building a wetroom finished with Microcement

[Minmax89]

Hi guys.

So, I've been asked to do a bathroom for a customer but I'm not sure the best way to go about it.

It's an ensuite in an old georgian house, 1st floor. I went to see the job a few weeks ago but could actually get into the room as it was full of building materials (they're renovating the place piecemeal really)

The room is 3.1m x 1.2m. It currently has a bathroom suite in it. What the customer wants is a wetroom (shower one end, wall mounted double basin, back to wall toilet, etc.). However, it is not getting tiled. They want to use a product called Microcement on the walls AND floor to give a polished concrete look to the whole place. The customer has spoke to the supplier in Ireland and they've said its completely waterproof and will be fine for the floor too (as part of an already tanked wetroom, etc.)

So, I'm a builder who normally preps a wetroom for my tiler and I'd usually follow a plan like this:
wetroom former. 24mm at the edge supported on ply between joists, etc.
18mm ply on rest of the floor. 6mm marmox board on that to meet former.
All joints taped, followed by tanking solution.

But I'd do all that ready for tiling. Has anyone used this Microcement or anyone got any practical advice to approaching this job?

This is the stuff:
Microcement Wall and Floor Kit, Beton cire, Micro cement, Micro screed - https://www.imperaitalia.com/product/microcement-floor-wall-kit/

Many thanks!
Adam

 

[Dumbo]

Hi guys.

So, I've been asked to do a bathroom for a customer but I'm not sure the best way to go about it.

It's an ensuite in an old georgian house, 1st floor. I went to see the job a few weeks ago but could actually get into the room as it was full of building materials (they're renovating the place piecemeal really)

The room is 3.1m x 1.2m. It currently has a bathroom suite in it. What the customer wants is a wetroom (shower one end, wall mounted double basin, back to wall toilet, etc.). However, it is not getting tiled. They want to use a product called Microcement on the walls AND floor to give a polished concrete look to the whole place. The customer has spoke to the supplier in Ireland and they've said its completely waterproof and will be fine for the floor too (as part of an already tanked wetroom, etc.)

So, I'm a builder who normally preps a wetroom for my tiler and I'd usually follow a plan like this:
wetroom former. 24mm at the edge supported on ply between joists, etc.
18mm ply on rest of the floor. 6mm marmox board on that to meet former.
All joints taped, followed by tanking solution.

But I'd do all that ready for tiling. Has anyone used this Microcement or anyone got any practical advice to approaching this job?

This is the stuff:
Microcement Wall and Floor Kit, Beton cire, Micro cement, Micro screed - https://www.imperaitalia.com/product/microcement-floor-wall-kit/

Many thanks!
Adam

To be honest I would contact their technical department and ask them to send a written method statement for the application you are intending to use it for .

 

[Qwerty]

Hi Adam,

I recently attended @ISOMAT UK and received an input and some training in the use of microcement. It is not something that can really be explained in typed form on this form, but contact @ISOMAT UK and ask them about their microcement products

 

[Bill]

Get a plasterer to do it........ just like Venetian plastering technique.

There are loads of Youtube videos on Microcement

 

[Minmax89]

Thanks guys.
Just got an email from the client with details about the rep here in Ireland. I’m going to contact him tomorrow with my questions. One of which is how thick the final product is.
The client has asked if I want to apply it but I’m going to give it a miss. However, the prep is all my responsibility so need to get it right.

Plan Tec - how thick is it? Client says 20mm??!!

 

[Minmax89]

Get a plasterer to do it........ just like Venetian plastering technique.

There are loads of Youtube videos on Microcement

Doh! Should have YouTubed it. Will have a gander now....

 

[Bill]

Isomat's video

 

[Bill]

5mm thick at most and the plastic mesh sheet.

 

[Flintstone]

Microcement can look beautiful! I would suggest trying to find someone who specialises in it or ask the supplier of the materials if They can suggest anyone. The customer obviously wants a lovely room with a very specific look, not something to take chances on

 

[Minmax89]

Yes, I deffo won’t be trying this myself. I watched that video above (and a few others) on YouTube and it looks like quite a skilled task.
The company that supply it here can get someone to apply too so that’s probably the route we’ll go down.

Is it supposed to look like polished concrete? With sparkling flecks kinda thing??

 

[Flintstone]

All different styles of it, black looks great, like a satin finish

 

[Minmax89]

Yes, they’re going for the satin finish. Not sure the colour they’ve picked though.

 

[Qwerty]

Nowhere near 20mm. More like 3-5mm at most

 

[One Day]

3-5mm of cement onto a wedi type wet tray?
Oh-oh!!

 

[Old Mod]

Nowhere near 20mm. More like 3-5mm at most

3-5mm of cement onto a wedi type wet tray?
Oh-oh!!

Did you notice the grey sofa in Isomats meeting room Geoff?
That’s just a block of polystyrene sculpted in to shape and covered in Microcement. Bit hard to sit on, but it’s certainly crack free.
All their sinks are custom made, and are all constructed from mdf and again coated in Microcement, it’s a pretty amazing product.

 

[Minmax89]

3-5mm of cement onto a wedi type wet tray?
Oh-oh!!

THAT'S my concern. Will be chatting to them today to find out if that's ok...

 

[Minmax89]

I had thought of fibreglass as a tanking prep for the microcement? Any thoughts? I have a done a number of fibreglass roofs so its not completely alien to me

 

[Qwerty]

Did you notice the grey sofa in Isomats meeting room Geoff?
That’s just a block of polystyrene sculpted in to shape and covered in Microcement. Bit hard to sit on, but it’s certainly crack free.
All their sinks are custom made, and are all constructed from mdf and again coated in Microcement, it’s a pretty amazing product.

Yes, the meeting table is the same now

THAT'S my concern. Will be chatting to them today to find out if that's ok...

Do! All there are very helpful. Tell them we said Hi!

 

[ISOMAT UK]

I will post a few photos:

Glad you enjoyed the visit

 

[ISOMAT UK]

Even the baubles on the tree were made of micro cement

 

[Minmax89]

Quick update....
Customer has decided not to go with the Microcement. Couple of reasons really. After speaking to the supplier in Dublin they suggested a guy who could apply it but after going to see his work, customer was not impressed with the finish. They also realised that a whole bathroom done in it was a bit...much!

We've gone back to a combination of tiles and plaster finish now.

So, I'm going to start a new thread as I want to run by you guys my plan for the prep.

Just to show you the pics the client got of the guy who was gonna do it. The waterproof sealer was the Satin finish and that looked odd to the customer.

 

[Old Mod]

I appreciate thisisabit of ‘after the horse has bolted’ but Microcement is widely used for this type of application, it’s like any specialist trade, it’s about the installer, NOT the product.
There’s a guy that lives in North Wales I think, you should check him out.
Ex tiled, been using this product for almost 20yrs, his work is truly unbelievable.
If you want it done right, you gotta dig deep, like anything else in life.

His name is Juan Pallicer Saballs from
Microcement technologies.

Polished Plaster Group - http://www.polishedplastergroup.com/

This is what he does.
Truly incredible.

 

[Minmax89]

Of course. Totally agree.
But we’re in Dublin and as it’s still a relatively new product we did the normal thing of asking the supplier to recommend a fitter. And we got one that we could go see their work. Based on that the client backed off

 

[Old Mod]

Of course. Totally agree.
But we’re in Dublin and as it’s still a relatively new product we did the normal thing of asking the supplier to recommend a fitter. And we got one that we could go see their work. Based on that the client backed off

Well North Wales is almost Dublin isn’t it? Haha
I know he travels extensively for work, and you can see why he’s in demand.

 

[Old Mod]

Incidentally, 3 of them did that display unit in a day.

 

[Minmax89]

Holy crap! That is amazing. Truly amazing. Well you can see why they wanted it but finding someone like that here will be even more dificult

 

[Old Mod]

So bring him over!
If client wants specialist finishes, he needs to be prepared to pay for it.

 

[WetSaw]

So bring him over!
If client wants specialist finishes, he needs to be prepared to pay for it.

And that's the problem with a lot of clients, Champagne style but beer money! (excluding your clients obviously..)

 

[Minmax89]

Ha! Oh I’ve had plenty of them over the years.

Bathroom refit once for a client who wasn’t short of a few bob.
Client: “Adam my husband won’t let me spend that much. Can you knock anything off?”
Me: “well we can put a cheaper toilet in?”
Client: “ooh no I like the one we’ve picked.”
Me: “ok, well I can remove the Slate shower tray and put in a standard low profile? Will look lovely.”
Client: “ooh no, I like the slate tray”

Me: “so what you’re saying is you want me to knock a load off my labour?”

Client: “yes. That’s exactly what I’m saying “

Ffs.

 

[The Inuits]

Hi guys.

So, I've been asked to do a bathroom for a customer but I'm not sure the best way to go about it.

It's an ensuite in an old georgian house, 1st floor. I went to see the job a few weeks ago but could actually get into the room as it was full of building materials (they're renovating the place piecemeal really)

The room is 3.1m x 1.2m. It currently has a bathroom suite in it. What the customer wants is a wetroom (shower one end, wall mounted double basin, back to wall toilet, etc.). However, it is not getting tiled. They want to use a product called Microcement on the walls AND floor to give a polished concrete look to the whole place. The customer has spoke to the supplier in Ireland and they've said its completely waterproof and will be fine for the floor too (as part of an already tanked wetroom, etc.)

So, I'm a builder who normally preps a wetroom for my tiler and I'd usually follow a plan like this:
wetroom former. 24mm at the edge supported on ply between joists, etc.
18mm ply on rest of the floor. 6mm marmox board on that to meet former.
All joints taped, followed by tanking solution.

But I'd do all that ready for tiling. Has anyone used this Microcement or anyone got any practical advice to approaching this job?

This is the stuff:
Microcement Wall and Floor Kit, Beton cire, Micro cement, Micro screed - https://www.imperaitalia.com/product/microcement-floor-wall-kit/

Many thanks!
Adam

talk to us Adam, we have and we can advise