Uneven Slabs Fixed with Self-Leveling Underlayment
When a concrete slab dips, humps or slopes, no finish sits right on top. Gatineau Concrete applies self-leveling compound to bring the substrate into tolerance, creating a flat, bonded surface ready for tile, plank, polish or any other finish. The slab stays in place. The surface above gets what it needs. Every project includes a free written estimate and firm completion date.
A slab that is not flat creates problems the moment a finish goes on top. Tile cracks at the low spots because the substrate flexes. Vinyl plank shows lippage where the slab humps. Polished concrete reveals every patch and dip because the grinder cannot hide substrate irregularities. Micro-topping looks wavy because the base is wavy.
Self-leveling underlayment solves this before the finish is installed. We prime the substrate with a product matched to the surface (concrete, plywood, or existing tile), mix the self-leveling compound to the manufacturer's water ratio, and pour it onto the floor. Gravity and the compound's chemistry do the work. It flows to the lowest point, settles level, and cures into a hard, bonded surface.
We check moisture levels, identify high and low spots, and confirm the substrate is sound. We select the self-leveling product and primer matched to the surface type.
Prime and set elevation marks
The substrate is primed with the manufacturer-matched primer. We mark the finished elevation and contain the perimeter so the compound stays where it should.
Mix and pour to elevation
The self-leveling compound is mixed to the published water ratio, poured onto the primed substrate, and gently raked to the marked elevation. Gravity handles the leveling.
Cure and prepare for finish
The compound sets to walkable in hours and cures fully per the manufacturer's timeline. The new surface is flat, sound, and ready for the finish layer without additional prep.
Common applications
When Renovation Floors Need Self-Leveling
Renovation floors are the most common use case. Old slabs in Gatineau homes, patched slabs, slabs in older buildings rarely meet the flatness modern finishes require. Self-leveling underlayment turns them into a usable substrate without a tear-out and replacement.
It also goes under polished concrete when the slab is not polish-ready, under micro-topping when extra fill is needed, and under radiant heat systems as part of the floor stack. The flatness is what every system above depends on to perform correctly.
When it is needed, what substrates it bonds to, thickness limits and finish options in Gatineau.
Not always. If the substrate is already within tolerance for the finish you want, self-leveling is unnecessary. We measure first; if the dips and humps fall outside what the finish can handle, self-leveling is the honest fix.
All three, with the right primer and product for the substrate. We pick the matched primer and self-leveling product for what the floor sits on, so the bond is engineered for the surface, not assumed.
Most products handle up to about an inch in a single pour, more in lifts with proper bonding. We size the pour to the substrate's worst dip and the finish's flatness requirement.
No, it is a finishing prep, not a structural floor. It bonds to a sound substrate and brings it flat. If the slab below is structurally compromised, that has to be fixed first.
Walkable in a few hours, ready for tile or plank typically the next day, ready for polishing or staining once fully cured to the manufacturer's published window. We give you the exact timeline on the project.
Homeowner reviews
What Gatineau Homeowners Say About Self-Leveling Pours
Old kitchen slab was a wave. Self-leveling brought it dead flat and the tile went down without a single shim. The result looks like a brand-new build.
G. R.
Gatineau
★★★★★
Polished the basement floor after a self-leveling pour. The polish was perfect because the substrate was actually flat for the first time.
V. D.
Kanata
★★★★★
Plywood substrate in our addition. They primed it properly and the leveler bonded so well I forgot it was on plywood. The plank floor sits perfect.
O. B.
Barrhaven
★★★★★
Heated floor underlayment plus self-leveling plus micro-topping plus polish. Whole stack done in sequence and the finished floor is dead flat with even radiant heat.
I. U.
Nepean
From the blog
Concrete Guides & Articles
Practical reading on planning, finishes and caring for concrete in Gatineau.
Tell us about the substrate, the finish you want, and the room dimensions. We will measure, calculate the pour, and send a written quote within one business day.
