a friend of mine does all types of stone/tile work. He said if doing a large job with many bucket mixings, fill a bucket to the exact amount of water then drill a hole at the top level. you'll always have the correct amount of water to pour into mixing bucket.
@barkershill ??? .... you decide where to drill the hole based on the volume or weight of substance you wish to consistently measure. If you want 5 gallons or 2 litres you will fill the bucket to the level you want and then drill a hole at the fill line so any excess drips away. ....
Looking at the walls of that building , obviously they need pointing /rendering /painting . Would it not have been better to do that first and save messing up the new floor?
Learn from my mistake! My son and I were pouring self levelling concrete over newly laid 3/4" plywood to lay down a concrete floor for a bathroom (to be tiled). I mixed and my son poured and spread. We needed 8 bags of cement. The problem was the cement started to set rather quickly, after about 15 minutes. So when my son poured freshly mixed concrete it refused to meld with the setting concrete and created lumps and dents. It took me half a day to grind off a big bump in the floor. Plus we had to do another corrective pour to fill an area that was lower (a big dent). This all could have been avoided if a) 1 mixed 2 bags at once in a larger container like a garbage can, mixing one bucket at a time was too slow, you need to have as much liquidy cement on the floor as possible 2) had we had a spiked roller to even the edges and 3) watched this video.
Self levelling is easier as it does what it says. Cement/concrete requires effort and skill as you physically have to level it. Now it may come down to cost as self leveller is way more expensive and goes off very quick versus cement where you have much longer to work with.
Probably he's just not looked at his channel in a while... life gets in the way sometimes🤷♂ I agree it's too bad. He's very good at explaining things and the videos he's done are quite good!
I love your no no-nonsense approach and your sense of humour. I think this is the best video for doing this on the web and no annoying music while you talk so you can hear what you're saying.
Pretty good video - you covered just about everything, and clearly. A couple of points I'd add: #1 / I totally agree with the viewer who said you need a person mixing and helping with the carrying, so that the spreader can concentrate on that. You want as much as possible of the area to be runny at the same time. Once the compound starts to firm up, you will have lost the opportunity to achieve a truly level floor. YOU DON'T GET A SECOND CHANCE with this stuff. #2/ The spiked roller is almost essential if you want a really smooth and level finish. The spikes constantly break the surface tension, HUGELY aiding the leveling process. The difference between spiked rolling, and trowelling only, has to be experienced to be believed. I have tried both, and I will NEVER again do a project without the spiked roller. 3/ Spiked shoe bases again are highly recommended, if at all possible, as you can walk all over the job without leaving craters, that may or may not level up properly. #4 / Don't try to feather out any edges to a zero thickness, certainly if the leveller is intended to be your finished surface. Apart from that .. happy levelling. It's a great addition to the building game.
I was going to diy this job and came across 5 good youtube videos. Then i came across the best and truly complete one. I unsaved the earlier 5. One great video is all i need. Thank you.
I didn't want to do do floor leveling but this guy got me fired up to do it. I love how he uses tools that us DIYers would grab from around the house, it makes it so much more relatable.
Great job! Handy tip I’ve used before is getting a flat disc on a 9” grinder and just going over the floor for half an hour taking of the high bits, also with mixing I’ll normally add half a bag and give it a quick mix, then add a quarter, mix that then add what’s left, just means you’re not fighting a big lump in the middle, keep up the good work!!
A couple of things you might want to consider for priming. On a rough floor like the one in the video you should use a stiff bristle broom instead of a roller. The reason for this is that no matter how carefully you sweep a dusty concrete floor there will always be a residue. By using a broom and scrubbing in the primer you actually incorporate the dust into the primer instead of just rolling over it. It really makes a big difference in the bond strength.. Oh and a convenience tip - instead of pouring the primer directly on the floor, put it into a bug sprayer and spray onto the floor prior to brooming it in. It's neater and prevents puddling.
Yep . Always swirl it around pressing it to be sure it is sticking to the floor and not like dough on a floured rolling pin . Tar on the dussty roof too.
I've always wondered why the primer was necessary. Your explanation is exemplary. Thank you. It makes total sense that an unprimed floor would sap the water too fast for a good cure. Exelent advice that got you a new sub!
i have watched numerous diy videos and pro videos , you my friend beat the lot , well done for explaining simply and concisely , learnt more in the time it took to watch you video than all the other ones added together , Thank you 10/10😀
This is one of the best videos I have seen. Incredibly in depth and very well explained. Plus, for your American friends (me) I truly appreciate the conversion from Meters to Feet etc.
I am just going to say, we should see more of you. There are probably 1000 things you can teach. Not just entire projects but also little things as well. This video was a great start to a channel.
I loved this video-- it explained several technical issues that I did not understand after watching many other videos. For example, the reason to remove high spots prior to pouring (saves on material) and how different types of compounds are designed for different purposes (thickness, dry time, etc). Thanks! I now feel ready to pour! BN
We get three guys on the job. One is the "Mixer" one is moving material and pouring it out and a third guy is there to clean as we go and make sure the other two guys have what they need at all times. This makes the process go quickly and in a clean and organized fashion. Nothing worse that getting too rushed, dirty or have to stop to clean or do anything but the job at hand. It is beautiful in the end!
Only 3? Bro I have 23, One mixing One cleaning One pouring One standing about texting One shouting at women One levelling One checking its level One checking the levelling guys sober One checking the concrete is dry One wetting concrete after One making tea One preparing food One driving to shops for supplies One checking milk level in tea One checking the milk in coffee And got a few more on general duties, I feel sorry for you only having 3
17:00 I found myself in the kitchen that 1ml of water is equal of 1gramm exactly. So you can use a scale instead is much more efficient and accurate. 5.5 liter is 5500 ml are equal to 5500 grams or 5.5 kilos of water. Trace a line in the bucket after that.. Pouring severals graduated glass of water into the bucket increase the error marge every time resulting in an innaccurate final reading.
Great video, I was just a day late finding it as we did our garage floor yesterday, but the process was pretty much the same. The bags I bought were Blue Circle leveller, 21 quid each and we got through 6 in total (bought 8 to make sure we defo had enough!). It was quite a thick pour due to way the floor undulated, and turned out the Amazon spikey roller's spikes were a bit on the short side and it preferred being a brush. I ran a bead of expanding foam around the corners of the walls to allow for expansion. Came out great, very smooth. Now I grew up on a farm in the 80s and PPE was something other people used, but I've learned my lesson, please wear a mask/respirator when sweeping a floor like that.
What a fantastic no nonsense video! Great personality too not too dull and not too jokey. Just enough to peak your interest. Need to do more videos. Great content and quality. Would really fly.
I have been a plumber for 15 years, Doing this for the first time tomorrow and watching this has given my the confidence I needed! Great video I am going to subscribe for sure. Thanks a lot!
this was an encouraging video to see that 1 person can do such a large room by themself. I have a 500 sqft room I am doing this weekend and have about 35 bags I will be doing. Pumped!
This geezer could be on TV no problem, great presenting style.
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I encourage you to make more videos, the content is great even for entertainment. I sent this to my friends and they loved it, and they were not interested in leveling floors, till they watched it
Hey....this was SUPER great. I always wondered how to use a self-levelling compound. This guy made it really easy to understand. Yet another reason to love the British!!! ...and I like some of the comments too. Helpful. Thx....R (From California!!!)
If you use a piece of wire e.g. cut up a wire coat hanger and hang it over the internal edge of the bucket at the required level you are guaranteed the correct amount of liquid every time without having to search for the measure mark. This works particularly well for mixing coloured 2 pack mixes where you cannot see the measure marks. You just make 2 measure wires. One for part A and one for part B.
Absolutely perfick. Am retired now but did exactly as you advised except for one thing. In Australia we can buy a “walking trowel” specifically for this work. Means you pour as you did by walking pouring the bucket along the perimeter of room and then whilst standing the trowel which is on a broom handle 400mm wide fixed at about 30 degrees on long side and you gently ‘sweep it” back and forth. Great for around toilet pedestals into corners etc. the trowel has the leading edge at right angle to the short sides but rounded on the top clean edge. Was able to do large areas without bending or soiling knees.
Super explanation. I have been trying to find one of these things in the UK - closest I got was a very long featheredge (google: Screwfix magnusson featheredge 70 3/4"). But I'd love to get one on the end of a pole - obviously not that wide though!
If you have a short paddle mixer and a lot to mix, build a sturdy platform for the bucket to sit on so that you are standing upright, It will save a lot backache. Also, mixers can take a few seconds to stop so a hanger to suspend the mixer on between uses saves valuable time. The cable tends to wrap around spindle easily as it doesn't stop spinning immediately so I extend the flexible grommet to help keep the cable away from the moving parts.
The explanation on concrete curing "drying" was very well said. This is why you can't leave concrete in a mixer or bucket and simple add more water. It will cure under water. The mix might be different but it will still get hard. Also, this is why concrete is covered with plastic to strengthen it, if the air is very dry. Rain doesn't effect concrete aside from physically disturbing the surface.
I watch heaps of these advice types of videos on TH-cam as I enjoy doing some work myself, about to raise my kitchen floor 20mm and wanted some tips on using self leveling mix, I came across this video and found it to be about the best one I've seen. Awesome tips well presented, thanks heaps from Melbourne.
Peter Hushin that makes sense. Consider raising your other floors with plywood. It will be cheaper and easier plus plywood will be more structurally stable compared to a cement leveler
Good video apart from no mention of moisture content. You MUST measure the moisture before you start even on new floors. Damp will blow the screed and any floor coverings. Various products are available to overcome any issues
Oh my. I’ve watched several DIY videos. I enjoy watching them and learning how to do stuff. I’ve replaced my own rotors and brakes, changed out my garbage disposal, and all sorts of stuff. This is the first DIY video that has turned me on. What an attractive, talkative, funny guy who gives great instruction with subtle innuendos.
Great video for carpenter like myself, I'm about to tackle about 300 sqft of horrible new concrete deck that was poured a month ago. I've used this stuff a few times before but definitely learned some great tips. Many thanks.
Great video! I like the personality and humor as much as I like the instructional process. Excellent descriptions your video really informs while at the same time teaching how to do it properly. Great Job!!
Love the clever trick of white glossing the bucket, I'd never even realised my black buckets had a measurement in them! Also calibrating is equally good idea, thank you. Now I need a spiky roller with long handle before I start. Great video, please make more
What an excellent detailed explanation. Much appreciated. You are a fantastic teacher creating an "I can do it as well feeling"...... Thank you so much.
In a different TH-cam video on Self-levelling a floor, the only difference was the gentleman cut out a small section of the bucket so excess water would pour out. So he knew his workers were always adding an exact amount of water each and every time.
Regarding "one continuous pour". We are doing a 25 sq m area, (smaller than yours) with average pour of 7mm. From 3-10mm. I've bought 3x 75 litre mixing buckets, because my plan was to mix 3 buckets at the beginning, actually doing the mixing in the buckets on the middle of the floor we are pouring onto, then literally just dumping out the stuff all in one go, then using a long float to pull it around and get it to level. The reason I want to do it that way is that I'm very concerned that if we mix in smaller buckets, each mix will be 3 minutes, that's 13 buckets which is about 40 minutes of just mixing! Far longer than the working time of the product (about 30 mins). My way, it will all be mixed up in about 10 mins, and then tip, trowel by hand and with a long pole, and then hit it with the spiked roller. I've never done this before - does my idea sound stupid or sensible? The only things I can think of that are different to this video are: 1) it does involve walking in the screed to get to the corners - so boots etc... and (2) as the 75 litre buckets are deep and quite narrow (plasterer's buckets) it may be difficult to get my hand in to scrape off the sides during mixing. Do you think that will be a problem? Cheers!
I think I’ve decided to do this in my small laundry room instead of tiling. I have a beautiful brand new hot water heater in there that I refuse to remove to do a floor. I may paint the floor and stencil. Still undecided on the painting. This video was very helpful!
We usually burn the fibers off with either a weed torch or a small propane torch-much easier than cutting them, just make sure there is nothing flammable around if you do burn. After burning sweep or vacuum up ashes.
Everything I wanted to learn from a very experienced This You Tube Channel is destined for greatness. Excellent presentation, excellent content, very encouraging to DIYers, v.g. Presentation style , excellent professional video style and sound quality. GREAT instruction. Thank you 🙏
Big job. I remember seeing a truck which mixed self leveller for a second floor. They had squeezecrete to pump. Well done on your job. That's not easy work and lots of cleaning. I had to level on a smooth troweled concrete floor. Since it was a shop on lease. I spoke with an industrial chemist and followed his advice. You can get fine silica sand and mix with cement and also use a screedbond which is a latex synthetic rubberised emulsion system. Say for instance a bonding agent and mixed 50% with water. I mixed at 2.8 cement with silica sand. I used a feathering edge which worked quiet well was pleasing. The area I needed to cover was not as big as what you did. However I achieved pleasing results. Hopefully it hasn't laminated. The problem with self leveller is it is a liquid type of application and it only self levels the area you cover before the liquid hardens.
Good intro for DIY enthusiasts. I do thousands of m2 of this stuff every year. Problem is your mixing prep took too long and that spike roller had to go on straight away after pulling. The air bubbles MUST be removed failing which you get a weak floor. Depending on ambient temperature some products have 6 - 10 minutes working time to join to the next mix. Which is not alot of time.
Excellent overview! My 2 cents - In addition to the spiky-roller, it also helps to use a notched tiling trowel or notched-adhesive-spreader-on-a-long-broom-handle to really _spread_ the goop around to encourage it to self-level. Also, a squeegee with a long handle can help flattening the goop without straining your back :) BTW - add spacer-tape along the walls, if pouring more than 5mm thick :)
@@TomNouri It's basically an adhesive-backed foam tape - 3mm to 8mm thick. This prevents the poured floor touching the walls and potentially cracking due to slight movement of the wall.
I’m having flashbacks to when I did my own floor. 40 bags, alone, only following the instructions on the bag 😂 I got a good result in the end, but it is not as easy as this guy makes it look! The one thing I learned is that I will never do it alone again. It would be really really helpful to have someone mixing for you whilst you only have to worry about spreading it! Nice job though and I like the effect the roller gave. A good non slip finish for a shed 👍
Just found ur channel. And wow. I have watched a whole lot of videos. some ok some good but this was great. Well explained. Thank you. Needed this. Redoing a horrible basement bathroom.
Because this is not self-leveling how I imagine it. If you would like to install a floating floor, this would not be leveled enough... You would have to make much more self-leveling concrete/mixture (in much more bigger container) and pour it at once... Not mentioning that by this way of self-leveling you could have problems with furniture (table, wardrobe etc.), while the floor would not be leveled perfectly.
@@MrTomasekk A "floating floor" by definition is a floor (usually a slab topping) that isn't physically connected to the subfloor structure. An application is to reduce impact sound transmission. If the objective is to achieve a level floor surface over a substrate that deviates from level by in the order of 15mm then a "self levelling" i.e. floor that can flow to form a level surface, is what is being very well demonstrated in this video. If you need to level a floor that's more significantly out of level, a different method can be used. Over an existing concrete floor a concrete topping can be applied by scrabbling the existing surface to form a key, priming with a cement and water mix, pouring, compacting and levelling the floor. If the concrete surface is to achieve its intended strength then covering it with plastic sheet (or keeping it wet) will retain the water required for hydration of the cement in the mix for a sufficient time.
Great video with lots of helpful content, and clever (cute) production too. Tomorrow I’ll be working on a small job. I’ll start by trying to grind down the high spot and then calibrate and follow the math. Thank you from Canada. Metric, for the love of Pete!
This is a really excellent video ! Straightforward presentation style; just the facts; logical flow of information; things to avoid doing; safety warning. Excellent ! Can't believe this channel only has 2000 subscribers. It should have at least 100x that ! New subscriber here. Greetings from Prague, CZ
I loved everything about this video you were so detailed step-by-step You made it extremely idiot proof Bonus your accent's awesome Loved listening to you and you're a doll To watch🤗🤗 Thank you for this video~
House , garden , climate could bet that is somewhere in Italy , Spain , Portugal , Greece but the cement is made in Hungary. Excellent instructions , thanks.
I've always based my man count on the amount of bags needed mixed. 1-4 bags 1 guy can normally do it if he moves fast and knows what he's doing. 4-6 bags at least 2 guys prepped and ready to rock 6-10 bags I double up on everything from there do the math on guys and tools, like some others have said here you want the whole floor liquid in 15-20 minutes, so it levels properly. I like the wire trick mentioned below! Great idea.
Alex Muir - TH-cam at it's absolute best. Packed with information and wel presented. I have a small personal gym to level and this is everything needed.
In my experience self levelling compound (SLC) is usually not self levelling. It's just self smoothing, at best. Just spreading it around can leave it looking flat when wet but once dry you can easily find +- 5mm variance in thickness over a 1m length - even if you're using screeding tripods as a guide. To get it actually flat and level I'd say you need to use framing and a screeding bar. First do any grinding down of high spots/areas, then pick your zero reference on the floor and mark it. Your SLC will come up from that reference height to your chosen thickness. Then use a laser level (a cheap one with a basic horizontal and vertical laser is fine for most purposes) to mark on the floor heights along the lines that your framing rails will go. You'll draw your screeding bar along these rails to move the SLC into place. Essentially you're building rails that are perfectly level along their path, then using a perfectly flat edge to make sure the rest of the floor is flat. You may need to do some additional bits of grinding or patching with something like quick-set cement just along the rail paths (using the height you marked to get everything to zero) before putting the rails down. For the rails what you use will depend on how thick you want your SLC. For ~6-18mm you can use MDF sheets, sealed (e.g. SBR or Acrylic primer) after they've been cut into thin strips to make the rail/framing sections. If you're going thinner, say 2mm or 3mm, e.g. for a surface finish then you can use aluminium strips. Screw the rail sections carefully into place (after drilling and countersinking, so the screws can sit flush with the rail without causing any deformation). Place the rails just a little less than the length of your screed bar apart. Now you're ready to poor the SLC. Mix it really well. When pouring aim to get it roughly where it needs to be initially, and if using a spiked roller (ideally do that), do it now. Then pass over the rails with the screeding bar. Be careful not to bend the screeding bar as you move it over the rails and hold it at a ~45deg angle to the rails (so only 1 edge is in contact) to avoid sucking the SLC along after the the bar (which would mean your level wont be where you want it). Good luck! :)
Well said. Too many try to find shortcuts from traditional methods that have adequatedly proven themselves. Quality often comes at a cost. In this case...knowledgeable and experienced hand labor. Quality should not be sacrificed for lazyness, or cost. A properly designed floor will last a long time. Whatever you spend on it will reward the client with decades or longer satisfaction.
Never used a screed bar for the type of job you described I've always used a stand up whale tail where you push the leveler up against your predetermined dumpy heights, very effective and you can knock down any ripple after with the HTC. I use a Hippo on wheels for a four bag mix or if we do multiple floors we pump.
I agree with the term 'self-smoothing'. It's too thick and sets too fast to truly find a level. I know this because I've just had my kitchen floor 'levelled' with this stuff and all it's done is smooth it out without truly levelling it. There are gradients of 1cm in 1.5m still. If you need to truly level a floor you need to put levelling tripods all over it and align them with a laser level before applying your compound/screed to the level shown on the tripods.
Propane torch for the fibers when you are prepping. And a cheap plastic bug sprayer to apply the primer then back roll (also how I apply sealants to the finished concrete) . My 2 cents.
The presentation style is amazing. Good content and perfect communication. You could be a tv presenter. But I'm confused as to why only 3 videos from 1 year ago and the oldest comments dating back to 3 months??
Yes good point. I was surprised that when clicked on this channel there were only three videos. It's a shame as he's a really good teacher and his information was spot on. I do this for a living and was expecting him to be all show and light on technical knowledge but everything he said was spot on and I couldn't find fault with this video. Make more videos man.
I am pouring self leveling cement this week - for like 50 sqm. And since it's a pandemic - I will do it myself. This is the best guide - by a mile. And it's in metric !!!
I Watch construction videos on TH-cam all day long I can say you are the best teacher I found thank you for your knowledge the brought me a lot of business
a friend of mine does all types of stone/tile work. He said if doing a large job with many bucket mixings, fill a bucket to the exact amount of water then drill a hole at the top level. you'll always have the correct amount of water to pour into mixing bucket.
Don Proctor that is such a good tip thanks
Genius!
@barkershill ??? .... you decide where to drill the hole based on the volume or weight of substance you wish to consistently measure. If you want 5 gallons or 2 litres you will fill the bucket to the level you want and then drill a hole at the fill line so any excess drips away. ....
Looking at the walls of that building , obviously they need pointing /rendering /painting . Would it not have been better to do that first and save messing up the new floor?
Learn from my mistake! My son and I were pouring self levelling concrete over newly laid 3/4" plywood to lay down a concrete floor for a bathroom (to be tiled). I mixed and my son poured and spread. We needed 8 bags of cement. The problem was the cement started to set rather quickly, after about 15 minutes. So when my son poured freshly mixed concrete it refused to meld with the setting concrete and created lumps and dents. It took me half a day to grind off a big bump in the floor. Plus we had to do another corrective pour to fill an area that was lower (a big dent). This all could have been avoided if a) 1 mixed 2 bags at once in a larger container like a garbage can, mixing one bucket at a time was too slow, you need to have as much liquidy cement on the floor as possible 2) had we had a spiked roller to even the edges and 3) watched this video.
how is this dfiferent from concrete mix ? aside from sel leving at $45 a bag vs $8 a bag for concrete bag
Self levelling is easier as it does what it says. Cement/concrete requires effort and skill as you physically have to level it.
Now it may come down to cost as self leveller is way more expensive and goes off very quick versus cement where you have much longer to work with.
Why have you only uploaded 3 videos? Mate you're the best DIY explainer I've seen on TH-cam!
Probably he's just not looked at his channel in a while... life gets in the way sometimes🤷♂ I agree it's too bad. He's very good at explaining things and the videos he's done are quite good!
I love your no no-nonsense approach and your sense of humour. I think this is the best video for doing this on the web and no annoying music while you talk so you can hear what you're saying.
Pretty good video - you covered just about everything, and clearly. A couple of points I'd add: #1 / I totally agree with the viewer who said you need a person mixing and helping with the carrying, so that the spreader can concentrate on that. You want as much as possible of the area to be runny at the same time. Once the compound starts to firm up, you will have lost the opportunity to achieve a truly level floor. YOU DON'T GET A SECOND CHANCE with this stuff. #2/ The spiked roller is almost essential if you want a really smooth and level finish. The spikes constantly break the surface tension, HUGELY aiding the leveling process. The difference between spiked rolling, and trowelling only, has to be experienced to be believed. I have tried both, and I will NEVER again do a project without the spiked roller. 3/ Spiked shoe bases again are highly recommended, if at all possible, as you can walk all over the job without leaving craters, that may or may not level up properly. #4 / Don't try to feather out any edges to a zero thickness, certainly if the leveller is intended to be your finished surface. Apart from that .. happy levelling. It's a great addition to the building game.
I was going to diy this job and came across 5 good youtube videos. Then i came across the best and truly complete one. I unsaved the earlier 5. One great video is all i need. Thank you.
I didn't want to do do floor leveling but this guy got me fired up to do it. I love how he uses tools that us DIYers would grab from around the house, it makes it so much more relatable.
Dont have a anevrism when you check the prices on a colomix mixer 🤣
Great job! Handy tip I’ve used before is getting a flat disc on a 9” grinder and just going over the floor for half an hour taking of the high bits, also with mixing I’ll normally add half a bag and give it a quick mix, then add a quarter, mix that then add what’s left, just means you’re not fighting a big lump in the middle, keep up the good work!!
A couple of things you might want to consider for priming. On a rough floor like the one in the video you should use a stiff bristle broom instead of a roller. The reason for this is that no matter how carefully you sweep a dusty concrete floor there will always be a residue. By using a broom and scrubbing in the primer you actually incorporate the dust into the primer instead of just rolling over it. It really makes a big difference in the bond strength.. Oh and a convenience tip - instead of pouring the primer directly on the floor, put it into a bug sprayer and spray onto the floor prior to brooming it in. It's neater and prevents puddling.
We used to sweep/ mop the dusty floor/sweep mop again if needed. Then use a thick nap roller. I like your ideas though! Every trick helps
@@drakevelazquez8728 many priming products reccomend to use a broom /brush on concrete not a roller
I like the broom idea. Great tip we're just getting into interior coatings
Yep . Always swirl it around pressing it to be sure it is sticking to the floor and not like dough on a floured rolling pin .
Tar on the dussty roof too.
@@gregorydahl Dirt and dust on anything....
I've always wondered why the primer was necessary. Your explanation is exemplary. Thank you. It makes total sense that an unprimed floor would sap the water too fast for a good cure. Exelent advice that got you a new sub!
I’m a professional flooring contractor and I have to say that this video is top notch ❤
How have you only made 3 videos like 6 years ago? Seriously. this has to be the best explanation for self leveling cement I have found.
i have watched numerous diy videos and pro videos , you my friend beat the lot , well done for explaining simply and concisely ,
learnt more in the time it took to watch you video than all the other ones added together , Thank you 10/10😀
This is one of the best videos I have seen. Incredibly in depth and very well explained. Plus, for your American friends (me) I truly appreciate the conversion from Meters to Feet etc.
"Ribbed - but not for my pleasure" 😂🤣.Alex is clear, concise, informative, and funny. Great video.Thanks for posting.
I am just going to say, we should see more of you. There are probably 1000 things you can teach. Not just entire projects but also little things as well. This video was a great start to a channel.
I loved this video-- it explained several technical issues that I did not understand after watching many other videos. For example, the reason to remove high spots prior to pouring (saves on material) and how different types of compounds are designed for different purposes (thickness, dry time, etc). Thanks! I now feel ready to pour! BN
We get three guys on the job. One is the "Mixer" one is moving material and pouring it out and a third guy is there to clean as we go and make sure the other two guys have what they need at all times. This makes the process go quickly and in a clean and organized fashion. Nothing worse that getting too rushed, dirty or have to stop to clean or do anything but the job at hand. It is beautiful in the end!
Only 3? Bro I have 23,
One mixing
One cleaning
One pouring
One standing about texting
One shouting at women
One levelling
One checking its level
One checking the levelling guys sober
One checking the concrete is dry
One wetting concrete after
One making tea
One preparing food
One driving to shops for supplies
One checking milk level in tea
One checking the milk in coffee
And got a few more on general duties, I feel sorry for you only having 3
@@lildeanc Looks like the work will be done just right, with tea and food ready on time LOL
@@bohakasha🤣 you’d be suprised, somtimes more monkeys make more mess than one
17:00 I found myself in the kitchen that 1ml of water is equal of 1gramm exactly. So you can use a scale instead is much more efficient and accurate. 5.5 liter is 5500 ml are equal to 5500 grams or 5.5 kilos of water.
Trace a line in the bucket after that..
Pouring severals graduated glass of water into the bucket increase the error marge every time resulting in an innaccurate final reading.
1000l Is equal 1000kg at 4 degrees c
I've no plans to self level a floor yet still watched it from start to finish. Great detailed video.
Great video, I was just a day late finding it as we did our garage floor yesterday, but the process was pretty much the same. The bags I bought were Blue Circle leveller, 21 quid each and we got through 6 in total (bought 8 to make sure we defo had enough!). It was quite a thick pour due to way the floor undulated, and turned out the Amazon spikey roller's spikes were a bit on the short side and it preferred being a brush. I ran a bead of expanding foam around the corners of the walls to allow for expansion. Came out great, very smooth.
Now I grew up on a farm in the 80s and PPE was something other people used, but I've learned my lesson, please wear a mask/respirator when sweeping a floor like that.
What a fantastic no nonsense video! Great personality too not too dull and not too jokey. Just enough to peak your interest. Need to do more videos. Great content and quality. Would really fly.
I've watched a ton of videos on a lot of things. You my friend are a great communicator and teacher. great job. can't say enough. !!
When a bloke tells you to calibrate your bucket, you know you're at the business end.
I agree. Thank you for the lesson.
@@Debonair.Aristocrat whats a bloke?
I have been a plumber for 15 years, Doing this for the first time tomorrow and watching this has given my the confidence I needed! Great video I am going to subscribe for sure. Thanks a lot!
How'd it go?
@@May4thbwithu it went ok... ive done it quite alot since this comment and learnt from a few mistakes haha.
this was an encouraging video to see that 1 person can do such a large room by themself. I have a 500 sqft room I am doing this weekend and have about 35 bags I will be doing. Pumped!
This geezer could be on TV no problem, great presenting style.
I encourage you to make more videos, the content is great even for entertainment. I sent this to my friends and they loved it, and they were not interested in leveling floors, till they watched it
Hey....this was SUPER great. I always wondered how to use a self-levelling compound. This guy made it really easy to understand. Yet another reason to love the British!!! ...and I like some of the comments too. Helpful. Thx....R (From California!!!)
The best explanation on floor levelling I have seen thus far. Congratulations and thank you.
If you use a piece of wire e.g. cut up a wire coat hanger and hang it over the internal edge of the bucket at the required level you are guaranteed the correct amount of liquid every time without having to search for the measure mark. This works particularly well for mixing coloured 2 pack mixes where you cannot see the measure marks. You just make 2 measure wires. One for part A and one for part B.
genius a small screw would work too
This is the best video I have ever seen .... The editing is superb, the explanations sooooo detailed. So consice. Loooove this guy! (y)
Absolutely perfick. Am retired now but did exactly as you advised except for one thing. In Australia we can buy a “walking trowel” specifically for this work. Means you pour as you did by walking pouring the bucket along the perimeter of room and then whilst standing the trowel which is on a broom handle 400mm wide fixed at about 30 degrees on long side and you gently ‘sweep it” back and forth. Great for around toilet pedestals into corners etc. the trowel has the leading edge at right angle to the short sides but rounded on the top clean edge. Was able to do large areas without bending or soiling knees.
Super explanation. I have been trying to find one of these things in the UK - closest I got was a very long featheredge (google: Screwfix magnusson featheredge 70 3/4"). But I'd love to get one on the end of a pole - obviously not that wide though!
Well done and thank you. Your video is better than most professional sales videos. Thumbs up for your cameraman/woman too! Great job!
Subscribed im a builder and this is still the best renovation video i have seen. Great details
Great video! You gave so much detail without boring the viewers. I feel much more confident about trying this myself now. Thanks
Brilliant way of teaching, like a professor. Absolutely enjoyable.
Great job...moved along quickly with lots of good information while working in real time. Very informative and easy to watch...
Very well presented, making it so easy to follow.
If not already you should be on TV
If you have a short paddle mixer and a lot to mix, build a sturdy platform for the bucket to sit on so that you are standing upright, It will save a lot backache.
Also, mixers can take a few seconds to stop so a hanger to suspend the mixer on between uses saves valuable time.
The cable tends to wrap around spindle easily as it doesn't stop spinning immediately so I extend the flexible grommet to help keep the cable away from the moving parts.
What a shame you didn’t continue making vids. This one was fantastic, with great production quality, excellent explanation, etc.
You are a great teacher. This vid and the roof one are brilliant!
what just happened? I m not a DIY man but that was one of the best videos Ive ever watched. brillant stuff dude. keep it up. I just learnt somethign!
To the point narrative, sharing typical on the job situational comedy is refreshing! That is why we love our jobs, we enjoy life as we do our task!
The explanation on concrete curing "drying" was very well said. This is why you can't leave concrete in a mixer or bucket and simple add more water. It will cure under water. The mix might be different but it will still get hard. Also, this is why concrete is covered with plastic to strengthen it, if the air is very dry. Rain doesn't effect concrete aside from physically disturbing the surface.
I watch heaps of these advice types of videos on TH-cam as I enjoy doing some work myself, about to raise my kitchen floor 20mm and wanted some tips on using self leveling mix, I came across this video and found it to be about the best one I've seen. Awesome tips well presented, thanks heaps from Melbourne.
Peter Hushin why are you raising your floors that much?
@@mikeo6525 I installed wooden floors and with the 10mm ply and then the wooden planks it took to gap to between 20 - 25mm difference
Peter Hushin that makes sense. Consider raising your other floors with plywood. It will be cheaper and easier plus plywood will be more structurally stable compared to a cement leveler
1 minute into the video and i already love this video due to the usage of metric system
Good video apart from no mention of moisture content. You MUST measure the moisture before you start even on new floors. Damp will blow the screed and any floor coverings. Various products are available to overcome any issues
The white gloss on the black bucket has earned a sub straight away.
Oh my. I’ve watched several DIY videos. I enjoy watching them and learning how to do stuff. I’ve replaced my own rotors and brakes, changed out my garbage disposal, and all sorts of stuff. This is the first DIY video that has turned me on. What an attractive, talkative, funny guy who gives great instruction with subtle innuendos.
Great video for carpenter like myself, I'm about to tackle about 300 sqft of horrible new concrete deck that was poured a month ago. I've used this stuff a few times before but definitely learned some great tips.
Many thanks.
Great video! I like the personality and humor as much as I like the instructional process. Excellent descriptions your video really informs while at the same time teaching how to do it properly. Great Job!!
Love the clever trick of white glossing the bucket, I'd never even realised my black buckets had a measurement in them! Also calibrating is equally good idea, thank you. Now I need a spiky roller with long handle before I start. Great video, please make more
What an excellent detailed explanation. Much appreciated. You are a fantastic teacher creating an "I can do it as well feeling"...... Thank you so much.
Holy crap! He said those buckets are ribbed on the interior but not for his pleasure. 18:56
Damn, he's smooth!!
Not only that he was giving us the bird/finger at 40 seconds into the video!!! You'd think he'd wait a bit!
rusosure7 what about at 19:34 just the right stiffness, always helps! Lol.
I burst out laughing and had to rewind and rewatch. His pleasure, indeed.
All of a sudden my wife is into self levelling floors..
@@kujodk Oh, that's perfect. LOL!
In a different TH-cam video on Self-levelling a floor, the only difference was the gentleman cut out a small section of the bucket so excess water would pour out. So he knew his workers were always adding an exact amount of water each and every time.
Which video?
Now they have ruined a bucket with a hole in it. Just get a stick with a highly visible marker.
@John Jones i think your right there , a bucket only costs a quid
Brilliant video - exactly what I needed to tackle a friend's bathroom. "This bucket is ribbed - and it's not for my pleasure..." LOL
I liked this for the primer dry floor water sucking explanation.
Very helpful. I might be tempted to blowtorch those threads off before starting.
I was thinking to use a garden strimmer but a blowtorch would be great too.
Regarding "one continuous pour". We are doing a 25 sq m area, (smaller than yours) with average pour of 7mm. From 3-10mm. I've bought 3x 75 litre mixing buckets, because my plan was to mix 3 buckets at the beginning, actually doing the mixing in the buckets on the middle of the floor we are pouring onto, then literally just dumping out the stuff all in one go, then using a long float to pull it around and get it to level. The reason I want to do it that way is that I'm very concerned that if we mix in smaller buckets, each mix will be 3 minutes, that's 13 buckets which is about 40 minutes of just mixing! Far longer than the working time of the product (about 30 mins). My way, it will all be mixed up in about 10 mins, and then tip, trowel by hand and with a long pole, and then hit it with the spiked roller. I've never done this before - does my idea sound stupid or sensible? The only things I can think of that are different to this video are: 1) it does involve walking in the screed to get to the corners - so boots etc... and (2) as the 75 litre buckets are deep and quite narrow (plasterer's buckets) it may be difficult to get my hand in to scrape off the sides during mixing. Do you think that will be a problem? Cheers!
I think I’ve decided to do this in my small laundry room instead of tiling. I have a beautiful brand new hot water heater in there that I refuse to remove to do a floor. I may paint the floor and stencil. Still undecided on the painting. This video was very helpful!
We usually burn the fibers off with either a weed torch or a small propane torch-much easier than cutting them, just make sure there is nothing flammable around if you do burn. After burning sweep or vacuum up ashes.
Great video, when I am mixing 21 bags worth I get them open ready and a large water tub full of water saves wasting time 👌👍
Great technique tx!
Excellent thank you for sharing the problems that occurred at the end something to look towards avoiding!!!
Bro your videos are great. "Just calibrate your bucket " ...lol. First time I heard that, but you're 100% correct.
Great guide clear instructions cant believe it only has 3 videos on the channel
Cracking video and explanation, thank you.
Everything I wanted to learn from a very experienced This You Tube Channel is destined for greatness. Excellent presentation, excellent content, very encouraging to DIYers, v.g. Presentation style , excellent professional video style and sound quality. GREAT instruction. Thank you 🙏
So much knowledge in just one video, you should have 4.5m subs instead of 4.5k
Big job. I remember seeing a truck which mixed self leveller for a second floor. They had squeezecrete to pump.
Well done on your job. That's not easy work and lots of cleaning. I had to level on a smooth troweled concrete floor.
Since it was a shop on lease.
I spoke with an industrial chemist and followed his advice. You can get fine silica sand and mix with cement and also use a screedbond which is a latex synthetic rubberised emulsion system. Say for instance a bonding agent and mixed 50% with water.
I mixed at 2.8 cement with silica sand.
I used a feathering edge which worked quiet well was pleasing. The area I needed to cover was not as big as what you did. However I achieved pleasing results.
Hopefully it hasn't laminated. The problem with self leveller is it is a liquid type of application and it only self levels the area you cover before the liquid hardens.
Excellent video. Explained so much more than other videos that were just selling their product. Loved your talking.
Good intro for DIY enthusiasts. I do thousands of m2 of this stuff every year. Problem is your mixing prep took too long and that spike roller had to go on straight away after pulling. The air bubbles MUST be removed failing which you get a weak floor. Depending on ambient temperature some products have 6 - 10 minutes working time to join to the next mix. Which is not alot of time.
Excellent overview! My 2 cents - In addition to the spiky-roller, it also helps to use a notched tiling trowel or notched-adhesive-spreader-on-a-long-broom-handle to really _spread_ the goop around to encourage it to self-level. Also, a squeegee with a long handle can help flattening the goop without straining your back :) BTW - add spacer-tape along the walls, if pouring more than 5mm thick :)
What’s spacer tape?
@@TomNouri It's basically an adhesive-backed foam tape - 3mm to 8mm thick. This prevents the poured floor touching the walls and potentially cracking due to slight movement of the wall.
Thanks for the info 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
I’m having flashbacks to when I did my own floor. 40 bags, alone, only following the instructions on the bag 😂 I got a good result in the end, but it is not as easy as this guy makes it look! The one thing I learned is that I will never do it alone again. It would be really really helpful to have someone mixing for you whilst you only have to worry about spreading it!
Nice job though and I like the effect the roller gave. A good non slip finish for a shed 👍
If you are working fast enough, and that means having enough people for the size of the job, you won't end up with the spiked roller 'dimples'.
Excellent. Best on TH-cam regarding this subject and great tips below. Will be doing my garage soon.
"Ribbed on the inside, which is not for my pleasure" HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
So many gems hidden in your casual talking
I plan to level my garage floors this weekend using this product. Hoping for the best...
Fantastic presenter. Deffo should be on TV!
Good discussion on the importance of primer and priming.
Genuinely the best DIY video I've seen. cheers so much!
Just found ur channel. And wow. I have watched a whole lot of videos. some ok some good but this was great. Well explained. Thank you. Needed this. Redoing a horrible basement bathroom.
What can 685 grouches find wrong with this detailed, complete and well presented video?
Because this is not self-leveling how I imagine it. If you would like to install a floating floor, this would not be leveled enough... You would have to make much more self-leveling concrete/mixture (in much more bigger container) and pour it at once... Not mentioning that by this way of self-leveling you could have problems with furniture (table, wardrobe etc.), while the floor would not be leveled perfectly.
@@MrTomasekk A "floating floor" by definition is a floor (usually a slab topping) that isn't physically connected to the subfloor structure. An application is to reduce impact sound transmission. If the objective is to achieve a level floor surface over a substrate that deviates from level by in the order of 15mm then a "self levelling" i.e. floor that can flow to form a level surface, is what is being very well demonstrated in this video. If you need to level a floor that's more significantly out of level, a different method can be used. Over an existing concrete floor a concrete topping can be applied by scrabbling the existing surface to form a key, priming with a cement and water mix, pouring, compacting and levelling the floor. If the concrete surface is to achieve its intended strength then covering it with plastic sheet (or keeping it wet) will retain the water required for hydration of the cement in the mix for a sufficient time.
Inspite of dots left (could be very benificial later), you did great job and your explanation was at educational level. Thank you.
Great video with lots of helpful content, and clever (cute) production too. Tomorrow I’ll be working on a small job. I’ll start by trying to grind down the high spot and then calibrate and follow the math. Thank you from Canada. Metric, for the love of Pete!
That white gloss tip is brilliant ! Thank's
This is a really excellent video ! Straightforward presentation style; just the facts; logical flow of information; things to avoid doing; safety warning. Excellent ! Can't believe this channel only has 2000 subscribers. It should have at least 100x that ! New subscriber here. Greetings from Prague, CZ
I loved everything about this video you were so detailed step-by-step You made it extremely idiot proof Bonus your accent's awesome Loved listening to you and you're a doll To watch🤗🤗 Thank you for this video~
House , garden , climate could bet that is somewhere in Italy , Spain , Portugal , Greece but the cement is made in Hungary. Excellent instructions , thanks.
so logic says it's in hungary. house has a definite east european vibe.
I've always based my man count on the amount of bags needed mixed.
1-4 bags 1 guy can normally do it if he moves fast and knows what he's doing.
4-6 bags at least 2 guys prepped and ready to rock
6-10 bags I double up on everything
from there do the math on guys and tools, like some others have said here you want the whole floor liquid in 15-20 minutes, so it levels properly. I like the wire trick mentioned below! Great idea.
Alex Muir - TH-cam at it's absolute best. Packed with information and wel presented. I have a small personal gym to level and this is everything needed.
In my experience self levelling compound (SLC) is usually not self levelling. It's just self smoothing, at best. Just spreading it around can leave it looking flat when wet but once dry you can easily find +- 5mm variance in thickness over a 1m length - even if you're using screeding tripods as a guide. To get it actually flat and level I'd say you need to use framing and a screeding bar. First do any grinding down of high spots/areas, then pick your zero reference on the floor and mark it. Your SLC will come up from that reference height to your chosen thickness. Then use a laser level (a cheap one with a basic horizontal and vertical laser is fine for most purposes) to mark on the floor heights along the lines that your framing rails will go. You'll draw your screeding bar along these rails to move the SLC into place. Essentially you're building rails that are perfectly level along their path, then using a perfectly flat edge to make sure the rest of the floor is flat. You may need to do some additional bits of grinding or patching with something like quick-set cement just along the rail paths (using the height you marked to get everything to zero) before putting the rails down.
For the rails what you use will depend on how thick you want your SLC. For ~6-18mm you can use MDF sheets, sealed (e.g. SBR or Acrylic primer) after they've been cut into thin strips to make the rail/framing sections. If you're going thinner, say 2mm or 3mm, e.g. for a surface finish then you can use aluminium strips.
Screw the rail sections carefully into place (after drilling and countersinking, so the screws can sit flush with the rail without causing any deformation). Place the rails just a little less than the length of your screed bar apart.
Now you're ready to poor the SLC. Mix it really well. When pouring aim to get it roughly where it needs to be initially, and if using a spiked roller (ideally do that), do it now. Then pass over the rails with the screeding bar. Be careful not to bend the screeding bar as you move it over the rails and hold it at a ~45deg angle to the rails (so only 1 edge is in contact) to avoid sucking the SLC along after the the bar (which would mean your level wont be where you want it). Good luck! :)
Well said. Too many try to find shortcuts from traditional methods that have adequatedly proven themselves. Quality often comes at a cost. In this case...knowledgeable and experienced hand labor. Quality should not be sacrificed for lazyness, or cost. A properly designed floor will last a long time. Whatever you spend on it will reward the client with decades or longer satisfaction.
Never used a screed bar for the type of job you described I've always used a stand up whale tail where you push the leveler up against your predetermined dumpy heights, very effective and you can knock down any ripple after with the HTC. I use a Hippo on wheels for a four bag mix or if we do multiple floors we pump.
I agree with the term 'self-smoothing'. It's too thick and sets too fast to truly find a level. I know this because I've just had my kitchen floor 'levelled' with this stuff and all it's done is smooth it out without truly levelling it. There are gradients of 1cm in 1.5m still. If you need to truly level a floor you need to put levelling tripods all over it and align them with a laser level before applying your compound/screed to the level shown on the tripods.
I love the detailed explanation, thank you
Propane torch for the fibers when you are prepping. And a cheap plastic bug sprayer to apply the primer then back roll (also how I apply sealants to the finished concrete) . My 2 cents.
Money well spent...
What type of sealants do you ad?
The presentation style is amazing. Good content and perfect communication. You could be a tv presenter. But I'm confused as to why only 3 videos from 1 year ago and the oldest comments dating back to 3 months??
Yes good point. I was surprised that when clicked on this channel there were only three videos. It's a shame as he's a really good teacher and his information was spot on.
I do this for a living and was expecting him to be all show and light on technical knowledge but everything he said was spot on and I couldn't find fault with this video.
Make more videos man.
I am pouring self leveling cement this week - for like 50 sqm. And since it's a pandemic - I will do it myself. This is the best guide - by a mile. And it's in metric !!!
One of the best informative videos I’ve ever seen. Thorough concise and extremely well explained! Thank you very much
Very well-made video! Just about to do a room now. Feel fairly confident after watching this. Thank you.
I Watch construction videos on TH-cam all day long I can say you are the best teacher I found thank you for your knowledge the brought me a lot of business
I love this. The advice seems to be based on experience.
Haha brilliant. Never thought SLC could be so entertaining, nice one.