Having a quality finished basement is a priority for most homeowners. A common problem that arises for DIY vets is how to handle leveling out their basement floor.
Having a level basement floor can be a key component to successfully remodeling your basement space since a level floor is needed to install any quality flooring, especially tile.
But what if your floor is all gnarled, bumpy, and uneven, what are you to do then? Have no fear. Marvelous Basements will walk you through the steps of what you will need to fix your basement floor before you install any new flooring.
As stated before, the goal here is to get your floor as even as possible. This will be achieved through a number of methods depending on the status of your floor.
Before you can get your floor level you will need to work on getting it as smooth as possible. If your floor has bumps in it due to old paint jobs, left over tile and other easily removable products then a thorough scraping of your floor with a hand scraper can go a long way.
If your floor has a lot of bumps that are hard, such as concrete bumps, then you may need to use a power grinder to smooth out the sections of your floor that are bumpy. Remember to always use the proper safety equipment when working with power tools.
Once you are done with this step your floor should be a smooth as you can get it. If you have any cracks in your floor you will then need to fill and seal those cracks.
For some, your work may be done at this point but for the majority the work is just beginning since most homeowners will need to do some leveling of some sort. This will mean pouring self-leveling concrete, commonly referred to as SLC, and can be found at your local hardware store.
Before you pour any concrete you should roll your floor with a bonding agent so that the SLC will better adhere to the surface. Now you are ready to pour your SLC. Just mix and pour in the areas of your floor that are uneven and the product will do the rest.
If you are pouring around a basement drain you may want to fit the drain with a collar to raise it up to the height of your new floor.
Once the SLC dries you will have yourself a proper and level basement floor, ready for your new flooring to be installed on top of it.
As always if you need any help with your basement design project don’t hesitate to give us a call. Marvelous basements works on basement projects of all sizes and can give you the finished basement you have always dreamed of.