Using a concrete floor leveler to create a smooth and even surface is a labor intensive but perfectly manageable project. With a heavy duty drill, some five-gallon buckets and a strong back, you can get started.

Step 1: Remove all floor coverings and debris. Use a damp sponge or mop to clean the surface thoroughly.

Step 2: Patch cracks and other imperfections with a concrete patch material and allow the surface to dry completely.

Step 3: Tape along baseboards, floor registers and other objects to protect them from the floor leveler. Use pieces of lumber or cardboard to build temporary dams to stop the flow of leveler into unwanted areas.

Step 4: Prime the floor with a concrete bonding agent to improve adhesion of the floor leveler to the existing substrate.

Step 5: Following the floor leveler instructions, pour the appropriate amount of clean water into a five-gallon bucket. Use additional buckets when mixing multiple batches of leveler. Mark a smaller bucket to measure the water for each batch.

Step 6: With the appropriate amount of water in a five-gallon bucket, add the corresponding amount of dry floor leveler to the mix. Wear safety glasses and a respirator when adding dry material to protect yourself from airborne particles.

Step 7: Thoroughly mix the powder and water using a mortar paddle and a heavy duty power drill. Mixing should take at least three to four minutes per batch. When finished, the leveler should be a smooth, pourable liquid that is uniform in color.

Step 8: Slowly pour the leveler onto the surface to be refinished. Start in a corner of the room and work your way out the door. The leveler will spread itself naturally. Use a trowel to pull the thick liquid into corners and along the walls.

Step 9: Leveler should appear to be spread evenly across the surface, no more than one-quarter of an inch thick.

Step 10: Allow the leveler to dry three to four hours, per the manufacturer’s instructions.

Step 11: Use a 4-foot or longer level to check the floor surface for low spots.

Step 12: Mark low areas and pour an additional layer of floor leveler in those spots.

Step 13: Allow a few days for the leveler to dry before installing new flooring over the now level surface.

— Have a home improvement question for Fix-It Chick? Email it to Linda Cottin at hardware@sunflower.com.