I've agreed to lay some vinyl flooring for my neice, over mainly
boards, which I'll hardboard over first. However there is a disused or
unwanted mat-well set in cement and IIRC, painted.

I was initially thinking of filling it with some kind of wood sheet
material but it occured to me that it could perhaps be better and more
accurately done by floating in some cement-based product. I can't
imagine this could ever be stable as it only 3 cms deep.

Any ideas on whether Unibonding and sand and cement or whether there
are any proprietary products that would fit the bill.

TIA Andy

In article ,
Andy Cap writes:
I've agreed to lay some vinyl flooring for my neice, over mainly
boards, which I'll hardboard over first. However there is a disused or
unwanted mat-well set in cement and IIRC, painted.

I was initially thinking of filling it with some kind of wood sheet
material but it occured to me that it could perhaps be better and more
accurately done by floating in some cement-based product. I can't
imagine this could ever be stable as it only 3 cms deep.

Any ideas on whether Unibonding and sand and cement or whether there
are any proprietary products that would fit the bill.

That would probably work providing the underlying cement is solid.
Sometimes, some wire mesh such as chicken wire is embedded in a
screed layer less than 2" thick, although that's probably not
necessary in this case.

--
Andrew Gabriel

Andy Cap wrote:

I've agreed to lay some vinyl flooring for my neice, over mainly
boards, which I'll hardboard over first. However there is a disused or
unwanted mat-well set in cement and IIRC, painted.
I was initially thinking of filling it.

Why not just buy a mat for it? It makes an hell of a difference to wipe
your feet before stepping on a vinyl floor.

Andy Cap wrote:
I've agreed to lay some vinyl flooring for my neice, over mainly
boards, which I'll hardboard over first. However there is a disused or
unwanted mat-well set in cement and IIRC, painted.

I was initially thinking of filling it with some kind of wood sheet
material but it occured to me that it could perhaps be better and more
accurately done by floating in some cement-based product. I can't
imagine this could ever be stable as it only 3 cms deep.

Any ideas on whether Unibonding and sand and cement or whether there
are any proprietary products that would fit the bill.

TIA Andy

Strong 'playpit' sand and cement with a plasticiser would be OK.

Or use floor tile cement, or floor levelling compound, which are
formulated to be strong in thinner layers

Andy Cap wrote:
I've agreed to lay some vinyl flooring for my neice, over mainly
boards, which I'll hardboard over first. However there is a disused or
unwanted mat-well set in cement and IIRC, painted.

I was initially thinking of filling it with some kind of wood sheet
material but it occured to me that it could perhaps be better and more
accurately done by floating in some cement-based product. I can't
imagine this could ever be stable as it only 3 cms deep.

Any ideas on whether Unibonding and sand and cement or whether there
are any proprietary products that would fit the bill.

TIA Andy

thin layers break up due to tensile forces. The inclusion of 1-2% of
chopped plastic fibres gives a large increase to tensile strength. In
bridge construction these fibres may be anything from 1/4" to 1/2"
long. Scrap synthetic fibre clothing strikes me as a readily to hand
source of such fibre, or you can buy the bundles used in bridges etc
for about £2 a bundle + postage.


NT

wrote:
Andy Cap wrote:
I've agreed to lay some vinyl flooring for my neice, over mainly
boards, which I'll hardboard over first. However there is a disused or
unwanted mat-well set in cement and IIRC, painted.

I was initially thinking of filling it with some kind of wood sheet
material but it occured to me that it could perhaps be better and more
accurately done by floating in some cement-based product. I can't
imagine this could ever be stable as it only 3 cms deep.

Any ideas on whether Unibonding and sand and cement or whether there
are any proprietary products that would fit the bill.

TIA Andy

thin layers break up due to tensile forces. The inclusion of 1-2% of
chopped plastic fibres gives a large increase to tensile strength. In
bridge construction these fibres may be anything from 1/4" to 1/2"
long. Scrap synthetic fibre clothing strikes me as a readily to hand
source of such fibre, or you can buy the bundles used in bridges etc
for about £2 a bundle + postage.


NT

If its in a well and therefore bounded, there shouldn't be tensile
forces..especially if its slightly flexible.

On Tue, 07 Mar 2006 17:41:21 +0000, The Natural Philosopher
wrote:

wrote:
Andy Cap wrote:
I've agreed to lay some vinyl flooring for my neice, over mainly
boards, which I'll hardboard over first. However there is a disused or
unwanted mat-well set in cement and IIRC, painted.

I was initially thinking of filling it with some kind of wood sheet
material but it occured to me that it could perhaps be better and more
accurately done by floating in some cement-based product. I can't
imagine this could ever be stable as it only 3 cms deep.

Any ideas on whether Unibonding and sand and cement or whether there
are any proprietary products that would fit the bill.

TIA Andy

thin layers break up due to tensile forces. The inclusion of 1-2% of
chopped plastic fibres gives a large increase to tensile strength. In
bridge construction these fibres may be anything from 1/4" to 1/2"
long. Scrap synthetic fibre clothing strikes me as a readily to hand
source of such fibre, or you can buy the bundles used in bridges etc
for about £2 a bundle + postage.


NT

If its in a well and therefore bounded, there shouldn't be tensile
forces..especially if its slightly flexible.

That encouraging because it going to be done tomorrow, one way or
another. ;-)

Andy

On Tue, 07 Mar 2006 07:32:20 +0000, Andy Cap wrote:

I've agreed to lay some vinyl flooring for my neice, over mainly
boards, which I'll hardboard over first. However there is a disused or
unwanted mat-well set in cement and IIRC, painted.

I was initially thinking of filling it with some kind of wood sheet
material but it occured to me that it could perhaps be better and more
accurately done by floating in some cement-based product. I can't
imagine this could ever be stable as it only 3 cms deep.

Any ideas on whether Unibonding and sand and cement or whether there
are any proprietary products that would fit the bill.

TIA Andy

If I understand correctly you are covering everything with hardboard, so
this should spread any load.

If this is the case then almost anything should do to fill in the well for
the mat.

If the base of the well is cement then as long as you bond the new layer
of cement to the underlying layer then it should be stable - a 3cm layer
is quite thick and the underlying cement should support it.

You could always chip at the underlying layer to provide a rougher surface
to bond with.

A free floating 3cm layer would not be particularly stable, however.

I have a similar problem - all my floors are solid and I plan to put down
laminate flooring including covering a mat well in the hall.

HTH

Dave R