ᐅ Leveling Compound for Floor Smoothing

Created on: 6 Jan 2016 20:28
T
tester23
T
tester23
6 Jan 2016 20:28
Hello everyone,

First, some details about my apartment. I am having an underfloor heating system milled in afterwards.

I consulted with a PCI advisor who recommended the following after milling:

1. Prime the milled channels
2. Fill with Nanocret R2
3. Prime the entire floor afterward
4. Install edge insulation strips
5. Level the floor with Periplan Extra

Now my questions:

1. I need to level the entire apartment. Do I have to separate each room from one another?
If I separate rooms with a wooden batten (at the door frame), for example, a 3mm (0.12 inch) height difference builds up compared to the next room. When I then move to the next room — let’s say the living room is finished, I remove the batten and the living room is now 3mm (0.12 inch) higher than the hallway. Since I no longer need to separate the hallway from the living room, will the hallway eventually level out with the living room? Or am I misunderstanding something? In the end, will I be left with one flat surface throughout the entire apartment?

2. If that is the case, how problematic is it if the living room section is partly cured already, and I then start the hallway so that the hallway and living room perfectly blend to one level?

3. Or do I have to separate every room from each other so that a slot essentially remains in front of every room?

4. How do you ensure precisely 3mm (0.12 inch) thickness, for example? I have seen several videos where the material is spread with a trowel or smoother—how do they know when they have reached 3, 4, or 5mm (0.12, 0.16, or 0.20 inch)?

Thanks in advance for the answers.

Regards, tester
Y
ypg
6 Jan 2016 22:17
Yes, you need to install an expansion strip individually in every room, including across the door frame.
I once worked on a room with a flowing screed, which could not be walked on initially. It is also advisable to use a compound that does not dry quickly, as there is a risk of it drying during application, which can cause unevenness in the floor.
Regarding the last question: the consumption is calculated based on x square meters... At least that has been my experience and knowledge.
K
karismasen
21 Jan 2016 15:29
I can confirm this as well... I installed about 180sqm (1937 sqft) of self-leveling compound. I calculated the amount of kilograms or bags needed for each room based on the manufacturer’s instructions (the data for the leveling compound was very accurate... I always had just a minimal amount left in the bucket).

I did the same with the primer... but strangely, the manufacturer’s specifications didn’t match here—I only used about half.

I didn’t separate the transitions between the rooms. As ypg mentioned, edge insulation strips need to be placed along the walls... luckily, I still had mine from the screed phase.

Regarding your point 1: Is "Nanocret R2" some kind of flow resin? I did it without—just poured in the leveling compound and that was it.

Oh yes, and before laying the floor, make sure to sand the whole surface well! It takes a bit of practice to get the hang of it... the machine can be tricky to handle.