Hi Folks,

OK - not so pleased. Just had another look at the floor - builders asked for
latex and got fobbed of with "Cempolay" (I was wrong, I thought they got
sold "Cempolatex 1 part".). Sigh. Wish I'd known what I do now 4 weeks
ago...

Cempolay is basic cement-y levelling compound. Nothing special. That's
actually 20 quid on Travis's website, so it seems Mr Builder got charged
the same as I could get with a TP Cash card. Proper 2 part would be 29
quid - hardly breaking the bank.

---

OK. Let's make the best of a bad job... What I'd like to find out before I
buy a 25 litre drum is: what can SBR do.

I do know (from this group and reading the sheets) it's used as an admix to
make a sand/cement screed apply thinner than normally possible.

And I know the properties of PVA on a dry substrate and its abilities to
glue all manner of crap into a solid mass.

So:

1) Does SBR glue up and stabilise all manner of crap in the same was as PVA,
but is resistant to water (unlike PVA)?

2) Can SBR be used as a basic crude DPM when applied to the surface of
concrete?

3) Should SBR be diluted with water for the first application onto a porous
substrate like PVA, the add another undiluted or less diluted coat
afterwards?

---

I ask because I'm considering rescue plans.

The few hollow sounding bits in the floor are (upon investigation) due to
the sub-screed being apparently 99% sand and 1% "other" in a couple of
places (looks like areas where the 1970's "builders" doing a agarge knock
through have been let loose).[1]

What I'm considering doing is to drill some 10mm holes in the dodgey places
and pour in neat SBR until it wont take anymore, in the hope of stabilising
the crap under the levelling compound (which itself is solid and firm).

Then I plan to go over the top with SBR to lower the amount of damp hitting
the tile adhesive.

I also plan to chuck SBR over the concrete slab in the bathroom area before
applying screed to there to stabilised, damp proof and give better
adhesion.

[1] Yes - I could also dig these out back to the concrete and re-screed. But
it's more work. It's not like the floor's collapsing, but I'd like to
ensure it's firm - If I start digging I have the feeling I won't stop till
it's all up and I don;t really want to go there...

Cheers

Tim