Removing uneven concrete

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi all,

I have just removed a large fire surround and this has left me with some uneven concrete on which I want to lay a new carpet. I've got the worst off, but it is still not good enough to carpet.

It's quite a large area (300 x 5,200) but not all of it requires flattening. I am thinking of hiring an angle grinder for the job. Is this the best way to go?

Thanks,
Neil

 

[Jake]

Can you not build it up with self levelling compound?

 

[cambournepete]

An angle grinder would be really, really messy - you'd get dust everywhere in the house, not just the room with the fireplace.
Hammer and chisel (or drill with hammer only action and chisel) would be much cleaner for getting rid of the raised bits.

 

[AndyT]

Depending on the size of the room and the state of the rest of the floor, might it be possible to put plywood or hardboard over the whole room, once you have chipped off the worst of the bumps? Or maybe the sort of firm-ish fibre underlay sold in sheets for going under floating wooden floors.

And if it's a suspended floor, the hearth may have been supported on a very shallow brick arch in between joists - which might not want to be disturbed too much once its top layer has been removed.

 

[Eric The Viking]

I'd use an SDS drill with rotation stop (hammer only) and a wide-bladed SDS chisel. They work like mini-Kangos, but are a lot lighter to wield. Very noisy though - wear ear (and eye) protection - but a lot less dusty than a high-speed grinder.

Cheers,

E.

PS: if it's not on the ground floor, as Andy says, you're best off disturbing it as little as possible.

 

[monkeybiter]

I'd use an SDS drill with rotation stop (hammer only) and a wide-bladed SDS chisel. They work like mini-Kangos, but are a lot lighter to wield. Very noisy though - wear ear (and eye) protection - but a lot less dusty than a high-speed grinder.

Exactly how I 'flattened' part of my solid kitchen floor. A real PITA to do, but the aftermath is a hundred times better than if you used an angle grinder.

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi all,

Thank you all.

I'd use an SDS drill with rotation stop (hammer only) and a wide-bladed SDS chisel. They work like mini-Kangos, but are a lot lighter to wield. Very noisy though - wear ear (and eye) protection - but a lot less dusty than a high-speed grinder.

Exactly how I 'flattened' part of my solid kitchen floor. A real PITA to do, but the aftermath is a hundred times better than if you used an angle grinder.

Great, that's the way forward.

Thanks,
Neil

 

[Blister]

I have one of these ( earlier model )

http://www.screwfix.com/p/titan-ttb279s ... itan55660#

it comes with a chisel in the kit and for the price its not worth hiring

I am very happy with it

:wink:

 

[Phil Pascoe]

If you've a huge number of high spots, worry about the low ones - it's easier to fill them than to level the rest.

 

[Tomyjoiner]

Definately sounds like a job for self leveling screed, you can trowel up to 15 mm with feb self leveling and its dry in a few hours if it only goes on thin. 1 bag should do that size £11 + vodka an would take all of 10 mins!

 

[stoned]

+1 for the self levelling screed

 

[Hitch]

Handheld concrete planer would give very good results, hire along with an extractor, no where near as dusty as a grinder then.

As with anything like that though, theres going to be some dust.

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi all,

Thank you for all of the suggestions. The SDS and chisel worked a treat and did the job pretty quickly.

Thanks again,
Neil