Proper floor preparation is crucial to the success and lifespan of any flooring system. We prepare floors across London and the Home Counties from our base in Slough, and further afield in Northampton, about 50 miles away. We prepare floors ahead of our own screeds and ahead of other trades' floor coverings, from a single kitchen to large areas of warehouse and office floor.
Skipping or rushing preparation is the most common reason new floors fail. Lifting vinyl, cracked tiles, hollow screed and peeling coatings can almost always be traced back to a surface that was never ready. We make sure yours is.
Floor preparation services in Northampton
Our floor preparation service includes:
- Surface cleaning and removal of existing floor coverings, adhesives and coatings.
- Shot blasting to remove laitance and give a clean, textured surface for bonding.
- Diamond grinding to remove high spots, adhesive residue and thin coatings.
- Subfloor levelling and repair, including crack and joint repairs.
- Moisture testing and damp proof solutions.
- Screeding and surface smoothing, including floor levelling compounds for a smooth finish.
We tailor the preparation to each project, whether it is a new build, a refurbishment or a commercial fit-out.
Commercial floor preparation
Northampton has a huge amount of warehouse, distribution, office and light industrial space, particularly around Brackmills, Moulton Park, Lodge Farm and Swan Valley. When these buildings change hands or are refitted, the floors often need serious preparation:
- Old coatings and line markings removed before new resin or safety flooring.
- Worn, dusty or damaged concrete ground back to a sound surface.
- Cracks and damaged joints repaired so they do not reflect through new finishes.
- Uneven floors corrected with a bonded screed or levelling compound.
- Heavily trafficked areas upgraded with a high strength screed.
We work around your programme, including phased work in occupied buildings.
Residential floor preparation
Northampton's older housing, particularly the Victorian and Edwardian terraces around Abington, St James and Far Cotton, often has solid floors that are uneven, damp or covered in layers of old adhesive. Before new flooring goes down we remove what is there, test for moisture, repair what is damaged and level the surface. Where the existing screed has failed, we carry out screed repairs or lay a new screed.
Preparing warehouse floors for a new finish
When a Northampton warehouse or industrial unit is refitted, the existing concrete floor often carries years of wear, old coatings, line markings, oil and damaged joints. Before a new resin coating, safety floor or screed can go down, the surface has to be taken back to sound concrete. We start by identifying what is on the floor and how well it is bonded, then grind or scarify to remove it, shot blast to open the surface, repair cracks and failed joints, and finally clean and dry the floor ready for the new finish. For areas that are badly damaged or out of level, a thin bonded screed can restore a flat, strong surface without raising the floor significantly.
Why proper floor preparation matters
Effective floor preparation in Northampton is essential because it:
- Ensures a level surface for easier and better flooring installation.
- Increases the lifespan of floor coverings.
- Reduces the risk of lifting, cracking and other failures.
- Gives a smoother and more professional finished floor.
Choosing the right preparation method
| Situation | Method we typically use |
|---|---|
| Laitance or light coatings on concrete | Shot blasting |
| Old adhesive, high spots, thin coatings | Diamond grinding |
| Thick coatings or heavy build-up | Scarifying |
| Cracks and broken joints | Crack and joint repair |
| Minor unevenness before thin finishes | Levelling compound |
| Damp base | Moisture testing and a suitable membrane |
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Why choose K & B Screeding for floor preparation
- Single rooms to warehouse floors, prepared to suit the finish.
- Thorough, precise work completed on time.
- The right tools and materials for each job, with dust extraction.
- Flexible scheduling to meet tight deadlines.
- Competitive, transparent pricing.
Areas of Northampton we cover
We prepare floors throughout Northampton, including Abington, St James, Far Cotton, Kingsthorpe, Duston, Weston Favell, Hunsbury, Wootton and Moulton, and business locations such as Brackmills, Moulton Park, Lodge Farm and Swan Valley. For new screeds, see our page on floor screeding in Northampton.
Screeding prices in Northampton
Published 2026 UK figures put sand and cement screed at about £18 to £25 per m² and liquid screed at about £24 to £31 per m², supplied and laid (MyJobQuote, August 2026). MyJobQuote does not say whether these figures include VAT. Depth, access and preparation move the figure either way, so your price is fixed in writing within 24 hours of hearing about the floor. See our floor screeding cost guide or the screed calculator.
