Self levelling compund showinf signs of cracking?

[elimn8or]

Hi guys im back. I have decided to lay wooden floor in my garage conversion. The previous owner had converted the garage into a new room but did not level the old concrete floor. To get a good finish on my to be new wooden floor i new it had to be levelled.

I would say that the garage floor at the lower end was about 35mm lower than the top end. After visiting a few forums i set about laying a water based leveller obtained from wicks. I laid it in four batches at individual layer depths of roughly 5mm over a period of 6 days.

All seemed fine but after 6 few days i have noticed some hairline cracks appearing. I have gauged out some of these to remove loose fragements. Now i am noticing some more fine cracks appearing and at this stage am not sure how to proceed.

Should a few cracks be acceptable and therefore safe for me to proceed or do i need to dig it all back out and start from scratcvh with an alternate
aggregate? Im hoping that their is middle solution but knowing my luck....?

Let me know what you think guys. The new floor i will be laying is 120mm solid out tongue and groove. thanks....

 

[Softus]

Did you follow the instructions on the packet of screed mix?

Did it say that you could lay it 35mm deep?

Why do you buy things at Wickes?

 

[elimn8or]

Yes - i followed the instructions.

I layed it in layers at 5-10mm which it said was ok ( not sure about layering it but builder said it would be ok )

I buy from Wicks because its a popular builders merchant

 

[Softus]

Yes - i followed the instructions.

I'm humbly surprised, because I doubt that this type of product can be laid as thick as 35mm.

I layed it in layers at 5-10mm which it said was ok ( not sure about layering it but builder said it would be ok )

I'm sorry?! Your builder?! I'm have to point out that they're not renowned for caring.

I buy from Wicks because its a popular builders merchant

Well, I have to admit that I've been there occasionally, but I ran away as soon as I sawed off the arm by which I'd been attached to some wild horsies and dragged inside.

 

[noseall]

[quote="SoftusYour builder?! I'm have to point out that they're not renowned for caring.

[/quote]

Ahem!

 

[Softus]

OK OK, since I didn't imply clearly enough that I don't include the forum regulars in that comment, I hereby imply it clearly.

 

[gcol]

I'm humbly surprised, because I doubt that this type of product can be laid as thick as 35mm.

Mira X-plan can be used at up to 50mm in one go.

 

[Softus]

Ah yes - and Wickes' products are neck-and-neck with Mira's in terms of quality.

 

[elimn8or]

I dont know what I was expecting by posting this liitle nugget but ive more or less convinced myself to pull it all up. I will not sleep if i leave it down - i was mad to go ahead in the first place, I'll try anything once.

By "my builder" i actually meant a builder friend

Once I rip the stuff up could anyone recommend an aggregate to use that is suitable for levelling-off a 0 - 1 inch incline??

I should mention the motivation for this: I wish to lay a wooden flooring over sound-reducing fibre boards that sit on a DPM ( plastic sheet ). The flooring is solid oak 120mm tongue and grove which obviously will be floated.

Thanks...

 

[Softus]

I believe the Weber latex screed has an optional accompanying aggregate that can be used to bulk out the screed to thicknesses that it can't achieve on its own.

I'd expect other good quality products to be the same, but personally I use only the Weber one.

 

[glueman]

Use F. Ball Green bag latex mixed with granite chippings. 1 bag chippings to 2 bags screed. prime the floor first with an acrylic primer. Is the floor dry by the way because water based smoothing underlayments are not that moisture tolerant.
For the benefit of other forum users, F Ball make some of Wickes screeds!