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| Q: |
Does it matter if the floor freezes after you pour it?
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| A: |
The building should be heated to a minimum of 50 degrees prior to pouring, and maintained at that temperature until cured. Freezing inhibits the gypsum crystals from bonding. This will cause a weak floor that may crumble or peel.
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| Q: |
How long does the floor slab take to cure?
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| A: |
Cure time is dependant on several different factors.
1) Humidity.
2) Temperature.
3) Ventilation. You must provide ventilation to remove the moisture as rapidly as possible. The applicator will leave windows and doors open 3-4 inches and sometimes ask you to turn fans on if the level of humidity outside is quite high.
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| Q: |
I don't know if my house can hold the weight of gypsum concrete. How much does it weight?
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Gypsum concrete weights 14 pounds per square foot. You need to check with your architect or builder to assure that your subfloor is designed to support loads with maximum L/360 deflection ratio.
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| Q: |
Can I use gypsum concrete floors as finished flooring?
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No. Gypsum concrete is considered a subfloor and requires sealing and covering with finished floor treatments such as carpet, wood, or tile.
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| Q: |
What do I need to do to schedule my job with you?
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1) Your building must be completely enclosed, including roof, windows, doors and other opennings.
2) Seven to ten working days notice is recommended. Normally, in residential construction, installation should be scheduled after drywall and taping are completed. This is very important for elimination of horizontal sound leaks under the drywall and to prevent excessive traffic which could result in floor damage.
3) Any flooring and nailing inspections must be completed prior to installation of gypsum concrete.
4) Subfloor must be determined as structurally sound (Minimum of L/360).
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Q: |
What do I need to do to be ready for you to pour my floor? |
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1) Provide 15 gallons per minute of water using a faucet with a minimum 3/4" internal diameter.
2) Have floors to be worked on, free of other trades for the day.
3) Provide a clear set-up area as close to the building as possible in a central location. This area should have free and clear access to the inside of the building.
4) A container or designated area for disposal of empty bags and unused material should be provided.
5) Subfloor must be broom clean and free of debris, equipment, mud, oil, wood chips and any other contaminants.
6) All cracks, voids, and holes in the subfloors must be covered or plugged.
7) Permanent wood stops should be placed around stair landings at desired thickness. No other stops or plaes should be in as the floor is continuous.
8) Any bottom plates that go through doorwats should be removed.
9) Areas where we are not to pour should be blocked off.
10) The water closet rings should be set at the desired height.
11) If gypsum is specified under the bathtubs, bathtubs must be on permanent blocks allowing access for pouring under the tubs.
12) Plumbing chases should be sealed if gypsum is to be poured under the bathtubs.
13) Floor ducts should be surounded with permanent stops or sealed with caulking.
14) All registers should be boxed in.
15) The minimum thickness over pipes or conduit is 3/4".
16) Building must be maintained at a temperature of 50 degrees before, during and after installation of the floor.
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Q: |
What do I need to do after the floor is poured? |
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Temperature and ventilation.
After the pour, maintain a 50 degree temperature and adequate ventilation to dry floor. Approximately 5 to 10 days is required for complete drying.
Traffic areas.
Place temporary wood planking in areas subject to heavy wheeled traffic or concentrated loads.
Floor coverings.
Do not install floor coverings until gypsum floors are totally dry. The contractor should be responsible for testing for dryness before installation of finished floor goods.
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Q: |
How long will it be after you pour the floor before we can walk on it? |
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The floor is dry enough to walk on in approximately 90 minutes and should be ready the day after the pour for your other subcontractors to return to work.
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How long does it take to pour the floor? |
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Set-up, and clean-up can frequently take longer than the actual pour itself. A floor area of 2500 sq ft poured 1 1/2" thick takes approximately 2 hours to pour. We can pour 30,000 sq ft of 3/4" a day.
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Can I pour my own floor? |
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No. You must be a licensed applicator to purchase the gypsum concrete used in the pouring of your floor. This assures a quality floor when you are done.
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Can I pour gypsum concrete in my garage so I can have a heated floor? |
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No. Gypsum concrete is considered a subfloor. That means you must cover it with a finished flooring product such as wood, carpet or tile. In a newly constructed garage, you can pour concrete slab over the heat tube for a radiant floor system.
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