low odour Self Levelling Compound - Bad Smell!

[harrodine]

Hi

This is my first time on the forum so pls be gentle!

I have just recently laid some wickes 'low odour' deep base levelling compound on my new concrete slabbed conservatory floor. I used a watered down PVA mix over the concrete just to seal it and the slab had been down for about 3 - 4 weeks and should have been dry.

Only now 5 days on from when we first laid the SLC following the manufacturers instructions, the house is filled with an awful sulphur like smell.

The problem is I cannot be sure that is is the SLC only it seems to much like coincidence for it not to be. The only other bit of building work i've done is using some jointing compound to repair some plaster board walls which i cant imagine it is anything to do with...

my concern is that the smell will never go away and when i lay my new floor its just going to linger! Has any one else experienced bad smelling levelling compound? could it be a bad reaction, should i wait and see it it dries or should i think about taking it up? if i do need to take it up - any tips?

I'm a fairly competent DIYer but this is the first time I have come across this??? Please help - my pregnant wife is going mad!

 

[mattysupra]

amonia smell? Like t-cut for polishing cars?

Was there a smell whil laying the stuff?

and 3-4 weeks drying? That would mean the concrete is less than 1 inch thick.

It takes on adverage 1 inch per month to dry in perfect conditions. In other words heated and low rh .

 

[harrodine]

No definitely more sulphur than ammonia...

The slab was prob 2 - 3inches on top of a sharp sand / hardcore base. I was told around 2 - 3weeks so i thought I was OK with 4!

The smell only developed a day or so afterwards, certainly this was when it was most noticable but then that maybe because i went out the house and back in again.

We've been away for two days with all the doors windows shut and have left them open today so i am hoping it may have eased a bit! Guess we'll see tomorrow!

 

[mattysupra]

im not sure about this sulphur smell. I will ask a few questions tommorow. New to me anyway.

what sort of mix was the compound? water based, latex based? can you post up the product details so i can find out whats in it.

 

[harrodine]

it was wickes deep base, not sure what it is based on as i have thrown the packet now!

 

[mattysupra]

how did you mix it? what was used, water etc?

 

[mattysupra]

just had a quick look on the website and it dont give any usefull info.

Its does state low odour so i dont think this is your problem. Unless it was out of date and a latex mix?

 

[harrodine]

just mixed with water!

I was checking the web site and as you say - nothing useful.

I'm just wondering now if it might be my wife having an oversensitive nose due to the hormones

Now that we have aired the room for a day or so it does seam to be getting better, its just when we returned home last night if seamed like it was getting worse!

I am a bit worried now though if you think my concrete slab is still a bit wet. What can happen if the relative humidity is to high? the levelling compund seams to have gone down ok with no problems... only I was hoping to lay some 10mm insulation board with granfix flexi stuff this wekend ready for my heated floor and tiles.

PS thanks every one for the help - I dont know what I'd do without the t'interweb!!

 

[mattysupra]

your concrete base is defo not dry! Trust me.

Worse case is that the leveling compound will start to come up. This will normaly show signs of failing in the first few days. There will be a maze of hair line cracks starting to appear.

Leave it for a few weeks before you put any thing else down. To check the moister content properly you will need a flooring hygrometer to test it with. It needs to be below 75% RH (british standard)

 

[mattysupra]

where in the midlands are you?

 

[harrodine]

Solihull!

No signs of cracks yet - fingers crossed it should be OK still!

Rubbish that its not dry - I was hoping I could do it this week during my holidays! Whats the worse that can happen if I did? What are the builders doing telling me 3 weeks?????

 

[harrodine]

By the way - the smell is definitly going now, so I'm not as worried!

Short of having a proper hygrometer is there any other tests I could do? I've ready that you can leave a piece of plastic sealed to the slab over night to see how wet it is the following morning? Is this a good tell?

I have also read (from some reputable flooring companies) that as long as it is left a good week or two and a decent adhesive is used it should be fine? Any ideas?

 

[mattysupra]

im solihull aswell! If you want to borrow my hygrometer your welcome.

What is the final product you want to put on top? ceramics/wood etc?

If i get 10 mins i can have a quick look at the floor for you if you want?


You need to add me as a friend in the profile and then i can send you my phone number if you want.

 

[harrodine]

thanks for the offer but I would'nt want to trouble you...

In terms of what I am putting on the floor, it goes as follows;

Cement slab > wickes deep base levelling compund > granfix fast flex > 10mm UFH insulation board > UFH > granfix fast flex > ceramic tiles

 

[mattysupra]

as your installing ceramics you can lay much sooner than other products so yes the concrete base should be o.k. But this is all providing the products you use are o.k with moister. The smoothing compound may be your only problem. If its not got hair line cracks in it by tommorrow it should be fine.