Epoxy sealant

[Dren]

Hi

I'm new on here and this may have already been answered elsewhere, so please be nice to me.

I've been advised to apply Epoxy sealant to a concrete floor before screed before laying flooring. Where can I buy Epoxy sealant please.

Thank you in advance

 

[mattysupra]

FBALL. google it. you want f75 or f76.

what is the reason you need to epoxy? no dpm? or new concrete slab that is not dry yet? or some other reason?

P.s welcome to the forum.

 

[Dren]

Hi and thank you. We moved in 3 years ago and the extension is about 13 years old compared with the rest built in 60's. We've been taking everything back to bare plaster as we found the maintenance (it was a small care home) had been "shortcut" with botched electrics etc, woodchip everywhere and so forth. We lifted the carpet in the extension hall and sunlounge and the concrete floor is quite rough. We took the skirting off to lay laminate and found a small damp area which we think is an "ooze" through the tiling in the shower room, but also found that you can see the dpc through the bricks. Anyway, someone we know in the trade advised epoxy sealant, then screed, then dpm before laying laminate, so we're just following the advise we were given.

NVQ Assessor in Health & Social Care so not much good for this job!

 

[mattysupra]

well fellow nvq assessor! If there is a leak from the shower then you should not be using epoxy to solve the problem, unless your treating the shower area, fix the leak first! If you have a dpm breach then yes use epoxy. I have wrote a sticky on the basics of using the stuff at the top of the forum.
P.s dont forget to use the correct PPE When using the stuff!

 

[Dren]

Since we took the skirting board off and found it was damp, we've not noticed anything else! We're preparing to re-tile the shower room as well, which is where we think the problem emanates. We thought we would just need to lay damp proof membrane under the insulation before the laminate. Do you think the epoxy is still a good idea? And yes, PPE all the time!

 

[mattysupra]

if there is a damp problem being caused by failed dpm then yes use the epoxy. This is the correct method to fix the problem. Unless you want to dig up the concrete and replace with new and new dpm ? If the problem is caused by a leak then fix the leek. Check basics first like if the dpc in the walls outside are being bridge or something.

 

[Dren]

TBH don't think it can be a breached dpm in view of the amount of rain we have here in "sunny" Wales! I'm definitely inclined to look at the tiles/grouting in the shower room, not even the shower as it's not on the same wall.

 

[mattysupra]

epoxy can only be used to certain moister level. normally about 96% relative to humidity in concrete slab. You will not be able to see this moister level unless you cover the floor up with plastic and then it will apear, basically if a dpm breach you wont see wet unless you cover the concrete. If you can see a damp patch that comes and goes then i dought it is a dpm problem.. If you can see a damp patch then the moister may be to high and the epoxy will fail while setting.

 

[Dren]

Thanks for that.