Hi everyone, just wondered if anyone could help me. I have a 1950's bungalow that had blown magnesite floors when I moved in. Luckily was asbestos free, so removed it all myself. However the concrete base underneath is still very damp almost a year later. Bought a damp meter and it has really high readings. The walls aren't damp. What do you think the issue could be? Do you think there wasn't a DPM installed? What is the easiest and cheapest option of covering the concrete base so flooring can be laid? Am I able to to lay a DPM over the existing damp concrete floor? Many thanks for any help.
If the Magnasite was installed in the 50's > 70's then I would say anything under that is the same age. So I doubt you even have a sheet membrane in that floor at all. It will need digging out and done to regulations.
Thanks for your help everyone. So a liquid dpm over the top is an option? Or do I really need to dig the concrete out and start again? Was hoping to do the work myself, but going to have to get someone in aren't I? I did go round my neighbours today (my bungalow is a semi) and her floor readings were fine. But I know they did a lot of work on her floors about 10yearsago, so I'm guessing her issues are resolved.
Brilliant thankyou! Do I need to try and dry the concrete slab out first with dehumidifiers or is this not necessary?
Asphalt will be your best option but don’t try bonding a solid wood to it Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
What depth was the magnesite? You could put down a sheet dpm and get a screed poured in if you have enough height
Just a cheapy from Amazon, Brennenstuhl. Worth getting a decent one then? I guess I have also worried a little that I may have a leak in the pipework (drain) running down the side of the house. As part of the concrete drive has started to tilt and that's next to the dampest floor in my bedroom. Though speaking to other neighbours on my road, they all say the ground has always been very wet here and people's driveways tend to fail very quickly.
The magnasite was 150mm thick. I had a flooring chap out last year who said they could lay a screed down (I think he said self levelling compound, but I would need to let the floors dry out first) But obviously a year on the floors are exactly the same.
Hello everyone, I have a similar issue. Live in an 1830s terrace which has a magnesite floor which appeared to be OK. Last year I had a wool carpet and a breathable underlay fitted over it. But a year on and the magnesite has blown in a lot of areas and is coming through the carpet. I had the floor tested before having the carpet laid and there is no asbestos. I know I need to get the magnesite floor removed, but can I use an ordinary building firm or do I need to get a specialist firm in? Where would I find a specialist like this? Also I don't know what's under the magnesite. Will it just be bare earth, or old stone slabs? So how do I go ahead? Do I get the magnesite removed, then can I just have a DPM put down and self-levelling compound over that; or new concrete poured, or asphalt? What would be the best way forward. Thanks for any help.
Hi again, I got an insurance assessor in to look at the carpet to see if I could claim. The assessor says he reckons that the floor isn't magnesite but asphalt and that asphalt floors fail in the same way as magnesite i.e. break up when they become damp. He tested the floor and walls and both had high damp readings. He told me that I need to find out if the floor is either magnesite or asphalt. But how do I do that?? if its asphalt I guess I could just have a DPM put over it and have it re -concreted, but if its magnesite I'll have to have the whole floor removed. Where would I find someone who would be able to tell what my floor is made of?
