Advantages of living concrete
Low maintenance
✔ Aesthetic
✔ Tough look of a concrete floor
✔ Suitable for underfloor heating
✔ Available in different colors
Supplies
Floor System
✔ Primer
✔ Basic
✔ Resin
✔ Pigment
✔ PU topcoat
The ready-made living concrete package contains all the materials for the floor system.
Preparation of substrate
✔ Sander or angle grinder with diamond bowl
✔ Construction vacuum cleaner
✔ Tape
Application of the living concrete
✔ Gloves (1 pair per layer)
✔ Mixing bucket (1 per layer)
✔ Mixing rod
✔ Drill or mixer
✔ Brush (1 per layer)
Nylon roller for epoxy primer
✔ S moothing trowel and/or tooth trowel
PU roller for PU topcoat
✔ Roll bar
We recommend applying living concrete with 2 people.
Preparation
Before you get started with applying living concrete, you need to make the following preparations:
Check the packaging
The primer and equalizer consist of 1 component. Read through the text on the can and check the item number to see if the name matches the contents.
Check the substrate
Before you begin, the substrate must meet the following 4 conditions:
1. The subfloor must be (chemically) cured
For every inch that a new subfloor is thick, you should count 1 week of drying time.
2. The subfloor must be dry
The maximum moisture content depends on the type of substrate:
✔ Concrete: <4%
✔ Sand Cement: <2.5%
✔ Gypsum-bound: <0.5%
You can promote the drying process of an anhydrite subfloor by sanding off the andhydrite skin.
Do you have an underfloor heating system? Then follow the stoking protocol.
3. The subfloor must be level
Damage to the subfloor should be repaired and paint and glue residues sanded away. We recommend the following products for this purpose:
Small cracks and unevenness: epoxy putty
Larger holes: epoxy repair mortar
Openings along skirting boards, sills and heating pipes: acrylic sealant
4. The substrate must be clean and grease-free
In order for the living concrete to adhere, the substrate must be grease-free.
✔ Grease and oil spots: sprinkle cat litter on these. These suck up the fat.
✔ Stubborn stains: use POWER cleaner and/or ammonia.
✔ Dust and dirt: with a vacuum cleaner and a soft broom, make the floor dust-free.
✔ Cement slurry: the substrate may still have a so-called cement slurry. Remove these with a diamond sander.
Conditions for the environment
The conditions in which you process the living concrete must be optimal in connection with the shelf life and reaction of the materials. Therefore, please consider the following:
The right temperature:
✔ Minimum: 15 °C
✔ Maximum: 30 °C
✔ Optimum: 20 °C
Proper humidity:
✔ About 80%
Set up a separate workspace
Create a separate work area, preferably outside the space where you will be applying living concrete. Cover the floor with a tarp or stucco pad so you can work cleanly. This is to prevent you from spilling loose components onto the subfloor.
Tape everything
Are there walls, table legs or other objects that should not have living concrete on them? Then tape these off.
Divide the space
Make a plan of action and divide the space in your mind according to the amount of material in the cans. In fact, the content is suitable for a limited number of square meters. That way you know how thick to apply the equalizer.
Get everything ready
Have you checked off the checklist? Prepare all materials and tools. Are you working with two people? Then divide the tasks.
Application of living concrete
Drying time:
Depends per layer.
Total time:
Allow about 1 day per layer.
Roadmap
Day 1: Apply the primer layer
1. Mix the primer by shaking the jerry can.
2. Transfer everything to a clean bucket.
3. Start by applying the primer coat at the edges. Do this with a brush or small roller.
4. Apply the primer to the rest of the floor.
6. Next coat: after 18 hours and within 36 hours.
NB! Check the processing time of the products before you get started with this!
Apply 1st layer of live concrete
Proportion: 1st layer approx. 1.2 kg/m2
7. Add the pigment to the resin. Shake these well.
✔ 8. Sieve the base.
9. Because of the short processing time, it is best to work in sections. Therefore, weigh the correct amount per component per floor section.
10. Starting with the first section, add the measured colored resin and base together in a clean bucket. Mix for a few minutes with a mixing rod.
Section 11. Pour the mixture onto the floor and spread it with a smoothing trowel or tine trowel. Make large strokes in the shape of crescents.
12. Do this section by section and in this way provide the floor with the first layer.
Apply 2nd layer of live concrete
Ratio: 2nd layer 0.8 kg/m2
13. When the first coat is hand-dry, apply the second coat.
14. Work in the same way as the first layer and again measure everything by section.
15. Apply the second coat also – in large strokes – with a flat trowel or tooth trowel. This will be the final structure of the floor.
16. Allow this layer to dry for 24 hours.
Next day: apply sealer
17. Sand the floor with sandpaper grain 100 – 150.
18. Clean the floor with a slightly damp cloth.
19. Apply the sealer with a PU roller.
20. Then scrub the floor with a white pad.
✔ 21. Allow the sealer to dry for a minimum of 4 to a maximum of 24 hours.
Next day: applying the PU topcoat
✔ 22. Mix components separately with a mixing rod.
23. Pour component A + B together and mix for 3 minutes.
24. Transfer everything to a clean bucket, mix again for 1 minute.
25. Start by applying the topcoat at the edges. Do this with a brush or small roller.
26. Pour the remaining material into strips. Roll out crosswise for even results.
Additional Information
Waste
We would like to ask you to collect and reuse the product scraps as much as possible. Do not allow the residue to enter the sewage system, open water or soil.
✔ Chemical waste: containers with uncured residual contents and uncured product residues.
✔ Construction waste: do you have product leftovers? Then collect it, mix both components and let it cure.
Maintenance
For the maintenance of exposed concrete you can order special cleaning products from us.
Questions?
Do you have questions about laying living concrete? Please refer to the product information sheets on our site or go to our section‘Most Frequently Asked Questions’.
Can’t find an answer to your question? Then get in touch with us.
Disclaimer
Because our products are mostly applied under conditions beyond our control, the application of paint products is always your own responsibility. Our advice regarding application is given to the best of our knowledge and is considered to be only non-binding instructions. We cannot guarantee more than the quality of the product itself.
We deem that the application/processing of the products ordered by you, is carried out by or under the guidance of a professional/experienced expert and that the person makes himself acquainted with our manual and MSDS.