Awkward bases in Soham's older houses
Why choose latex rather than an ordinary smoothing compound? Plain compounds are mixed with water and are happiest on clean, porous concrete or screed. Latex versions swap the water for a latex liquid, which gives the set layer more grip and a little flexibility. That suits bases which are less forgiving: timber sheets that move slightly, glazed tiles that absorb almost nothing, or old concrete with patches of different age.
Older homes supply plenty of those. About 6% of Soham's homes date from 1919 to 1944, and a further 15% from 1945 to 1972, and floors that old have usually carried several generations of covering, each one leaving something behind.
Timber is the commonest trap. Latex is never spread on bare floorboards, because they shrink and flex. They are screwed down, any springy ones are repaired, and flooring grade plywood goes over them. The latex then smooths the plywood joints and screw heads.
Old quarry or ceramic tiles can usually stay if every one is firmly bonded. They are cleaned, degreased and primed, and the latex fills the grout lines. Any tile that rocks or sounds hollow is lifted first.
The same goes for old adhesive. A thin, hard and well stuck layer can be primed over, while anything soft is stripped. If the base needs more work than that, see our floor preparation service.
When latex is the wrong answer in Soham
Latex is a finishing coat, not a repair. Three faults rule it out until they are dealt with.
Damp is the first. Some older properties on Pratt Street, Townsend and Hall Street can still have their original solid floors, which may have no membrane to keep ground moisture out. A thin compound will not stop that, and the new floor would fail on top of it. Such a floor is better broken out and relaid in a Soham sand and cement screed.
Movement is the second. Springy boards or loose plywood crack any latex laid over them, so the timber is fixed before anything else.
Level is the third. Latex covers small hollows, not a floor that falls away across a room. For that, the choice between deeper compound and a new screed is on our Soham floor levelling page.
Priming ties it together. Each base takes its own primer, and a calcium sulphate screed always has its laitance sanded off before priming. On a heated floor in a newer home, check what the screed is before anything is applied. Homes towards Ely can get the same service as latex screed in Ely.
How we price latex screed in Soham
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 Soham
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 Soham
Soham is about 69.4 miles north-east of our Slough base as the crow flies, with postcodes including CB7. The nearest towns to it are Ely (5.7 miles), Newmarket (6.7 miles), Cambridge (12.8 miles) and Chatteris (15.1 miles).
More on latex screed, part of our screeding services.