COVER STORY
GETTING THE GROUNDWORK RIGHT
Nic Collins, Head of Sales, Flooring at Sika UK, looks at some of the common challenges contractors face when preparing a floor and shares his advice on getting the preparation right, choosing the right solution and looking at the floor as a complete system.
Getting a finished floor to look perfect starts long before the final floorcovering goes down. From uneven substrates to tight project timescales, there’s plenty for flooring contractors to think about when it comes to preparing a floor and choosing the right solution for it.
START WITH THE SUBSTRATE
The first place to start with a floor is looking at what’s underneath it. Even the best-looking floorcovering will only look so good if the surface below hasn’t been properly prepared, leaving unforgiving bumps, dips and other imperfections visible through the final surface.
So, before deciding which smoothing compound to use, it’s important to take a proper look at the substrate itself. Concrete, sand/cement screeds, calcium sulphate screeds, timber panels and existing finishes can all behave differently, needing different preparation and products to ensure a flawless finish. Then there’s the actual condition of the floor surface to consider as well. Cracks, contamination, movement or old adhesive residue can all affect what needs to happen next and how the end result will look.
Moisture is another common issue. On a busy project, there can be pressure to get the floor finished and following jobs moving, sometimes while the building is still drying out. If residual moisture is present, however, simply covering it up can create problems later, including blistering, lifting or adhesive failure. Products such as Sika Primer MB Rapid can help where residual moisture is an issue. The solvent-free, one-component primer is quick drying, can be used across a wide variety of substrates and is also suitable for use with underfloor heating.
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Looking at these types of issues and taking the time to understand what you’re dealing with at the start of the project means the right preparation and products can be chosen around the actual conditions on site, giving you a much better final finish when the time comes.
FINDING THE RIGHT SOLUTION
Once you know what you’re dealing with, the next step is choosing the right levelling solution for those conditions, and there isn’t necessarily one compound that will be the right answer for every floor. Application depth and drying time, the substrate itself and the final floorcovering, can all influence the choice. Underfloor heating, adhesive residues and damp-proof membranes may need to be factored in too.
Timings will also play a huge role in things, with some projects needing the floor to be ready quickly so that the next stages of work can get underway, while others might need a product with particular properties because of the substrate or installation requirements. Ease of use matters as well. Products that are straightforward to mix and apply can help floor installers work efficiently and reduce the opportunity for errors, while rapid drying options can help get the floor ready for the next stage sooner.
Sikafloor-4020 FiberLevel, for example, is a fibre-reinforced product, based on hybrid chemistry, creating a rapid-setting levelling compound that can be applied from 3mm to 20mm. It’s ready for foot traffic after around two hours and some floorcoverings can be installed after just six hours, depending on the application, making it a great option for projects with compressed timescales.
www.tomorrowscontractfloors.co.uk
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