Hi everyone,
Could you help me with some advice? I’m renovating my home and have removed the old tiles from my living and hallway areas (around 80 square meters). There’s old adhesive left on the floor, and my builder suggested screeding over it, which would raise the floor level by 15mm. Since we have low ceilings, I’d prefer to remove the adhesive rather than add extra height. The builder then mentioned that we could tile directly onto the concrete slab, after removing old adhesive, without any additional surface preparation, even if there are some dents and potholes, as the adhesive would help with leveling.
Here are my questions:
1. I’ve read that tiling directly on a slab can lead to issues like efflorescence, cracking, and moisture damage. Are these concerns valid, or am I overthinking this?
2. I was considering using a thin 3-5mm layer of Dunlop Ardit self-leveling compound and primer after removing the adhesive, as our slab is relatively even. However, my builder thinks a 10mm layer would be better, as they believe a thinner layer could crack under the tiles. Is a 3-5mm self-leveling layer really too weak, or could it hold up fine for years ?
3. If a thinner layer isn’t advisable, should I follow the builder’s suggestion to screed over the adhesive and live with the 15mm height increase, even if it creates a noticeable gap between the tiles and timber floors?
Thanks a lot for any suggestions and advice!
Would love to hear your thoughts and any advice you might have. Thank you!
