# leveling cement nightmare



## topher5150 (Jan 19, 2017)

Just bought a house and one of the projects that the previous owner did  was to remove the carpet in the basement and put in a layer of leveling  cement. Well he neglected to remove the tack strips, and left the cement  the consistency of beef stew in most spots. Needless to say walking  barefoot in the basement is like walking on a cheese grater. For the  sake of my back and hearing is there a quicker way of getting this  cement up other than using a hammer and chisel?


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## nealtw (Jan 19, 2017)

A demolition hammer might be a little easier and quicker.
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9D9JBUb0O4[/ame]


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## topher5150 (Jan 19, 2017)

.............


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## nealtw (Jan 19, 2017)

topher5150 said:


> .............



You are going to fit right in.:thbup:


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## Snoonyb (Jan 19, 2017)

Rather than the expense of the rentals and the disposal, why not just over-poor and level it


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## frodo (Jan 19, 2017)

most rental companies have an electric jack hammer,  called Bosch brute

it comes with a point tip and a blade, ask for the square head,  it is for leveling flooors


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## zannej (Jan 19, 2017)

Is there any type of grinder that could smooth it out? Or is it more bumpy than that?

I imagine you could probably chisel out the tack strips and just pour a fresh layer of self-leveling over the bumpy parts to smooth it out.

Just don't make the same mistake I did-- which was to use an expired powder that had clumped up. That was a disaster. Make sure it is a fresh bag before you mix, and make sure there are no lumps before pouring.


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## topher5150 (Jan 20, 2017)

Went to the rental store, and she said to rent a 20lb demo hammer for the day is $45ish plus the bits which are $6 each.
I thought about grinding it down but it's so thick, and uneven, and clumpy. I literally looks like he took a bucket of cement and poured it on the floor and walked away.
from what I can tell from chiseling up the tack strips, in the front of the basement anyways, that there is a lot of good cement.


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## Snoonyb (Jan 20, 2017)

The condition lends itself to, was this dwelling a bank repo, or is there an undisclosed failure in the slab, or both, and how willing to discover this, are you.


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## topher5150 (Jan 20, 2017)

We'll soon find out


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## beachguy005 (Jan 21, 2017)

Instead of renting one buy one of these from Harbor Freight.  I used one to tear up 1400 sqft of tile and the thinset off of a slab. One of the best tools I've purchased from them.
http://www.harborfreight.com/power-...y-sds-variable-speed-rotary-hammer-69274.html


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## itsreallyconc (Feb 16, 2017)

chipping gun & brick chisel will make quik work of this task,,, IF the po was true to form, he didn't adequately prep exist floor to receive leveling mtl

bosch brute ?  mankiller for this work,,, same w/bushing tool as it'll leave lotsa divots imo,,, we often have to do this work


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