Self-Levelling Floor Systems
Achieve Perfect Flatness with Flow-Applied Epoxy Screeds
Why Do Modern Facilities Demand Perfectly Level Floors?
Industrial epoxy flooring must be perfectly level to prevent forklift damage claims averaging £3,200 per incident. A 2mm ridge causes 15% more wear on MHE tyres. VNA trucks require flatness within 1.5mm over 3 metres to prevent mast sway. We measure existing floors finding 85% fail current FM2 specifications, explaining chronic operational problems.
Self-levelling compounds achieve viscosity of 2,500 centipoise at 20°C. This allows flow rates of 40 linear metres in 10 minutes. Gravity creates surfaces accurate to ±1mm over 3m lengths. Hand screeding averages ±8mm variation, causing racking instability and vehicle damage.
Weekend installations follow strict schedules. Friday 6pm: site setup. Saturday 6am: primer application. Saturday 10am: pour begins at 300m² per hour. Sunday 6am: grinding and final measurements. Monday 6am: full operational capacity restored. Compare this to 14-day traditional screed installation plus 28-day drying.
Self-Levelling System Pricing
How Does Self-Levelling Technology Actually Work?
Flow modifiers reduce surface tension from 72 to 28 dynes/cm. Calcium aluminate cements provide 35 N/mm² strength at 24 hours. Anti-foam agents limit air content to 2% by volume. The compound spreads at 12m² per bag, self-smoothing to optical flatness within 15 minutes of pouring.
Diamond grinding removes 1-2mm substrate, exposing aggregate for 2.5 N/mm² adhesion. Moisture vapour primers reduce transmission to 0.5g/m²/day. Edge dams use 50mm timber or metal strips sealed with mastic. Spike rollers with 28mm pins release trapped air while maintaining 5mm minimum thickness across transitions.
Substrate temperature between 10-25°C ensures 30-minute working time. Below 10°C requires heated enclosures and adjusted catalyst. Above 25°C needs retarders adding 15 minutes flow time. We monitor with infrared thermometers at 10m grids, adjusting mix design in real-time. Cure reaches 70% strength at 4 hours in optimal conditions.
What Flatness Standards Can Self-Levelling Achieve?
FM1 specifications demand FF50/FL40 minimum values. Our installations average FF65/FL45 using tripod-mounted lasers accurate to 0.5mm at 30m range. Television studios require FF100/FL50 for camera dolly tracks. Laboratory clean rooms need SR1 classification at ±0.6mm over 2m for laminar flow integrity.
Laser receivers on screed boxes maintain ±0.5mm tolerance during pour. Digital inclinometers verify 0.0% slope in defined flat zones. Post-cure testing uses 3m straight edges with feeler gauges at 100 measurement points per 1000m². F-number analysis generates contour maps showing elevation changes to 0.1mm resolution.
Shrinkage compensating additives expand 0.05% during cure, offsetting drying shrinkage. SBR polymers at 15% loading provide 2mm/m movement capacity. Ten-year-old installations show maximum 0.8mm settlement under 50kN/m² loading. Annual flatness surveys confirm FM1 compliance maintained throughout service life.
Which Applications Benefit Most from Self-Levelling?
14-metre racking requires floors within 3mm/3m tolerance preventing 40mm lean at height. Uneven floors increase MHE maintenance 35% through irregular tyre wear. Reach trucks on FM1 floors show 20% battery improvement from reduced resistance. Insurance assessors mandate annual floor surveys for facilities with racking above 10 metres.
ISO 14644-1 cleanrooms require Ra surface roughness below 0.5 micrometres. Self-levelling achieves 0.2 micrometres without polishing. Particle counts stay below 100 per cubic foot at 0.5 microns. Static-dissipative versions maintain 10⁶-10⁸ ohm resistance protecting semiconductor manufacturing worth £2M per batch.
High-end retail demands 60-degree gloss readings for premium presentation. Self-levelling with epoxy seal coats achieves 85-degree gloss lasting 5 years. Point loads from display units at 500kg/m² show zero indentation. Stiletto heels at 2000 N/cm² cause no surface damage unlike standard screeds that pit immediately.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, self-levelling excels at rehabilitating damaged substrates. We can level variations up to 50mm using deep-fill compounds. Cracks are routed and filled before application. Contaminated areas receive special primers. The flowing nature fills voids and depressions completely. This often costs 70% less than replacement while achieving superior flatness.
Our rapid-cure systems allow foot traffic in 3-4 hours and full loading in 24 hours. Standard systems need 24 hours for light traffic, 48-72 hours for equipment. We offer ultra-rapid options achieving full cure in 2 hours for emergency repairs. Temperature affects timing—we provide precise schedules based on your environmental conditions.
Self-levelling successfully covers most existing floors with proper preparation. Tiles are abraded for adhesion, with grout lines filled. Vinyl is either removed or mechanically anchored depending on condition. We apply bonding agents ensuring permanent adhesion. This approach saves demolition costs while achieving better flatness than the original floor.
Thickness depends on traffic type and substrate condition. Light commercial needs 3-5mm. Forklift traffic requires 5-8mm minimum. Heavy manufacturing benefits from 8-12mm. We assess your specific loads, traffic patterns, and existing floor condition to specify optimal thickness. Over-specifying wastes money; under-specifying causes premature failure.
Quality self-levelling systems last 15-25 years with minimal maintenance. The monolithic structure resists cracking better than traditional screeds. Polymer modification provides flexibility preventing delamination. We offer 10-year warranties on adhesion and flatness. Many installations from the 1990s remain in perfect condition, proving long-term durability.
Achieve Perfect Floor Flatness Today
Transform uneven surfaces into precision-flat floors with self-levelling technology.