Self-leveling concrete

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Self-leveling concrete being applied to a kitchen floor

Self-leveling

floor tiles
becoming larger, for example.

Self-consolidating (or self-compacting) concrete (SCC) is a separate type of highly mobile (fluid) concrete formulation, which is based on superplasticizers, and is therefore also somewhat self-leveling.

History

Self-leveling concrete was invented in 1952 by Axel Karlsson from Sweden. The first product was a combination of wood glue, fine sand and cement with additives.[1] It was called flytspackel, which directly translates to "floating putty".

The term self-leveling can be traced back to a patent applied by the company Lafarge in 1997.[2] The term is used to differentiate it from traditional concrete, which is typically stiffer and requires more labor to get into place and finish with a trowel.

Application

In the category of self-leveling concrete there are two main groups of materials: underlayments and toppings. An underlayment is installed over an existing subfloor to smooth it out and correct any surface irregularities prior to the installation of all types of floor coverings, including sheet

ceramic tile and carpet
. A topping performs a similar function but acts as the actual finished floor without the need for a floor covering. Some typical applications for concrete toppings include warehouse floors, light industrial applications, retail stores and institutional facilities. Concrete toppings can also receive color, stains, saw cuts or mechanical polishing to produce a decorative concrete finished wear surface.

When self-leveling concrete is poured, it has a viscosity similar to that of

pancake batter. A gauge rake
is used to move it into place without spreading it too thin. The finishing is then done by lightly breaking the surface tension of the product using a tool called a smoother. The polymers in the self-leveling mix keep the viscosity of the product such that it remains uniform in composition from top to bottom without the sand aggregates sinking to the bottom of the installed layer. The typical installation thickness of these products is about 1⁄4 inch (6 mm) to ensure there is enough mass present for the material to flow, although some self-leveling products now exist that can be installed at an average thickness of only 1⁄8 inch (3 mm).

See also

References

  1. ^ "Klistrets Karlsson – en riktig uppfinnare". Centrum från Näringslivshistoria. 2013-10-01. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  2. ^ "Cement-Based Self-Leveling Composition". Google patent / IFI CLAIMS Patent Services. 1997-05-12. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
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