Self levelers are tricky. Probably the best tool in the shed is a garden rake. Use the back side to pull the leveler around over the whole floor, then use the spiky side to keep breaking the surface tension of the leveler until all ripples are gone - it'll be glass smooth. Also, make sure you use a surface primer if the product says to... you'll regret it if you don't (don't ask how I know this! :)

wow, expansion form as a dam, THAT is a trick I haven't seen before and this tip alone made this a worthwhile video. Thank YOU!!!! Excellent!

Yo I’m a 22 year old tile installer all your videos help a bunch, haven’t came across too many floor prep videos

I worked for Issac for 2 years. Very impressed with his knowledge and quality. There will always be a “know-it-all” in the comment section of any channel. Please make your own video if this is you. I really can put to use this installation of the level quick to any job benefit from it thanks to videos like this. Thanx Issac

When I saw you setting up multiple mixing buckets so you could pour the leveler all at once, I said "Ah Ha! that's what I need to do for a one man 80 sq ft. floor that 1" out of level.". Thanks for the great idea!

thanks for the tip about using a trowel to spread the compound.

I usually red guard any cracks before the self leveling underlayment. Great work 👌🏾

You're a GREAT teacher. I love how you were clear and concise, got straight to the point, and down to business. Appreciate you!

Great vid. Love the planning ahead with the marks on the floor.

Wow, thanks a million. Using the foam insulation all round is genious, alot less hassle than nailing baseboard trim and silicone all round. And using a window squeegee to help spread the "batter" is a great tip. My project is to use this materialt to underlay for tile in the kitchen cabinet "hole" where the range was at 7/8 inch below the floor tile level. Much better than buying a huge heavy cement board, especially when you only need a 30in x 30in piece.

You're the best! Great videos with common sense explanations. Thanks a million.

I always appreciate people like you man

Dude you rule. Extremely logical approach, very helpful!

We mixed quickset when i was younger and layed marble floors for uneven floors. We would use a long level to see what part of a room was lower, chalk where was lower, pour quickset, smoothen it out, take lunch to let it harden then come back to start popping chalk lines. Perfect quick fix

Isaac; Thanks man! I WISH I had caught this before I just used a lot of un needed thinset to build up a "level" corner of my tile project...Proves to me the need to seek out your solid how-to's before diving into a project all gung-ho. I did do that last summer when I had a different project but this time around I was in too much of a hurry. Speed is costly. Big thumbs up!!

you are awesome. simple and straightforward. May God bless you

Perfect timing of this video! Thanks for uploading. Exactly what I needed.

I love the bags on the feet. Ingenuity....working with what you got. Good stuff thank you for sharing

Thank you for video! It's a "one shot" application, so its nice to see it done.

Thank you coach! That bag trick is exactly what the dr ordered!

I love your work and your explanation. Thank you it’s very understandable.

Hey guys. Just wanted to say thanks for the video and tips. We just poured a self leveling floor in our kitchen and "butlers pantry". It went great. Thanks again.

Vote absolutely! Educate yourself and help others!!!

Wonderful video - and loved you new "boots" You helped me appreciate what it takes for a really flat pour.

The spike roller makes it get to level faster. It never "Self" levels all the way. The spike roller breaks that surface tension and gets the job done! Good videos. Thanks!

Great video. Don’t worry about the bagshoes, improvisation is a gift. How long does it typically take for a self-leveler to dry? Could you show how you actually determined the high and low points with your level and straight edge? Also, thanks for sending out love and sharing your positive attitude.

Love the spray foam tip. Very nice

I Understand the principle of what your doing. The Best Tip you gave and it is so simple to wrap your legs up in plastic bags to keep you clean That is so simple! a Great tip to Keep Clean

Hey! I used this trick to level my bathroom floor! It works!. Thanks. Levelquik sets up quick tho. Then I just cut the foam flush with a multitool.

Thanks for this video! I've got a 2 car garage floor that has kind of sunk in certain places. Self-leveling compound like this is perfect for something like this.

Heck yeah! Good job man.

So glad I found your video. I want to tile my bathroom but was pretty disheartened when I found how uneven it was. This helped give me confidence and make a plan. Cheers.

Thanks , I wore them bags over my sock walking to school in Nebraska during the winter as a kid ! Actually it was bread bags !

I wish there were experts like you in our area.

Thank you very much: exactly what i was looking for.

Very helpful, thanks for making this!

Interesting using expandable foam. Edge ban makes something similar but this method is cheap and effective. Love it

Great tips and tricks bro thanks following your directions 💯

Absolutely the best “self leveling” video I have seen. Thank you for taking the time to share.

I self level a whole lot different than you do. But I’m open to learning better or different ways for better or similar results. Thanks for the videos.

you are a hero! great video!

Great video, I’m getting ready to use self leveling compound for the first time. I like your style and clear explanations, you’ve earned a subscriber. Just one thing...don’t vote your heart, vote using your brain. Emotional decision making is not the way to run a country 😄

Well Isaac you become really good at :)

thanks and I love the bags

You guys are the best 🤙👍

thank you was able to use this clip to help with my construction course

JUST WHAT I NEEDED...THANKS ALOT.

Thanks for the vid. Helped me out a lot

Very helpful thank you for the tips.

duuude. great job, thanks for the lesson, best vid ive seen of this.

Great video . great work extra detailed nice job 👍

Foam spray GENIUS

I do enjoy the vids!👍

great video

Good stuff. I would like to see you using a gauge rake but it looks good!

Great job

Great video! That is exactly how I level floors! Awesome!

Very good video. Thank you

New subscriber, great content, learning a lot.

And thanks for the great video.

Thank you so much! I will be doing my bathroom this week to prep for tiling. After putting down mortar and then cement board screwing it down its still uneven-old home 1930. Thanks again!!!

I use that same Marshalltown rake or spreader too. I picked it up out of necessity one day and it works really well.

Thank you! Great video and tips. I like the foam spray trick.

Very good Video!

What I learned about floor leveling compound; Primer is extremely important, especially when laying layers upon concrete. Anyone in the business of floor leveling will tell you that the product isn’t self-leveling. It takes an experienced hand to have a finished product that is flat, much less smooth and level, 3/16th of an inch at ten feet is the max variance. Cold, cold water will give you some extra time to spread the mix before it clumps and hardens. Special tools are needed, unless of course you are a concrete man that knows how to use lumber as a tool. Spike shoes are important when doing large areas. A roller with spikes is necessary to remove bubbles, help spread the cement and pop bubbles. A slow stir is necessary to keep air bubbles out of the mixture (recommending a mixer and not a drill). Exact water measurement is extremely important. Stirring longer than two minutes is just wasting set-up time. Sanding often isn’t a problem, some easier than others, some dustier than others. The videos on KZfaq are obviously with experienced tradesmen, making the job look easy.

Good video. Very helpful.

Thanks this is awesome.

Thanks for taking the time to help the rest of the world...will be using all your techniques today!!

Great Tip Thank You

Thanks issac!

Great Video

@3:35 I have made the exact mistake that you are describing here. I have found that even if I poured two buckets next to each other the edges of those two pours would not blend by themselves. There was an "edge" to where those pours met, due to the surface tension. If I could do it again I would use garden rake to blend the separate pours. The spike roller is probably the best tool for it, but a rake would probably work too.

Have you tried using a porcupine roller when pouring leveling compound? It works great at blending all the poured material leaving a glass finish. I typically grind the humps using a cup wheel with a hepa vac, then it minimizes the amount of material needed.

great video..

Glad I found this. Getting ready to put wood laminate in my living room but the concrete slab is cracked bad and is uneven. This beats grinding the peaks down and crack chasing.

Great work bro thanks for

Good stuff.👍

Man, you make it look easy

I like a man that knows his trade

Isaac, I silicone horseshoe spacers to the floor to show the height I need to pour to. Once all my horseshoes are slightly covered I know I'm flat and level!

The leveler was wetter then what I’m use to, and mixing enough for the whole pour upfront. I see now that these are important steps. The end result was impressive

Thanks bro I’m only 19 & I’m doing my room it helped me a lot👍

"Vote your heart". What an American thing to say, you just gotta love the freedom.

Thanks for the information 👍🏻Easy breezy right

Spray foam - genius

How would you handle cracks in the slab under the self leveler? Would you fill those with epoxy, or just prime them and fill them with the self leveler?

Good Info!

Awesome thanks

Isaac , I like the way you said, we are mixing the self leveler , you watch while the poor guy done all the mixing, Okay you did spread the stuff, but still it was a good video, well done.

Showing how you used the level and the straight edge. To get your "ground zero" and different depths would of been helpful. Otherwise awesome.

Hey looks good. I use 8in floor grinder with vacuum, it gives more tooth for the floor lever material. Then I prime. Try a plastic leaf rack does real way. But has always you do great work.🤛

You won my heart when you reminded folks to vote in the midterm.

Nice. I subscribed

Thank you for sharing. Would you like to answer my question ? Can I use this method to level a floor for tile-over-tile. If so, should I use self leveler before the primer or after?

I would like to see the floor after you pour it with a level. To make sure it's flat.

My dear friend just a reminder . After you cleaned the floor you have to tackle the floor cracks with a membrane crack suppression. Them you most prime the floor with underlayment primer then you adjust the height you want with the spreader tool that is adjustable not a window squeegee

What name brand self leveling compound do you recommend, or will any type do?

Great video,I would make sure that all those cracks on the concrete floor are filled with sand or silicone to prevent compound to go inside

FOAM! YES! GREAT TIP! What kind of primer? Kilz?

Good vid