Failed screed - what to do?

Hi Folks,

I'm after advice on a situation I find now myself in.
Having had a load of work done on my house (room knockthroughs, etc.) which included electric UFH and screeding the entire gound floor, several flooring contractactors have told me that the screed has failed (blown?) and because of this they can't fit the glue-down LVT which I already have.

It's a 100yr old house with a suspended wooden floorboarded floor and the make-up on top of this is as follows:
1. Fitted 6mm tilebacking board (secured with screws and washers)
2. Primed
3. Fitted electric UFH on self-adhesive mesh rolls
4. Screeded with 10mm of Instarmac Ultra Tile Level It 2 part latex filler
5. Experienced quite a lot of run-off under the house through gaps in skirting etc.
6. Primed
7. Screeded and spike rolled with 5mm more of Instarmac Ultra Tile Level It 2 part latex filler to make up the run-off loss

The screed had lots of hairline cracks over the next few days but I thought this was natural due to it being installed on a suspended wooden floor. Any movement is minimal underfoot though you can see slight movement when scrutinised up close. At this point the UFH hadn't been commissioned so didn't heat up the floor too fast or anything like that.

Fast-forward to the flooring contractors arriving to fit the glue-down LVT. They told me the screed was blown and it would all have to come up and be relaid before the flooring could be fitted. This cannot happen due to:

1. A new kitchen has been fitted on it
2. This would destroy the electric UFH
3. The cost to rip everything up, buy again, then refit would be extortionate
4. Too disruptive, this is the last step in the entire project

So I'm now looking at my options on how to move forward, as I certainly can't go back. I've been told that glueing the LVT down would be pointless as it would just lift, though it might last months or years before any issues arise. Would it be daft to get the LVT laid but without glueing it down? It shouldn't move as it would be tight against walls, etc.
The LVT is Polyflor Expona Commercial

Any thoughts or ideas on what can be done? I'm absolutely devastated.

Thanks in advance

Oldskool

 

I didn't think Level it 2 was a flexible smoothing compound ! I

 

if you are using the instramac range then the super flexi 30 would of been a better choice here

 

Apologies, wrong product !

It's ProLevel Two - Flexible Two Part Floor Leveller

 

That’s a complete failure, looks to me that someone whapped on the heating to full whack instead of over time it needs to be removed and done again


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It was cracking prior to the heating being commissioned.
The floor was at 18 deg C ambient then increased by 1 deg per day until it got to 25 deg.

Removing and doing again is not an option unfortunately.

 

You have no other option, it’s a complete failure you can’t salvage that especially because it’s de-bonded from the sub-floor. If it was cracking prior to putting on that heating then the product needs testing to see if there’s a manufacturer fault or whoever screeded it cocked up.


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Well if you want any flooring then you will have to remove it regardless whether it's not one of your options or not I'm afraid.

The screed is loose and loose laying the LVT will not work either.

If you want LVT then the blown screed needs taking up ....Fact!

 

And just to add you can’t fit on that at all


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What actual primer did you use??

 

Don’t know but those craters tell a story.


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Pva

 

Looks like it, if it is then it’s going to be fun.


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Thats a real nightmare. Did you choose that product yourself ? or was it specified.
Ultra floor make a similar product, Level it 2, which states its suitable for use over ply, but it really is not.
Normally a fibre screed needs to be used over electric ufh

 

That's a dogs dinner, your not fitting lvt over that in anyway shape or form, unless you DIY it, no professional will go near that

 

Wow!
Before looking at the pictures I thought you ‘might get away with’ using a click lvt BUT no chance sorry!!!!

As spacey said, the majority of the reason is the fixing of the fibre boards. They should be secured by tile adhesive or like ply - 6” centres and 4” perimeter.
That’s been secured shockingly!!!!!!!

Absolutely needs to come up.
No other option at all.
Sorry fella.

 

Thanks all for your replies, much appreciated.

I've been in touch with the area sales manager for Instarmac and after talking him through the install process he's concluded (with technical) that it's due to the boards not been stuck down with adhesive prior to securing with screws, so Spacey was bang on the money.
I've gone back to the UFH supplier as it was they who specified the items for the job once we'd detailed the install brief. At no point was it mentioned that adhesive would be required.
I'm awaiting a response from them at present.

It's incredibly frustrating as to walk around on it you don't feel any movement, ridges, or unevenness - it just looks a bit like crazy paving!
I did think it might have been down to the natural movement in floorboards & joists initially, but guess I've been too naive.

 

boards not fitted correctly and not enough primer or incorrect dilution, it won't matter how much you spike roller it the craters will appear again and again if the primer is insufficient. Appreciate you say that removing it isn't an option, unfortunately it's going to be costly either way