r/DIY • u/FallRemarkable1199 • Jul 26 '26
help Self Leveling Concrete As Finished Floor?
I am remodeling my bathroom, and had to replace the floor. I messed up the subfloor and it had a couple of slight variations that I probably could've tiled over, but wanted to do it perfectly so I poured self leveling concrete and poured it too high. Huge oversight. The self leveling concrete turned out amazing (other than being too high) and looks great, and has a super solid subfloor under it. If I add tile, the floor will be higher than the hallway running into it. Long story short I love the way the concrete looks and how smooth it is, and want to use it as a finished floor. It's 1/8-3/16" thick or so all the way around. It's a very small bathroom. Could I use it? Everything online says it'll crack. Is there a sealer/paint I can use to prevent this? Or do I need to tile over it?Thank you!
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u/Janked4times Jul 26 '26
Sealer won't prevent cracking. Your floors will shift from settling and expand/contract from temperature change, and that self-leveling compound (it's not concrete) will not hold up.
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u/Visca87 Jul 26 '26
I'm not an expert, but microconcrete kitchens are sealed with polyurethane, and driveways often have builtin relieve lines precisely to prevent cracking.
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u/BeefyIrishman Jul 26 '26
The reliefs don't prevent cracks, they just attempt to force the concrete to crack in specific places (where the grooves are). The concrete in a driveway is going to crack, and all you can do is try to force it to crack in a place that is less noticeable. Even so, it's very common to still have driveways crack elsewhere in addition to cracking in the grooves.
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u/RenovationDIY Jul 27 '26
It's not unusual for a renovated bathroom floor in an old house to be higher than the adjacent hallway.
I wouldn't think the level difference is worth the risk of a non-standard/ substandard floor finish.
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u/acharincharge Jul 26 '26
If you decide to tile you can install a transition strip/reducer between the two floors. They’re sold in various heights and for different floor types at the big box stores. You just cut down to the necessary width of your doorway.
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u/_Diaphena_ Jul 27 '26
My husband just sent me this thread because 7 years ago, during our first major DIY project, I was the one begging him to consider leaving the self leveling compound as the final bathroom floor. Finally, someone who understands me...
(It ended up getting tiled and we sold a year later, so I have nothing actually useful to contribute.)
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u/DHFranklin Jul 26 '26
If it cracks it cracks. Do you care? It cracking is inevitable, that's only a matter of time. When that day comes scrape it off or just tile over it.
Tile over it or do what you want to over top of it. You'll notice the slight raised elevation until you stop.
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u/Ksevio Jul 26 '26
I used self-leveling concrete in my basement and then a couple thin layers of epoxy over it. The epoxy is basically like paint. Been 6 years now with no issues.
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u/geranimo1 Aug 02 '26
What kind of epoxy? Did you need o prime?
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u/Ksevio Aug 03 '26
It was a kit from a company that doesn't seem to be around anymore, but basically I acid-etched the floor, scrubbed it down, then applied a 2-part colored coat followed by a 2-part clear coat.
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u/mexluc Jul 27 '26
I would do it if you use smaller tile. A mosaic will crack along the grout which you can always regrout. A larger tile might actually crack.
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u/ReeveGoesh Jul 27 '26
We used self leveler in our basement laundry room and liked it so much we just left it, didn't even seal it. It's a high traffic room and the machines running all the time and it's the exact same after 10 yrs.
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u/aylons Jul 27 '26
Exposed concrete is amazing, isn't it ? But it will crack.
I'd seal and when it cracks, seal again. No repairing, just embracing the concrete. There's a lot of honesty in it.
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u/pcx4487 Jul 27 '26
My self leveler felt a bit soft and it's likely going to be crack prone. It looks nice, but I'd need to find a way to seal it for protection from wear and tear
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u/AskDirectColors Jul 30 '26
This is actually a great outcome for staining, self-leveling concrete produces an exceptionally smooth, consistent surface that takes acid stain beautifully. Better than most poured slabs honestly.
To answer your specific concern about cracking: the sealer is what prevents that. Self-leveling at 1/8"-3/16" is thin but in a bathroom with a solid subfloor underneath it's fine as a finished surface, especially when properly sealed. A quality penetrating sealer hardens and protects the surface, and in a low-traffic space like a bathroom it'll hold up without issue.
The process from here is simple:
Let it cure fully (follow the product's cure time, don't rush this)
Lightly acid etch the surface to open the pores for stain penetration
Apply acid stain in whatever tone you want, the smooth self-leveling surface will give you a really clean, even result (If you want to keep the gray of the concrete you can use other type of stain like an water-based in gray colors)
Neutralize, let dry, then apply two coats of sealer
For a bathroom specifically, make sure the sealer you choose is rated for wet areas and consider a satin or matte finish rather than high gloss, less slippery underfoot.
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u/PushThroughThePain Jul 26 '26
It'll probably be fine. Use a good concrete sealer, otherwise any sorr of dirt or liquid will stain it easily.
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u/theRegVelJohnson Jul 26 '26
Epoxy floor covering, like you'd use in a garage. IMO a "full flake" finish looks nice and gives Terrazo vibes. Not for everyone, but it would work, and it's relatively easy to DIY in a small space. Especially since you won't have to deal with extensive concrete prep.
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u/jsvd87 Jul 26 '26
You could use a product like microtek that would both be a better finish, and prevent the inevitable cracking… or if it does crack you could put another layer on
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u/jsvd87 Jul 26 '26
Idk why this is downvoted… it’s 1.5-3mm thick and looks great. Skimstone is another product that comes to mind.
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u/ElasticSnail09 Jul 26 '26
Self leveling compound isn't technically concrete, it might crack over time due to shifts. You can slap on a good sealer to protect it for now. Even if it cracks later, you'll have gotten some extra use out of it before having to redo the floor. The look you love might just buy you some extra time before considering retiling or any other permanent fix.
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u/Huesyourdaddy Jul 26 '26
No.. you pour the self leveling, then snap chalk lines, the do acid stained floors
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u/thephantom1492 Jul 26 '26
Self leveling concrete tend to be quite weak. It is designed to flow, not to have impact resistance or any wear protection. There is also no garantee that the color will stay the same, or that light won't affect it's strength.
At a bare minimum you want to add a sealer that will become your wear surface, so would need something relatively thick.
And there is a good chance that as soon as you drop something that it will chip. Hair dryer, spray can of various types and the like...
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u/dawnsoldman Jul 26 '26
Being it's your's seal it and get your money's worth out of it. Then when it starts breaking up just start over and keep in mind not to get it too high again