Latex over plywood and old tiles in Newtown
Latex screed is a trade name rather than a brand. It describes a two part levelling compound whose cement based powder is combined with latex, used where an ordinary compound would take water. It is the version chosen for awkward bases such as overboarded timber and old tiles.
Timber is the obvious example. A suspended floor in a Newtown terrace moves slightly underfoot, so latex never goes straight onto the bare boards. They are first screwed down tight, then covered with flooring grade plywood fixed at close centres. The latex goes onto that plywood, filling the joints and fixings so thin sheet vinyl does not show a grid of lines a month later. Overboarding and making a floor sound sit under our floor preparation service.
Old tiles are the second case. Quarry tiles in a back kitchen or ceramic tiles in a bathroom can stay where they are if every one is firmly bonded. Tap them: a hollow note means that tile comes up. Sound tiles are cleaned and degreased, primed, and covered with a few millimetres of latex, which saves breaking out a floor that has done nothing wrong.
Old adhesive is the third case. Some of it can stay under latex, provided it is thin, well stuck and not soft. Anything loose has to go first, and where it sits on concrete, grinding the slab back to a clean surface is often the quickest route.
When latex is the wrong answer in Chesham
Latex smooths a floor; it does not repair one. Before pricing a Chesham kitchen or bathroom refit, we check three things.
Movement comes first. If boards bounce as you walk across them, a skim will crack along the joints however good the product. The fix is to screw down the boards, replace any that are split and overboard properly, or, in a Newtown terrace losing its timber floor altogether, dig out and lay a new screed.
Damp is next. Latex sets hard over a damp slab but does nothing to stop the moisture, and vinyl or LVT laid on top will lift. An old solid floor put down without a membrane needs testing before anything goes over it.
Level is last. A floor that runs badly out across the room, or drops at the hallway, needs a thicker compound or a new screed, and our Chesham floor levelling page explains how flatness classes decide between them.
Conversions add one more test. Converted flats make up 3% of Chesham's homes, and floors in converted buildings are often timber with a ceiling below, so plywood thickness and fixings are checked before any latex is mixed.
Primer always goes down first, chosen for what lies beneath. Calcium sulphate screed is never latexed bare: its laitance is removed and it is primed, or the compound would grip a weak skin.
How we price latex screed in Chesham
A fixed written price within 24 hours, once we know the area and the base. See our floor screeding cost guide.
Who lays your latex screed in Chesham
K & B Screeding’s own team, led by director Donatas Bardisevicius. Founded 2019, company 12298780.
See what customers say in our Google reviews and on our testimonials page.
Latex Screed from Slough to Chesham
As the crow flies, our yard in Slough is about 12 miles from Chesham, which lies to the north. Postcodes here include HP5, and Amersham (1.9 miles), Berkhamsted (4.5 miles), Chorleywood (5.2 miles) and Tring (6.5 miles) are close by.
More on latex screed, part of our screeding services.
