Best way to patch carpet nail holes to prep slab for tile?

[jnw]

If I needed a perfectly smooth surface, what is the best way to fill these holes?  Just some regular concrete and a putty knife?

[Fishindude]

Go to your local lumber yard and talk to the guy at the contractors counter and tell him what you are doing.   There are several different types of "thin patch" material made for this.  If the holes aren't real big, I probably wouldn't do anything, new flooring will span over them fine.

[HipGnosis]

What kind of slab has nail holes??

[jnw]

What kind of slab has nail holes??

Do they not use nails to nail down the carpet tack strips?  The dining room used to be carpeted and there are holes all along the perimeter.  The peel and stick luxury vinyl planks I am using seem pretty rigid so I am just going to lay them over without patching.  If I start to see any identations later, I'll pull them up and then patch and put a new one down.

[Sibley]

There are self-leveling products that you can buy. I assume that there's an appropriate one for concrete. Whether you need to worry about it is a different question, and I don't know.

[Diogenes]

Most of you big box Home Improvement stores will carry Henry brand flooring products.     Look for their 549 SkimPatch.  It's what you want to use. Easy to work with and adheres well.

[zolotiyeruki]

Unless you're planning really small tiles, I wouldn't worry about the small divots from carpet tack strips.

[jnw]

Here's a quarter next to the holes from carpet tack strip:

[Fishindude]

You can go right over that with tile no problem.   If it concerns you, trowel a little thin patch material over the bad spots.

[ilsy]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gnc54G2iSxs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4UMLKNxftw


I do agree that it's an overkill, your thin set you are going to use for the tile is going to fill those holes. The main purpose of the self leveling product is to level floors that are slanting or uneven.

[gooki]

Vinyl is not tile. Most imperfections show through vinyl, so fill em up.