Hey everyone! I recently ripped out some carpet and poured self-leveling concrete floor resurfacer as a prep for tile. I even mixed in some charcoal pigment with every other bucket, and I think it turned out pretty cool after trowelling! I'm considering staining it and sealing it for a finished look but I'm curious: has anyone else used self-leveling concrete as a final floor? Any tips or photos you can share? Worst case, if it doesn't work out, I can always grind it down and put in actual flooring.
3 Answers
You can technically do it, but self-leveling concrete doesn’t hold up well to foot traffic. It’ll likely turn into a dusty mess. If you give it a shot, use a solvent-based penetrating sealer to help it hold together better.
The thickness of your self-leveler matters a lot! It’s designed to provide a finished surface, but if it's too thin, it might chip or crack, especially under heavy traffic. Just be cautious with how much weight you put on it, depending on your furniture setup. But if it does crack, you can always patch it up with more self-leveler.
I aimed for about 3/8 of an inch with a gauge rake. Left it to cure for a few days before using it, and it's just in an office.
I looked into this too for my basement. Just a heads up—most self-levelers aren’t made for finished surfaces. I came across a Mapei product that might work, but sourcing it was a hassle!
Yeah, exactly! If you get some chips, just clean them up and reapply the self-leveler. Should be an easy fix!