# Self leveling up to cabinets?



## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

My big concern with raising the floor without raising the cabinets is causing appliance height problems----

If you do this--will the dishwasher fit? Will the refrigerator clear the upper cabinet?

I like the cabinet on top of the floor whenever possible----if raising them is not practical---make sure the dishwasher will clear the new shorter opening---best to remove it so the tile can go under the machine---


----------



## NikeFace (May 23, 2013)

oh'mike said:


> My big concern with raising the floor without raising the cabinets is causing appliance height problems----
> 
> If you do this--will the dishwasher fit? Will the refrigerator clear the upper cabinet?
> 
> I like the cabinet on top of the floor whenever possible----if raising them is not practical---make sure the dishwasher will clear the new shorter opening---best to remove it so the tile can go under the machine---


Thanks for the reply. I don't think the appliances would be a problem. I haven't pulled any of them out yet, but I have at least 2 inch give above the fridge. Looking under the dishwasher, at first glance, it looks like I have plenty of clearance. Luckily, around the stove looks level so this should be basic.

Again, I plan to rip up all of the old tile and retile under the appliances as I normally would. Its just the couple of dips that I am wondering if I could use self leveler without removing the base cabinets. Especially since one dip is right up against the base of one of two cabinets?

Also, once I remove the tile, I assume I should get all the way down to the subfloor- then use another sheet of plywood on top, then the self leveler, then the new tile on top of that? Amateur question I know, but I have only used self leveler once, and it was outside...

Thanks again for the help.


----------



## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

i used self leveler once. i thought it was basicly crap. in my experience, i would never put tile on it, jmo. 

if it were me = make sure the subfloor is solid. then use thinset in the low spots.


----------



## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

No problem using Self leveler with the cabinets installed---

As you can see from the previous response---not all self levelers are the same--and there is a learning curve---they don't exactly self level--you need to help---

proper priming is needed unless you use a product like Jifset and mix it with Linewebers latex for the first coat---


----------



## mknasa dad (Dec 1, 2012)

Depend on the leveler used. Jif set, no. The thinset can react to the jif set and pop the tile. Make sure you get the right stuff


----------



## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

If the dips were not severe I would use a level when installing the tile. When you come to the dip just apply a little more thin set to the tile to get it even. Really the only time I use the self level is if the floor slopes.


----------



## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

mknasa dad said:


> Depend on the leveler used. Jif set, no. The thinset can react to the jif set and pop the tile. Make sure you get the right stuff



Why did you say that---??? I've used Jif Set for 25 years--over a wide variety of surfaces--including cutback---always had great results---

Have you ever used it? Did you have a failure?


----------



## NikeFace (May 23, 2013)

Thanks again for the replies. Follow up questions for you, please: 

Assuming we rip everything down to the subfloor and replace what is needed, seal it up etc. And, again, lets assume we don't need to worry about the height of appliances etc. I'm wondering if this is acceptable:

If the majority of the subfloor is all set to go, can I just "trowel" in self leveler into the spots where it is needed to get flat? In other words, instead of pouring self leveler across the entire kitchen subfloor? The result would be that the large majority of the subfloor would be plywood, and then some spots would self leveler...

Then what would the next level look like? We want to use DITRA... So would the next step be to lay new plywood over the entire subfloor/self leveled areas? Or does the DITRA go directly on top of the subfloor/self leveled areas? 

Thanks again.


----------



## homerenovator (Aug 2, 2012)

we did this in a bathroom with the vanity still in it. I t was gutted down to the studs other than around the vanity. it worked well but.... when we went in the basement we had a "little" mess. apparently although there were no visible seems upstairs the self leveler found some and we had quite a mess in the basement. luckily it was in the unfinished part so we let it harden then chipped it up... 2 feet to the right and I'd be replacing drywall


----------

