Latex over plywood and old tiles in Flitwick
The mix is a cement based powder with a latex liquid taking the place of water, which helps it hold onto surfaces a plain compound dislikes. It is laid thin, usually a few millimetres, and it does one job: smoothing a base that is already sound.
In a Flitwick refit, three kinds of base usually call for it. Upstairs, and in any ground floor built on joists, the floor is timber. Latex never goes straight onto floorboards, because boards move and the compound would crack along each gap. The boards are screwed down, overboarded with flooring grade plywood fixed at close centres, and the latex goes on top of the plywood.
Downstairs, a solid floor may carry ceramic tiles from an earlier kitchen. If they are firmly bonded, lifting them is extra mess for no gain; we degrease, prime for a non-porous surface and latex over them. Rough or patched concrete, and thin sound adhesive left after lifting vinyl, can be treated the same way once cleaned.
Detached houses account for 32% of Flitwick's homes. In a two storey house the family bathroom usually sits on timber upstairs, so it is a natural candidate for plywood and latex before new vinyl.
The finishes that need it are the thin ones: sheet vinyl, LVT, lino, rubber and safety flooring, plus carpet, which wears more evenly over a smooth base. Where the floor is level enough but needs a wider skim, our page on levelling compound in Flitwick covers that.
When Flitwick floors need more than latex
A thin compound cannot fix a failing floor, so a few checks come before any mixing.
Damp first. Latex is not a damp barrier. If moisture is coming through an old solid ground floor, it will push the latex and vinyl off, so we test before quoting and deal with the damp before anything else.
Movement second. Boards that spring underfoot, or plywood screwed down too sparingly, will crack the latex. The structure is fixed first.
Level third. Latex smooths; it does not fill. A ground floor that has sunk or tilts across the room needs deeper levelling, a screed repair or a new floor, and in a dug-out kitchen that means relaying a sand and cement screed. High lumps of old mortar can be ground down with concrete floor grinding before latex goes on.
Priming is chosen for each base. Tiles, concrete and plywood each take their own primer. A calcium sulphate screed, which may turn up in a newer house or extension, always has its laitance sanded away and a matched primer applied.
Our cover takes in West End, the streets near the River Flit and the development land off Froghall Road. For towns nearby, see latex screed in Dunstable.
How we price latex screed in Flitwick
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 Flitwick
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 Flitwick
As the crow flies, our yard in Slough is about 33.2 miles from Flitwick, which lies to the north. Postcodes here include MK45, and Houghton Regis (6.8 miles), Kempston (7.8 miles), Dunstable (8.1 miles) and Luton (9.2 miles) are close by.
More on latex screed, part of our screeding services.