bitumen floor

[patndoug]

Our daughter has just bought a flat with bitumen floors. She would like to leave them exposed and sealed with a gloss finish. We are struggling to find out what she can use. Would floor varnish work? Pat ('n Doug)

 

[mattysupra]

Hello and welcome to the forum

Well this is the first time i have been asked this question! I guess you can give them a sand and seal with a urethane adhesive. Only problem you have is trying to get it to stick. Urethane, varnish etc is meant to be drawn into the flooring and as you have a water tight base your trying to stick to you may have problems. Your best bet would probably be epoxy. This will need a really good sanding of base floor and also epoxy is very expensive. Your other problem is that when the weather decides to warm up and stop raining, bitumen based floors can start to move and heavy furniture can sink into the subfloor.

 

[patndoug]

Oh dear! Doesn't sound too promising - such a shame 'cos whenever I scrub it (layers of dirt!!) and it's wet, it looks really dramatic. Any other thoughts would be much appreciated, Pat

 

[mattysupra]

Been thinking about it. Try a vinyl seal. Might find something at tescos or some where. You basically mop it on every few cleans. As its not a proper seal and wears off quick you wont run a risk of it peeling off. Think johnsons do a clear shinny, so called seal you add to your mop water while cleaning.

 

[patndoug]

I had just been thinking along the same lines, wondering if a good floor polish would work. Trouble is - I can't see my daughter polishing her floor as I did years ago on my mother's liino!!!!! Your idea sounds like a much better bet! I'm still hoping someone might know of a product which provides a more permanent solution, Pat

 

[mattysupra]

if i remember right, you just add this johnsons stuff to the bucket of the cleaning stuff you use to clean the floor. When the floor goes dull your daughter will know its time to clean the floor!

 

[patndoug]

Brilliant! Thanks! Am off to get the train back down to London for another stint of stripping, scrubbing and prep!!!!! Hopefully by the end of the week I'll be on to the floor. Will struggle to check this forum, but will try to get to a computer again before I start - just in case!!!!!!!!!!!