|
 |
Fixing Issues
Concrete
If you are laying a timber floor onto a concrete sub-floor, either directly or using softwood batons, it must be fully dry, level and in good condition. It should also contain a damp proof membrane.
If it is not fully dry , the moisture will be absorbed by the timber floor as it evaporates and the floor will cup and may even lift completely. This is not a product fault, and you are unlikely to be covered by your insurance, so it is important to ensure that it does not happen.
Fully dry does not just mean cured, it means that it has a moisture content of no more than 4% (by weight) as measured with a Tramex concrete encounter meter
Tthe rule of thumb is 1 month of drying time per inch thickness of concrete (slab & screed). This is only a guide however and should not be relied upon.
A good preliminary indicator is to leave a rubber car mat on the floor overnight. If there is condensation on the underside of this in the morning, then the floor is probably still too wet.
Before timber is actually introduced though, check the concrete with a Tramex meter. These can be borrowed from Broadleaf showrooms or hired from good plant hire shops.
For a belt and braces approach, we also recommend the application of a roll-on epoxy moisture barrier such as Bonakemi R410 or Sikabond MB primer.
If you plan to fit your floor using adhesive, the subfloor must be level to within 3mm over 2m. |
|
|
|
