Tilemaster tips for Replacing an Existing Floor
Lifting old tiles or flooring to lay a new floor can be time consuming and difficult depending on the adhesive used, and it is not always necessary. Where the previous floor consists of sound ceramic or vinyl tiles, these can be primed with Tilemaster Prime+ Grip before using a smoothing compound such as Tilemaster Super Flow 30, a double component, ultra-rapid setting smoothing compound that is ready for tiling after 45 - 60 minutes and laying impervious flooring after 90 minutes. Alternatively, Tilemaster Pro Flow is a self-levelling and smoothing compound with excellent flow and adhesion properties which can be used without priming on most substrates. It has a waiting time before laying of 3 hours for ceramic, porcelain and natural stone tiles and 4 hours for decorative flooring. Both of these compounds can be used over adhesive and flooring grade bitumen residues if the existing floor has had to be lifted.
Where the refurbishment includes an external area, Tilemaster External Leveller is a good choice of self-levelling and smoothing compound as it is suitable for use both internally and externally. It can be used over an existing stone or ceramic installation after priming and can be left as a wearing surface, if so desired. It is ready for light foot traffic and tiling after 3 hours and can receive soft floor coverings after 24 hours.
Tilemaster Eco-3000 is the newest product from Tilemaster Adhesives, an adhesive suitable for installing LVT, PVC, vinyl and rubber flooring as well as carpet, textiles and uncoupling membranes onto a wide variety of substrates. It can be used over a damp proof membrane where an existing vinyl floor has been lifted and is ideal for use when refurbishing conservatories, as well as other buildings with large expanses of glass where direct sunlight may heat the floor. Tilemaster Eco-3000 has been formulated with a fast tacking-off time. Flooring can be installed after as little as 10 minutes, when the adhesive is semi-tacked off and has reached its ‘anti-slide’ state. Full tacking off takes 40 minutes and the floor is ready for light foot traffic after 12 hours.