Advice on leveling my concrete floor

[Bob Slater]

I have been putting this off too long and know I should have tackled it first ...but my wood shop area has a bit of a bowl shaped floor with the middle the low spot. It is off about two inches from the corners. The slope changes all over the room, which makes it very hard to roll stuff across the floor and set up my table saw island in the middle. My options are to break up the floor and pour a new one, which I would not look forward to. One issue is that work benches are permanently installed all around the perimeter of the room. I really don't want to disturb this stuff as it is attached in so many places, and the RAS is built into one of the benches. I also don't want the disruption of ripping the floor out, nor the expense of getting rid of the concrete. If I levelled it up to the benches, that might be al I need.
Can I pour a 1-2.5 inch floor that will automatically level itself, and be tough enough to roll tools across it? I really want to DIY, but a traditional concrete pour is also not something you get two chances to learn. Something at the back of my head says there is an epoxy concrete that might fit the bill. I would probably rent a cement mixer if this was doable and leave the benches where they are. BTW, (There is no water in this shop, so I do not need a drain). Opinions greatly appreciated.

[Fred Belknap]

Go to a local concrete supplier and get their advise. They might have a product that you can use. Maybe some local contractors. It may or may not be a DIY. There is some latex mixes that might work.

[Chuck Thoits]

Bob I would have to say this is not a DYI. You can't mix creet fast enough in a mixer to pour a floor and have it come out right. If you can get a load brought in than you could pour it. But you only get one shot at it and small screw up in the surface will make moving machinery a real chore.
You might be able to use high strength grout and trowel it on. you would need the floor really clean and a bonding agent and may have to etch the floor. You probably would want to have some one over to mix for you. I would not want to stop once it was started. So as to keep working the leading edge while it was still wet. So the to batches would blend together.
If I was to do some thing like this I might even be thinking about building a new wood floor on top. If you where to put down 2x sleepers and shim them level both ways you could even put ridged foam sheets between the sleepers and then put 3/4" ply over the top. It would be smooth, flat and a little softer on the knees and back for working in. It would also take care of some of the problems that come with storing wood on concrete.

[Darrin Vanden Bosch]

Fred is right, get in touch with a local concrete supplier or stone/block yard, they would know where to get self leveling concrete. I have seen it it has been out at least 20 yrs. that I know of.Altho I do not know how durable it is but they should know.

Darrin

[Derek Stevens]

Asking for local advice on a bonding agent prior to applying a leveler is a great direction to go. with the bonding butter, the pouring of a leveling slab is pretty easy. If you don't want to take it on yourself, call the nearest radiant heating guys, as this is exactly what they use for encapsulation of their wires. they would be able to hook you up with the best price.

[Bob Slater]

Thanks for the replies. I will get in touch with a concrete flooring specialist

[Roger Frazee]

Out of my area of expertise but I've had a similar problem with a garage floor fixed by mud jacking... that was about 5 years ago and it is still close to level today.

[Alfred J Sevitski]

Sounds like your in for a lot of work no matter what you do. How about laying down a wooden floor on top of sleepers adjusted to a flat floor.

[David Giles]

Self leveling concrete on my driveway has withstood the environment better than concrete toppings. But I think you would need multiple pours of 1/4-1/2" max depth.

[Rob Cooper]

A few years back I ran into a flooring contractor that smoothed/leveled concrete slabs for homes and commercial buildings. The product used is gypcrete - sp? It is a gypsum based concrete with fiber reinforcing. I had a bid to pour the stuff on an old wavy floor, sold the house instead. The bid was about $1.50./sf. The conctractor said the product would be poured with hoses from their truck.

I have used self leveling floor compound. It was fine for preparing floors for carpet or tile. I don't think the product would be tough enough as a finished shop floor.

[Bob Slater]

Well, I will look into that . Sounds promising.