With the rise of loft-style homes, they took center stage, and with the boom in industrial style, they have become a decoration trend. We are talking about microcement floors, a modern finish that is totally waterproof, resistant, durable, and easy to clean and maintain. And that, by not having joints, visually enlarges the space.
Applying micro-cement is not hard, but you must know how to use the necessary tools (trowel, spatula, and rollers). You’ll also need to keep two things in mind: the mixing ratio of the components and the thickness required for each layer. In this post, we’ll share a super practical guide on how to apply microcement. Read on!
But first, what is microcement?
Microcement is a high-quality cementitious coating made up of polymers, resins, and aggregates. It can be pigmented through a wide range of colors and combined with other materials to obtain a special finish (smooth, rough, matte, or glossy).
Microcement is also a material that adapts to different environments. It does this thanks to the different textures (thick, medium, or thin), the wide variety of colors, and the different varnish finishes.
So, what are the steps to apply microcement?
1st Step: Surface preparation
This step includes all the activities prior to laying the microcement. These are essential actions for cleaning the surface on which the covering is laid in order to generally remove dust and substances such as grease and traces of oil.
Ideally, and if possible, the humidity of the coating should be measured to check the presence of water and to guarantee a perfectly dry surface.
2nd Step: Primer and mesh
This step is the end of the preparation of the bearing surface. This involves applying an adhesion layer to the coating, which will then be accompanied by a fiberglass mesh.
The layer (called the adhesion bridge) is a synthetic liquid used to increase the absorption of ceramic surfaces, thus improving the consolidation of the microcement.
The mesh serves to provide greater elasticity to the coating, eliminating deformations and increasing resistance to cracking.
3rd Step: Application of base coats of micro-cement
Once the preliminary steps have been completed, it is time for the first laying of the microcement. It must be well distributed over the entire surface of the coating, using the appropriate equipment (metal trowel). During this phase, two coats of the mixture are applied, which must be polished evenly to obtain thin thicknesses.
4th Step: Application of the microcement finish
As in the previous phase, it involves the uniform laying of two layers of microcement. The difference is in using a rubber trowel to distribute the mixture. In addition, the thickness of these layers should be significantly greater than that of the previous phase.
5th Step: Sealing
Microcement sealing is done to protect the last layer. With this, events such as stains, dirt, or other latent problem are minimized. In addition, it is a waterproofing system that protects the surface from rain or water leaks.
As if that were not enough, this sealing process provides resistance, a better finish (it can be matte, satin, or gloss), and the result that the user expects. In this phase, the following aspects should be taken into account:
• The surface must be 100% clean, dry, and moisture-free.
• When applying it, the ideal temperature for sealing is between 10 and 30 degrees Celsius.
• The maximum humidity allowed is 4%, and the relative humidity must not exceed 80%.
6th Step: Finishing varnish
Finally, it is necessary to apply the last layer to achieve total impermeability of the micro-cement. This will help make it more resistant to any regular cleaning product you may use.
In Summary
Microcement offers a series of advantages that other more common and used materials do not offer. It is a material that can be used on any type of surface with all that that entails in terms of decoration. It blends well with any decorative style, such as modern or industrial.
