# tiling over floor heat



## GO Remodeling (Apr 5, 2005)

PrecisionFloors said:


> It's also quick, easy, and done correctly, gives you the best surface to tile on you could ever ask for.


Same here. :thumbsup:


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## Golden view (Feb 16, 2012)

Is there a thread about self leveler tips and tricks? Maybe a basic question but now that I'm doing a lot of remodels instead of the awesomely flat floors I framed myself, I'm more interested in perfecting the use of self leveler. I did a bad job of it on a recent project and doubled my tile setting time.


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## tjbnwi (Feb 24, 2009)

Estimate how much you need, prime floor, if wood floor install lath (depends on brand of SLC), I use Mapie plastic lath if I have a non-Ditra Heat heated floor, mix (more than you need) in a tote or plastic garbage can (depending on how much you need) per manufactures instructions, Pour out in sections you can reach with a bow rake handle, massage the SLC with the back side of a bow rake. 

Tom


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## Xtrememtnbiker (Jun 9, 2013)

Golden view said:


> Is there a thread about self leveler tips and tricks? Maybe a basic question but now that I'm doing a lot of remodels instead of the awesomely flat floors I framed myself, I'm more interested in perfecting the use of self leveler. I did a bad job of it on a recent project and doubled my tile setting time.



Everything Tom said with emphasis on mixing more than you need. He told me how to do it, I followed everything real nice, except I failed to calculate accurately how much I needed. 

It really sucks to try and rake that second batch out when the first batch is setting up. Basically do exactly what he said and it works great.

My floor was an inch and a half off in 10'. I had a laser set up where that I needed 5" from the laser to the top of the SLC. did the first part and it looked just about perfect. Till I checked my height and I was at 5 1/2" and realized I was screwed...


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## GO Remodeling (Apr 5, 2005)

use cold water to give yourself some extra time. Especially if using leveler in the summer.


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

Xtrememtnbiker said:


> Everything Tom said with emphasis on mixing more than you need. He told me how to do it, I followed everything real nice, except I failed to calculate accurately how much I needed.
> 
> It really sucks to try and rake that second batch out when the first batch is setting up. Basically do exactly what he said and it works great.
> 
> My floor was an inch and a half off in 10'. I had a laser set up where that I needed 5" from the laser to the top of the SLC. did the first part and it looked just about perfect. Till I checked my height and I was at 5 1/2" and realized I was screwed...


If a floor is that far off I'm not fixing with SLC. I'm fixing it with framing.


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## Golden view (Feb 16, 2012)

TNTSERVICES said:


> If a floor is that far off I'm not fixing with SLC. I'm fixing it with framing.


Yeah, framing isn't $1350 per yard.


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## Golden view (Feb 16, 2012)

Xtrememtnbiker said:


> It really sucks to try and rake that second batch out when the first batch is setting up. Basically do exactly what he said and it works great.


This was my main problem, the slc seems to flow great over primer but not over drying or dry slc because it sucks the moisture out of the new stuff. I think I may have mixed it a little dry thinking it would be weakened by too much water like concrete or thinset.


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## GO Remodeling (Apr 5, 2005)

Golden view said:


> This was my main problem, the slc seems to flow great over primer but not over drying or dry slc because it sucks the moisture out of the new stuff. I think I may have mixed it a little dry thinking it would be weakened by too much water like concrete or thinset.


Got to read and follow the directions. The water amount is critical so it flows. Some slc's require you to prime between coats if the slc has dried. Self levers are different from thinset and concrete.


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

I fvcked up my first use of SLC too...guess I'm not the only one. I under-calculated how much I needed. Had to re-prime put more one, still didn't turn out great.

My tips:

- Read the bag
- Read it again
- I don't care if you read it twice read it a third time
- Now follow those instructions

- Plug all pinholes, plug them well, I had the Exxon Valdez or concrete happening on the first floor just because I didn't seal around the water line for the toilet properly. I used spray foam to dam off the rest of the space and it worked very well.

- Don't over mix the stuff and heat it up too much or else it won't flow properly. Use cold water. Don't mix it one bag, dump it, then start measuring and mixing another. Get everything ready so you can mix up a few buckets and pour them one after the other.

- It's called "Self-Leveling"...they should re name the stuff to "Concrete the flows easily" You still need to help it along and flatten it out as best you possibly can. Then once it looks good leave it the hell alone.


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## Xtrememtnbiker (Jun 9, 2013)

TNTSERVICES said:


> If a floor is that far off I'm not fixing with SLC. I'm fixing it with framing.



That would be my approach now in that scenario. But I'd say there is certainly a place for SLC when you want a nice perfect floor and it's not so awful you feel the need to tear out the subfloor. Could be wrong though...


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

Xtrememtnbiker said:


> That would be my approach now in that scenario. But I'd say there is certainly a place for SLC when you want a nice perfect floor and it's not so awful you feel the need to tear out the subfloor. Could be wrong though...


Coming up short on concrete reminds me of the time I was a youngster pouring a concrete pad with my father. After we poured in the last batch from the mixer it was an inch short so I had to run around the yard looking for rocks to throw in to fill it up. :laughing:


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## mike gunderson (May 23, 2010)

Appreciate all the comments. One thing that i encounter in remodeling 80 year old houses is unlevel floors. As long as they are straight i don't mind to much. I've never heard of ditra-heat, have to check into it.

I think I'll lay my wire and mortar over it and let it dry, just as I have always done. It took a couple jobs to figure how to skim coat where there was no heat. I just use my 1/2 in trowel at a slight bevel to spread the mortar, then flatten it out. It gives me about 3/16 of an inch that matches my wire height.

have a good day on the job everyone!


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## PrecisionFloors (Jan 24, 2006)

One of the biggest tips I can give is the colder the water the better. Think big barrel of water for source and ice bags dropped in. I use a 65 gallon pickle barrel I picked up for free. It's heavy duty plastic with nice molded handles and a tight sealing lid. I put it on a furniture dolly. We put 40 gal or so in it and drop in a few bags of ice while we get the bags staged. I stage as many bags as I think I'll need minus two. I've never been left with opened bags. Have your bags opened and ready to go. One guy mixing and two pouring/raking/smoothing is ideal. I bought the Ardex mixing barrel kit years ago and it's worth it. Has a rake, smoother, beater, barrel, and several graduated measuring buckets for water. We can prime, seal, and pour 1000ft in a few hours. Ardex K-15 and V-1200 are the easiest SLCs to use as far as flow ability and working time. V-1200 is the easiest but takes longer to cure.


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## tjbnwi (Feb 24, 2009)

I drilled holes in a bucket at the proper water level for one bag of SLC, when water runs out the holes the proper amount of water is in the bucket. I mix the SLC in totes. 

Need to do the same for mortar or at 1 quart.

Tom


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

Well hell I guess I have one as well. I used it to level a floor and it found its way all the way through my wall and left a puddle on the side of my house. I didn't even find it for a couple days. Fortunately it was my own home.


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## tjbnwi (Feb 24, 2009)

Californiadecks said:


> Well hell I guess I have one as well. I used it to level a floor and it found its way all the way through my wall and left a puddle on the side of my house. I didn't even find it for a couple days. Fortunately it was my own home.


How long did it take you to figure out what it was?

Tom


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

tjbnwi said:


> How long did it take you to figure out what it was?
> 
> Tom


I figured it out after a couple minutes of looking at it. I have to admit it baffled me at first. :laughing:


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## mike gunderson (May 23, 2010)

I decided to go with the "ditra-heat" . seems like a good way to go with there being less height difference. The floor is nice and straight, no need to level.
mike


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