Special Levelling agents

FLATNESS STARTS WITH THE BASE

LEVELLERS ENSURE STRONG AND FLEXIBLE FLOORS WITH NO BURSTS OR CRACKS

Photo – Pallmann

If you want to fit a floor, even a young child knows you should make it as perfectly flat as possible and that flatness starts with the base. And so, a good solution is to use a levelling agent which makes the floor self-levelling thanks to the use mainly of synthetic resin and cement. This levelling agent creates a very strong and flexible floor which greatly reduces the risk of cracks and/or bursts.

It will come as no surprise to learn that levelling agents are used mainly to level out existing substrates such as tiles or concrete. Wooden floors can also be treated for this purpose, but you must ensure that the floorboards are secure and that there are no joints between the various planks. Furthermore, you need to fill the gaps carefully at the joint with the wall. After that, you can enjoy the two main assets of a levelling agent, namely its capacity to fill gaps and a certain elasticity.

In this article we find out who has what on the market, what levellers can be used for, and what their lifespan is. It’s also worth knowing that some products are better suited to one type of subfloor than another one. For instance, there are levellers which stand out if they are used in combination with concrete floors, whilst others prove themselves top class with wooden substrates.

Clients dare to take the application of levelling agents out of the hands of professionals because it seems an easy job. In that case we always advise you to include the application of a levelling agent in a comprehensive price proposal. After all, it is typical of this sort of work that cheap often does not mean cheaper. There is a good chance that some adjustments will be necessary later because various conditions have been ignored. In other words, take full advantage of your expertise.

Why fit? In the introduction we said that levelling agents were used mainly to make floors as flat as possible, but don’t forget that this product is more than just that. For instance, levelling agents provide perfect protection for the floor finish. Generally speaking, you can say that levelling agents come into their own most fully with very thin top floors such as marmoleum vinyl because the slightest unevenness shows clearly through such materials.

Once you’ve decided to use a levelling agent, it is good to consider that you don’t want to cause your clients any unnecessary expense. Levelling agents are not cheap, yet there is a skill to determine the perfect minimal thickness. In this case remember that levelling agent floors are usually calculated in thicknesses of millimetres, not centimetres.

Another warning: Not all substrates are suitable for the use of levelling agents. Basically, they can be applied to any substrate whatsoever, provided that the substrate is stable enough and watertight, but that’s not all. As we’ve already pointed out, remember, for instance, with wooden floors that gaps and joints have to be covered meticulously.

Two specialists

Chimiver

RASOCHIM 1400 M is a fast dryin thixotropic cementitious smoothing for floorings and vertical surfaces up to 6 mm thicknesses. RASOCHIM 1400 M is a white powder composed of special cement bind and synthetic binders. RASOCHIM 1400 M mixed with water becomes a thixotropic creamy paste, easy to work with high adhesion to supports.

RASOCHIM TOP is a grey powder for internal use consisting of special cements with rapid hydration, with graded silica sand, resins and special additives. RASOCHIM TOP mixed with water becomes smooth, fluid and easy to apply wth high bonding strenght and fast-drying. RASOCHIM FAST is a thixotropic cement smoothing for floors and walls with thicknesses up to 30 mm. RASOCHIM FAST is a quickdrying cement grey powder composed of special cement bind. RASOCHIM FAST mixed with water becomes a thixotropic creamy paste, easy to work with high adhesion to supports. RASOCHIM FAST hardens without hrinking, without forming slits or cracks, with rapid development of mechanical resistance. RASOCHIM MAXI is a fast-hardening, single-component grey cement powder premixed, for thickness from 5 mm to 40 mm. RASOCHIM MAXI mixed with water becomes fluid cement paste suitable for realization of good strength self-leveling smoothing.

RIGO Verffabriek RIGO Verffabriek investigated the demand for a suitable finish for self-levelling concrete floors with an industrial look. In addition to a seamless appearance and a high degree of water resistance, a finish should also retain the matte look of the self-levelling concrete layer. The masters of lacquer crafting at RIGO Verffabriek looked for and found a way to retain the untreated appearance of finished surfaces over 15 years ago: SKYLT. SKYLT protects the treated surface and strengthens its original appearance. With a SKYLT finish, wood keeps its pure, wooden appearance. Thanks to the introduction of SKYLT Sealer, this untreated look can now also be applied to mineral surfaces. SKYLT Sealer #5030 is a functional primer that negates the hydrophilic qualities of the mineral surface through a thick, high-build coating that initially discolours the surface. With a second coat of SKYLT Sealer, the protective layer is practically waterproof. Once sealed, the surface can be finished seamlessly and without any issues with two coats of SKYLT Original, resulting in the desired, untreated appearance. The discolouration will disappear without a trace. SKYLT Sealer is also highly suitable as a finish for walls. SKYLT Sealer has been available at wholesalers since 19 October 2020.

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DECKING “DURO“

DURO Is a bRaND NEw matERIal spECIfICally DEsIGNED fOR OUtDOOR DECKING aND vENtIlatED walls. It Is thE REsUlt Of yEaRs Of REsEaRCh aND ExtENsIvE labORatORy tEstING. Its COmpOsItION Is tOp sECREt, bUt thE maIN INGREDIENt Is RICE hUsKs, a NatURal wastE pRODUCt Of thE aGRICUltURal INDUstRy, whICh Is COmbINED wIth vIRGIN pOlymERs. thE REsUlt Is a matERIal wIth INCREDIblE mEChaNICal pROpERtIEs, pERfORmaNCE aND wORKabIlIty.