surface, that is ready for your finished floor covering or self-levelling compound to be applied. How to Over-ply floorboards The…
So the question has obviously crossed your mind and that has led you here, do you fit skirting boards flush to the floor? Or do you lift them up a little bit? Well luckily for you, you’ve come to the right place. As an experienced joiner, I have fit my fair share of skirting boards,…
When painting any floor drying time is a huge factor in what paint you choose. You need to know how long it will be until you can walk on the freshly painted floor. So how long does it take to dry? Well, the honest answer is it depends, each brand can have completely different drying…
If you are thinking of putting new flooring in your kitchen then herringbone flooring may have crossed your mind. Whether it is real wood, laminate or even tile, herringbone can look really classy. But does it work in a kitchen? Well as it happens, I actually have just laid a solid ash herringbone floor in…