# Muffing basement floor



## Mercer (Apr 14, 2012)

Can you mud a basement floor with the thin set or do you have to use the Portland sand mix? Only need to level out the floor, 3/4" at best.


----------



## Evan1968 (Dec 5, 2010)

Whats the reason you need to mud the floor? I find that using lightning instead of thunder works best!:whistling

Give up some details! Pics would be good too! We like pics!:thumbsup:

Quick answer to the question...no thunder. You need a mud mix.


----------



## Mercer (Apr 14, 2012)

Lol, damn auto correct!!


----------



## Evan1968 (Dec 5, 2010)

I figured it was auto correct! 



Mercer said:


> need to level out the floor, 3/4" at best.


We talking dips or rolls in the floor? Remember....it only needs to be flat,not level.


----------



## Mercer (Apr 14, 2012)

It has dips and is considerably out of level. I would like to get it as close to level as well. I had 2 1/2 yards of sand delivered today and picked up 10 bags of Portland. I am mixing 2 buckets of sand to 1/2 bucket of Portland.


----------



## CO762 (Feb 22, 2010)

Mercer, buckets? Just shovel it into the mixer and count that way.
How are you going to get it into the basement? Or is this where the buckets come in? 

Sounds like a fun project.


----------



## Mercer (Apr 14, 2012)

CO762 said:


> Mercer, buckets? Just shovel it into the mixer and count that way.
> How are you going to get it into the basement? Or is this where the buckets come in?
> 
> Sounds like a fun project.


Yup, that's where the buckets come in. Also, was told you shouldn't mix the mud in a mixer, is this true??


----------



## Evan1968 (Dec 5, 2010)

I know you already have the sand but if you just want to level it and take the dips out you could use SLC. It will go from feather edge to 1". 

http://www.custombuildingproducts.c...rapid-setting-self-leveling-underlayment.aspx


----------



## Mercer (Apr 14, 2012)

Doing almost 700 sq ft. Figured the mud would be the economical way.


----------



## Evan1968 (Dec 5, 2010)

Mercer said:


> Figured the mud would be the economical way.


Thats true but your way off the charts as far as time is concerned. How about just mudding the really low spots and then using the SLC as a final? Going to have a hard time getting that mud to a feather edge without it breaking apart and crumbling.


----------



## Mercer (Apr 14, 2012)

No need to go as thin as a feathered edge. Just going to take my time and try to get good results. May switch to SLC on west side of the basement though. It will save time for sure!! Going to post pics later today. Basement needs to wait until yard work is done. :-/


----------



## MALCO.New.York (Feb 27, 2008)

Mercer said:


> No need to go as thin as a feathered edge. /




Hmmmmm.


----------



## Mercer (Apr 14, 2012)

Couple hours in. So far so good.


----------



## Evan1968 (Dec 5, 2010)

Soooo...how do we know we are level?:whistling Any screed guides?
Are you using some kind of slurry coat to get a good bond between the mud and concrete?

Hopefully we wont see a posting from you later stating the thunder is breaking apart because it didn't bond on your muffed floor.


----------



## Mercer (Apr 14, 2012)

Using a slurry coat and a level taped to a straight 2x4. So far the leveling has been going well. Bonding seems strong so far, did a test area last night and was nice and strong this morning. Any tips are appreciated though!!


----------



## Elyrain (Dec 17, 2007)

The bond always seems good until the two different types of concrete expand and contract a few hundred times. You should use a bonding agent. Unless its your own house, then, I don't care what you do.


----------



## Mercer (Apr 14, 2012)

What do you recommend?


----------



## Evan1968 (Dec 5, 2010)

What are you using for a slurry coat? Modified thinset?


----------



## Elyrain (Dec 17, 2007)

Concrete glue would at least be a start, you can get that anywhere. I would have used weld-crete as a concrete primer.


----------



## Mercer (Apr 14, 2012)

Laticrete latex slurry bond.


----------



## Mercer (Apr 14, 2012)

Is weld crete a better product to use?


----------



## Evan1968 (Dec 5, 2010)

> Laticrete latex slurry bond.


Carry on!:thumbsup:


----------



## CO762 (Feb 22, 2010)

Man, this is interesting.

Yeah you can use a mixer, but you have to adjust it a little.
If you have a basement window, just open it and shovel an obamaload of sand down there and bring down some bags of cement.
Throw down a sheet of plywood, then mix your sand and cement and water on that, using the masonry hoe you just bought. You should be able to chop it pretty fast that way, certainly faster than humping down some buckets of it.
Gotta bond it unless you're doing a floating floor, but it doesn't look like you are. And just remember, people call it drypack for a reason.



Elyrain said:


> Unless its your own house, then, I don't care what you do.


I think it is.


----------



## Mercer (Apr 14, 2012)

Well, end of day one & got about 1/4 of the basement done. Coming out nice & level. Everything seams sound. Being I'm a carpenter, masonry is a nice change but wouldn't want to do it everyday!! Although it would allow me to skip the gym!! Lol. Back to work tomorrow, only going to have the evenings to continue the mud. Hope to be able to start tile next week. Keep you all posted. Thanks for all the advice, BIG help!!!!!


----------



## Mercer (Apr 14, 2012)

Ahhhhhh!!!! This is what I've been looking forward to all day!!!


----------



## CO762 (Feb 22, 2010)

Mercer said:


> Well, end of day one & got about 1/4 of the basement done. Coming out nice & level.


finish this mercer and we'll crown you, "The Big Muffti". :thumbsup:

Or "Grand Muffti" if that's what you prefer.


----------



## Mercer (Apr 14, 2012)

SWEET!!! Lol.


----------



## CO762 (Feb 22, 2010)

Lighten up on the water in your mix Grand Muffti.

And rather than spend all that money on another product, say a laticrete one,...much less a high dollar one, use the ones you already have there and you can do this whole thing. You have sand, cement, and water (and beer of course).

So think the opposite of "wet set".


----------



## Mercer (Apr 14, 2012)

What do you suggest?


----------



## Mercer (Apr 14, 2012)

Starting to end up with dips in my dry pack, any suggestions??


----------



## CO762 (Feb 22, 2010)

Mercer said:


> Starting to end up with dips in my dry pack, any suggestions??


I don't understand Muffti (haven't earned 'Grand' yet). 
Do you mean you're not getting a flat float as you pull the mud? Or something weird and extra terrestial happens after you're done and when you come back, there are divots?

If you're using that 2x4 with a level on top to float, ditch that. 
We need more information....but I might go with what Evan said and just ditch the whole idea and pour down some SLC to fill the low spots, then use all that sand for a landscaping.


----------



## Mercer (Apr 14, 2012)

To late to go with SLC. Gonna have to take more time to flatten out the dry pack I guess. Too big of an area for SLC also. :-(


----------



## CO762 (Feb 22, 2010)

Sounds like a mess Muffti.

If you've not done too much, it shouldn't be that much of a deal to just demo what you have and do something else. They key to a lot of construction problems is to know when to stop compounding the problem or else you're going to spend a terrible amount of time chasing it and still may not have it done well in the end.

I don't know what to suggest as what you're doing takes a lot of skill and that's only gotten over time (and people can sometimes do things for a long time and not do it well). And the final product is expensive, material wise, even if your labor is free. 

You're a carpenter, so how about a nice wood floor? If the floor is messed up, do sleepers. And while you're doing the sleepers, think about how doing that compares to floating a floor with mud. The planes are the same and the difference is in one there's an air space and the other there's drypack. 

Sorry that I'm a little cryptic sometimes, but it's how I think and how I was taught--understanding the concept and the process.


----------



## Mercer (Apr 14, 2012)

Ok, back on track. Modified my straight edge & going a little slower. Coming out nice & flat again.


----------



## CO762 (Feb 22, 2010)

Mercer said:


> Modified my straight edge & going a little slower. Coming out nice & flat again.


Get a nice straight and flat piece of 1x4 poplar and use that.
And take your time. Have a beer while you are doing that as it may help. Just don't give any to the straight edge.


----------



## Mercer (Apr 14, 2012)

Mud is DONE!!!!  came out nice & flat after I adjusted my straight edge & cut back on the water just a little. Thanks for all the help guys!! Going to start tiling on Saturday.


----------



## CO762 (Feb 22, 2010)

Good job, ol Grand Muffti!


----------

