CustomTech Flooring Prep
CustomTech – the industry’s leading collection of technologically-superior, easy-to-use, professional grade subfloor preparation products designed for all types of floor coverings.
Surface Prep
Quality begins from the ground up. Preparing your surface is the most critical task of any tile or stone installation. Custom Building Products offers you one source for the needs of virtually any job.
Setting
The foundation of precise tile and stone setting. Whatever the application, CUSTOM® offers the broadest line of tile and stone setting materials in the industry to give the exact performance your job demands.
Grout
Tile grout with dependable performance and color. Look for tile grout with rock-solid durability, consistency and the largest color palette with Custom. Our grouts are easy to work with yet deliver hard, dense joints.
Care & Maintenance
Stains can RUIN Stone & Tile.Protect Yours Now! Stains on stone, tile or grout happen easily - and can leave permanent stains. Protect your surface against both oil-based and water-based stains with the right sealer.
Aqua Mix®
Professional Solutions for Professional Results Offering the largest selection of Sealers, Cleaners, Problem Solvers, Grout Colorant and Stone Restoration products, we provide professionals with the right tools and solutions; making us the #1 Contractor Preferred Manufacturer of Sealers and Cleaners.
Profiles & Transitions
Discover a better choice in high-quality profiles and transitions. Create stunning designs in tile and stone without unsightly edges. A complete line of high performing, aesthetically pleasing edge-protection profiles. Available in the most popular designs and styles, they integrate with most field tile to increase design flexibility and minimize safety risks.
Tools & Accessories
Precision demands the best. SuperiorBilt® Tools are professionally preferred for tile, stone and floor covering installations.
Products : Surface Prep : Self-Leveling Underlayments : LevelQuik® ES (Extended Setting) Self-Leveling Underlayment
LevelQuik® ES is a premium, calcium aluminatebased, high quality self-leveling underlayment that achieves greater than 4300 psi compressive strength and incorporates low-prep technology. LevelQuik® RS levels floors prior to the installation of ceramic tile, natural stone tile, resilient flooring, carpet, wood and other floor coverings. This quick setting underlayment can be applied up to 1.5" (3.8 cm) thick in one pour and seeks its own level in minutes. Formulated to have excellent compressive strength, TechLevel 150 may be applied in residential structures with floor joists up to 24" (61 cm) o. c.
Formulated using Controlled Cure Technology™, LevelQuik® ES helps eliminate installation problems such as bond failure, crumbling and staining of resilient flooring caused by the free moisture found in traditional underlayment.
Features/Benefits
Suitable as an Underlayment for:
Documents
Technical/Installation
ASTM International (ASTM)
Resilient Floor Covering Institute (RFCI) Recommended Work Practices for Removal of Resilient Floor Coverings
Tile Council of North America (TCNA) TCNA Handbook for Ceramic Tile Installation, TCNA Method EJ171
American National Standards Institute (ANSI) ANSI A108.01 and A108.02 of the American National Standards for the Installation of Ceramic Tile
Installation must comply with the requirements of all applicable local, state and federal code jurisdictions.
LevelQuik® is a proprietary dry blend of copolymers, cements and inorganic chemicals.
Custom® Building Products is committed to environmental responsibility in both products produced and in manufacturing practices. Use of this product can contribute towards LEED® v3 certification:
USE CHEMICAL-RESISTANT GLOVES, such as nitrile, when handling product.
All surfaces must be structurally sound, clean, dry and free from contaminants such as grease, oil, dirt, dust, curing compounds, waxes, sealers, efflorescence, or any other foreign matter. Concrete must be fully cured and absorb water. Smooth concrete surfaces, existing glazed tile, terrazzo, or polished stone may need to be roughened or scarified. Refer to LevelQuik® Advanced Acrylic Primer technical datasheet for use in lieu of mechanical preparation or when applying over Custom TechMVCTM Moisture Vapor and Alkalinity Barrier. For increased performance in demanding applications, concrete surfaces can be mechanically profiled and prepared by shotblasting, sandblasting, scarifying, diamond-grinding or other engineered approved methods (reference ICRI CSP 3 standards for ideal profile height). Any existing flooring must be well bonded and stripped of old finish.
CUSTOM® products may be used in assemblies over concrete with high moisture vapor emission levels provided that other materials such as finish flooring, adhesives or membranes are approved in these conditions. Consult the manufacturers for their limitations and requirements. Additionally, any sources of moisture are to be limited to initial concrete placement and not from sources such as water intrusion or from a lack of an effective vapor retarder/barrier.
Assembly mockups will determine suitability for these conditions on specific projects. Contact CUSTOM Technical Services for product information (800) 282-8786
Joints or Cracks in Substrate
Expansion joints and cold joints, as described in ANSI A108.01, should be carried from the substrate up through the tile or flooring surface and filled with an appropriate elastomeric sealant, such as Custom's® Commercial 100% Silicone Sealant. For the proper treatment of control or saw cut joints and cracks for flooring, refer to ASTM F710. For tile installations, refer to TCNA Details EJ171, F125 & F125A. Contact Custom Technical Services for additional information.
Prime all surfaces with an appropriate Custom® primer before application of LevelQuik ES. Refer to LevelQuik® Advanced Acrylic Primer, or TechPrime™ E 100%-Solids Epoxy Primer technical datasheets.
This product contains Portland cement. Avoid eye contact or prolonged contact with skin. Wash thoroughly after handling. If eye contact occurs, flush with water for 15 minutes and consult a physician. Use with adequate ventilation; do not breathe dust and wear a NIOSH-approved respirator. If ingested, do not induce vomiting; seek medical attention immediately.
In addition to general surface preparation requirements listed above, concrete must be free of efflorescence and hydrostatic pressure. Concrete surfaces must have a tensile strength in excess of 200 psi (1.4 n/mm²). Concrete that was treated with curing compounds must be evaluated for suitability or mechanically removed.
Bonding to Gypsum Surfaces
Gypsum-based underlayment must be solid and structurally sound, achieving a compressive strength >2000psi (13.8 MP) Remove any unacceptable surfaces. The underlayment must be sufficiently dry and properly cured to the manufacturer’s specifications for permanent, non-moisture permeable coverings. Substrate deflection not to exceed the current industry standards.
All Gypsum surfaces are required to be sealed or primed prior to leveling. Apply LevelQuik® Advanced Acrylic Primer directly to the gypsum or over gypsum manufacturer’s sealer. Dilute TechPrime A 3-parts water to 1-part primer with clean, potable water. Apply a second application of primer diluted 1:1. Drying time depends on site conditions, but is normally less than 1 hour between coats.Leveler can be applied to the primed surface after primer dries.
Gypsum based underlayment used in tile or stone applications may require waterproofing or crack isolation. For these applications we recommend applying RedGard® Waterproofing and Crack Prevention Membrane over leveler once cured.
Bonding to Plywood and OSB Surfaces
Plywood and OSB including those under resilient flooring, must be structurally sound and must meet all industry guidelines. Subfloors shall be structurally compliant to building codes and area usage including joist blocking or bracing, be sound, clean, dry, and free from contaminants that would prevent adhesion. Any loose plywood or deflecting areas must be addressed prior to leveler installation. Floors may be prepared by sanding. Do not use sweeping compounds, or chemicals or solvents to clean the floor. Fasten 2.5 lb./yd² metal lath every 6" ¬ 8" (15 ¬ 20 cm) with fasteners that have a galvanized or corrosion-resistant coating over primed surfaces.
It is generally accepted that wood-framed substrate deflection for Porcelain tiles is limited to <L/360; natural stone <L/720. Dimensionally weaker finishes such as natural stone, Saltillo, cement, glass tile and resilient flooring installations may require additional plywood layers based on area size/span; deflection; leveler thickness and project usage, live and dead loads. Leveler may require ½” thickness to replace cement backerboard use under tile or to provide adequate rigidity for floor covering. To help prevent failures from substrate creep install heavy dead loads such as stone countertops prior to leveler and tile or flooring installation. Refer to ANSI A108 AN2 “General Requirements for Subsurfaces” and TCNA details for further information for tile installations or contact CUSTOM Technical Services.
Block any open spaces to prevent leveler spilling to adjoining areas. Fill joints with a CUSTOM patching compound such as SpeedFinish™ Patching & Finishing Compound All wood subfloors require a primer application of undiluted LevelQuik® Advanced Acrylic Primer or MBP - Multi-Surface Bonding Primer.
Adhesive layers must be removed. Use extreme caution; adhesives may contain asbestos fibers. Do not sand or grind adhesive residue, as harmful dust may result. Never use adhesive removers or solvents, as they soften the adhesive and may cause it to penetrate into the concrete. Adhesive residue must be wet-scraped to the finished surface of the concrete, leaving only the transparent staining from the glue. To determine desirable results, do a test bond area before starting. Refer to the RFCI Pamphlet "Recommended Work Practices for Removal of Resilient Floor Coverings" for further information.
Mix the entire 50 lb. (22.68 kg) bag of powder with 5.25 - 5.75 quarts (5 - 5.4 L) of clean, cool water.
Barrel:
Mix 50 lb. (22.68 kg) bag of powder with the appropriate amount of clean, cool water. Slowly add powder to water while mixing with a heavy-duty 1/2" (13 mm) electric drill and an “eggbeater” mixing paddle at minimum 650 RPM. Thoroughly mix for 2 minutes to a lump- free consistency. Do not overmix. Overmixing or moving the mixer up and down during the mixing process could trap air, which could shorten the pot life or cause pin holing during application and curing.
Pumping:
LevelQuik ES can be pumped with a mixing pump. Adjust the water setting to obtain the optimum workability. Do NOT overwater. Pump the mix and use spreader to evenly distribute the materials to desired thickness.
Pour the mixed product and spread with a long-handled gauge rake to the desired thickness. Directly after the topping has been dispersed, use a smoothing blade to break the material’s surface rheology and blend any inconsistencies to create a more uniform or homogeneous appearance. Keep a wet edge when pouring multiple mixes in the same area.
If a second layer is required, install immediately after the first layer has set to a walkable hardness. If the first layer has dried over 12 hours, re-prime before second application.
*** Always install a test area to confirm proper bonding as well as a desired appearance.
IMPORTANT NOTES: Self leveling cement based products may exhibit slight cracking due to structure and substrate moment; shrinkage; and creep. Sharp or reentrant wall corners can contribute to crack formation. These cracks are considered normal. Other causes of cracking are due to high ambient or substrate temperatures; wind or air flow; water ratios and mixing technique. When surface is sealed with clear or semi-transparent coatings, these cracks may become more visible.
Install non-moisture-sensitive ceramic tile or stone in 12 hours; most floor coverings can be installed after30 hours. Drying time can vary with temperature and humidity. Confirm moisture limitations of flooring and adhesives before installing over leveler.
Clean with water before the material dries.
Properly installed product requires no special maintenance. LevelQuik® ES is not recommended as a finish or wear surface.
Properly installed tile will last for more than 60 years.
Ordering Information
50 lb (22.68 kg) Bags
Warranty Information
Obtain the applicable LIMITED PRODUCT WARRANTY at www.custombuildingproducts.com/product-warranty or send a written request to Custom Building Products, Inc., Five Concourse Parkway, Atlanta, GA 30328, USA. Manufactured under the authority of Custom Building Products, Inc. © 2017 Quikrete International, Inc.
When LevelQuik® ES (Extended Setting) Self-Leveling Underlayment is used as a part of a qualifying full installation system of CUSTOM products, the installation can qualify for up to a lifetime system warranty. CUSTOM will repair and/or replace, at its discretion, the affected area of the system. For more information, find details and limitations to this warranty at custombuildingproducts.com.
TYPICAL SQUARE FOOT COVERAGE PER 50 LB BAG (SQUARE METER PER 22.68 KG)
Chart for estimating purposes. Coverage may vary based on installation practices and jobsite conditions. For more sizes, use the material calculator at CustomBuildingProducts.com or contact CUSTOM Technical Services at 800-282-8786.
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