Bolted wibbled:



Interesting - I'm surprised they weren't more bold, given you describe
it as a brittle layer rather than sticky.

Definately looks like 1-2mm thick asphalt rather than liquid bitumen. Funny
stuff - sometimes breaks off clean, sometimes slices off leaving a shiny
grey-black layer that seems hard but feels slightly greasy to the finger
nail.

I don't know how the price compares, but Ardex have a primer called
P-82 which seems to be recommended for bitumen, as do Weber with
PR-301.

P-82: "Use ARDEX P82 on power floated concrete, pre-cast concrete, terrazzo,
glazed ceramic and quarry tiles. ARDEX P82 can also be used to prime
hard flooring grade asphalt, rigid metal, hard and sound paint thickness
coatings, ARDEX DPM, as well as traces of sound adhesive residues on
dense impervious surfaces."

That sounds quite interesting... Ardex were one of the few manufacturers I
didn't speak to today... 67 quid for 10-20 m2 it seems - that's better than
586 quid!

PR301 looks good too - can't see a web price though...

But with sandy areas...

They're not a problem - that sand is coming off cleanly and easily to expose
solid concrete or brick depending on which of the 2 areas. Clearly a quick
level[1] off over an old wall base by someone short of cement(!). By
default I'd chuck some SBR over those bits unless the primer is rated to
cope directly. Now I've dug the 1/2" of crap off the substrate is very
solid and unfriable.

[1] "Level" in the non Euclidian sense.

What's going over the top of this lot?

20mm Marmox bedded on Mapei Keraquick, then flexible tile adhesive and
ceramic (or similar) tiles.

You clearly are very knowledgable (your Stopgap 300 recommendation was just
the ticket on th other floors) - wish I'd had someone like you the first
time... Thanks again!

The car's being fixed so I have some time to phone these folk tomorrow and
sound out these options as well as the Everbuild system.

I feel confident a solution that won;t cost a bomb is at hand

Cheers

Tim