PREPARED FOR ANYTHING
Martin Cummins, UK technical support manager at Bostik, explains why it’s important to have access to a range of subfloor preparation products that offer different benefits, particularly when working on renovation projects.
When preparing subfloors, the only predictable element is unpredictability. No two jobs are the same, and the many technical challenges you may face demand numerous capabilities from the smoothing compounds you use.
IT’S IN THE NAME In the last six years, the fit-out and refurbishment industry has grown by 34%, with many private sector clients choosing to commission interior renovation works rather than costlier and potentially more disruptive new- build projects.
Renovation projects often pose the most challenges for subfloor preparation, often due to varying substrates or uneven surfaces.
The fibre-reinforced Screedmaster Flex works with most common substrates, including concrete, sand or cement screeds, stone, anhydrite screeds, rigid metal, terrazzo, and quarry tiles, as well as asphalt and other strong, rigid subfloors. In addition, its fibre- reinforcement means it is compatible with sound, firmly bonded timber flooring.
Not only does Screedmaster Flex work well with a variety of substrates, it is also effective at tackling other issues common to renovation projects. When the subfloor is uneven, for example, Screedmaster Flex is capable of being applied up to 30mm in thickness.
Screedmaster Flex also offers excellent workability and flow characteristics, enabling easy trowelling over rough surfaces, and performs well over a large temperature range, allowing it to work in close proximity to underfloor heating systems and other causes of solar gain.
38 | SUBFLOOR PREPARATION
SOLUTIONS FOR EVERY SUBFLOOR
When working on renovation projects, you may also face situations that call for a more specialist solution. This is why it’s paramount that suppliers offer a full range of subfloor preparation products, each with its own tailored characteristics.
For example, time is at a premium on many jobs these days, and when speed is of the essence, the best solution is a compound that acts as quickly as possible. Bostik’s Screedmaster Speed 30 meets this need. It’s capable of withstanding light foot traffic after just 30 minutes, prior to the laying of decorative floorcoverings in as little as three hours.
When floor levels are particularly uneven, look to Bostik Screedmaster Deep. Screedmaster Deep allows you to apply up to 50mm in a single step, and uses self-drying technology to quickly harden to foot traffic, ensuring that project timescales are not compromised.
Issues relating to a rough textured subfloor can be heightened when working with thin vinyl or LVT, as any undulations may be visible through the finished floor. Bostik’s Screedmaster Flow has been specially designed for this purpose. The high-flow smoothing compound is a two-part, cementitious underlayment that will smooth most rough surfaces. It can also be used to prepare textured subfloors prior to the application of Bostik epoxy surface applied DPMs, which reduces the risk of excessive use that can occur when applying a DPM to a pitted or undulating floor.
www.bostik-profloor.co.uk
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