Question:

What (bloody big) machine do I look for in the hire shop that will scrape,
in a violent and deadly fashion, the top couple of mm off a strong
sand/cement screed? Thinking something with carbide teeth that move about,
and a feck off big motor or petrol engine.

Got quite a large area to do. If the machine can hack its way through not
well attached cement levelling compound, all the better.

Ta

Tim


[The scenario...]

Not a happy bunny today...

The long saga of dealing with the crap that is my new kitchen floor:

Previously, on Planet Squidward:

1) I asked builders to flatten a lumpy floor. I took a load of old wooden
tiles up for them.

2) I asked if they would deal with the residual gunk under the tiles. "No -
it's not a problem - Latex gunk sticks to anything..."

3) 3 months ago, I noticed a couple of hollow sounding bits.

4) I noticed they been fobbed off with Cement/silica (Cempolay) rather than
latex (Cempolatex) by the tit in Travis Perkins.

----

Back to today:

"I know," I said - "I'll just angle grind the loose bits - quick run tound
the edge with a diamond blade - then pop the loose bit out, then repair
taht bit ready for pouring more latex this week"...

I did, and a couple of whacks with a hand bolster and the Cempolay was
coming up in 6-8mm sheets. Oh dear.

Went round and sounded the rest of teh floor. Now about 6-7 loose areas. The
bond has been shearing all overthe place.

When I looked at the layer that popped up, it contained a mm thick black
slightly greasy/rubbery/slippery (to the nail) brittle black layer of crap.

Underneath that, the sand/cement screed appears very solid and attached -
but well out of level.

I've checked into this black crap and believe it may be an asphaltic
adhesive used on wood flooring.

It's impossible to totally remove it without taking the top mm of screed
with it. Tried a big knife - no good. Scutch comb works but will take
forever. So I'm off to the hire shop tomorrow - just wanted to have a bit
more of a clue what to ask for.


Called the original builder back anyway, as an 8" wide columb of celcon
blocks holding up a door lintle are parting company with the brick wall
they are supposed to be extending. Builder has been instructed that he will
be doing this again for free, with bricks (his expense) and properly keying
them into the old wall. At least he apologied and agreed. Think I'll kick
his arse over the floor too. But I think it's better if I fix it this time.
At least my foray into Stopgap 300 and SBR screeds have resulted in other
floors that are never coming adrift...

sigh...