SURFACE PREPARATION SMOOTHING THE WAY The experts at Tilemaster Adhesives talk us through how to achieve a perfect subfloor.
One of the most important parts of installing a new floor is ensuring that the subfloor is in a fit state to receive the covering. It should be sound, dry, clean, and smooth or the finished flooring will be compromised. An unsound substrate can affect the final appearance of the floorcovering, cause debonding or even lead to floor failure. The way to avoid such issues is to properly prepare the surface.
“IF THE SURFACE IS NOT PROPERLY PREPARED, IT CAN LEAD TO A
RANGE OF PROBLEMS INCLUDING DEBONDING OF THE COVERING AND COMPLETE FLOOR FAILURE.”
Screeds should be checked for humidity and where levels are found to be more than 75% RH, a damp-proof membrane should be applied. Tilemaster FAST One Coat DPM is suitable for use on a wide range of substrates including concrete, sand/cement screeds and calcium sulphate screeds. It is fast curing and ready to receive smoothing compounds in four to five hours. Where the substrate is rough or uneven, it should be pre-smoothed before applying the DPM. Tilemaster Super Flow 30 or Pro Flow are both perfect for this, and can also be used without priming over Tilemaster FAST One Coat DPM once it has cured.
On dry screeds which simply need to be smoothed or levelled, a smoothing compound should be applied after a primer. Tilemaster Pro Flow can be used without priming
on most substrates. However, priming is considered best practice even where it is not strictly necessary.
Priming minimises the risk of pinholes forming, allows for the best flow properties and prolongs the working time of the smoothing compound. Tilemaster Primeplus is designed to prime, stabilise and seal substrates prior to the application of self-levelling compounds and Prime+ Grip is a ready-mixed, ready-to-use, rapid drying primer that can be used on both absorbent and non-absorbent substrates and provides a textured ‘+ Grip’ surface.
Tilemaster Super Flow 30, Pro Flow or multi-purpose, latex- based Trade Flow are all excellent smoothing compounds which work on most substrates. Super Flow 30 is a double component, ultra-rapid setting smoothing compound that is ready for tiling after 45-60 minutes and impervious flooring can be laid after 90 minutes. Alternatively, Tilemaster Pro Flow is a self-levelling and smoothing compound with excellent flow and adhesion properties which can be used on most substrates. It has a waiting time before laying of three hours for ceramic, porcelain and natural stone tiles and four hours for decorative flooring. Tilemaster Trade Flow offers excellent flow properties; it can be walked on two hours after application and floorcoverings can be laid after 12 hours.
More information and technical advice on Tilemaster Adhesives’ comprehensive range of flooring products, including levelling and smoothing compounds, DPM, primers, adhesives and sealants, is available on the website or by contacting the dedicated flooring sales team. All products are manufactured and stocked in Leyland, Lancashire.
www.tilemasteradhesives.co.uk
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