Leveling and base repair
At Pisos Pro Medellín we repair cracked, sunken or uneven subfloors (contrapiso), hollow-sounding tiles and bases damaged by moisture or pests, leaving the surface ready for any floor. We also level floors with self-leveling compound and mortar before laminate, SPC, wood or porcelain tile goes in.
We serve apartments, houses and shops in Medellín, Envigado, Bello, Sabaneta and Eastern Antioquia (Oriente antioqueño). More than 15 years and 900-plus jobs as flooring specialists have shown us that most floors fail because of what lies underneath, not the material on top.
The subfloor is the mortar or concrete layer on top of the structural slab that the finished floor rests on. When it cracks, sinks or loses its bond, any finish laid over it inherits the problem.
The service covers diagnosis, targeted demolition, debris removal under your building's rules, repair, leveling and, if you want it, installation of the finished floor.
| Symptom | Likely cause | Diagnostic test |
|---|---|---|
| Tiles that sound hollow | Too little thinset, or spot bonding | Tapping with a small hammer or metal rod |
| Tiles tenting up | Missing movement joints | Checking perimeter joints under the baseboards |
| Floating floor that dips underfoot | A low spot or unevenness in the subfloor | 2 m straightedge and laser level |
| Fine map-pattern cracks | Mortar shrinkage while drying | Width measured with a crack gauge |
| A crack that grows or has one raised edge | Settlement or structural movement | Plaster tell-tales and inspection of walls and beams |
| Mortar that crumbles when scratched | Weak mix or prolonged moisture | Scratch test with an awl, plus moisture meter |
| Musty smell and stains | Rising damp or a leak | Concrete moisture meter |
Most laminate and SPC manufacturers allow no more than 2 to 3 mm of deviation under a 2 m straightedge, and large-format porcelain demands an even flatter surface. We measure with an aluminum straightedge and laser level before proposing a fix.
Leveling mortar (sand and cement, sometimes with an additive) is used for thick fills from about 3 cm or to correct slopes. Cement-based self-leveling compound from brands like Sika, Mapei or Topcret corrects from 2 or 3 mm up to about 3 cm per pour and leaves a smooth surface.
Before pouring self-leveler we apply a primer or bonding agent. Without it, the concrete pulls the water out of the mix, and the layer cracks and eventually lets go.
We find hollow tiles by tapping each one and marking the ones that sound different with tape. Often there are only a few in high-traffic areas, and they can be fixed without lifting the rest.
We cut out the grout (boquilla) with an oscillating tool, remove the tile and old thinset, and reset it with flexible cement-based thinset applied to both the floor and the tile (back-buttering). If a tile breaks, we use leftover stock from the original job or source a close match.
When many tiles are tenting, a movement joint is usually missing, so we cut one in at the perimeter and across large fields. For a brand-new tile floor, see our porcelain and ceramic tile service.
A hairline crack under one millimeter, in a map pattern or following a joint, is almost always superficial and can be fixed with repair mortar or epoxy filler. A crack that widens, has one edge higher than the other or lines up with cracks in walls, beams or sticking doors may be structural.
Repairing or replacing floors counts as a minor repair (reparación locativa) and generally does not need a building permit under Decreto 1077 de 2015, as long as the structure is not touched. If we suspect structural damage, we stop work and recommend an inspection by a civil engineer.
After an earthquake it is worth checking your floor calmly; we explain what to look for in our guide to earthquakes and floors in Medellín.
If you suspect insects under an older floor, learn how to identify termites under the floor before our visit.
In older houses, wood flooring was nailed to wooden sleepers resting on the subfloor. We remove the affected ones, a specialist treats the pests, and they are replaced with dry, treated sleepers or with a new subfloor.
Once the leak is fixed, the mortar can take weeks to dry. We keep testing until we get an acceptable reading and, if waiting is not an option, apply a moisture barrier suited to the floor.
If the subfloor crumbles, we break out the area down to sound material and fill it with new mortar over a bonding agent.
As a 2026 reference for Medellín, leveling with self-leveling compound costs COP $35,000 to $75,000 per m², depending on thickness and primer. If old ceramic tile has to come up to reach the subfloor, add COP $12,000 to $25,000 per m².
Spot repairs, such as hollow tiles, cracks or localized demolition, are quoted by area after diagnosis, because they depend on the cause and on how much area is actually affected.
Tapping, straightedge, laser level and moisture meter to find the cause, not just the symptom.
We saw-cut the perimeter of the damaged area to protect sound material and remove the debris.
Drying, pest control by a specialist or sealing cracks with resin, depending on what we find.
We apply a bonding agent and fill with repair mortar up to the level of the existing subfloor.
If the finished floor requires it, we pour self-leveler across the whole area for a continuous surface.
We respect the drying time and test moisture before covering.
We install the new floor or reinstall the existing one and hand over with a signed report (acta).
Each material reacts differently to unevenness. In laminate and SPC, the click joints flex over voids and eventually open or break; in porcelain tile you get lippage between pieces and hollow spots that crack.
With glued wood and glue-down vinyl, every irregularity telegraphs through to the surface under raking light.
Usually not: it is a minor repair that does not require a building permit if the structure is not altered. In a condominium building (propiedad horizontal, Ley 675 de 2001), you do need to notify building management (administración) and follow its work hours.
If the damage affects the slab or structural elements, an engineer defines the work and permits may be required.
Most allow foot traffic within 3 to 6 hours. Floating floors usually need 24 to 48 hours over thin pours, while wood, glue-down vinyl or thick pours can take several days.
Medellín's ambient humidity stretches those times, so we confirm with a moisture meter before installing.
Repairs carry our 1-year labor warranty. It does not cover structural settlement or building leaks, which is why we put the cause we found in writing.
If you have tiles that sound hollow, a floor that dips or a crack that worries you, book a visit. The diagnosis is free in the Aburrá Valley and nearby Eastern Antioquia, and the quote comes in writing.
Every repair comes with a 1-year labor warranty.
See all the floor repair and prep solutions we offer before a new finish goes down.
Pisos Pro Medellín
Tv. 6 #45-115, El Poblado, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
Monday to Saturday: 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Sunday: 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.