Hello,
I’m beginning the process of finishing my basement and trying to decide what to do with the floor. The house is around 90 years old and has an old slab that’s pretty solid, but not suitable to put any vinyl or laminate floor over.
I’m not really into jackhammering it out if I can avoid it, and suspect I’d run into bedrock pretty quick based on a footing pad I recently poured, but need to keep as much head room as possible. Any sugggestions for how thin is two thin? What can I get away with if I use fiber mesh or wire mesh, or both….ideas?
Thanks.
Replies
they make a self leveling grout that works good, its pump in. They use it on the radian heating in slabs.
Thanks. I've heard of that. I wonder how thin it can be without cracking up??
The self-levelling grout or floor fill is not really self-levelling, but it's probably the best choice for your needs. It sets up pretty quickly, like 15 minutes is the working time. It acts more like pancake batter than water: it keeps a thick leading edge. Once you get it pushed all over the floor, it does tend to level out.
Check the on-line site for Ardex to see who carries it in your area. There are other brands as well. The local dealer may be able to give you the name of a contractor who can pour it for you.
There are different grades of the floor fill: some stuff is good for 0" to about 1/2", and other stuff is good for 1/4" to 1" thick.
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
At 90 years old the basement probably has no vapor barrier which should be taken into consideration when weighing your plan of action.
Rez:
My thought was gypcrete. My company uses it in the apartments we build over the wood subfloor. I wonder if there is some kind of vinyl or polymer add mixture that would make self leveling floor coverings less likely to transmit moisture?
I'm coming up to a similar situation and I'm wondering if a poly sheet can't just be placed over the old slab and a regular concrete slab placed on top of it.
Can't help you with the gypcrete as I'm pretty much a greenhorn with concrete.
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The pourable self leveling compounds that are used under ceramic tile work very well. They can be feathered down to nearly nothing. While most commonly used under ceramic tile, they can be used under vinyl tile and carpet, too.
You must follow the measuring and mixing directions exactly. Do not add water by eye or it won't work properly. When placing the material it helps to give it a little push around with an old broom or squeegee, but don't fuss. Once it makes some contact with the entire floor, leave it alone to level itself.
Also, all cracks and holes must be sealed or it will run down into them and you'll loose it.
Also, all cracks and holes must be sealed or it will run down into them and you'll loose it.
I can attest to that ... personal experience ... second floor of an office building ...
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
Pull up the old slab. Rent an impact drill and use the following expansive cracking agent:
http://www.granitecitytool.com/showitem.cfm?itemnum=845&catnum=128&pcatnum=80
As the instruction warn, work from an open edge, or you risk damage to the foundation walls from the expantion happening in the slab.
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.
How uneven is the existiong floor? Just as a wild guess, what about installing 1/2" rigid XPS foam and then 5/8" T&G floor sheathing?