How do I prepare a concrete floor for a thin-set application?
It depends on what you want to apply. I so suspect that we are talking about a filler floor covering. In any case, the application of polymer materials on wet substrates, especially when the water content in the volume of the substrate is extremely undesirable, since this will lead to blocking of water in the substrate. For priming the bases with high humidity, an impregnation for cement screeds or an epoxy composition should be used. I started using concrete sealer for my project of filling the floor. Before applying the finish coating, be sure to test the application of the material and make sure that the moisture of the base does not affect the quality of the finish coating.
Really good question. The concrete floor seems easy to prepare, but in reality it is not, it is more complicated than it seems. I built a house 3 years ago and I know something about it. First of all, the concrete is very good for the floors, a good choice. It is not so expensive and has a high resistance. But it all depends on the deed as you prepare it. The most important thing in preparing the concrete floor is its sealing. It is a very important moment that can double his resistance time. If you need more information, you can read an article here https://sealwithease.com/how-to-seal-a-concrete-floor.
Make sure that the existing concrete is clean, dry, structurally sound and free from any bond breaking or bond inhibiting materials. Bond inhibiting materials can include, but are not limited to, sealers, waxes, oils, curing compounds, dirt, grease, form release agents, paint, old adhesives, laitance, etc… If these materials are present on the concrete, they must be completely removed prior to any direct bond installations of tile or stone. Additionally, the industry tolerance for substrate flatness is to have variance no greater than ¼” (6mm) in 10 ft (3m). Use a LATICRETE® self-leveling underlayment (e.g. LATICRETE 86 LatiLevelTM), patching material (e.g. LATICRETE 816 LatiPatchTM, or thick bed mortar (e.g. LATICRETE 3701 Fortified Mortar Bed to bring the surface to within required tolerance.
