I have a 125 year old townhouse with a large (700 sq ft) basement. We had waterproofing done (vapor barrier, perimeter drains, sump pumps) last year that dried everything out and made the space usable. We would like to finish the basement by adding walls and a floor. The problem is the relatively thin concrete slab that has a few spots where it swelled up, and other spots that go down, mostly in the range of 1-2 inches. I was able to knock down the highest spots with a sledge hammer, and can patch those as necessary. But I’d like to put down a vinyl plank floor and don’t know what the best way is to level everything. Self leveling concrete seems like it would work, but it would be expensive. A full subfloor with shims is an option, but that seems excessive too. I don't really care about it being actually level - I just need it flat enough for a vapor barrier of some sort, thin underlayment and vinyl plank. What’s the best option for topping old concrete in as needed between 1/2 to 2 inches? The floor right now seems stable - most of the issues were moisture related.
I have a 125 year old townhouse with a large (700 sq ft) basement. We had waterproofing done (vapor barrier, perimeter drains, sump pumps) last year that dried everything out and made the space usable. We would like to finish the basement by adding walls and a floor. The problem is the relatively thin concrete slab that has a few spots where it swelled up, and other spots that go down, mostly in the range of 1-2 inches. I was able to knock down the highest spots with a sledge hammer, and can patch those as necessary. But I’d like to put down a vinyl plank floor and don’t know what the best way is to level everything. Self leveling concrete seems like it would work, but it would be expensive. A full subfloor with shims is an option, but that seems excessive too. I don't really care about it being actually level - I just need it flat enough for a vapor barrier of some sort, thin underlayment and vinyl plank. What’s the best option for topping old concrete in as needed between 1/2 to 2 inches? The floor right now seems stable - most of the issues were moisture related.
I have a 125 year old townhouse with a large (700 sq ft) basement. We had waterproofing done (vapor barrier, perimeter drains, sump pumps) last year that dried everything out and made the space usable. We would like to finish the basement by adding walls and a floor. The problem is the relatively thin concrete slab that has a few spots where it swelled up, and other spots that go down, mostly in the range of 1-2 inches. I was able to knock down the highest spots with a sledge hammer, and can patch those as necessary. But I’d like to put down a vinyl plank floor and don’t know what the best way is to level everything. Self leveling concrete seems like it would work, but it would be expensive. A full subfloor with shims is an option, but that seems excessive too. I don't really care about it being actually level - I just need it flat enough for a vapor barrier of some sort, thin underlayment and vinyl plank. What’s the best option for topping old concrete in as needed between 1/2 to 2 inches? The floor right now seems stable - most of the issues were moisture related.