Leading Sub Floor Prep & Epoxy Dpm Products We Use

Regardless which type of resilient flooring is being installed, every floor will require some kind of sub-floor prep. Every installation is unique and will have its own sub-floor prep requirements. Careful and correct preparation of the sub-floor is a major part of a satisfactory resilient floor covering installation. Roughness or unevenness of the sub-floor will telegraph through the new floor covering, resulting in an unsightly surface and excessive wear on high spots. Proper sub-floor preparation and suitable underlayment installation are essential for a trouble-free job. 

Before proceeding with any installation, there are a few questions to factor in before proceeding:

• What type of flooring is to be installed?
  • Commercial floors generally have a smooth face and will show any sub-floor defects
  • For most Resilient flooring, sub-floor flatness is 3/16 of an inch in 10 feet
• New Construction or Remodel?
  • If it is remodel, what flooring was previously installed and how was it removed?
• What condition is the sub-floor in?
  • Five words to remember in sub-floor prep:
    • Clean
    • Smooth
    • Structurally Sound
    • Level
    • Dry
• Has the sub-floor been tested for Moisture and pH?
  • All concrete sub-floors on any level should be tested for moisture and pH and documented
  • Hardwood installations over wood sub-floors should be checked for moisture and documented
  • Have sealers or curing compounds been used?
• What is the sub-floor and what is it over?
  • Concrete, Gypsum, or Wood

All of these and other conditions can vary from job to job. Each set of unique conditions has a very specific series of steps required to prepare the substrate prior to installing the prep materials and then, the finish flooring. 

The finished floor is only as good as the base or the sub-floor is. The make-up of the sub-floor and the condition and quality of the sub-floor, directly affect the performance of the finished resilient flooring. If the system components are not as recommended or as required, the flooring can fail. 

If the condition of the sub-floor is poor, not properly cleaned, not dry enough, and not flat enough, the flooring performance will suffer and require a call back and some type repair, maybe even re installation.

Problems related to improper sub-floor preparation continue to multiply each year, with millions of dollars in damage as a result. Sadly, most of these problems are preventable when correct installation methods are followed. 

Before starting any installation, it is critical to make sure that the sub-flooring is ready to have flooring installed over it. There are now countless specialised products to help installers ensure that sub-floors are clean, flat and dry enough to install flooring over. In order to use them effectively, you need to take the time to learn about the latest products and installation methods. 

Not prepping a floor correctly is only going to lead to bigger issues that will come back to you. A customer that does not want to pay for prep is only setting themselves up for a disappointing flooring failure.

Here at CFB we passionately believe that preparation is the key to a perfect floor finish. The correct sub-floor preparation is absolutely the key to the success of any flooring installation.

All sub-floor preparation and floor covering installation works are carried out in accordance with British standards.

BCF can provide basic to advanced methods of sub-floor preparation. Preparation will be correct for the materials we use and the building floor.  

Sub floor preparation is essential in any public building, office or shop, to ensure the safety of all who use it. An expertly laid sub floor provides a firm and level surface to ensure suitability for long term use, lessening trip hazards and ensuring that furniture sits level. As such, only an installer with our level of specialist technical knowledge can attain the right standard. Improper sub-floor preparation could leave you with uneven or completely unsafe flooring.

We work around your time-frames and the schedules of the main contractor, providing a seamlessly “parachuted in” specialist service so you can get on with your project.

Benefits of sub floor preparation include:

• A perfectly level floor
• A Longer lifetime for your floor
• Keeping your school, clinic, hospital or business compliant

We have 15 years of experience in floor levelling and sub floor preparation for a wide range of clients. Our friendly, efficient service will provide a great solution for your business. As experts in all aspects of flooring, you can be sure of receiving a high quality service from BCFC that will help your floor last as long as possible. 

FAIL TO PREPARE , PREPARE TO FAIL..

Preparation really is key when it comes to your new flooring, but you can guarantee we have all angles covered. Sub floor preparation is just as important as what you decide to put on it, and if not carried out correctly can cause major problems with your new flooring. You can rest assured we have everything covered.

YOUR EXISTING FLOORING: Some types of flooring can be dealt with easier than others, and if we are unable to lay your new flooring over your existing we can remove what’s already down. The existing flooring will need to be removed without leaving any obvious lumps and bumps to ensure your new flooring goes down without a hitch, and we are able to achieve this with the use of our grinder, stripper and sander if necessary, to ensure as smooth as possible finish.

YOUR SUB FLOOR Weather you have a wooden or concrete sub floor, or something more unusual like anhydrite, we are experienced with all types of floor surfaces and how best to deal with them. We are also used to dealing with problem floors such as those experiencing damp. We moisture test all floors with our hydrometer to make sure the relative humidity is below the recommended levels to lay your new flooring. If necessary we can apply a damp proof membrane (dpm).

After this, or if no damp is present, the following steps depend on what your existing flooring is. For wooden floors we use a flooring grade ply-board over the existing wood. This ply allows for a more stable surface for your flooring to be laid on to. For concrete floors we prime the surface then apply a screed which will need to dry before we can then fit your new flooring. The screed smoothes out any imperfections while providing a tolerant base for your new flooring to be laid on to.

And now for the fun part, fitting your new flooring...

 We moisture test all floors with our hydrometer to make sure the relative humidity is below the recommended levels to lay your new flooring. 

A liquid epoxy damp proof membrane (DPM) floor prep is often used as a remedial solution to your sub floor where an existing DPM has failed or was never installed. The epoxy DPM comes as a two-component system. It is low odour, solvent free, and most importantly deals with constant low levels of moisture in concrete floors.

There are a number of benefits to using a liquid epoxy DPM:

• An epoxy liquid membrane is applied to the floor itself and creates an impermeable layer meaning that water stays in the concrete slab. This is different from plastic DPMs that sit above the concrete slab and can potentially allow water to pass through to the surface of the concrete. This becomes a problem when the surface water moves to the edges of the DPM and transfers up to the floor covering, skirting boards and wall finishes.

• In the case of existing concrete floors in factories, commercial spaces and offices, epoxy floor coatings can also be used for its visual impact with its high shine finish and range of col as well as acting as a DPM 

• Epoxy membranes can be applied directly to damp floors meaning you don’t have to remove the old concrete screed which is an extremely expensive, dirty and time-consuming process. You also don’t have to wait for the floor to dry before installing the damp proof layer, saving you time.

•  It is regularly quoted, accurately, that moisture is the main cause of floor failures, and as a consequence, specifications offered by manufacturers will often incorporate the use of a surface damp-proof membrane (DPM). These have been designed over the decades to combat the rapid release of moisture from a sub-floor and therefore protect adhesives, smoothing compounds and floor coverings when the moisture level is above the prescribed 75% relative humidity (RH). However, I believe the industry can be a bit blasé when it comes to understanding what is really needed from a surface DPM, and what the key aspects are to ensure the product does what it says on the packaging and datasheet. 

We are constantly working on many projects in Bristol and therefore can obtain some fantastic deals on certain product which we will always offer to our customers 

we always look to pass the saving on to you so get you the best possible deal resulting in better quality products than you were expecting.