Caring for your floor
Floor Preparation
Floor Preply & Screed
Floor Preparation Concrete floors Concrete/Sand Cement Screeds (New)
For new concrete floors below 75%RH, i.e. dry, clean the floor to remove contamination (paint, plaster, etc.) prime the floor with Neoprene or PVA primer, and apply a minimum 3mm of smoothing underlayment such as F Ball. Stopgap 300 (www.f-ball.co.uk) For readings above 75%RH a DPM will be required.
Concrete/Sand Cement Screeds (Old/Refurbishment)
With readings below 75%RH old floor covering and adhesive residues must be removed, the surface primed with Neoprene or PVA primer and a minimum 3mm of smoothing underlayment applied. For readings above 75%RH a DPM will be required.
Power Floated Concrete
If readings with hygrometer are below 75%RH dense power floated floors would require abrasion prior to the application of a smoothing compound. (Abrasion can be either scarification or light shot blasting). For readings above 75%RH the surface would still require abrasion before applying a surface DPM.
Asphalt
Asphalt should be de-greased and the surface rinsed with clear water. The surface should then be primed with neat Neoprene or Epoxy primer, allowed to dry and a minimum 3mm smoothing underlayment applied.
Floor Preparation Timber Floors
Tongue and groove
Floorboards should be well secured, loose boards firmly fastened, worn/broken boards replaced, undulations filled with a suitable smoothing compound prior to overlaying with 6mm ply, primed with diluted Neoprene or PVA primer.
Chipboard/MDF/Floating Floors/Weyrock
Overlay with 6mm ply fastened at 150mm centres and primed with diluted Neoprene or PVA primer.
Wood Mosaic Panel, Woodblock, Woodstrip
Remove any of these products if laid direct to earth/bitumen/pitch, these should not be overlaid with an impervious vinyl.
Plywood Floors
Should be primed with diluted Neoprene or PVA primer and laid directly onto.