Does Self-Levelling Compound need a Spiked Roller?
You may be asking yourself “do I need a spiked roller for self-levelling compound” the answer is an astounding Yes!
I’m going to stick my neck out here – a spiked roller is even more important than a trowel when you are applying a self-levelling compound!
If I had the choice between a trowel and a spiked roller I would choose a spiked roller. Then I would grab the trowel when nobody was looking and keep it in my back pocket just in case I needed it.
When applying a self-levelling compound less is sometimes more. Simply pour your self-levelling compound then run through it with a spiked roller.
Not only will this distribute the self-levelling compound perfectly around the room forming one smooth flat surface but it will also get rid of those pesky air bubbles for you. Can a trowel do that, eh!
As the name suggests self-levelling compound will want to find its own natural level. All it needs is a little encouragement, you should not need to be spreading it around the room on your hands and knees with a trowel.
It is better to have a spiked roller in your arsenal when laying self-levelling compound. Spiked rollers are moved across the surface to release tiny air bubbles trapped in the self-levelling compound.
When you mix your self-levelling compound with a whisk or a mixer it can add air bubbles. The problem is, once you have started to pour your self-levelling compound you can’t stop. If you see any air bubbles in your mix and you don’t have a spiked roller to hand, it’s too late.
Alongside a decent trowel, Spiked rollers can also help to spread the self-levelling compound around a little bit.
With a decent trowel, a spiked roller and a whisk you give yourself the best possible chance of getting successful results! It’s the exact same gear the Professionals use. If you don’t believe me just check out the Amazon reviews.
I have done many floors myself using Ardex Na self-levelling and managed to get away without a spiked roller. But I have always seen one or two air bubbles set in the finished pour. I have always managed to hide them with the finished floor covering. But If I need to do another self-levelling flooring job, I will be investing in one, in order to get the best possible results. But the choice is yours!
What is self levelling compound?
Self-levelling compound is also known as a floor screed or floor levelling mix. It is a thin layer of a cement-based mixture that is applied to subfloors in order to level out any bumps.
The mix is applied in a thin layer to subfloors such as concrete and floorboards, you use it before laying another floor, such as tile, above it.
It is called a self-levelling compound as it, in theory, self-levels. What this means is that you don’t have to worry about getting the mix perfectly level. It should flow across the floor, and correct any errors.
While this does generally work, there are limits. It doesn’t flow like water so will not perfectly level over a large area and may require a bit of help from you.
Why use self-levelling compound?
You use a self-levelling compound to turn a bumpy, un-even subfloor into a perfectly smooth surface. This is great when you are fitting a solid floor such as tile or wood.
Your floor wont be able to hide the bumps and just sit on them when you fit a rigid floor. Tiles will crack and break and a wood floor will bounce and move. Whereas a flooring like carpet will happily sit on an uneven base.
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