Floor Preparation Site Prior to the installation of any floorcoverings it is imperative that the site conditions are suitable for the planned installation All relevant recommendations from the following list should be followed: All bases and subfloors should be sound, firm and dry. Floors should be cleared of all debris. Setting and drying time of all materials should be allowed for. Porous bases should be primed as recommended by the adhesive manufacturers. Generally underfloor heating should be switched off 48 hours prior to laying the floorcoverings and not turned on until at least 48 hours afterwards, with peak temperature being avoided for a further 7 days. A general room temperature of at least 18ºc and a subfloor temperature of at least 10ºc should be maintained 24 hours before, during and 24 hours after installation. Where practical the floorcovering should be allowed to acclimatise on site for 24 hours prior to installation. Subfloor Dampness Concrete under normal conditions will never be completely dry. Prior to installations of floorcoverings or preparatory coatings to solid floors, it is important to ascertain that the moisture level of the concrete has been reduced to a value where flooring can be safely laid. It is reasonable to recommend that the concrete be considered dry when the relative humidity of the subfloor falls to 75% or less. Should the flooring be required to be installed before the relative humidity of the subfloor decreases to below 75% there are a variety of surface applied damp proof membranes which can applied to allow the installation to be completed. Solid Floor There are a wide range of floor preparation products and repair compounds which can be used to make good most subfloor deficiencies, enabling the provision of an ideal surface for the installation of decorative floorcoverings. Our smoothing underlayments fall into 2 broad categories, powders that are mixed with water and powders that are mixed with latex or acrylic emulsion. The type of smoothing underlayment used depends on the type of preparation required, the subfloor make up, build up capabilities, self smoothing requirements setting time and hardness. We operate predominantly with 2 main preparation product manufacturers, F Ball & Co. Ltd and Ardex UK Ltd, access to their websites can be obtained via our icons for further information. Floorboards / Standard Chipboard Plyboard is laid across the line of the boards of the subfloor and are fixed using divergent staples or screws, hollows have to be brought to level by sanding, plaining or filled with specialist flexible timber screeds. Floorcoverings can be installed directly to (green) flooring grade chipboard but a primer application is usually required prior to application of the adhesive. Underlayments There are a wide variety of underlayments which can be used for both vinyl and textile floorcoverings which are selected and laid in accordance with the manufacturers recommendations. Back to Contract Products menu