Smoothing old bases in Swanley refits
Latex screed sits in a narrow band of the floor trade. It is thinner than a screed and thinner than most levelling work, and it exists to make a base that is already firm and roughly level smooth enough for a thin finish. The latex liquid in the mix improves its grip and lets it cope with slight movement, which is why it is chosen over tired or mixed bases.
Most Swanley homes are semis or terraces, and on the St Mary's and White Oak estates private and social housing sit side by side. When a kitchen or bathroom in one of these houses is refitted, the floor under the old covering can be almost anything: old ceramic or quarry tiles, hard black adhesive, a concrete floor with trowel marks and cracks, or timber in an upstairs room.
We look at each before mixing anything. Timber gets flooring grade plywood screwed down at close centres first, because latex will not survive on bare boards. Tiles are tapped and any hollow ones removed. Adhesive is left only where it is thin and bonded hard; otherwise it is ground or scraped off, and grinding is covered on our Swanley concrete floor grinding page. A calcium sulphate screed has its laitance taken off before any primer.
The primer is then matched to what is there, plywood, dense tile or porous concrete, and the latex is poured and spread to a smooth, even face.
Sheet vinyl, LVT, lino, rubber and safety flooring all need that face. Carpet is more forgiving but still lies better on it.
Damp, bounce and big dips in Swanley floors
Some floors should not get latex at all, and saying so early saves money.
A damp floor is the clearest case. Latex cannot stop moisture coming up from below, and laid over a wet base it may blister or come away. We check before quoting, and where damp is found the floor needs a membrane and new screed, usually a hand-laid sand and cement screed in Swanley.
A floor that bounces is the second. Plywood over loose boards still moves, and a thin coat on top will crack. The boards are refixed or replaced and the structure checked before overboarding.
The third is a floor well out of level, such as the step that can remain where an extension meets the original house. A few millimetres of latex will not hide that. Deeper compound, or a fresh screed, is covered under levelling floors to SR1 and SR2.
Swanley has 55% of its homes in council tax bands A to C. Where a refit budget is tight, a latex coat over a sound base is far less work than lifting and rescreeding. The product's own data sheet sets when flooring can follow, and we give you that date with the price. The same service is offered in Bexley.
How we price latex screed in Swanley
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 Swanley
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 Swanley
As the crow flies, our yard in Slough is about 36.5 miles from Swanley, which lies to the east-south-east. Postcodes here include BR8, and Bexley (4.4 miles), Dartford (5.2 miles), Bromley (5.5 miles) and Swanscombe (6.2 miles) are close by.
More on latex screed, part of our screeding services.