oh my god worst I have seen yet

[James Spelrem]

have a tough one have 28 bags of self level to put down on concrete, new house in Calgary AB. when they poured the floor they froze the pad 3/8 heave.the concrete is like gypcrete. told the people the right way to fix it is to jack hammer it out and start again. they don't want to go that far.anyway going to use mapei prime L for the primer but it only goes so deep and I can scratch out the concrete with a razor scraper it is the same thoughout the pad. I Know that the self level is going to pull off the pad,I need to strenghen up the face of the pad any ideas?

[timeless john]

Tough !

Not totally sure on some of the terms used but gather the surface of the concrete base is very loose!
Whatever you put on the top ie. latex /self leveller will only 'fix' to the loose material.
The problem I see is the frost affected concrete and would suggest contacting the ready mix supplier for details of the mix, the effect the frost would have had on the surface -relevant to a tiled covering.
All loose material should be mechanically removed prior to any levelling put down.
Try and get customer confirmation of acceptance to tile onto their prepared surface!

Good luck!
John.

[jay]

hi james used a product down here made by construction chemicals dribond concrete hardener a clear flurosilicate solution that case hardens poorly cured cement masonary structures by impregnating into its capillary spaces and then by chemicaiiy reacting with the free lime it bonds and strengthens the crystal structure.used it on a slab finnished off wet as dusty as. 2 coates later no dust tiled about 4 years ago no probs hope this helps

[Rob Z]

Hi James, Is there ever a time in Calgary when it's not below freezing?

Maybe at the very least you can convince the customer to pay for you to bush hammer the surface and abrade away the spalling parts?

[James Spelrem]

Thank you Gentelmen I did end up brushing up the concrete 1/8 to a 1/4 in some areas ended up useing sika armortec 10 a 3 part mix and holy smokes did that ever bond sucked deep into the concrete and when set.there is no fooling around hard as granite I know I'll have no problems with the poor.Thanks again mates.

[Rob Z]

Hi James, We've used a lot of Sikaflex caulks but not that product you used. What is it?

[James Spelrem]

sika armortec 10 is an anti corsion and bonding agent for old to new concrete expensive 25 kg kit is about $250 cad. really liked the end result I really thought I was hooped with that pad.

[Rob Z]

Thanks, James.

[Alberta Stone]

Sounds like a good job for Ditra.
I would prime the floor and bond the ditra with a good modified thinset and then use the same modified thinset to fill in the waffle on top.
Let cure and then pour the self level.
Ditra uncouples the layers so any issues underneath don't transmit topside.

Another thing would be L&M densifier (seal hard) kind of like the product jay mentioned.

By the way, I live in Calgary as well.
If you want to hook up for a brew sometime PM me.