Hi Guys,
So I get to install an Owen's Plank Floor over a slab that cracked diagonally across the floor. Where the crack is, the slab drops off fairly quickly and slopes down toward the exterior foundation. I'm guessing the foundation settled years ago and so the slab cracked. So I need to bring up this low area (about 100 sq.ft.) to level/flat with the rest of the slab. I'm thinking a self leveling cementious product. I know I will still need to screed and move the mix around. My idea was to lay some aluminium square stock across the low areas and set it to be flat with the high areas. then use it as a guide to fill and screed with. I could either leave it in the dried fill or tear it out and fill where it was. Anyone see a problem with this? And what self leveler would you recommend? I don't have to do much slab work and in the past, all I needed to do was fill a few low spots. This is more like capping it as the depth would be about 1&1/2" at the thickest place. I feel like a duck out of water on this one!

You don't screed a self leveler! If you try, you'll have a mess.

If it is a big area, a pump & mixer unit is the way to go. You just push it around, starting at a wall and let it finds its level, as you work your way out the door, or the area.

Go to Adrex website and look up the installation specs and proceedures for K-15.

Thanks Perry. So Ardex K-15 is the stuff heh? Will try it!

Gary, I you have to work fast with self leveller you only have about 10 minutes once its on the floor.

So stephen, how would you go about bring this area (100 sq.ft.) up to level/flat? Just trying to get some ideas from you concrete gurus.

Gary, I mix two bags at a time in a trash can, I would find my lowest point and see how deep my leveller needs to be and set my gauge rake to that depth you have about 10 mins max to push it around, dont use a trowel you will just make a mess of it. I prefer to use Mapei Novoplan 1 better run time than Ardex k15 dont forget to prime the floor first, If you are sealing the floor Strate stuff sealer can also be used in place of a primer other wise use ultraprime L. If you over mix or pump the drill up and down while mixing you get too much air in the leveller and less run time and loads of tiny pin holes. It should look like a sheet of glass.

So guys, check it out, my customer didn't want to pay to have the slab repaired and doesn't want to pay a restocking fee so now she wants me to install the Owen's in an upstairs bedroom and hallway. Oh, contracting is such an interesting business.