I've installed more than 1 million sq ft of Ardex K-15 self leveling underlayment in New York city rehab projects. Hat's off to you for thinking of a new way to dispense the mix, although it has some bugs to work out. On big projects we used a concrete pump and gauge rakes set to 1/4 inch to guide the mix where it needs to go. We then went over it lightly with a long handled type of float to break the surface tension and allow it to flow better. Once it cures you are always going to get tiny hairline cracks that are actually mostly a cosmetic issue, and not a structural problem. It should be sealed with a clear water based matte urethane because it will continuously dust off and you will always have it on your feet if you don't. These materials were designed to go under finished flooring, and not to be the actual floor.
Do you mind sharing what sort of concrete pump you used? I have tried searching online for something similar and have only found very large scale industrial equipment.
Holy moly, this is a perfect video of exactly what not to do!! The seams, the using the wrong material that will end up cracking very soon! this floor will have to be completely redone in just a few years. If you take anything from this video its not to copy him at all.
Nice job guys! It looks great. I have a 70,000 sq foot 1927 five story office building. The floors are cement, but poured in small sections which are not level nor flat. Fine for carpet, but we wanted to change to wood (laminate planks). I am just a DIY, not a contractor, but I have done a LOT of these pours (200 to 2000 feet). The first step is we grind down the high spots at the corners and edges of each original pour. Then I like to use this self leveling stuff. It is SIX TIMES the cost of regular cement, but it flows like thick soup. It does NOT in fact self level all that well. Especially if you do it like these guys did, in large pours. The thing is, it sets in a flat amount of TIME, not by drying out (it is a chemical reaction), and that time is just a few minutes. You do not really have time to fuss with it, and if your next bucket is not ready pretty quick, the earlier pour will set before your next pour, and it will not be homogenous (you will end up with dry seams instead of a continuous pour). So, there are a couple of tools we use. One is the beveled cement float (like a push broom for shoving around cement)(A gage rake probably works too). This is used right after you pour a bucket to get it into the corners and edges quickly (time is of the essence). The second tool is the spiked roller (think pinhead on a 18 inch wide paint roller). This is used to QUICKLY smooth it all out and blend the different pours and pop any bubbles (careful not to push it too fast or it will spray cement all over your walls and pants), and do not overdo it, once the cement starts to set, it is game over. The shoes with spikes are cool if you need to walk into it and hit a corner and not ruin your sneakers. Also the cement dust while you are pouring the bags and mixing is very irritating. If doing it outside is not practical (limited time before it sets), set up a place inside (with a heavy drop cloth, it will make a serious mess A CEMENT MESS). I usually have 3-5 people to do it. Have a big trash can of water and a 10 quart bucket with a slot cut horizontally at the 6 quart level so you can quickly grab exactly the right amount of water (the water added needs to be precise). So I have 1 guy on the half inch mixing drill at the bucket, another guy pouring the dry bag into the bucket, and a 3rd guy holding the vacuum with a cyclonic dust extractor (DustDeputy). After the bucket is mixed, a 4th guy will bring it to active room, and pour it out. The final guy then uses the float and pin roller to blend it into the ongoing pour. Have 2 or more buckets in circulation so you can do it assembly line fashion. Note that it sets up and coats the buckets as you go (I can only imagine his trash can thing and spout getting clogged), so having a few extra is nice so you don't get hardened clumps in your pour. Do be sure to wet mop the floor and then put on the primer (like he says, 1 time 50% diluted and then 1 time full strength). The directions say to use a soft push broom to apply, but a cheap paint roller seems to work just as well for me (make it thick, a 3rd coat is not wrong). If you are sloppy with the primer step on an old floor, it will wick out the moisture too fast and in the morning you have a cracked useless mess to chip up and redo. f you don't tape the edges, it will flow right under baseboards or drywall (or cabinets or doors). DO not skimp on taping and sealing where you to NOT want the liquid cement to flow. Caulk cracks in the floor or it may flow through (to the floor below you). Also I can say from experience, this self leveling stuff is rather soft so do not expect it to be a walkable top coat. In fact the manufacturer's website is very clear NOT to leave it as the final surface, it is UNDERLAYMENT, although it is pretty, it is NOT durable, and a thin urethane coating will not make it suddenly durable (note however that there are professional self leveling mixes that ARE certified as a topcoat, but the ones I have found require an authorized installer to buy it).
This is excellent. I've donethis to a floor with 5 gallon buckets and it was extremely tedious. This set-up is fantastic. I made the mistake of letting part of it dry too much before the next pour, like he did. Really imperative to have the next batch ready to go. Definitely best to have someone mixing while you pour.
This isn't what this product is designed for, there are cold joins everywhere which will fracture and crack and there are no expansion joins anywhere. He should really do a update video in a year to see if it has cracked through the doorways, cold joins and see what damage the floor has received from general use
Yeah.. this house should be condemned. He also took a support beam out and placed a heavy brace in the roof that will likely collapse over time. I wouldn’t live here.
@@neondynamite If you ask me all the newer videos where he fiddles with the structual integrity should be taken offline because if people try this at home there is some serious danger.
That slurry will form fine cracks overtime, despite having been protected with a sealer. It might not do anything to the floor structurally considering it's a single storey house but it will be visible. Now, if you want to prevent that, lay down a layer of fine mesh (preferably a fibre mesh instead of a metal one as the latter would expand when the concrete sets, creating uneven waves) before pouring in the self-leveler slurry. The mesh will provide tensile strength, preventing any cracks from forming on the floor...
This works great as a floor underlayment, but it is going to crack. Cementitious products will lose moisture over the next few weeks and continue to harden and shrink and creep. It's just the properties of products themselves. This is why sidewalks have joints in them and why slab on grades have saw cuts typically 20-25 feet on center to allow cracks to form along that joint. Over the next few weeks you'll likely see spider cracking. It doesn't mean that it is falling apart, Mike may make it a feature. Hopefully it doesn't delaminate and start popping off, but the bonding agent that Mike laid down should help with that. Like I said, it's primary application is an underlayment for floor so you don't care if it cracks because a wood floor or tile is the main surface. I'd love to see a 1 year follow up on this floor and especially the countertops since I have less faith in those holding up over time. I can consider myself an expert with knowing concrete, I am a structural engineer so I know a whole lot about concrete. I also sometimes get asked questions about cementitious products like this to help architects spec floor underlayments that will work with their finishes.
If/when it does crack to make it a feature what would you suggest to have like a darker color settle into the cracks ( like grout) and then put Epoxy overlay?
@@Angibbabee I'm not sure, Mike is very creative so I'm sure he will think of something. He did a thing previously where he put gold flakes in the concrete cracks so I'm excited to see what he would do when some cracks form. Also, I wouldn't expect the cracks to be very large, probably just some consistent small spider cracking where you can see it but it doesn't quite open up
This is a self leveling compound, which is significantly different to a self leveling concrete screed. If it is cementitious in nature it would have plenty of admixtures to prevent the cracking
it is levelling compound which is designed to be self levelling. It's over 40mpa, so it won't crack as long as there wasn't too much water or too thick.
I didn't want to get too technical in my comment where it becomes too long and boring. Concrete and grout are similar being cementitious materials. They both use cement as the "glue" for sand and/or stone. There may be other admixtures used to help prevent cracking but they only go so far, they help reduce the concern if cracking but it does not eliminate it entirely. Concrete and grout will crack eventually, it is just part of the material properties, unless it is under constant compression and does not see bending or significant shear. Spider cracks are going to fork eventually, but I would also say the same thing if he poured a fresh concrete slab here too. The best thing you can do is to mitigate it. The main concern I would have with using this material as a floor finish is the same concern I have with the "concrete” countertops that he previously made. A thin skim coat just will not last as the finish. Inevitably you're going to drop something on the floor or counter and it will chip off. It's just going to happen when such a thin layer is put down and used as the finished surface, and is irrelevant of the material strength properties. For concrete alone, the minimum thickness I would specify for a pour is 2" for a topping slab, and even then I would probably want a 3/8" stone and fibermesh used to mitigate cracking due to drying/curling, and shrinkage over time. I have never seen an architect call for a skim coat like this to be used as a finished floor, and a contractor would also want to stay away from this too because they would probably not warranty the work. Like I said, this would be great as a floor underlayment, but I have big concerns about durability as a finished floor over time.
@@pandaexpresso You mean the buckets they used to mix in, and then transfer to the trash bin? Same amount of energy. But this method uses more steps and is not going to let the material self level as well. This is a 1 to 2 person job.
I just called the company that makes this stuff & they said it is only to be used as an underlayment & not for an exposed concrete floor. They said because of pressure points it will crack. I also called a concrete specialist about doing this & he said you need at least 3" of concrete to get to the necessary PSI. 1/4" or co will crack & possibly shatter like glass. I'll be curious to see how yours holds up over time.
Yep... I have used this stuff and it will crack where there is a thin layer (near the edges) when you walk on it, and after cracking, some thin layers may come loose.
There's a special product for doing this kind of floor called Microcrete. This self levelling is only supposed to be used as a base for other flooring.
Many companies sell product that can be used very well for other things. However if they market it for something and it's not approved by governing bodies they can get sued. For example r13 pink fiberglass insulation is great for stopping smoke coming from a fire place but it's not rated for that use.
Ya know, Mike just goes out and tries stuff. Every video has comments from tradesmen who are highly skeptical of the processes. I guess, props to Mike for just doing cool stuff and seeing how it turns out
This is interesting but what is the plan when someone drops something heavy on it and cracks it in a spot? Chip up a square of it and re-pour? Just use filler in the chip/crack?
likely it will damage easily. this is designed to be used under an actual interior flooring like carpet, tile, LVP, wood. we used this in our basement remodel after framing to level the floors. i wouldnt personally use this as a top coat.
Exactly, it should be used underneath a more durable floor material. Using this as the finished floor itself will not hold up over time for several reasons. The thin layer will start popping off over time, and it'll likely chip off when something is dropped on it
@@mram7715 Except tile can be singularly replaced. That’s my point…each tile is separate, this is one smooth, continuous pour - if it cracks, you either have to scratch up and re-pour the entire floor, or replace one little area and now have a finish that isn’t smooth, which is the entire allure of this in the first place.
I'm doing this in a tiny bathroom with a wood subfloor. I filled the low spots, and then put down an anti fracture membrane with thin set. I'm pouring the self leveler in two stages. Stage 1 over the membrane with course sand cast into the top. Step 2, remove excess sand, prime the surface and then pour the second layer. I figure this will be strong, and resist cracking.
I dont understand all the hate. For a two person job I really don’t see the suggested comments where they say it should just be “directly poured on floor” working out. Too many seams with walking back and forth and opening bags etc. I think this was an excellent way to build a tool that saved your back, your time, and a lot of headaches running around trying to prevent a seam from each bag. Great job
His actual project cost of the level quik rs is $1440 from home depot at $36 per bag. The extra bucket and mixing tools add more to the total. He could have bought regular thinset for $12 dollars a bag and spent the remainder on italian carrera marble tile if he knew what he was doing.
@@donkzilla2293 Concrete is pretty good at leveling itself but even the best pours can have low lying areas, for those minor imperfections in your floor, using thinset to fill them in will get you level but also save you a lot of money. Then you install your choice of flooring on top, a few bags could easily stretch to fill in the low lying areas of a floor this size - you'd need a 8-ft carpenter's level to ensure you can spot those imperfections over a wide area by placing the level on different areas of the floor, and seeing if it lays flat in all spots. Mark the spots it doesn't and thin set those. I'm doing this currently in my basement.
Would you suggest doing this in a house that is out of level? I house that I just bought is structurally sound. However, foundation level it's not within "tolerance". I'm thinking about using this cement to level the flooring.
You know, they make a special type of mixer for this sort of application. It is basically a 55 gallon drum held in a steel frame with a gimbal and a heavy duty mixer built in. This way you can mix several bags at once and the entire drum rotates to pour out the cement as needed. It is sooo much easier and faster than mixing in five gallon buckets. The cheapest versions cost around $1500, but you can usually find a place to rent one for $30 - $40 dollars a day. In CA there is a company called CONCRETE RENTALS and they rent one called the "HIPPO - Mixer" $150 for three days or $300 for a week. There are far cheaper rental options but CA...
used the same sealer and yes, freaky slippery. after about 3 months of walking carefully use and multiple vinegar and mrs meyers mops, it's normal smooth. rugs still slip around and need rubber pads tho.
Looks cool but is missing joints to prevent excess cracking. Another thing you can do on top of existing concrete is semco you don’t have to add joints and they have colors that look like concrete
Disclaimer : don't try this at home. Especially not if you're thinking of putting down glue down vinyl. You will have so much extra prep work flattening out all those nice twirls he made _ and sorely regret each little lump you didn't fix or missed after a few months.
I've installed many glue down and adhesive backed vinyl floors. Using self leveling thinset is a must for a smooth, flat end product. But, it needs to be mixed properly. For example, most people dont realize you want to add a latex additive to the mix so it doesnt dry into a powdery mess.
Also, seeing how incredibly talented you are, you should also modify the cement container once more, by creating a slanted bottom on the inside of it, so that the wet concrete naturally channels down into the spout, so you don't have to lift the container at the end. Amazing job!
Wouldn't direct contact with porous material(wood shelves, wood kitchen cabinets, and drywall) cause moisture to be pulled out of the concrete? Or, future wicking of moisture between the two surfaces?
So...for a small kitchen, would this work? Is it better to put wire mesh down? Wouldn't the mesh be lumpy? Is there a more reliable product that won't crack? Thank you!!! Oh...and can 1 person do this alone?
Cool effect. I definitely like it. Use a decoupling membrane and go into this with the understanding that it will crack. Either treat the cracks as a "design opportunity" or just leave them as character. If you're doing this over a slab you definitely need a decoupling membrane because the existing slab will pull the water out of the skim coat too fast and ruin the whole job. Once again, a decoupling membrane would mitigate this issue as well. They are like little waffles so they give the pour something to grip, which helps prevent cracking too. You could hose down the slab but who wants to do that in an existing house.
Hi I have expansion gaps in the concrete in my basement. Do I need to fill those before doing the self level concrete? If so what would I fill it with?
Hello Mike, I just finished doing my Sunroom with my wife and her girlfriend. We had a lot of fun doing it. It came out awesome in my old house. My question to you is after you put the sealer on and lived with it were you happy with the sealer. I thought I'd wait several days before I put the sealer down. The contraption worked great I went with 11/2 inch pipe as Ben recommended.
Turned out pretty good, wondering if any issues using products in interior setting, particularly the sealer...any issues with skin irritants or especially inhalation??..something to consider
I did this DIY pour two times and for the second one we already understood we have to invite few family members to mix with multiple buckets and drills to achieve good pouring times. Mixing of my material was supposed to take 4 minutes and the initial drying time was 20 minutes, so with only one bucket mixing you would pour the 5th bucket on a solidified material. This way I believe it has to be maximum 30 minute job always. What is your experience?
In between pours when the first starts to dry and the next pour runs up next to it like that, use a spray bottle of water where they meet and they two pours will mix together perfect
Smart design. I'm currently staring at my basement floor after draining water and pulling up old tile flooring. The floor is so uneven. I really need to find a way to get it leveled out after I fix the outside gutters/find the leak from outside first of course. I've never did anything like this before but I replaced a transmission from watching RUclips so how much harder could it be lbvs. I know one thing it's got to be done. I appreciate the information in ur video.
You should have ground that floor down to a porous substrate bonding agent when you do because it's made of acrylic and it made the floor slick so you basically used Pam on your pan before you cooked
Good lord. You made this job WAY harder than it should have been. Pour the product on the floor, put on your spiked shoes, and roll with a 36" pin roller. 33 bags is a 1.5 hour job for 1 guy. And yes, I do this at least twice a month. The know nothing comments on this video are incredible.
next time, would you recommend using the gritty non slip sand additive to the sealer coat? How about now, wondering your thoughts are a year later... is it too slippery or did that go away with wear?
I'm curious if I did this if it would be suitable to lay floor tile on, or if a better bet would be laminate planks. I would rather lay the tile honestly but I wouldn't want loose tile later. I know laminate floor will sit atop foam and won't be bothered by cracking or too-thin material
Some of the self leveling floor mixtures are gypsum based last I saw. Which is what they make sheetrock out of. Not very durable. They at that time was meant to correct floor imperfections so you could lay tile on them.
Myself if I was going to do it. I'd use a real concrete. Maybe mix in some pretty stones and or some broken glass. Then grind the top off. This way you don't have that sealer preventing a actual bond to the old concrete also. It then is one solid piece. I don't see a floor like this one lasting long
Why didn’t you mix it in the trash can and eliminate the 5 gallon bucket? Im going to self level my garage floor by myself so I don’t have toe extra hands and was curious if there was a reason
@@Gulag_bog 4 people sitting on a couch is like 1000 lbs, I doubt this will sustain the point loads and will likely crack and pieces will pop off in certain locations overtime due to the thickness
That's what I was thinking. I have done lots of this in big sqft- age. Mix in the big can and save time and back strain. But this stuff was never made for a finished flooring. Not a good idea for long lasting
Hey just a thought. What do you think about adding a slanted platform at the bottom of the trash can so that it funnels into the pipe eliminating the waste at the bottle 👍🏾 great build tho looks like it made the process a lot easier great job looks fun too -bwash
hi I need to level out a basement floor but it looks like the corner where the concrete was originally poured is very high. I’d say it’s about 4-5 inches higher than the rest of the floor just in the one corner. Is grinding my best option or should I look into pouring self leveling concrete or both?
I’m curious if you considered adding as many bags u can to the hopper and then you have a longer pour? I’m seriously considering doing this in our house in south Florida.
why would you pour into the larger bin ? thats just seems counter productive. Wouldnt that waste product at the bottom of the bucket? Id just save a ton of time and pour from the bucket im mixing in .
Personally I think the result looks rather great! Especially for the price and effort. I’m usually sensitive to messiness but I don’t view the different patterns as messy, they replicate stone to my mind and feel more natural than a perfectly uniform colour would
@@dennisschickling2249 it is i fell for it they said i needed to pay shipping to receive my prize and its not the original posters channel always check the channel
I like it. As a Contractor (but not a Concrete Contractor I must admit) I have issue with some of the comments in the thread. Self leveling products shouldn't crack due to just the curing process. Possibly spider cracks if you don't keep the top surface moist enough for the conditions. No control joints necessary and, with the thickness being so minimal, they would be almost impossible to install anyhow. BUT, the existing cracks/control joints (of the original slab) will transfer through over time. How soon is just dependent on the movement of the original slab. The self leveling product isn't flexible so there is virtually no way to keep this from happening. At least as far as I know. If I am wrong, please let me know how to correct this as I would love to have the answer. As far as delamination goes....a better connection between the original slab and the overlay would be to mechanically abrade the slab (grinding). A disclaimer - I have done that and it is a PITA if you don't have the professional equipment. Believe me, I know because I didn't when I did an Epoxy flake in my parents garage for a gift!
What a massive waste of time just pour it from the mixing bucket and roller it. It’s self levelling just prime and seal the floor so the old floor does not dry it out and it will flow on it’s own
I think if/when I attempt to do this, I’d also use a spiked roller to blend the seams, as well as pouring into the wet cement instead of pouring onto dry cement
The primer is for adhesion. Spike roller not needed, just gently drag a rake (like for raking leaves) across the surface for blending, mixing. Works perfctly.
@@phillipgrandison2384 primer stops moisture from leaving the leveller and entering the concrete below. this is how it prevents cracks. spike roller is the best tool for a DIY pour
Ben and you killed this. The device is clever maybe just needs a few tweaks. One bag at a time will never come out as smooth. DIY should be inventive and fun. Things go wrong but that’s how you learn and improve. It’s just a floor if you don’t like it you can clever it and self leveling concrete is the perfect base.
Well a win, but every part of the video i like very much, because of the unique individual style, every part looks like just actually failes the whole thing 😂🎉🎉🎉 But succeeded 😂 !
Hello my friend. I have a problem in my concrete works: I make concrete slabs, but these slabs curl (pend) when dried. Do you have a solution for this problem? Thank you
🤣 It doesn't look like he did any prep on the walls. Nothing to allow for expansion, nothing to seal the gaps so the concrete doesn't flow under the drywall... overall amateur work. I't so bizarre to see clownery like this get hundreds of thousands of views.
I've installed more than 1 million sq ft of Ardex K-15 self leveling underlayment in New York city rehab projects. Hat's off to you for thinking of a new way to dispense the mix, although it has some bugs to work out. On big projects we used a concrete pump and gauge rakes set to 1/4 inch to guide the mix where it needs to go. We then went over it lightly with a long handled type of float to break the surface tension and allow it to flow better. Once it cures you are always going to get tiny hairline cracks that are actually mostly a cosmetic issue, and not a structural problem. It should be sealed with a clear water based matte urethane because it will continuously dust off and you will always have it on your feet if you don't. These materials were designed to go under finished flooring, and not to be the actual floor.
Do you mind sharing what sort of concrete pump you used? I have tried searching online for something similar and have only found very large scale industrial equipment.
@@bcarl10101 concrete pumps tend to be big industrial machines. There aren’t many small pumps.
At the end of the video he used a BEHR sealer is that the same as the matte urethane or something different.
would you recommend that product for a DIYer? considering this instead of LVP (i have some really bowed wooden subfloors)
@bcarl10101 Ardex will rent a small pump delivered to your site. If the pour is under 2000' its not worth it at all.
Holy moly, this is a perfect video of exactly what not to do!! The seams, the using the wrong material that will end up cracking very soon! this floor will have to be completely redone in just a few years. If you take anything from this video its not to copy him at all.
Nice job guys! It looks great. I have a 70,000 sq foot 1927 five story office building. The floors are cement, but poured in small sections which are not level nor flat. Fine for carpet, but we wanted to change to wood (laminate planks). I am just a DIY, not a contractor, but I have done a LOT of these pours (200 to 2000 feet). The first step is we grind down the high spots at the corners and edges of each original pour. Then I like to use this self leveling stuff. It is SIX TIMES the cost of regular cement, but it flows like thick soup. It does NOT in fact self level all that well. Especially if you do it like these guys did, in large pours. The thing is, it sets in a flat amount of TIME, not by drying out (it is a chemical reaction), and that time is just a few minutes. You do not really have time to fuss with it, and if your next bucket is not ready pretty quick, the earlier pour will set before your next pour, and it will not be homogenous (you will end up with dry seams instead of a continuous pour). So, there are a couple of tools we use. One is the beveled cement float (like a push broom for shoving around cement)(A gage rake probably works too). This is used right after you pour a bucket to get it into the corners and edges quickly (time is of the essence). The second tool is the spiked roller (think pinhead on a 18 inch wide paint roller). This is used to QUICKLY smooth it all out and blend the different pours and pop any bubbles (careful not to push it too fast or it will spray cement all over your walls and pants), and do not overdo it, once the cement starts to set, it is game over. The shoes with spikes are cool if you need to walk into it and hit a corner and not ruin your sneakers. Also the cement dust while you are pouring the bags and mixing is very irritating. If doing it outside is not practical (limited time before it sets), set up a place inside (with a heavy drop cloth, it will make a serious mess A CEMENT MESS). I usually have 3-5 people to do it. Have a big trash can of water and a 10 quart bucket with a slot cut horizontally at the 6 quart level so you can quickly grab exactly the right amount of water (the water added needs to be precise). So I have 1 guy on the half inch mixing drill at the bucket, another guy pouring the dry bag into the bucket, and a 3rd guy holding the vacuum with a cyclonic dust extractor (DustDeputy). After the bucket is mixed, a 4th guy will bring it to active room, and pour it out. The final guy then uses the float and pin roller to blend it into the ongoing pour. Have 2 or more buckets in circulation so you can do it assembly line fashion. Note that it sets up and coats the buckets as you go (I can only imagine his trash can thing and spout getting clogged), so having a few extra is nice so you don't get hardened clumps in your pour. Do be sure to wet mop the floor and then put on the primer (like he says, 1 time 50% diluted and then 1 time full strength). The directions say to use a soft push broom to apply, but a cheap paint roller seems to work just as well for me (make it thick, a 3rd coat is not wrong). If you are sloppy with the primer step on an old floor, it will wick out the moisture too fast and in the morning you have a cracked useless mess to chip up and redo. f you don't tape the edges, it will flow right under baseboards or drywall (or cabinets or doors). DO not skimp on taping and sealing where you to NOT want the liquid cement to flow. Caulk cracks in the floor or it may flow through (to the floor below you). Also I can say from experience, this self leveling stuff is rather soft so do not expect it to be a walkable top coat. In fact the manufacturer's website is very clear NOT to leave it as the final surface, it is UNDERLAYMENT, although it is pretty, it is NOT durable, and a thin urethane coating will not make it suddenly durable (note however that there are professional self leveling mixes that ARE certified as a topcoat, but the ones I have found require an authorized installer to buy it).
Dayum... That's a lot of work!
But you've got it down to a science.
Could you not just use ultra fine ag at a really high slump and a bunch of super plasticizer and end up with better results for cheaper?
very good information, thanks for taking the time to type all that out.
😮😊
This is excellent. I've donethis to a floor with 5 gallon buckets and it was extremely tedious. This set-up is fantastic. I made the mistake of letting part of it dry too much before the next pour, like he did. Really imperative to have the next batch ready to go. Definitely best to have someone mixing while you pour.
We in the UK use a large spiked roller like a paint roller but with spikes, it gets the floor level and breaks any lumps up.
Funny video good job
This isn't what this product is designed for, there are cold joins everywhere which will fracture and crack and there are no expansion joins anywhere. He should really do a update video in a year to see if it has cracked through the doorways, cold joins and see what damage the floor has received from general use
Not to mention this is just a slurry mix not concrete. There are going to be huge issues with this.
I wanna se the entire house after 3 years. As far as i have seen the videos it will start falling apart.
No one seems to know the difference between cement and concrete in the real world.
Yeah.. this house should be condemned. He also took a support beam out and placed a heavy brace in the roof that will likely collapse over time. I wouldn’t live here.
@@neondynamite If you ask me all the newer videos where he fiddles with the structual integrity should be taken offline because if people try this at home there is some serious danger.
That slurry will form fine cracks overtime, despite having been protected with a sealer. It might not do anything to the floor structurally considering it's a single storey house but it will be visible. Now, if you want to prevent that, lay down a layer of fine mesh (preferably a fibre mesh instead of a metal one as the latter would expand when the concrete sets, creating uneven waves) before pouring in the self-leveler slurry. The mesh will provide tensile strength, preventing any cracks from forming on the floor...
that is a good idea, do you secure the mesh to the floor with any sort of anchor or just lay it on flat with nothing holding it in place?
This works great as a floor underlayment, but it is going to crack. Cementitious products will lose moisture over the next few weeks and continue to harden and shrink and creep. It's just the properties of products themselves. This is why sidewalks have joints in them and why slab on grades have saw cuts typically 20-25 feet on center to allow cracks to form along that joint.
Over the next few weeks you'll likely see spider cracking. It doesn't mean that it is falling apart, Mike may make it a feature. Hopefully it doesn't delaminate and start popping off, but the bonding agent that Mike laid down should help with that. Like I said, it's primary application is an underlayment for floor so you don't care if it cracks because a wood floor or tile is the main surface. I'd love to see a 1 year follow up on this floor and especially the countertops since I have less faith in those holding up over time.
I can consider myself an expert with knowing concrete, I am a structural engineer so I know a whole lot about concrete. I also sometimes get asked questions about cementitious products like this to help architects spec floor underlayments that will work with their finishes.
If/when it does crack to make it a feature what would you suggest to have like a darker color settle into the cracks ( like grout) and then put Epoxy overlay?
@@Angibbabee I'm not sure, Mike is very creative so I'm sure he will think of something. He did a thing previously where he put gold flakes in the concrete cracks so I'm excited to see what he would do when some cracks form. Also, I wouldn't expect the cracks to be very large, probably just some consistent small spider cracking where you can see it but it doesn't quite open up
This is a self leveling compound, which is significantly different to a self leveling concrete screed.
If it is cementitious in nature it would have plenty of admixtures to prevent the cracking
it is levelling compound which is designed to be self levelling. It's over 40mpa, so it won't crack as long as there wasn't too much water or too thick.
I didn't want to get too technical in my comment where it becomes too long and boring. Concrete and grout are similar being cementitious materials. They both use cement as the "glue" for sand and/or stone. There may be other admixtures used to help prevent cracking but they only go so far, they help reduce the concern if cracking but it does not eliminate it entirely. Concrete and grout will crack eventually, it is just part of the material properties, unless it is under constant compression and does not see bending or significant shear. Spider cracks are going to fork eventually, but I would also say the same thing if he poured a fresh concrete slab here too. The best thing you can do is to mitigate it.
The main concern I would have with using this material as a floor finish is the same concern I have with the "concrete” countertops that he previously made. A thin skim coat just will not last as the finish. Inevitably you're going to drop something on the floor or counter and it will chip off. It's just going to happen when such a thin layer is put down and used as the finished surface, and is irrelevant of the material strength properties.
For concrete alone, the minimum thickness I would specify for a pour is 2" for a topping slab, and even then I would probably want a 3/8" stone and fibermesh used to mitigate cracking due to drying/curling, and shrinkage over time.
I have never seen an architect call for a skim coat like this to be used as a finished floor, and a contractor would also want to stay away from this too because they would probably not warranty the work. Like I said, this would be great as a floor underlayment, but I have big concerns about durability as a finished floor over time.
You could just… pour it on the floor from the buckets…
Those buckets are extremely heavy. The wheels make 1-2 people work a bit easier. But yes if you had a crew pouring from buckets makes more sense!
@@pandaexpresso You mean the buckets they used to mix in, and then transfer to the trash bin? Same amount of energy. But this method uses more steps and is not going to let the material self level as well. This is a 1 to 2 person job.
True that.
Didn’t you see how it hardened up 4:45? If your consistently pouring you won’t get overlaps, it’s also faster, practically
If you wanna not do a nice job and easy clean up just pour on floor
I just called the company that makes this stuff & they said it is only to be used as an underlayment & not for an exposed concrete floor. They said because of pressure points it will crack. I also called a concrete specialist about doing this & he said you need at least 3" of concrete to get to the necessary PSI. 1/4" or co will crack & possibly shatter like glass. I'll be curious to see how yours holds up over time.
Yep... I have used this stuff and it will crack where there is a thin layer (near the edges) when you walk on it, and after cracking, some thin layers may come loose.
There's a special product for doing this kind of floor called Microcrete. This self levelling is only supposed to be used as a base for other flooring.
I love ❤the look of the floor so much!!
@@Lee-xs4dj other flooring, like wood laminate?
Many companies sell product that can be used very well for other things. However if they market it for something and it's not approved by governing bodies they can get sued. For example r13 pink fiberglass insulation is great for stopping smoke coming from a fire place but it's not rated for that use.
Ya know, Mike just goes out and tries stuff. Every video has comments from tradesmen who are highly skeptical of the processes. I guess, props to Mike for just doing cool stuff and seeing how it turns out
This is interesting but what is the plan when someone drops something heavy on it and cracks it in a spot? Chip up a square of it and re-pour? Just use filler in the chip/crack?
likely it will damage easily. this is designed to be used under an actual interior flooring like carpet, tile, LVP, wood. we used this in our basement remodel after framing to level the floors. i wouldnt personally use this as a top coat.
Exactly, it should be used underneath a more durable floor material. Using this as the finished floor itself will not hold up over time for several reasons. The thin layer will start popping off over time, and it'll likely chip off when something is dropped on it
Kinda like tile😮
@@mram7715 Except tile can be singularly replaced. That’s my point…each tile is separate, this is one smooth, continuous pour - if it cracks, you either have to scratch up and re-pour the entire floor, or replace one little area and now have a finish that isn’t smooth, which is the entire allure of this in the first place.
I'm doing this in a tiny bathroom with a wood subfloor. I filled the low spots, and then put down an anti fracture membrane with thin set. I'm pouring the self leveler in two stages. Stage 1 over the membrane with course sand cast into the top. Step 2, remove excess sand, prime the surface and then pour the second layer. I figure this will be strong, and resist cracking.
I dont understand all the hate. For a two person job I really don’t see the suggested comments where they say it should just be “directly poured on floor” working out. Too many seams with walking back and forth and opening bags etc. I think this was an excellent way to build a tool that saved your back, your time, and a lot of headaches running around trying to prevent a seam from each bag. Great job
Can you do an update on the floor condition?
His actual project cost of the level quik rs is $1440 from home depot at $36 per bag. The extra bucket and mixing tools add more to the total.
He could have bought regular thinset for $12 dollars a bag and spent the remainder on italian carrera marble tile if he knew what he was doing.
lol, you are so right. The video looked more like a gay weekend for the boys anyways.
Elaborate please.
No
@@donkzilla2293 Concrete is pretty good at leveling itself but even the best pours can have low lying areas, for those minor imperfections in your floor, using thinset to fill them in will get you level but also save you a lot of money. Then you install your choice of flooring on top, a few bags could easily stretch to fill in the low lying areas of a floor this size - you'd need a 8-ft carpenter's level to ensure you can spot those imperfections over a wide area by placing the level on different areas of the floor, and seeing if it lays flat in all spots. Mark the spots it doesn't and thin set those. I'm doing this currently in my basement.
@@wipwhopdipdhop3673 appreciate it mate! About to get all the supplies and get to work 👍
Would you suggest doing this in a house that is out of level? I house that I just bought is structurally sound. However, foundation level it's not within "tolerance". I'm thinking about using this cement to level the flooring.
Hey Mike. It's been almost a year. Any issues with cracking?
Every time a new modern builds video drops:
1. Click the thumbnail
2. Reduce volume by 50%
You know, they make a special type of mixer for this sort of application. It is basically a 55 gallon drum held in a steel frame with a gimbal and a heavy duty mixer built in. This way you can mix several bags at once and the entire drum rotates to pour out the cement as needed. It is sooo much easier and faster than mixing in five gallon buckets. The cheapest versions cost around $1500, but you can usually find a place to rent one for $30 - $40 dollars a day.
In CA there is a company called CONCRETE RENTALS and they rent one called the "HIPPO - Mixer" $150 for three days or $300 for a week. There are far cheaper rental options but CA...
I have been wanting to repave my recording studio and I might actually attempt this
this looks like it worked a lot better than I would have thought. Use a spike roller next time, it would have made a huge difference
used the same sealer and yes, freaky slippery. after about 3 months of walking carefully use and multiple vinegar and mrs meyers mops, it's normal smooth. rugs still slip around and need rubber pads tho.
I think that this is a SCAM.
Looks cool but is missing joints to prevent excess cracking. Another thing you can do on top of existing concrete is semco you don’t have to add joints and they have colors that look like concrete
Have fun changing out base cabinets
Disclaimer : don't try this at home. Especially not if you're thinking of putting down glue down vinyl. You will have so much extra prep work flattening out all those nice twirls he made _ and sorely regret each little lump you didn't fix or missed after a few months.
I've installed many glue down and adhesive backed vinyl floors. Using self leveling thinset is a must for a smooth, flat end product. But, it needs to be mixed properly. For example, most people dont realize you want to add a latex additive to the mix so it doesnt dry into a powdery mess.
Also, seeing how incredibly talented you are, you should also modify the cement container once more, by creating a slanted bottom on the inside of it, so that the wet concrete naturally channels down into the spout, so you don't have to lift the container at the end. Amazing job!
That's why you're supposed to use a spike roller to adjatate the concrete to make sure it blends
Wouldn't direct contact with porous material(wood shelves, wood kitchen cabinets, and drywall) cause moisture to be pulled out of the concrete? Or, future wicking of moisture between the two surfaces?
What's with the double triple six hand sign ?
In 1976 when I was 9, there was a thing called the immaculate contraption. I am now looking for the plans for that device!
Can you do this over wooden subfloors ?
Could you get the same results by just pouring the buckets on the floor without building the trash can pourer?
its much slower.. and the mixes sit for a while if they're not immediately on-hand
Yes, He added an extra step just to make a trending youtube video.
in theory could this be done and then laminate wood flooring be put down over top?
Just when I think you can't do anything better you go and outdo yourself. Well done my friend.
How long after completing the project did you apply the sealer?
So...for a small kitchen, would this work? Is it better to put wire mesh down? Wouldn't the mesh be lumpy? Is there a more reliable product that won't crack? Thank you!!!
Oh...and can 1 person do this alone?
I would love to see a long level or straight edge on that floor to see how flat it turned out without working it or using any depth guides
Cool effect. I definitely like it.
Use a decoupling membrane and go into this with the understanding that it will crack. Either treat the cracks as a "design opportunity" or just leave them as character. If you're doing this over a slab you definitely need a decoupling membrane because the existing slab will pull the water out of the skim coat too fast and ruin the whole job. Once again, a decoupling membrane would mitigate this issue as well. They are like little waffles so they give the pour something to grip, which helps prevent cracking too. You could hose down the slab but who wants to do that in an existing house.
That's what the primer does. You would absolutely not but down the decoupling membrane like ditra first.
Hi I have expansion gaps in the concrete in my basement. Do I need to fill those before doing the self level concrete? If so what would I fill it with?
Hello Mike, I just finished doing my Sunroom with my wife and her girlfriend. We had a lot of fun doing it. It came out awesome in my old house. My question to you is after you put the sealer on and lived with it were you happy with the sealer. I thought I'd wait several days before I put the sealer down. The contraption worked great I went with 11/2 inch pipe as Ben recommended.
Update on what these floors look like now?!?
Turned out pretty good, wondering if any issues using products in interior setting, particularly the sealer...any issues with skin irritants or especially inhalation??..something to consider
I did this DIY pour two times and for the second one we already understood we have to invite few family members to mix with multiple buckets and drills to achieve good pouring times. Mixing of my material was supposed to take 4 minutes and the initial drying time was 20 minutes, so with only one bucket mixing you would pour the 5th bucket on a solidified material. This way I believe it has to be maximum 30 minute job always. What is your experience?
In between pours when the first starts to dry and the next pour runs up next to it like that, use a spray bottle of water where they meet and they two pours will mix together perfect
Try drilling a bunch of 1/4 holes in the cap and use it as a sprinkler head to get some crazy patterns!
Sliding in socks on floors is my #1 hobby!
Love ur vids
I am very concerned this will crack.
It will
@@BluezCinema yeah it seems very thin
It won’t
Did we leave the shelves in place and pour around them…?
Smart design. I'm currently staring at my basement floor after draining water and pulling up old tile flooring. The floor is so uneven. I really need to find a way to get it leveled out after I fix the outside gutters/find the leak from outside first of course. I've never did anything like this before but I replaced a transmission from watching RUclips so how much harder could it be lbvs. I know one thing it's got to be done. I appreciate the information in ur video.
What would you suggest doing to make them less slippery?
You should have ground that floor down to a porous substrate bonding agent when you do because it's made of acrylic and it made the floor slick so you basically used Pam on your pan before you cooked
Binding should of stayed wet while pouring
Hey do you have an update on how this held up over the years?
Good lord. You made this job WAY harder than it should have been. Pour the product on the floor, put on your spiked shoes, and roll with a 36" pin roller. 33 bags is a 1.5 hour job for 1 guy. And yes, I do this at least twice a month. The know nothing comments on this video are incredible.
next time, would you recommend using the gritty non slip sand additive to the sealer coat? How about now, wondering your thoughts are a year later... is it too slippery or did that go away with wear?
noticed that you didn't put a straight edge to demonstrate the flatness... how did you gauge that you hit your desired depth?
Cool idea. Floating two rooms at work right now but on lunch . Going To put engineered prefinished flooring 5/8 × 6 3/4 riva floors is the brand .
Can you do this if your house has a plywood subfloor over a crawlspace?
Question, would they crack or pit with heels 👠 foot traffic?
I have a question
Why didn’t you buy the premade Rubbermaid trash can dolly
I'm curious if I did this if it would be suitable to lay floor tile on, or if a better bet would be laminate planks. I would rather lay the tile honestly but I wouldn't want loose tile later. I know laminate floor will sit atop foam and won't be bothered by cracking or too-thin material
I really like the swirl pattern. Can you tell me how durable this floor is? How is Ben’s floor holding up? Interested to see future updates.
Video been out 2 weeks.
He already needs to install new flooring.
This is not how to do this.
Some of the self leveling floor mixtures are gypsum based last I saw. Which is what they make sheetrock out of. Not very durable. They at that time was meant to correct floor imperfections so you could lay tile on them.
Myself if I was going to do it. I'd use a real concrete. Maybe mix in some pretty stones and or some broken glass. Then grind the top off. This way you don't have that sealer preventing a actual bond to the old concrete also. It then is one solid piece. I don't see a floor like this one lasting long
How are the floors after a year? Any cracks?
How did you make sure that you poured 1/4 in throughout the house?
Why didn’t you mix it in the trash can and eliminate the 5 gallon bucket?
Im going to self level my garage floor by myself so I don’t have toe extra hands and was curious if there was a reason
but how tough is the floor. Have you chipped it yet?
Which do you think would be strongest and longest lasting option: RS Leveler, ReCap, or NewCrete?
Biggest problem you made, is that the leveler you used isn’t rated as a wear surface. You need to use something like Mapei M20 plus or their Ultratop
does this even matter if its just for foot traffic and is sealed?
@@Gulag_bog 4 people sitting on a couch is like 1000 lbs, I doubt this will sustain the point loads and will likely crack and pieces will pop off in certain locations overtime due to the thickness
@modern builds ardex sells a nice spiked roller to hit those edges when pouring and lets blend everything and hit any dry lumps!
Can you mix the bags inside the trash can?
That's what I was thinking. I have done lots of this in big sqft- age. Mix in the big can and save time and back strain. But this stuff was never made for a finished flooring. Not a good idea for long lasting
What the load rating on this stuff ? I've got an uneven garage floor idea like to level. Will this hold up to a car driving on it too?
Would electric radiant heating work under this?
is there an update video on this floor yet?
Can you do this over wooden floors
Update on how this held up?
Hey just a thought. What do you think about adding a slanted platform at the bottom of the trash can so that it funnels into the pipe eliminating the waste at the bottle 👍🏾 great build tho looks like it made the process a lot easier great job looks fun too -bwash
I love the video. But can you say how much water you added to the concrete to get that consistency?
hi I need to level out a basement floor but it looks like the corner where the concrete was originally poured is very high. I’d say it’s about 4-5 inches higher than the rest of the floor just in the one corner. Is grinding my best option or should I look into pouring self leveling concrete or both?
Can we can an update on how the floors look now?
I’m curious if you considered adding as many bags u can to the hopper and then you have a longer pour? I’m seriously considering doing this in our house in south Florida.
Damn, and I was about to pay somebody 8k to do the same sq footage for me. Thanks a bunch!
why would you pour into the larger bin ? thats just seems counter productive.
Wouldnt that waste product at the bottom of the bucket? Id just save a ton of time and pour from the bucket im mixing in .
Do you replace the spout between uses, or are you able to wash it out in time?
Personally I think the result looks rather great! Especially for the price and effort. I’m usually sensitive to messiness but I don’t view the different patterns as messy, they replicate stone to my mind and feel more natural than a perfectly uniform colour would
I think that this is a SCAM.
Like other have said those swirl patterns is where cracks will happen.
@@dennisschickling2249 it is i fell for it they said i needed to pay shipping to receive my prize and its not the original posters channel always check the channel
I like it.
As a Contractor (but not a Concrete Contractor I must admit) I have issue with some of the comments in the thread. Self leveling products shouldn't crack due to just the curing process. Possibly spider cracks if you don't keep the top surface moist enough for the conditions. No control joints necessary and, with the thickness being so minimal, they would be almost impossible to install anyhow.
BUT, the existing cracks/control joints (of the original slab) will transfer through over time. How soon is just dependent on the movement of the original slab. The self leveling product isn't flexible so there is virtually no way to keep this from happening. At least as far as I know. If I am wrong, please let me know how to correct this as I would love to have the answer.
As far as delamination goes....a better connection between the original slab and the overlay would be to mechanically abrade the slab (grinding). A disclaimer - I have done that and it is a PITA if you don't have the professional equipment. Believe me, I know because I didn't when I did an Epoxy flake in my parents garage for a gift!
What a massive waste of time just pour it from the mixing bucket and roller it. It’s self levelling just prime and seal the floor so the old floor does not dry it out and it will flow on it’s own
I think if/when I attempt to do this, I’d also use a spiked roller to blend the seams, as well as pouring into the wet cement instead of pouring onto dry cement
I wonder if the primer he used is meant to seal the underfloor so it doesn't rob moisture from the curing wet batch
The primer is for adhesion. Spike roller not needed, just gently drag a rake (like for raking leaves) across the surface for blending, mixing. Works perfctly.
@@phillipgrandison2384 primer stops moisture from leaving the leveller and entering the concrete below. this is how it prevents cracks. spike roller is the best tool for a DIY pour
shoutout to billy madison shaking the kids face when you were mixing the concrete! Stay here! As Looooooong as you can!
this cannot be done on houses with basements right? the weight and the concrete might seep out?
genuine question - how come you didn't use a spiked roller?
I think a cement-look ceramic tile large format would have been the way to go, you also could have had floor heating
Can I put that over existing tiles?
You could add a light aggregate to the clear to limit slipping
Ben and you killed this. The device is clever maybe just needs a few tweaks. One bag at a time will never come out as smooth. DIY should be inventive and fun. Things go wrong but that’s how you learn and improve. It’s just a floor if you don’t like it you can clever it and self leveling concrete is the perfect base.
Well a win, but every part of the video i like very much, because of the unique individual style, every part looks like just actually failes the whole thing 😂🎉🎉🎉
But succeeded 😂 !
Absolutely great video ! I was actually looking for a similar diy video for my driveway but this was great nonetheless
Did you add wax to it to extend the life of the sealer? There's a video out there that recommends 1 to 6 coats of wax.
Hello my friend. I have a problem in my concrete works:
I make concrete slabs, but these slabs curl (pend) when dried. Do you have a solution for this problem?
Thank you
I’m confused, isn’t this cement slurry? Shouldn’t concrete be a mixture of cement with something else?
What was your prep work to the walls / sheetrock? We're wanting to do something similar in a closet and bedroom.
🤣 It doesn't look like he did any prep on the walls. Nothing to allow for expansion, nothing to seal the gaps so the concrete doesn't flow under the drywall... overall amateur work. I't so bizarre to see clownery like this get hundreds of thousands of views.