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TECHNICAL

 INFORMATION

 

IMPORTANT FACTORS YOU NEED TO KNOW

 

Our Colour Cement Products include a variety of DIY Applications and Installations such as Self Levelling Floors, Colour FloorPlaster, GranoCem Screed, WallPlaster, Stone-chip Floors, Industrial Polyurethane Systems and appropriate Primers and Coatings / Sealants. Have a look at our different applications and you will be sure to find something that suits your style.

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What’s the secret to Colour Cement Flooring?
 

The success of any National Crete Colour Cement Floor or Wall entirely depends on the condition and quality of the Substrate onto which National Crete Products are applied.

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  • The Substrate should be a sound, hard, clean, well-cured concrete slab or cement screed, at least 3 weeks old, struck-off to level and wood floated.

  • The Substrate must be free from paint, dirt, dust, oil, glue, tar, old loose cement or any other contamination that could prevent the proper bonding of National Crete Products to the Substrate (from here link must go to DIY applications: ​

 

Your Substrate: 

 

How to ensure a good topping (cement screed)?

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To establish the quantity of sand and cement you would require for a topping of 30mm thick, apply the following equations:

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A. m² of floor x 0,04 = cubic meters of sand required

B. 1(one) Cubic meter sand = 18 wheelbarrows of sand (filled level)

C. Therefore 18÷2 = 9 bags cement required per cubic meter of sand

D. One(1) wheelbarrow = 2 pockets of cement

 

Mixing the topping (cement screed)
 

  • On a clean dry slab, thoroughly mix 2 wheelbarrows filled level with coarse Malmesbury sand (or similar in your area) to 1 pocket of 42.5N cement
    (4:1 mix), until a uniform colour is produced, i.e. (4 wheelbarrows of sand to 1 wheelbarrow of cement) as one wheelbarrow of cement = 2 x 50kg pockets of cement.

  • To produce a granolithic topping (cement screed):-

3  Wheelbarrows of Sand

1  Wheelbarrow of Crusher Dust(6mm Stone):

1 Wheelbarrow of Cement (4:1 mix by volume, not weight)

 

That is: 4:1
1½ Wheelbarrow Sand
½ Wheelbarrow Crusher dust(6mm Stone)
1 pocket cement

 

  • Make as many of these dry mixes as would be required to complete floor or area to be covered

  • Add water by fine spraying it on with a hose pipe whilst mixing, until the required stiff consistency is produced

  • A good test will be to take some screed (topping) in one hand, close the hand with some pressure, open your hand and all the screed (topping) should be intact, but not soggy or wet nor sticking to your hand

  • If the screed (topping) is too wet, bubbles will form when finishing a Colour Screed Floor, which will make the finishing process very difficult and tedious.

  • If the screed (topping) is too dry, bonding of the Colour Screed Powder to the topping is reduced, which could result in the delamination of the Colour Screed from the topping, causing hollow spot areas and also the screed (topping) will be of an inferior quality due to the lack of water, which will prevent the chemical process of binding and hardening taking place.

What is the substrate?
 

The Substrate is basically your existing floor. See below illustrations for various applications

FloorPlaster Illustration-01.png
Self - Leveling Illustration-02.png
GranoCem Screed Illustration-03.png

How to prepare your Substrate?

For the application of either Colour FloorPlaster or a Self-levelling Floor, ideally the Substrate (existing floor) should be a sound, hard, clean, well cured concrete slab, powerfloated to a smooth finish or a 30mm cement screed (topping), at least 3 weeks old, struck-off to level and wood floated

If the above requirements, condition and quality of the Substrate are not met, a complete Floor Repair to the Substrate is required

Substrates could be of a substandard requirement, condition and quality for various reasons, amongst others being the lifting of tiles, grinding or removal of paint, glue, tar etc

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A CemFloor Repair, a Self-Levelling Flow or a CemFloor Repair, WITH Crusher Dust, depending on the thickness, can also be done to have a level floor for tiling, carpeting or laminate flooring

How fast can you do it?

Depending on the application you choose, a full installation can take from 7 days i.e. for a Self-levelling Floor, or a Colour FloorPlaster, to between 14-21 days for a GranoCem Screed Floor.

How to order DIY material?

Due to the different manufacturing & application processes, dates, batches and combination of all the various inconsistent natural raw materials used to produce National Crete Colour Cement Products, It is best to order your preferred application within one manufactured batch. All our materials are made to order to avoid expired shelf life. we cannot guarantee or take responsibility for any natural colour, natural mottle or textured differences, especially when a colour is selected from the National Crete’s sample boards and applied to different Substrates of various qualities and hues.

How to request an installation?

Once you have decided on your specific application, kindly complete the Order Request Form and we shall furnish you with a quotation for an Installation. National Crete Manufacturers will request an appointment for a professional site visit from National Flooring Solutions, our preferred Installers. They will determine your current Substrate (existing floor/wall) with a thorough consultation to ensure you know exactly what to expect. National Flooring Solutions do not service more than one Client a day, so you can be assured of the utmost time and perfectionism which is sadly missed in the Flooring Industry.

How to apply Coatings / Sealants on different applications

How to apply Coatings.png

NB: Twin Pack Coatings / Sealants are Industrial Polyurethane and can be applied with a second coat within a 48 hour waiting period in between

CRETESEALER - SINGLE PACK SEALANT:

National Crete Single Pack Sealant is the most convenient multi-purpose cementitious Sealant on the market.

 

It is a penetrating sealant which is primarily used as a very durable protective coating on all National Crete Wall Plaster applications.

It is 100% water repellent, strengthens poor quality cementitious Substrates by penetrating into the porous material, preventing the material from becoming brittle and cracking apart.

 

It is ideal for outdoor cementitious garden furniture, pots, paving and facebrick.

 

It has a very durable smooth Satin finish.

Applying Single Pack Sealer:

  • Always remember to de-fluff a new roller before use

  • Thoroughly shake and stir the 5L container, apply 1 coat of Single Pack Sealer with a 225 mm Hamilton’s Polypile roller and cut in with a 50 mm paint brush

  • Use a criss-cross action of application to achieve a full & uniform coverage

  • Always keep a wet edge to prevent unsightly lap marks

  • The coat of Single Pack should be thinnish, not too liberal, but have a uniform coverage

  • If more than 1 coat is required:

    •  Two (2) thin coats are always better than one (1) thick coat

    • Leave to dry for approximately (4) hours

  • Apply the second coat exactly the same way as the first coat

  • All equipment and utensils must be cleaned with thinners

INDUSTRIAL CRETECOATING  - POLYURETHANE TWIN PACK
COATINGS / SEALANTS

This is an industrial polyurethane coating. It is a protective coating for high durability, anti-abrasion and high impact resistance

Mixing and applying Twin Pack Sealer:

•          Allow ±1-2 hour drying time for the applied Colour Retainer or leave until
            the next day, as the drying time will vary from interior to exterior and daily temperature.

•          Apply two coats Twin Pack Sealer whilst wearing socks only.

•          Thoroughly shake both Part A and Part B of the Twin Pack Sealer individually       whilst still in the containers

•          Pour together the full contents of both Part A and Part B and thoroughly shake for a minute or two.

•          NEVER pour only PART OF THE CONTENTS of the individual containers   together, as this will alter the formula and will cause negative reactions.

•          Always remember to de-fluff a new roller before use.

•          Apply 1 coat of the mixed Twin Pack Sealer to the floor that has been coated with Colour Retainer, using a 225 mm Hamilton’s Polypile roller and

            cut in with a 50 mm paint brush.

•          Use a criss-cross action of application to achieve a full & uniform coverage

•          Always keep a wet edge to prevent unsightly lap marks

•          Two (2) thin coats are always better than one (1) thick coat

•          Leave to dry for approximately (4) four hours

•          Apply the second coat exactly the same way as the first coat

•          NB: The mixed Twin Pack product cannot be stored for longer than 4 hours before use

•          The spread rate is 8 m²/litre

•          All equipment and utensils must be cleaned with thinners

 

Cure & Dry:

 

  • Leave the Sealer to cure and dry for at least 4 days after the second

       coat is applied

  • Absolutely NO TRAFFIC allowed on floor during this period

  • Light foot traffic allowed on the floor 72 hours after application of the sealer,wearing socks only

  • Full curing, drying and hardening of the sealer takes 4 – 7 days

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