Case Study: Subfloor Preperation, Sudbury Using Schonox Compounds

Correct subfloor preparation is vital before laying a new floor, and should always be carried out by professionals on development and extension projects, to ensure that there are no damp or flooring issues further down the line. On a recent Kitchen extension in Sudbury, Hollis Flooring was invited to analyse and carry out the subfloor preparation, so that the residents would be able to start using their new extension as soon as possible.

Having analysed the cement screed, laid by the builder, the team from Hollis Flooring decided the best course of action was to lay a Schonox surface damp proof membrane to act as a moisture suppressant for the residual construction moisture. This course of action will allow a new floor to be installed potentially months ahead of when the base screed would have been ready had a surface membrane not been applied.

Preparing the floor

To do this, the first job on-site, once testing had been completed, was to prepare the base screed with a thorough clean of the floor to remove any loose material and residual dust from the building work. Any small cracks or uneven surfaces were smoothed with a fast-drying, moisture tolerant repair mortar.

Membrane application

Once the base screed had been prepared, 2 coats of the damp proof membrane were applied up to the perimeter. A smoothing trowel was used to lay a Schonox hybrid gypsum compound to the floor.

Finishing touches

To complete the job a spike roller was used over the entire surface to remove air bubbles as and improve the levelling of the compound. Left to set, the new subfloor surface was ready for the new floor to be installed just 24 hours later.