T
TeeKay
Hi,
I'm loooking for advice on prepping a floor ready for laying Amtico. I'm laying Amtico Contour tiles which are 4mm thick and more rigid than normal Amtico.
I've done a lot of reading of this and other forums/websites but seem to have more questions than answers. As this is clearly the most informed of the forums I thought I'd look to you for guidance.
The floor is for a kitchen and recently added conservatory that joins onto the kitchen.
The kitchen is nominally 20sqm, the floor is concrete with screed, topped with a thin SLC and finally a cushion vinyl floor covering that just lifts off.
The SLC is not IMO smooth enough for laying Amtico though it is pretty level.
The conservatory which is a new addition is a similar size with concrete floor and about 75mm sand/cement screed which is reasonably level but is beginning to hairline crack in the middle now that it is coming to the end of its drying out.
Around the cracks it sounds slightly hollow when I tap it but I guess that is what one might expect.
1) I was going to go for a water based SLC but now that it is cracking I'm considering using latex. Your thoughts?
2) Should I do anything about the cracks like rake out a bit and epoxy?
3) Their are so many makes of SLC, and they vary in prce and availability. Currently I'm looking at F Ball, Cementone or Ardex. Mapei is difficult to get unless your in the trade and I'm not. Cementone I'm put off because the tech guy said use PVA not primer, probably because they don't make a primer. For the beginner which is easiest to use?
4) Mapei tech support guy said to use a copper sanding disc on the conservatory floor. Is this really necessary or will a good brush with a hard broom followed by a primer be adequate?
5) Should I spend £40 on a spikey roller or should I accept that I will have to work it with a carborundum stone anyway and just buy a stone, or should I buy both?
6) I want to lay the SLC in two halves. Assuming this is OK then should I fix a batten down and lay the SLC to the batten then continue, or just feather the edge ready to continue?
Sorry for so many questions but I've never laid SLC and I do want to get it right. Quotes to get the job done professionally are around £3500. I reckon I can get the tiles, HT adhesive and grout for around £1200 so I have to assume its not a simple job. But as I can't afford £3500 I have no choice but to do it myself.
Thanks in advance,
Tim
I'm loooking for advice on prepping a floor ready for laying Amtico. I'm laying Amtico Contour tiles which are 4mm thick and more rigid than normal Amtico.
I've done a lot of reading of this and other forums/websites but seem to have more questions than answers. As this is clearly the most informed of the forums I thought I'd look to you for guidance.
The floor is for a kitchen and recently added conservatory that joins onto the kitchen.
The kitchen is nominally 20sqm, the floor is concrete with screed, topped with a thin SLC and finally a cushion vinyl floor covering that just lifts off.
The SLC is not IMO smooth enough for laying Amtico though it is pretty level.
The conservatory which is a new addition is a similar size with concrete floor and about 75mm sand/cement screed which is reasonably level but is beginning to hairline crack in the middle now that it is coming to the end of its drying out.
Around the cracks it sounds slightly hollow when I tap it but I guess that is what one might expect.
1) I was going to go for a water based SLC but now that it is cracking I'm considering using latex. Your thoughts?
2) Should I do anything about the cracks like rake out a bit and epoxy?
3) Their are so many makes of SLC, and they vary in prce and availability. Currently I'm looking at F Ball, Cementone or Ardex. Mapei is difficult to get unless your in the trade and I'm not. Cementone I'm put off because the tech guy said use PVA not primer, probably because they don't make a primer. For the beginner which is easiest to use?
4) Mapei tech support guy said to use a copper sanding disc on the conservatory floor. Is this really necessary or will a good brush with a hard broom followed by a primer be adequate?
5) Should I spend £40 on a spikey roller or should I accept that I will have to work it with a carborundum stone anyway and just buy a stone, or should I buy both?
6) I want to lay the SLC in two halves. Assuming this is OK then should I fix a batten down and lay the SLC to the batten then continue, or just feather the edge ready to continue?
Sorry for so many questions but I've never laid SLC and I do want to get it right. Quotes to get the job done professionally are around £3500. I reckon I can get the tiles, HT adhesive and grout for around £1200 so I have to assume its not a simple job. But as I can't afford £3500 I have no choice but to do it myself.
Thanks in advance,
Tim