Fixing Out-of-Spec Slabs with Self-Leveling Concrete
A commercial slab that doesn't meet flatness tolerance stops finish flooring in its tracks. Self-leveling concrete is the solution: we prime the existing slab, pour a self-leveling underlayment to the target depth, and deliver a flat surface ready for tile, plank, polish or coating. Detroit Concrete handles the whole sequence, coordinating with your finish-flooring trade to confirm tolerance specs before we pour. Free written estimate on every project.
Tile lippage, plank gaps, coating roller-marks, polished-floor inconsistency, these problems get blamed on the finish installer when the root cause is a slab poured outside the flatness tolerance for that finish. No finish installer can make a non-flat slab look flat. The slab has to be corrected first.
Self-leveling concrete fixes the slab before the finish goes down. We diamond-grind the existing slab to expose clean concrete, apply a bonded primer, pour a self-leveling underlayment to the target depth, and let it cure to the finish-floor spec. The result is a slab that meets the finish flooring's flatness requirement, which makes the rest of the install go right.
We survey the existing slab elevation across the floor, identify high and low spots, calculate the pour depth needed to bring the floor to the finish-flooring's tolerance, and confirm the plan with the finish-floor contractor.
Grind and prime
The existing slab is diamond-ground to expose clean concrete, contaminants and old coatings are removed, and a bonded primer is applied to ensure the self-leveling underlayment fully bonds to the existing slab.
Pour and distribute
The self-leveling underlayment is mixed to the manufacturer's water ratio, poured to the calculated depth, and gauge-raked to distribute it; the material self-levels to a flat plane within minutes of placement.
Cure and hand off
The pour cures to the manufacturer's schedule, the surface is confirmed against the finish-flooring's tolerance, and the slab is handed back to the finish installer ready for tile, plank, polish or coating.
Coordination matters
Self-Leveling Works Best When Scheduled with Finish Trades
Self-leveling concrete delivers the best results when it's planned into the build schedule alongside the finish-flooring trade rather than added as an emergency fix. We coordinate timing and tolerance with the tile, plank or polish installer up front, agree the target flatness, and pour to that target.
Tolerance specs, primer systems, depth ranges and when to self-level before finishing.
Each finish has its own tolerance, large-format tile is more demanding than plank, polished concrete more than tile. The finish installer's spec defines the target; we pour self-leveling to meet that target, and we will get the spec from your finish-flooring trade up front.
Yes, modern self-leveling systems can be poured at a thin overlay depth for minor tolerance corrections, up to several inches for major fixes. The system spec changes with depth; we use the right one for the pour.
Always. The primer is what bonds the new pour to the existing slab; without it, the self-leveling delaminates over time. We use the manufacturer-matched primer for the system, applied to a diamond-ground substrate.
Foot traffic typically within hours, but finish flooring usually waits longer for the pour to cure and dry. We give the finish-flooring trade the cure timeline so they can schedule their install.
Cost and disruption. A self-leveling overlay corrects the existing slab without tear-out, in a fraction of the time and budget. Where the existing slab is structurally failing rather than just out-of-tolerance, a new slab is the right call; we will tell you which case yours is.
Client reviews
What Detroit Operations Say About Their Self-Leveling Pours
Tile contractor had refused to install on our out-of-tolerance slab. Self-leveling pour brought it to spec inside three days; tile install went perfectly after that. Fixed the actual problem.
W. V.
Construction Manager, Detroit
★★★★★
Coordinated with our polished-concrete trade from day one. Target tolerance agreed, pour hit it, polish came out flawless. Real trade coordination, not just a contractor.
Z. V.
Retail Build-Out Director, Warren
★★★★★
Existing slab had two inches of variation across the floor. Self-leveling brought it flat, finish coating installer was thrilled. Cost a fraction of a new slab pour.
Y. V.
Property Manager, Ann Arbor
★★★★★
They were honest that part of our slab needed structural repair, not just self-leveling. Did both in sequence. The honesty was worth the slightly bigger scope.
Q. X.
Healthcare Facility Director, Sterling Heights
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Tell us the floor area, the target finish flooring and its tolerance spec, and we will assess the existing slab and quote the self-leveling pour in writing.
