How to fix a botched self leveling compound job with dips
When self-leveling compound sets too quickly, it leaves behind unexpected high spots, thin coverage, and persistent dips in the subfloor. Fixing this botched application requires grinding down the high areas and pouring a fresh, properly mixed patch layer before you can safely install new flooring.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1Grinding down the uneven compound and applying another proper layer on top
- 2Breaking up the hardened compound and starting fresh
- 3light spreading with a wire rake
- 4setting a datum using screws in the floor, leveling gauges, or depth pins
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“Used some Henrys 555 self leveling on a dip in my subfloor. Spent a little too much time mixing and not enough time laying it out. Tried my best to feather it out with a trowel. There's still a pretty decent dip. What do we think are the best steps to save this?”source ↗
“I poured the compound on my floor and it did not really spread the way I expected. It just stayed pooled in the middle.”source ↗
“I somehow had more material on my high spots and paper, thin coverage on my low spots.”source ↗
“the material was already starting to get firm. I panicked and whipped up a second bucket of self leveler.”source ↗
Where this came up
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