If you ever thought of leveling your house floor and couldn’t do it because of the high cost it bears? Then this session is for you. Leveling the concrete floor is something that is not an easy process at all. And that is why it costs so high when trying to do it with a professional.
But there are some ways out of this problem. The cheapest way to level concrete floors could be a self-leveling compound process. It is a cheaper alternative to a self-leveling compound that will help you balance your base by cutting a high price tag.
So, let’s not goof around anymore and get straight to the process.
The Cheapest Way to Leveling Floor
If you want to choose an easy and cheap way to level your concrete floor, then the best option could be self-leveling coating designs. These are some designs that will help you to fill up the flaws and gaps in the floor with the help of epoxy. It is easy to do so because it won’t grab much of your time and is much easier than other processes.
There are also some other alternative processes that we are going to discuss further. One of them is using vinyl floor tiles, which is an easy process to perform. It is a much slower process that will take much of your time, but it is a long-lasting gamble for you.
It is because we are saying it as a long-lasting gamble. Because it will serve you for a longer-term than any other cheap processes you follow. It has good feedback as well rather than using resin or epoxy. In the case of epoxy, it needs to perfect the ratio.
Otherwise, it will take more time to get fixed, and there’s a high chance that you may not get the proper way to do it. Another problem with the epoxy is that you may not judge the quality full one. There are lots of artificial resins available that will tell you the original feature but give you the fake one.
With these significant troubles, you may wonder if it is possible to level a floor without leveling the compound? Well, then let’s discuss a little about that. You can read about How to Paint with Metallic Paint?
How to level a floor without leveling compound?
If the above process doesn’t suit you and you are thinking of doing it without any leveling compound, then the best way is to use your hands with gloves or enough precautions. Now, you may think, isn’t it a great job of hard work? Well, yes, it is.
When you do the floor leveling without any leveling compound like resin, epoxy, and vinyl, then the only way left is to level the floor with a bar with the help of your hands. It is a great way to do it and also a cheap way. And obviously, that is why it will consume more of your energy and time than it consumes your money.
Now there are two options for you: one is to use the leveling compound, and another is to use your hand instead. If you are an intelligent worker, you may choose the first option because it will save you money and energy. Now, here’s a problem with selecting the first option as well.
Whenever you think of leveling the floor with a leveling compound, you must think about how these elements will perform over concrete. You can check our blog on How To Apply Bar Top Epoxy?
Floor leveling compound over concrete
The elements we discussed earlier are some compounds that will lead you to fill the gaps and cracks. Still, if you are looking for something that will level over the concrete, you must consider some factors.
The most practical way will be if you clean the slab and make an agent that will make solid bonds using the concrete. It will help you make a lot of mixtures to pour on your floor at a low cost. It is also essential as you want the level over the concrete. The leveling compounds can then be poured over the concrete to make it level.
Another thing that you need to consider is the depth of the concrete layer. It should be a minimum of 1.5 to 2 inches. Making a deep layer to make a solid leveling field is vital. Otherwise, the level will be fragile, and it will take more time to take the proper shape. That is how you can level the uneven concrete floor. You also check our blog for How to Use Wood Carving Tools?
Things you need to consider while leveling by yourself
It is a pretty tricky process to level the concrete floor. There are some problems with self-leveling concrete. One of the first and foremost problems with this is the time it takes. As you are not a professional worker, you must learn about the process in detail, and then you need to make the elements appear in front. And then, you need to use the appropriate amount of compounds so that you can use them to level the floor, which is a complicated task to do.
But it is not an impossible one. As the leveling process with experts troubles you a lot of money, you can do it on your own by following the above process.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How to prep floor for self-leveling compound?
It will always depend on the floor’s structure. There are different types of floors available in the markets. Some of them are made of wood, and some of them are made of concrete. If you have a wood-made base, you need a primer that will cover the floor with a self-leveler. The most appropriate method is to protect the floor with water to cause the wood to swell.
You may think now whether it will harm your floor or not? Well, it is not. The floor will shrink again when it becomes dry. So now, the point of using a primer is that the primer will prevent the wood from absorbing the water so that the floor remains intact.
2. What is best to use over a concrete floor to level it?
The most famous and influential way is to use the self-leveling compound. It is also known as a liquid floor re-surfacer. It helps you level the extra portions of the surface and make it as smooth as you want. There are also some products to replace self-leveling elements, but these will be the cheapest to use.
3. How much will it cost to use a self-leveling compound?
The cost will always vary from region to region. But to give you an overall idea, there could be an approximate range of $500 to $800 per 100 sq. feet. Again, it is not fixed and will vary in price from place to place. Some of the compounds will be very easy to use and low cost, as well as what we discussed earlier.
4. Is it possible to use plywood to level a concrete floor?
Using plywood over the concrete floor is not a very bad idea. If you are looking forward to using the plywood to level it, you can do it very quickly. But you need to keep in mind one thing. You should use the plywood after 45 to 60 days minimum. The primary reason for doing it is that the newly made concrete floor contains lots of water that needs to be absorbed before putting the plywood floor.
Final Words
While discussing the cheapest ways to level uneven floors, we learned about the compound’s quality and the proper application process. You must understand the state of the concrete floor before using a leveler because an early or delayed step may also cause you more trouble. It is always suggested to take help from an expert, but if you take the initiative on your own, you must read the whole process and go further step by step. It will help you to make your work easy and smooth.
Hi, my name is Gabrielle. I have been into Automotive Industry for over 15 years. If you’re anything like me, then building, maintaining and improving your Automotive Industry/Projects is all part of the Automotive experience.
My goal with this blog is to share my experience with and help you discover new and exciting things about Automotive.
