K 120 Levelling and Smoothing Compound
Smoothing underlay · NZ · manufacturer-sourced
How long before you can install flooring over ARDEX K 120 Levelling and Smoothing Compound?
Short answer
Return-to-use gates
Walk, furniture and full traffic open at different times
- Apply the Smoothing underlay to a clean, dry subfloor
- Stay off until the foot-traffic time
- Bring in furniture and heavy use later
This product’s stated stages Quoted at 73°F
- Working time ends10 minutes
- Light foot traffic2–3 hours
- Ready for flooring1 day
- Heavy traffic7 days
Worth noticing: Working time is only 10 minutes; the next stated stage, light foot traffic, is 2–3 hours.
Common mistake: Moving furniture back the day after, while the surface is still soft.
Return-to-use gates
Open the surface gradually instead of treating cure as one moment
Time returning to use
Your countdown
Stated times
- Working time ends10 minutes
- Ready for floor covering1 day
- Light foot traffic2–3 hours
- Heavy traffic7 days
From ARDEX data sheet · checked 2026-10-25. Anything not listed isn’t stated by the manufacturer.
Manufacturer website: ardex.com
Conditions & fine print
- Stated conditions: 73°F (23°C)
- Floor times assume the stated temperature and humidity. Cold slabs, thick coats and damp subfloors lengthen them. Follow the current data sheet.
- Apply at 50°F or above
- Region NZ. Formulas can differ between countries; check your container.
- Working time ends: Mixing a 20 kg bag takes 2 to 3 minutes.
- Ready for floor covering: Direct-stick vinyl waits 48 hours.
- Light foot traffic: At 23°C and 50% humidity.
- Heavy traffic: At 20°C.
- Entered from the cited manufacturer documentation. Check the current label for the exact formula and region. Report outdated information
- Actual results depend on preparation, thickness, ventilation, temperature, humidity, mixing and substrate.
Confirm this is your product
Closely named formulas, colors and regional versions can use different times. Match these details to your container before starting a countdown.
- Exact listing
- ARDEX K 120 Levelling and Smoothing Compound
- Variant
- Smoothing underlay
- Region
- NZ
- Listed use
- smoothing, vinyl underlay
- Timed stages recorded
- tooling, floor ready, light foot, heavy traffic
- Source checked
- 2026-10-25
Documentation: Technical data sheet · Datasheet, copyright 2017
Condition attached to the stated time: Mixing a 20 kg bag takes 2 to 3 minutes.
About this product
A smoothing compound that splits its covering waits: carpet and floating floors at 24 hours, direct-stick vinyl at 48.
Using this specific product
ARDEX K 120 Levelling and Smoothing Compound is listed here as the Smoothing underlay version for smoothing and vinyl underlay. For installing or finishing a floor, the useful question is not simply whether the surface looks finished—it is whether the exact next-action milestone shown above has been reached.
Before you start
- Confirm the package says Smoothing underlay; related versions can use different timing.
- For smoothing and vinyl underlay, pay particular attention to subfloor condition, trowel coverage, room temperature and traffic plan.
- Mixing a 20 kg bag takes 2 to 3 minutes. Direct-stick vinyl waits 48 hours. At 23°C and 50% humidity. At 20°C.
How to check readiness
Test the least-ventilated area before walking, covering or replacing furniture. The sheet says not to rework after 10 minutes. The sheet gives carpet and floating floors at 24 hours. Try a protected edge first and avoid turning, dragging or concentrated loads.
Avoid this mistake
Foot traffic, furniture and rugs can have different return times.
Compare with similar products
- Compare with MAPEI Ultraplan 1 PlusLight foot traffic: 2–3 h there, 2–3 h here.
- Compare with Rapid Set (CTS Cement) CONCRETE LEVELERLight foot traffic: 2–4 h there, 2–3 h here.
Questions
How long before you can install flooring over this product?
ARDEX states: The sheet says not to rework after 10 minutes. Conditions: Mixing a 20 kg bag takes 2 to 3 minutes.. The sheet gives carpet and floating floors at 24 hours. Conditions: Direct-stick vinyl waits 48 hours.. The sheet gives walk-on at 2 to 3 hours. Conditions: At 23°C and 50% humidity.. The sheet gives heavy loads at 7 days. Conditions: At 20°C.. These are the manufacturer’s stated times, not a guarantee.
How long before direct-stick vinyl on ARDEX K 120?
The sheet gives 48 hours.
How long do I have to work with this product?
ARDEX states: The sheet says not to rework after 10 minutes. Conditions: Mixing a 20 kg bag takes 2 to 3 minutes.. These are the manufacturer’s stated times, not a guarantee.
How long before I can walk on tile set with this product?
ARDEX states: The sheet gives walk-on at 2 to 3 hours. Conditions: At 23°C and 50% humidity.. These are the manufacturer’s stated times, not a guarantee.
How long before heavy traffic is safe on this product?
ARDEX states: The sheet gives heavy loads at 7 days. Conditions: At 20°C.. These are the manufacturer’s stated times, not a guarantee.
What affects how long this product takes to dry or cure?
Floor times assume the stated temperature and humidity. Cold slabs, thick coats and damp subfloors lengthen them. Follow the current data sheet. Follow the product label for your conditions.