The topic of choosing the right selection of flooring products for the right environment is one that is all too often overlooked, specifically regarding floor preparation products.
My personal tendency when providing a recommendation for flooring materials is to approach each project installation as being unique. In doing so, I like to ask questions in advance of providing a system of products to best suit the intended use of the proposed floor covering, combined with consideration as to what circumstances that covering will be subjected to. Are we talking about a residential kitchen or a nightclub dance floor? Substrate preparation products, in either case, will differ dramatically from one product to another. For the purpose of this article, we are going to focus on one floor assembly component that appears in the majority of substrates, the self-leveling compound.
So, what are self-leveling compounds, and what do they do? Well, marketing aside, the majority of self-leveling compounds display the term āself-leveler,ā a term used quite often, generally with varying degrees of interpretation. In order to successfully place a self-leveling compound, you need a variety of things, including, but not limited to, the right tools, the right conditions, and the right person. The right person relates to a trained individual familiar with the placement of self-leveling products, regardless of the materialās composition.
The use of experienced flooring installers is always preferred, but the use of the right self-leveling compound is paramount. Considerations such as the substrate that needs to be covered, suitable primer selection, the depth requirement of a self-leveling compound for overcoming substrate irregularities, the correct selection of a self-leveling compound that is approved by the finish covering manufacturer, and what extremes the self-leveler and finish floor covering will be exposed to. All are great questions that need to be answered. Unfortunately, all too often, many of these questions tend to be overlooked. Since we are considered creatures of habit, I am sure the majority of readers have fallen foul in regularly choosing their go-to product in the selection of their preferred self-leveling compound. But does that one product really do everything?
Answering the question, āWhat does a self-leveling compound do?ā depends largely on these three discerning factors in the qualification of a suitable self-leveling compound. The first is the determination of the substrate to be covered. The second is the choice of floor covering proposed for installation. Third, what is the environment that this floor covering will be exposed to? Generally, the determination of these three factors will drive the selection choice for a suitable self-leveling compound. In short, determine the expectations in advance and see how many of these can be met with the circumstances presented to you.
Letās run through a scenario. You arrive at a new construction residential home. The homeowner directs you to one room in the home that will receive a new floor. This substrate is slab on grade, uneven concrete. You now begin your onsite assessment by asking questions. What you discover is that no curing compound was applied to the concrete substrate. It was tested for moisture using in-situ RH probes a week in advance of your arriving on site. The subsequent moisture vapor reading was 95 percent RH in-slab. The homeowner wants to cover this substrate with a solid, prefinished, glue-down wood floor. On top of this, they intend to place a very large and very heavy billiard table. Lastly, they want to be able to use their new billiard table as soon as possible. The homeowner is very particular in what they expect from their new floor and what they expect from you. Sound familiar?
Armed with these facts, you now have some clear expectations. The substrate needs to be mitigated for moisture vapor; you need to place a suitable primer coat over this mitigation, and then you need to provide self-leveling to create a flat and level subfloor base for your wood adhesive and flooring. And letās not forget, the homeowner wants all of this done yesterday.
If you take just the self-leveling portion of this scenario, you know that you need a product that will pass several criteria. It has to be able to sit beneath a solid wood glue-down floor; it therefore needs to be able to tolerate subsequent movement in the wood flooring. Next, it needs to be able to support significant point load from the weight of the billiard table legs that will sit on top of the wood floor, so you need a product with a high compressive strength. And lastly, you need a product that will build compressive strength, harden, and cure in an expedited time in order to allow for the fast installation of wood flooring.
You can now determine the right system of products for this installation, including the self-leveler. What is the secret to success in this scenario? There is no secret, just common sense. Always ask the easy questions in advance, so you wonāt be the one answering the hard questions later.
Jim Muggleton is product and marketing manager for Uzin Utz North America in Aurora, Colorado. He can be reached at jim.muggleton@uzin-utz.com.