Self-levelling a floor - The Complete Guide 

Why have you only uploaded 3 videos? Mate you're the best DIY explainer I've seen on RU-vid!

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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!!

"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'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!

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!

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 geezer could be on TV no problem, great presenting style.

What a shame you didn’t continue making vids. This one was fantastic, with great production quality, excellent explanation, etc.

I've no plans to self level a floor yet still watched it from start to finish. Great detailed video.

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!

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.

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.

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'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. !!

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

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.

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!

"Ribbed on the inside, which is not for my pleasure" HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

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

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!

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.

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.

Brilliant way of teaching, like a professor. Absolutely enjoyable.

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.

Very well presented, making it so easy to follow. If not already you should be on TV

The best explanation on floor levelling I have seen thus far. Congratulations and thank you.

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

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! You gave so much detail without boring the viewers. I feel much more confident about trying this myself now. Thanks

Well done and thank you. Your video is better than most professional sales videos. Thumbs up for your cameraman/woman too! Great job!

Brilliant video - exactly what I needed to tackle a friend's bathroom. "This bucket is ribbed - and it's not for my pleasure..." LOL

The white gloss on the black bucket has earned a sub straight away.

This is the best video I have ever seen .... The editing is superb, the explanations sooooo detailed. So consice. Loooove this guy! (y)

In a different RU-vid 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.

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.

So much knowledge in just one video, you should have 4.5m subs instead of 4.5k

You are a great teacher. This vid and the roof one are brilliant!

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 liked this for the primer dry floor water sucking explanation.

I watch heaps of these advice types of videos on RU-vid 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.

What can 685 grouches find wrong with this detailed, complete and well presented video?

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 👌👍

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

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.

Very helpful. I might be tempted to blowtorch those threads off before starting.

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!

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.

So many gems hidden in your casual talking

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 👍

Good discussion on the importance of primer and priming.

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!!

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.

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 🙏

Excellent thank you for sharing the problems that occurred at the end something to look towards avoiding!!!

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! :)

I plan to level my garage floors this weekend using this product. Hoping for the best...

Fantastic presenter. Deffo should be on TV!

Bro your videos are great. "Just calibrate your bucket " ...lol. First time I heard that, but you're 100% correct.

1 minute into the video and i already love this video due to the usage of metric system

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 :)

Great guide clear instructions cant believe it only has 3 videos on the channel

I've never learned so much while having been flipped off at the same time. Thanks!

I love the detailed explanation, thank you

Excellent video. Explained so much more than other videos that were just selling their product. Loved your talking.

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.

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.

'calibrate the bucket' lmao sounds like one of those classic 'get the new guy to do this' type prank

Going to do the floor in my garage and this video certainly helps, quality thorough video, thank you

To be specific: the water mixes with the calcium oxide(lime) to make calcium hydroxide (slaked lime) which in turn reacts with the CO2 in the atmosphere to make calcium carbonate(limestone). Cement is made by reversing the process. They "calcine" limestone which means heat up at a high enough temperature to drive out the CO2 and water from the limestone. The resulting calcium oxide chunks, called Clinker, get ground down to a powder in a tumbler grinder/mill and that's the cement. It's not just Calcium, as it often involves some magnesia and silicates, but the calcium is usually the principal component.

First off when you spread the primer, do not put it on so thick that it pools on the floor. You want a thin coat like painting a car. He had way to much on the floor. Second that porcupine roller is for self leveler they can be reactivated. Also, you should have been mixing it in the site where he needs it not outside the building than hauling it in, its sitting in the bucket to long. You need to mix it and put on the floor immediately. Last thing is self leveler will find any little hole and flow down it so if you are working with drains make sure they are sealed off with duct tape or some type rubber dam. Or you might see the leveler drain down. This also includes under walls if you are above grade, it could flow under a wall and down to the floor below. Chalking the walls the day prior can save you a major clean up if the building is not sealed from floor to floor. Sorry wasn't intended to bash on you. You did hit the main points on the importance of the proper primer. Accurate water measurements. And mixing. Most products have a time of 2-3 mins @ 350 rpm's for example. Under mixing is as bad as over mixing.

Inspite of dots left (could be very benificial later), you did great job and your explanation was at educational level. Thank you.

House , garden , climate could bet that is somewhere in Italy , Spain , Portugal , Greece but the cement is made in Hungary. Excellent instructions , thanks.

Genuinely the best DIY video I've seen. cheers so much!

Cracking video and explanation, thank you.

You know, calibrate yer bucket :)

I could watch this guy all day. He's like the Bear Grylls of construction.

You would be a millionaire in the USA. Your presentation skills are awesome, your clothing fits the task at hand , unlike the fake front men who present products on television.

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 !!!

this is a great educational video. i don't understand why the thumbs down. Too many trolls? ?

Excellent. Best on RU-vid regarding this subject and great tips below. Will be doing my garage soon.

I'm here just for the intro graphic, that was sick.

If your paddles are too short try putting the bucket on something the right height.

Alex Muir - RU-vid at it's absolute best. Packed with information and wel presented. I have a small personal gym to level and this is everything needed.

That white gloss tip is brilliant ! Thank's

Great video. Wish I'd watched it before attempting to level my kitchen floor.

Thanks now armed with the correct method my garage floor will finally be smooth and level.

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??

Holy crap! He said those buckets are ribbed on the interior but not for his pleasure. 18:56 Damn, he's smooth!!

Great Vid Alex. Love painting a little gloss over the measurement guide :)

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~

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.