How to Level Concrete Floors

Step-by-Step Guide

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   Step 1: Remove all of the furniture and appliances from the room.

   If there are baseboards, you should consider removing them until the floor is leveled.
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   Step 2: Use a piece of chalk to mark all obvious high spots on the floor with an "x" and any dips with an "o."

   ,,, Wear eye protection and a face mask for this step.
   
   You can rent the appropriate sized grinder for your job.
   
   If you're working in the basement, remember you have to get the grinder up and down the stairs. , You want to remove any trace of grease, oil, concrete chips or other solid debris and any contaminants.
   
   Allow the floor to dry. , Sweep of any excess puddles of primer, you want to end up with a smooth concrete surface. ,, If you're working on a basement floor, buy the compound made with Portland cement rather than gypsum because Portland cement is highly impervious to water. , Set the spreader depth to 1/4 inch (0.6 cm) and cover the entire floor.
   
   You will have about 10 minutes for this step, so make sure you don't make more compound than you can spread in that time. , This allows the compound to fill in small depressions or marks left by the spreader tines as well as assure a smoother finish with few if any pinholes. ,
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   Step 3: Working in small sections

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   Step 4: sweep a carpenter's level over the entire floor

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   Step 5: marking high spots and dips with the chalk.

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   Step 6: Mix a batch of concrete repair mix according to the manufacturer's directions

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   Step 7: and fill in any cracks or low spots deeper than � inch (0.6 cm) and allow to dry.

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   Step 8: Use a concrete grinder to grind down high spots.

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   Step 9: Clean the concrete floor thoroughly.

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    Step 10: Pour primer onto your clean dry floor

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    Step 11: and use a soft-bristle push broom to spread it over the entire surface of the floor

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    Step 12: pushing down to get it into the pores of the concrete.

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    Step 13: Allow the primer to dry to a tacky finish

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    Step 14: which could take from 1 hour to 24 hours.

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    Step 15: Mix the self-leveling compound following manufacturer's directions.

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    Step 16: Dump all of the self-leveling concrete mix onto the floor.

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    Step 17: Use a steel smoother to run over the surface and break any tension in the concrete.

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    Step 18: Consult manufacturer's recommendations for curing time as it depends largely on temperature and humidity.

Detailed Guide

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