My 1950's ex-council house has a bitumen type floor in the kitchen which has discoloured the white vinyl floor tiles (a yellowy brown colour). After removing the tiles is it possible to seal the floor with something that will stop this colour bleeding through, so that I can relay a vinyl floor. I would prefer not to have to screed the whole floor.
Bitumen floor
- Thread starter elinor
- Start date
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Screed it. Don't even try anything else. Best off with epoxy rather than latex - if bitumen is thick movement likely to crack latex.
Probable that the black stuff was laid as a waterproofer where no membrane laid under the slab, typical of the period, so a waterproof screed should be used to be on the safe side.
Probable that the black stuff was laid as a waterproofer where no membrane laid under the slab, typical of the period, so a waterproof screed should be used to be on the safe side.
Not Correct
You should never lay epoxy, latex or any kind of smoothing compound over thick soft bitumen. More so epoxy. When using epoxy the sub floor should be cleaned of contaminates. ( scrapped, shot blasted etc )Epoxy is used more as a water proof adhesive or surface dpm. Not to smooth a sub floor in a domestic home. When used in a compound mix it is used in heavy wear area or as a wear layer. Latex compound is very forgiving over any glue / contaminates on the sub floor, but you should still scrape up excess glue or contaminates. Then you need to use the correct latex compound and primer suited to the job. I would never recommend using latex other than in desperate circumstances tho. ( used by cowboys as almost never goes wrong ) Acrylic compound is a stronger mix, but contaminates need to be kept to a minimum. Same with water based compound. But this will crack if the sub floor etc is not cleaned or primed properly and if the moister content is to high. ( above 75%Rh )
Back to the original question...
You can get a barrier mat which you lay over the sub floor, but it is very very expensive. So you will need to lay a smoothing compound. I would recommend acrylic compound. If you could obtain a moister reading of your sub floor ( to check you have a working dpm ) you could use a water based compound.
There are some sticky posts at the top of forum on laying smoothing compounds.
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I stand corrected! Had assumed it was the rock hard stuff you get under thermoplastic tiles. Surely if it's soft you must have scraped it all back already? Get a bladed scraper and get it all off. Bitumen [correct me if I'm wrong - I'm sure someone will!] I think I'm right in saying is a mineral based substance and can be broken down with petrol type liquids. Obviously avoid slopping petrol around your house but there will be some cleaner available [couldn't give a name - I always use petrol!] which will break it down once you're down to residue. A screed rubbing block should be able to get the last of it off & smooth the surface out for new coverings. Will take some elbow grease but Matt is right that cleaning what you have and laying a feather edge smoothing compound is far superior to covering it up in any way.
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