Concrete leveler on top of freshly poured wet concrete???

[GuglioLS]

I need to level a 4.5 feet long x 3 foot wide slope leading to my basement steps from the garage. The deep end of the slope is 4.5" the other end is feathered paper thin.
According to the directions, Concrete leveler cannot exceed 2" thick unless "extended" with aggregate. I would rather pour bagged concrete with pea gravel into the deep end leaving around 1 inch shy then top it all off with the leveler. I have prepared the old surface by grinding it down and have acrylic bonding liquid. My question is.......can I pour the leveler on top of the freshly poured concrete without any curing or surface quality issues? Or must the concrete set for 24 hours? Thanks for your expert advise

 

[dougtrr2]

I know it would be more expensive, but I would cut out and replace the entire section. A cheaper alternative might be to make the saw cut and then have the section mudjacked into level. I am a pessimist and think a feathered edge will not stand up.

Doug in SW IA

 

[dodge man]

I’m going to agree, I’d cut that out a repour it. The feathered edge will just fall apart. I see a crack in it also.

 

[GuglioLS]

Thanks for the reply. There will be a 2x6 wall with an entry door right on top of the feathered edge. Then some thin laminate flooring on top of the leveler going into the basement stairs. I've decided to pour ready mix concrete to fill the deep end, let it set overnight, then pour the leveler on top.

 

[bigtiller]

First I thought you were eliminating a trip hazard on a walkway, and I would try your method. Now that it is structural and attached to another structure, I would tear it out and start with a frost line footing.

 

[newbury]

frost line footing

Is there even a frost line in Edgewood?

 

[bigtiller]

Is there even a frost line in Edgewood?

Woops...probably not, though a little thicker concrete under the wall would be a good thing.

 

[GuglioLS]

Yes there is more than just frost here near Edgewood, NM at 7000 feet. We have real winters . The garage never freezes though, it never gets below 55* inside. The high part of the slab is already 6" thick. Just need a level surface for the wall floor plate and get rid of that slope leading down to the basement stairs. That opening used to be outside with a steel Bilco basement door before we added the attached garage, contractor had to slope the slab down to the bottom of the Bilco door opening. That slope is dangerous, so I removed the Bilco doors and now going to box it in with two floor to celling walls and a steel entry door. I'm also putting in new stairs to match the new height of where that slope will soon be gone. Already cut the stair stringers and steps, fabricated stringer brackets too. I want this done, getting a contractor out here is like pulling teeth without anesthesia. And I'm not paying who knows how much to have it cut out and replaced.

The only question I ever had was can concrete leveler be added immediately to unset concrete.
This is the door I removed so you have an idea how I got to this point. I am tired of bending over to lift and open that monstrosity. Getting older sucks.

 

[paulsharvey]

Thanks for the reply. There will be a 2x6 wall with an entry door right on top of the feathered edge. Then some thin laminate flooring on top of the leveler going into the basement stairs. I've decided to pour ready mix concrete to fill the deep end, let it set overnight, then pour the leveler on top.

View attachment 2907603

So, are you doweling or atleast using a boding agent for the sakcrete your adding?

Here's what I would do. I would saw cut the thin area, few dozen cuts, 1" deep, chisel that out, so that none of the new concrete is less than 2" thick. Make sure you clean all dust and debris, and then, at the very least, wet the old concrete before adding anything on top. Adding some dowels is easy, just drill some 5/8" holes, a couple inches deep, and pound in a #4 rebar, leaving the top of the dowel atleast 1" below the new grade.

 

[paulsharvey]

Another better option, although more money, high strength grout. I dont mean tile grout, but actual high strength concrete grout, or similar hydralic cement, which some types come with a bottle of Elmer's glue like bonding agent. It's about $28/50# bag,

 

[GuglioLS]

Thank you all for chiming in. Not wanting to make a mountain out of a molehill of a project. I wound up mixing Sakcrete with the leveler for the deep end and just leveler for the last 1" to the feathered edge. The ground down concrete surface got dampened with water then a coating of adhesive prior to pouring everything. It has dowels and a rod just like the previous pictures posted clearly show. Got a few bubbles but no big deal it will get covered with a throw rug or laminate flooring or maybe even epoxy after the walls are built and door installed. This is just an unfinished basement entryway for the man cave, not the Hoover dam.