Latex Screed

Discussion in 'Getting Started FAQ' started by Lee Allen, Nov 28, 2019.

  1. Lee Allen

    Lee Allen New Member

    Please help !!!

    I've had a 4mm-5mm latex screed laid using mapei renovation screed as I was advised this was the best option for a final floor finish as I was only left with about 7-8mm to work with as a microcement floor I had laid had gone wrong. I was charged £2,600 and although I knew this was expensive I put my trust in the person who laid it. It was primed Saturday, laid on Sunday and has had nobody on it bar the entrance area since then. I was looking to get the floor sealed but I have 100's if not 1000's of dark grey spots that when you sand them have a white powder underneath (see pic). Also the UFH has been off but there is some small cracking already.

    Does anyone know what these dark spots are and whether I was advised correctly that this type of floor can be used as a final floor finish.
     

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  2. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    Entrapped air bubbles.

    You usually use a spike roller when laying leveling compound to prevent this.
     
  3. Lee Allen

    Lee Allen New Member

    Yeah they did. We have a couple of air spots but these are dark grey circles and when you sand back slightly it reveals a white dot which is a powder consistency
     
  4. rogerk101

    rogerk101 Screwfix Select

    It's unfortunate that you ended up with a sub-optimal finish after having paid so much for it, but does it really matter in the big picture. You mention UFCH under the floor, which implies this is living space, in which case it'll have a final finish on it (carpet, tiles, floating floor, etc.). The fact that there were a few spots on it from air bubbles is therefore no biggie. If, however, it was just to be painted, as a garage or workshop floor, it would be a real shame, as you'd then have to go around filling each bubble hole before doing the final paint.
    If it were mine, I would leave as is and move on to the final flooring.
     
  5. Lee Allen

    Lee Allen New Member

    Hi,

    I was sold this as a final floor finish for an open plan kitchen, lounge, diner so there is nothing to go on top of it apart from a sealer so it really does matter as it's the main areas of the house. Have I been badly advised ?
     
  6. rogerk101

    rogerk101 Screwfix Select

    No. Not at all. If you made this abundantly clear to the person laying the screed, then you must withhold payment until it is put right. No one should accept that bubbly finish as a final floor ... especially not after paying £2600 for them to produce a final floor finish.
     
  7. collectors

    collectors Member

    If your getting white powdery, it sounds like it wasn't properly/fully mixed. The mapei i have used in the past comes in one bag "20Kg i think" & one 5lt container of latex fluid & should be mixed very well. If its a hot day, we also add about a pint of water to each mix as it can go off quite quickly when warm & be very hard/difficult to work with.
     
  8. DIYDave.

    DIYDave. Screwfix Select

    The story gets a whole lot worse I’m afraid as your saying that this Mapei Renovation Screed is the ‘final floor finish’

    If it’s this product used, then this is the wrong product - it’s a levelling compound only, designed to be covered by carpet, tiles, wood, laminate, etc

    Definitely NOT as a final floor finish

    Sorry to alarm you or if you’ve used a different product but call Mapei to confirm or read data sheets online

    https://www.screwfix.com/p/mapei-ultraplan-3240-self-levelling-compound-25kg/4959f

    Was it this product used ?
    Not suitable as a final finish layer
     
    Last edited: Nov 29, 2019
  9. Lee Allen

    Lee Allen New Member

    Hi, thanks. Yes it was this product 3 bags per mix with 15 litres of water were applied
     
  10. DIYDave.

    DIYDave. Screwfix Select

    The mix ratio is irrelevant to be honest

    The product is NOT intended to be used as a final floor finish

    This point is relevant

    Who suggested using this as a ‘final floor finish’
     
  11. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

  12. Lee Allen

    Lee Allen New Member

    The guy has come around and is suggesting to sand it back and paint it using a leyland floor paint. He is saying this will give a hardened final floor finish. Is this true ?
     
  13. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    BS!:)

    You still have the soft leveling compound underneath.
     
  14. DIYDave.

    DIYDave. Screwfix Select

    I'm honestly not rubbing it in or after some sort of twisted glory but why has it taken a diy'er (me) to point out that this is the wrong product that has been used if intended as a final floor finish ?

    What trade is the guy who laid it ?
    Was it made clear to him the screed/leveller was intended to be the finished floor ?
    Who suggested the above product ?
    What room / use is the room in question ?
    What is a 'microcement' floor and what went wrong ?

    Could the floor not have a light sand, appropriate underlay and then flooring over, be it vinyl planks, laminate, etc ?
    For this the Mapei product is perfect

    Even if painted over will be liable to marks, dents, damage, etc - it's simply the wrong product for the job....end of
     
    KIAB likes this.
  15. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    Last edited: Nov 29, 2019

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