AURORA, Ill. – TEC® is now offering Level Set® 500 HF Self-Leveling Underlayment, the flooring industry’s most advanced high-flow solution to achieve an exceptionally smooth surface without time-consuming sanding or skim coating.
Based on next generation technology from TEC, no other self-leveling underlayment (SLU) has a faster flow or provides a smoother surface for today’s thinner floor coverings. The ultra-smooth surface of Level Set 500 HF means contractors can eliminate skim coating and sanding, which can cut labor costs by up to two-thirds. In addition, testing shows flooring adhesive coverage can increase by up to 20 percent* to further add to the cost and labor saving benefits.
“This new high-flow technology represents a tremendous step forward for today’s installers,” said Greg Schad, Director of Product Technology for TEC. “Contractors are facing rising labor costs and shortened timelines. Our Level Set 500 HF is an outstanding high-flow SLU that will help them deliver a superior, smoother surface in a shorter amount of time. This will lower costs and allow them to turn over each job faster to maximize their profits.”
The Level Set 500 HF is a high-flow SLU that pours like water and is pumpable for interior applications. The product provides installers with both extended working time and longer healing time to provide an unmatched level of surface smoothness.
In comparison, traditional SLU products have a consistency more like syrup that needs to be sanded where the pours don’t heal together properly. They also can leave voids that need to be filled in with a patch or skim coat.
Level Set 500 HF is ideal for fast-track applications and is walkable within 2-3 hours for ceramic tile installations. Moisture-sensitive floor coverings can be installed in 15 hours, which is a significant improvement over the 24 hours cure time typically needed for traditional SLU products.
“We constantly monitor the industry to see what flooring contractor professionals need,” Schad said. “What we’ve found is a strong demand for simpler products to make the installer’s job easier. The traditional SLU products just didn’t deliver a truly flat, and ready-to-go surface for the installation of flooring adhesive. Installers either must skim coat and/or sand the traditional product before installing the flooring. We developed Level Set 500 HF to address those concerns.”
Level Set 500 HF is compatible with all types of floor covering – wood, vinyl planks and sheet goods, linoleum, rubber, ceramic and porcelain tile, VCT and more. The product also is suitable for any substrate – concrete, pavers, cement backerboard, hardwood, plywood, gypsum substrates, tile, terrazzo, metal, VCT and OSB.
“As a longstanding manufacturer of cement-based technologies for flooring installation, it’s a natural fit for TEC to bring advancements in self-leveling through this exciting innovation,” Schad said. “It truly represents a next generation solution that will be the foundation for many new products for our customers.” For more information, watch the Level Set 500 HF video or visit www.tecspecialty.com.
*Results may vary depending on adhesive and substrate.