Subfloor preparation · Chatham, ME4
How concrete and screed floors are checked, cleaned and prepared in Chatham before carpet, LVT or vinyl is installed.
A concrete or sand-cement screed floor needs to be sound, clean, dry and reasonably flat before new flooring goes down. Preparation covers checking the slab for defects, removing anything that would stop adhesive or underlay bonding properly, and levelling where needed. In Chatham, this is usually the first practical step assessed on a survey, before any flooring is chosen or measured.
the historic naval town at the heart of Medway means Chatham has a genuine mix of eras under one roofline sometimes, so we never assume the subfloor from the outside of the building alone.
Before any levelling compound goes down, moisture is checked using a hygrometer in line with standard practice for resilient flooring, sealing test points for the manufacturer's stated conditioning period rather than taking an instant surface reading. Where readings are too high for the intended flooring, a damp-proof membrane is applied before proceeding.
the historic naval town at the heart of Medway means Chatham has a genuine mix of eras under one roofline sometimes, so we never assume the subfloor from the outside of the building alone.
the historic naval town at the heart of Medway means Chatham has a genuine mix of eras under one roofline sometimes, so we never assume the subfloor from the outside of the building alone.
We reach Chatham via the M2 Junction 3, and cover the wider ME4 district as part of our normal round.
Laitance is the weak, dusty layer that can form on the surface of concrete, and old adhesive or paint residue behaves the same way, both preventing new adhesive or primer from bonding properly. Mechanical preparation, by grinding, shot-blasting or scarifying depending on the severity, removes this layer and exposes a sound surface to work on.
Inspect for cracks, hollow areas, unevenness and any residual coatings or adhesive.
Grind, shot-blast or scarify to remove laitance and contamination and expose a sound surface.
Carry out hygrometer testing and apply a DPM if the reading exceeds the flooring manufacturer's limit.
A free survey tells you exactly what preparation, if any, your slab needs before new flooring.
07702 737267Almost always some level of preparation is needed, even if it is only cleaning and priming. The extent depends on the slab's condition, which is why a survey assesses it before quoting.
Laitance is a weak, dusty surface layer on concrete that stops adhesive and primer bonding properly. It needs mechanical removal before any levelling or fitting takes place.
A hygrometer moisture test, sealed to the slab for the manufacturer's stated conditioning period, gives an accurate relative humidity reading which is compared against the flooring manufacturer's limit.
Where our survey identifies preparation is needed, it is included in the quote for your Chatham job rather than being an additional cost later.
These are our own installations in the county. They illustrate the type of work covered on this page rather than a particular job.
Postcode district ME4, Medway Council.
Concrete subfloor preparation follows a clear sequence of assessment, cleaning, moisture testing and levelling. Getting it right in Chatham protects the flooring fitted on top.
A free survey tells you exactly what preparation, if any, your slab needs before new flooring.