Sub floor preparation is one of the key elements of any commercial flooring project. The majority of commercial flooring projects require the sub floor to be prepared before the floor covering can be laid. At Bradbury Flooring we have over 60 years experience in commercial flooring so our experts will ensure the sub floor is prepared correctly.
Subfloor Preparation
Before any type of floor covering is installed the sub floor must be carefully prepared. There are different types of sub floor and each one requires different methods of preparation. Bradbury Flooring will carefully survey the sub floor of your project and ensure that the correct preparation is carried out to give you an excellent finish to your chosen floor coverings. Below are a few basic types of sub floor and the types of preparation involved
Removal of Old Floor Coverings
Where an old floor covering needs to be removed we will assess what method will be most effective in removing it. Some floor coverings such as carpet, and traditionally fitted carpet, can be easily removed by hand. Other floor coverings such as vinyl, marmoleum and fully bonded carpet can be more stubborn and we will use mechanical floor stripper to remove these. All old floor coverings will be removed from site for disposal or where possible sent for recycling.
Timber Sub Floors
When dealing with a timber sub floor such as floor boards we need to ensure that there is a smooth surface for the new floor coverings, especially where a floor covering such as vinyl is being installed. An underlayment of 6mm flooring grade plywood is affixed to the timber sub floor with divergent staples and all the joints are receive fine finish mortar to create a smooth surface for the new floor covering.
Concrete Sub Floors
Concrete sub floors will be carefully tested with hand held Protimeters or hygrometers to measure the moisture content of the concrete to ensure that it is sufficiently dry to receive floor coverings. To prepare the concrete sub floor it will be carefully swept and vacuum cleaned before priming and applying a minimum 3mm layer of smoothing compound.
Anhydrite Sub Floors
Anhydrite sub floors are gypsum based and are being used more and more in new construction as it fast to install and cures sufficiently to be able to be walked on very quickly. The installer should remove the surface laitance once it has initially cured to allow the anhydrite to fully cure. If it is not removed it is unlikely to cure sufficiently to allow new floor coverings to be installed and will have to be removed by mechanically grinding the surface. The installer, once they have removed the laitance from the surface will confirm to the flooring contractor when the sub floor is sufficiently dry to receive floor coverings. Much like concrete sub floors a smoothing compound needs to be applied prior to installing the floor coverings. As anhydrite floors are gypsum based specific primers and smoothing compounds need to be used and the Contracts Manager will recommend the most suitable products.
Damp Proof Membranes
With concrete sub floors and anhydrite sub floors there are occasions where the moisture content of the sub floor is too high for the installation of floor coverings. In these cases a damp proof membrane or moisture suppressant can be applied to the surface of the sub floor to prevent the evaporating moisture content from causing the new floor coverings to fail. During the survey of the sub floor Bradbury Flooring’s Contract Managers will test the sub floor to ensure that the floor is sufficiently dry before the floor coverings are installed and if they find that the moisture content is too high they will recommend a suitable solution to ensure your project is complete on time.