Self-Levelling Mortar

Self-leveling mortar (or compound/screed) is a cement-based product with additives that allow it to flow and create an extremely smooth, flat, and hard surface on floors, correcting imperfections before final flooring like tile, wood, or carpet is installed

Self Levelling Compounds

01What is Self-Levelling Mortar?

Cement-based self-levelling mortar is a dry-mix mortar composed of special cement, aggregates, and multiple additives. When mixed with water, it forms a highly fluid slurry that rapidly self-levels under manual spreading assistance. Unlike water, which can flow over considerable distances, this material maintains a defined flowability (approximately 130 millimetres) and direction (flowing only from high to low points) within a specific timeframe (approximately 3-5 minutes, depending on ambient temperature). Beyond this period, flow ceases and setting commences.

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02Material Composition and Typical Proportions

  • Binding Materials
    Self-leveling cement/mortar primarily consists of high-alumina cement, ordinary Portland cement, and a-hemihydrate gypsum, accounting for 30–40% of the material.
  • Mineral Fillers and Setting Regulators
    Mineral fillers primarily utilize quartz sand and calcium carbonate powder, accounting for 55–68%. These components enhance the material’s hardness and stability. Setting regulators adjust the material’s setting time; common examples include retarders such as tartaric acid and coagulant accelerators such as lithium carbonate.
  • Rheology modifiers and reinforcing components
    Rheology modifiers improve the material’s workability, with components such as superplasticizers or water-reducing agents enhancing stability. Reinforcing components include redispersible polymer powders, which improve the material’s flowability, abrasion resistance, and strength.
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03About SIDLEYchem

SidleyChem is a chemical company integrating production, R&D, and sales. The company specializes in the production and development of additives for dry-mix mortar and concrete.

Reference Formulation

Recommend Additives

  • Polycarboxylate superplasticizer
  • Defoamer
  • Cellulose Ether 400CPS
  • Suspension Stabilizer

Drymix Mortar Tech+

Tile Adhesive Slipping After Adding HPMC: Causes & Fixes

Tile adhesive can still slip even after increasing HPMC. Learn how HPMC grade, water demand, starch ether, thixotropy, and formulation balance affect slip resistance… Continue reading

Pinholes in Self-Leveling Mortar: Defoamer, Mixing, or Substrate?

Pinholes in self-leveling mortar are not always caused by insufficient defoamer. This guide explains how to distinguish formulation foam, mixing-induced air, substrate outgassing, and insufficient healing time through a simple three-surface comparison test and practical corrective actions… Continue reading

Why Does Dry Mortar Have Poor Water Retention?

Learn why dry mortar has poor water retention and how HPMC and MHEC can improve water retention, workability, and cement hydration in dry-mix mortar… Continue reading

Dry-Mix Mortar Summer Formulation Adjustment

Why does the same formulation fail in summer? The key is cellulose ether. High temperatures cause ordinary HPMC water retention to drop sharply — increase dosage by 0.1%-0.2%, switch to high gel temperature grades, and combine with retarders. This article gives three practical adjustment directions to tackle summer construction challenges… Continue reading

Mortar Setting Too Fast in Summer Heat?

Mortar drying out in half an hour on summer job sites? High-temperature accelerated hydration is the culprit. This article breaks down the features and selection of sodium gluconate, citric acid, tartaric acid, and boric acid retarders, with dosage adjustment and blending strategies to tackle summer construction challenges… Continue reading

Why Does Dry Mix Mortar Cake During Storage?

Discover why dry mix mortar cakes during storage and transportation. Learn how moisture, packaging, raw materials, and formulation affect storage stability, and explore practical solutions to maintain product quality… Continue reading

Why Does Tile Grout Change Color After Curing?

Discover the most common causes of tile grout color inconsistency after curing and learn practical solutions through proper formulation, pigment selection, moisture control, and construction practices… Continue reading

Tile adhesive bond strength

Learn the most common reasons why tile adhesive loses bond strength and discover practical solutions through proper formulation, additive selection, substrate preparation, and construction practices… Continue reading

Gypsum Mortar Shrinkage: Causes and How to Prevent Cracks

Understand the main causes of gypsum mortar shrinkage and learn how to prevent cracks using HPMC, gypsum retarder, and proper formulation and construction practices… Continue reading

gypsum mortar water retention

Learn practical ways to enhance the water retention of gypsum mortar using HPMC, starch ether, and proper mixing techniques to improve workability and reduce cracks… Continue reading