Ardex self-leveling underlayment brings out-of-tolerance slabs to the flatness spec finish flooring requires. Boston Concrete installs Ardex self-leveling for tile contractors, finish-flooring installers, and any project where the slab tolerance is the problem the finish cannot solve. Every project starts with a free written estimate.
Finish flooring installers cannot make a non-flat slab look flat. The slab tolerance has to be right before tile, plank, or polish goes on. Ardex self-leveling underlayment is what brings the slab to that tolerance, with the bonded primer and engineered chemistry that bonds the new pour to the existing concrete permanently.
We install Ardex SLU as the Ardex-system installer, meaning every step (prep, primer, mix, pour) follows Ardex spec. The result is a substrate the finish-flooring contractor can install on without complaint. Coordinate with the rest of our Ardex services if the project also needs overlay, repair, or waterproofing.
Similar to our commercial self-leveling service but specifically Ardex-system; product choice between Ardex SLU and other systems depends on project spec and finish-flooring installer preference, and ties into our broader commercial concrete work.
Recent work
How it works
How We Install Ardex SLU in Boston
Map slab for Ardex SLU
We map the existing slab elevation across the floor, identify the variation, calculate the target SLU pour depth to bring tolerance into the finish-flooring spec, and confirm the plan with the finish installer.
Diamond-grind and prime
The slab is diamond-ground to Ardex prep profile, contaminants removed, the matched Ardex primer applied across the prepped slab so the SLU bonds permanently to the underlying concrete.
Mix and pour SLU
Ardex SLU is mixed to manufacturer water ratio, poured across the floor, gauge-raked, and allowed to self-level to a flat plane. The material works within a specific time window; we move quickly to use it.
Cure Ardex SLU to finish-ready
The pour cures to Ardex schedule, the final tolerance is confirmed against the finish-flooring spec, and the slab is handed off to the finish installer ready for the next phase.
Trade coordination
Self-Leveling Is a Coordination Move
Ardex SLU works best when scheduled into the build alongside the finish-flooring contractor 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 so the next-trade install runs smoothly.
Coordinate with adjacent Ardex overlays if the finish goal is to leave the SLU as the floor itself, and with the rest of our Ardex services across the project.
Bonded primer, tolerance specs, depth ranges and coordination with finish trades.
Ardex offers SLU products that can feather to extremely thin edges (essentially a few mil) and pour up to substantial depths for major tolerance correction. Product choice depends on the tolerance and project; we spec from the Ardex range.
Yes, critically. The Ardex primer is what bonds the SLU to the existing concrete. Without it, the SLU delaminates over time. Skipping or substituting the primer voids the Ardex system warranty.
Sometimes, with the matched Ardex polishable or top-coated overlay product. Most projects use SLU as substrate for tile, plank, or another finish; using it as the finish itself requires a different product spec.
Foot traffic typically the same day or next; finish-flooring install usually waits longer for the SLU to cure and dry to the finish spec. The cure schedule is in the project handoff.
Cost depends on depth, area, and existing slab condition. We provide a written quote based on the actual project; budget guidance can be discussed during the assessment.
They prep with Ardex primer like the spec calls for, not a generic primer. SLU bonds properly, my tile install goes in on a flat substrate. The Ardex-system difference is real.
Z. T5
Tile Contractor, Boston
★★★★★
Coordinated the SLU pour with my schedule, agreed the target tolerance up front, hit it on the pour. My plank install ran without complaint. Trade coordination at its best.
Y. T5
Finish Floor Installer, Cambridge
★★★★★
Three different substrate areas with different tolerance issues, three different Ardex SLU products specced. Each one matched the conditions; the finish-flooring went over each cleanly.
Q. T5
GC, Somerville
★★★★★
Tight feather-edge work at door thresholds where standard SLU would not work. They used the right Ardex product, feather edge held, no telegraph through the finish.
X. T5
Custom Home Builder, Quincy
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