We have a small area of concrete foundation that we need to patch and level prior to ceramic tile installation (12×12 tiles). It is concrete that we chipped the old tile mortar off of, so there are some places where there are small holes and there are some uneven places. I’m trying to determine which Mapei product we need to use. It is a small job and the whole floor doesn’t need leveling, so we don’t want to spend a fortune on large bags of things and expensive additives, so I’m trying to find the most economical option that will work for us. I’ve look at Self-leveling compound and Planipatch, but as far as I can tell they both require liquid additives. What would be the best choice for our situation?
These are the products I’ve looked at so far:
MAPEI 50 Lb. Self Leveler Surface Preparation
MAPEI 25 Lb. Floor Patch and Leveler
Would the same mortar we plan to use to put down the tile be acceptable to use for filling things in and smoothing them out?
Best Answer
If you only have chips and small holes to fix, the floor patch and leveler will be a sufficient and cheaper.
If the holes are minor ( < 1/2" deep and < 1" in diameter), skim coating the area with your thinset and then pulling the notched trowel will safely allow you to bridge with 12x12 tiles.