Veteran DIYer- Schluterville Graduate
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Nashua, NH
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FWIW, Mapei makes more than one SLC material. ON at least one of them, it's what's referred to as thixotropic that is designed to STAY where you put it, not flow on its own. Agitate it, and it moves, stop and it stays which will allow you to actually build it into a ramp if you needed to. So, without knowing what you have, it's hard to say what went 'wrong'.
Also note that SLC is more like pancake batter...pour it into a pan and it doesn't magically spread to fill the whole pan in a thin layer...the stuff sort of beads up like water on a freshly waxed car. To get it to spread evenly, you have to help it along. This is true with any of them. But, once you've spread it and wetted all of the areas, it tends to then self-level, but even then, may need some additional help. There are special tools designed to help with that such as a gauge rake, a porcupine roller, and a spreader/leveler. You may not need all of those or any, depending on what else you have. It can make a big difference also by how deep you pour the material...it's easier to get things flat when you can flood the surface.
If you're still trying to push the stuff around when it starts to kick off (cure), you'll never get it to work. Sort of like a partially frozen puddle...walk on it, crack it, and it never gets back smooth again. You need to mix and pour the stuff fairly quickly without gaps, otherwise, some will be curing while you try to add more to fill in the gaps. There's some skill and knowledge required.
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Jim DeBruycker
Not a pro, multiple Schluter Workshops (Schluterville and 2013 and 2014 at Schluter Headquarters), Mapei Training 2014, Laticrete Workshop 2014, Custom Building Products Workshop 2015, and Longtime Forum Participant.
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