Oh. Crap.
December 17, 2008 2:26 PM   Subscribe

Floor levelling compound + rain = ?

I know nothing about building materials. When moving some of our contractor's stuff around the back of the house, a bag of floor levelling compound broke from the bottom, distributing about 5 lbs of... stuff... all over the concrete back patio.

It is cold, late and dark out there, and I am hot, tired, and cranky. It is also likely to rain tonight. If this stuff gets rained on, what will happen? Can I leave it until tomorrow or do I need to get my ass out there with a flashlight, broom and dust pan?

And if I really do need to go out there, do I need a mask thingie or is the stuff unlikely to kill me?
posted by DarlingBri to Home & Garden (6 answers total)
 
i would say if it's a compound, that came in powder form meant to be mixed with water - I wouldn't let it rain on it. Do you have a shop vac? Can you spray it with a hose to dilute it completely and let it wash away? Do you have a leaf blower you can blow it all around with? There may be other options other than just sweeping it up. Good luck.
posted by Brettus at 2:33 PM on December 17, 2008


Best answer: If you don't get it up now - you'll be out there with a chisel and a hammer tomorrow... and probably the day after as well.

(Do not attempt to spray it off the patio - that stuff gets hard quick and will make a big mess.)
posted by cinemafiend at 2:36 PM on December 17, 2008


Response by poster: Oy vey. Well, thanks for the info.

It's also all over my flipflops and feet. How fast curing is this? I'm not about to concrete myself to the floor of my shower or anything, right?

Thanks :)
posted by DarlingBri at 2:42 PM on December 17, 2008


Spraying it around seems like a bad idea. A quick google found the MSDS for a floor leveling compound and shows it as an inhalation hazard.

http://www.easy-level.com/MSDS.pdf

Older stuff may contain asbestos.

http://www.ehs.ualberta.ca/docs/EHS/Asbestos-Building_Materials.pdf

It's probably not very dangerous but I'd still wear a mask.
posted by chairface at 2:43 PM on December 17, 2008


Yeah, since you don't want to wet it, chairface is right: get a dusk mask.
posted by Inspector.Gadget at 3:01 PM on December 17, 2008


Response by poster: OK, so... stuff swept up, feet washed, shower successfully escaped. MeFi wins again. Thanks!
posted by DarlingBri at 6:39 PM on December 17, 2008


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