Thanks to everyone who has coached me along during my 3/4 " flooring install on slab project using "The Gary Method" Just to refresh your memories (you all respond like you actually care. You're a credit to your industry. Thank you) I'm sealing the floor with a roll on vapor barrier product, then leveling the low spots with leveler, attach the CDX a urethane adhesive and screwing the CDX into the floor for my subfloor.

I'm using a product made by APAC, made just up the road in Dalton, GA, the flooring capital of the world. http://www.apacadhesives.com/wood.htm I've spoken to APAC's technical department several times and they have been very helpful in answering my questions about their product.

I've done a small area for testing purposes. The VB roll on applied easy enough with a nap roller. I then leveled a section of the flooring over the VB and let dry for about three days. I've noticed that the leveler, when you lightly run your shoe over it, turns to a sandy powder. The whole patch does not, but just a very thin top layer. FWIW, bought the leveler from Home Depot. My question is will the leveler hold up over time once the urethane adhevise is applied to the CDX and reinforced with concrete screws. Or will it pulverize over time? I know this concern has appeared on this forum before, but after my recent testing/experience with the leveler, what am I to think.

Sorry to be a worry wart, guy. Just want to make sure I do this right.

Thanks everyone....Stan

Stan,

I think I would have used the leveler before using the vapor barrier. But you may be at the point of no return on this. Typically, you level first, then apply your VB and then glue and screw/nail down the plywood. I don't really know what will happen to the patching compound over the VB. I guess it depends on which VB product you used. Does the patching compound appear to be well bonded at this time? If so, then carry on I suppose. BTW, The compounds I've used (Ardex and so on) produced "powder" when rubbed. I believe the adhesive will penetrate the compound enough to bond quite well. I don't think you should be concerned about that aspect.

Gary,

From the discussions on this board, that is what I thought, too. The manufacturer of the VB states, and I confirmed it with tech support, that the VB goes down first, then the leveler, then the adhesive. It's their product, so I guess they would know. I am going to call them tomorrow, anyway, regarding their seven year warranty of the VB. Sounds weak.

The leveler is well bonded, but can be scraped off with a scraper if I work at it. The test area we're talking about is 2' x 2'.

Thanks for easing my fear on the leveler powder issue.

Best...Stan

Hi again everyone. Tried of me yet?

Had an interesting conversation with a marble/tile guy to and we got on the subject of my 3/4" on slab project. Told him about all I've learned here with regards using leveling compound to take care of the normal irregularities on a slab. He offered this tibit that I had not considered or what was mentioned hear on this board. If I'm going to level an area of my floor that requires say 1/2" build up, I will need to make sure my Tapcons screws are long enough to penentrate the 1/2" of leveler and still have 1" of slab penetration. I have 3/16" x 1 3/4 in screws at the moment for plywood to slab contact areas. Therefore, I will have aprox. a 1" grab in the slab. But for the areas that may have 1/2" leveler buildup, I will only have a 1/2" grab into the slab. I suspect that I may have to get longer screws to acommodate the difference. But since I'll also be using an adhesive under the CDX for added bonding, maybe this won't be neccessary.

Thoughts?

Best...Stan "the more I learn the more questions I have" Kaady

I had the same situation and in areas where I had thick patches, some tapcons would not hold. It was a 50-50 chance, and also depended if the plywood was warped and needed a lot of holding power. Buying a small quantity of 1/2" longer screws might not be a bad idea. Just don't get screws that are too long. I bought some that were a bit too long, and there was no way in hell they were going in all the way. They would bite at almost all the way down and just freeze.