Preparation

FLOORCOVERING REMOVAL

We use self propelled or drive on take-up machines when required. This system is both quick and worker friendly and provides the best option when removing existing floorcoverings.

DIAMOND GRINDING

Diamond Grinding of concrete slabs is the most economical way of preparing concrete floors for the installation of new floorcoverings.

The following is a list of areas diamond grinding can be undertaken.

  • To remove existing glue or laitance from a concrete slab,
  • To remove curing agents or burnish from a concrete slab,
  • To prepare the concrete subfloor for the installation of moisture barriers that require they be purged into the slab,
  • To flatten out high spots or trowel marks in concrete slabs,
  • To expose the aggregate in the concrete.
  • In general diamond grinding has many uses in the preparation or finishing of concrete slabs

SYSTEM ARDEX FLOOR PREPARATION

Levelling of concrete slabs has come a long way in recent years. The product range of self-levelling compounds, bulk fill products, rapid set patching compounds, engineered screeds and feather finish skim coats has increased with technology to have a product for all different areas.

Below is a guide of floor levelling options from our preferred supplier Ardex Australia

Self-Levelling screed

– These are commonly used to make a concrete slab that is not as level (or as smooth) as it should be to the relevant standard that is required, Self levelling screeds are usually applied from a 3mm minimum average to any thickness, But the costs tend to be excessive if the product is installed over 10mm thick.

Bulk fill screed

– These are commonly used were a floor has a set down or for ramping from 1 slab height to another. It’s a great product to build an internal ramp or to level a concrete slab greater than 10mm thick

Engineered screed

-these are commonly used in areas of set down concrete that require a fall to waste, such areas include en-suites in aged care & hospitals, dda compliant areas & cleaners rooms

Rapid Set screed

– In the flooring industry this product is used extensively when the need for a product to dry very quickly is required and is generally used for the spot patching of sub floors.

Feather / fine finish

– This product is used extensively where there is a need for minor skim coating to approximately 1mm were a floor isn’t as smooth as it should be as per the relevant Australian standard or general minor rectification prior to floorcoverings being installed.

MOISTURE TREATMENT

Moisture barriers are a very important requirement prior to the installation of any floorcoverings. There are 2 common areas of moisture problems these are listed below:

Curing Concrete Moisture:

This is the most common problem in the flooring industry, where all the new buildings these days are built extremely quickly and most concrete slabs have a curing agent applied to them to speed up the drying of the surface. this unfortunately causes the moisture that is in the concrete slab doesn’t have time to reduce to the levels it needs to for the particular relative humidity for floorcovering that to be installed. The way we rectify this and comply with the relevant Australian standards is to apply a moisture barrier. At this time there is really only two types of barrier that are successful:

Epoxy based:

These are applied by trowel or roller over the slab to seal in the moisture and ensure it doesn’t release through to the installed floorcovering.


Purging:

These are applied usually after diamond grinding of the concrete slab to ensure the surface is porous so as the purging moisture barrier that’s usually rolled, sprayed or pushed in with a broom ,can absorb into the slab and purge and then seal the capillary’s in the slab.


Hydrostatic Pressure:

This is usually in old slabs but not always, were rising damp is evident or a leaking pipe or the like has ruptured under the slab and the moisture is coming up through the existing slab. It also occurs were buildings are near or are below the water table ie near a river, stream lake or the like. At this time there is only 1 type of barrier that is successful and that is at least 2-3 coats of epoxy based moisture barrier.

EXPANSION JOINT COVERS

Expansion joint or control joints in concrete slabs are a real problem in the commercial floorcovering industry If a new floorcovering is not installed correctly using a suitable system the floorcovering will break down at this point very quickly.

There are however many different options that can be used successfully to rectify this situation. Below are some of those options:

Aluminium or brass expansion joint covers

These particular joint systems can depending on the specification allow for vertical and horizontal movement and are the system of choice in the major retail sector ie supermarket and department store fitouts. and were waterproof of fire proofing is required

PVC covers

The PVC covers are a cheap but effective way of expansion joint control in resilient flooring, They do allow for small amounts of vertical or horizontal movement and do allow vinyl flooring to be welded to it to create a impervious surface. However were its expected the movement will surpass approx. 3mm they aren’t really the system of choice and an aluminium or brass system will be required,