I have cast the bathroom floor with concrete (100mm) but sectioned off the shower area to make it easier to create a slope with floor mortar/screed later. Now I realize that the floor mortar for the shower area would cost more than the rest of all the concrete and I'm looking for alternatives to reduce that cost.
One idea is to cast the base, ~50mm, with either regular concrete or EPS and then apply a thinner layer of floor mortar on top. Unfortunately, the EPS option might be ruled out because the floor mortar would then require extra reinforcement (there is a 5150 mesh at the lower part that will be mostly covered by the filling layer).
Finally, to the main question; The floor mortar's instructions say that the substrate must be free from cement skin, is that enough, or does the concrete underneath need to be wetted and left for a week or two before?
One idea is to cast the base, ~50mm, with either regular concrete or EPS and then apply a thinner layer of floor mortar on top. Unfortunately, the EPS option might be ruled out because the floor mortar would then require extra reinforcement (there is a 5150 mesh at the lower part that will be mostly covered by the filling layer).
Finally, to the main question; The floor mortar's instructions say that the substrate must be free from cement skin, is that enough, or does the concrete underneath need to be wetted and left for a week or two before?
How thick will the pour be this time?
Can you pin in the slab?
Does the reinforcement from the slab extend into the shower area?
If it does, I would probably pour with regular concrete anyway if you are pouring more than 5-7cm now?
Can you pin in the slab?
Does the reinforcement from the slab extend into the shower area?
If it does, I would probably pour with regular concrete anyway if you are pouring more than 5-7cm now?
The entire surface is 10cm, I figured it would be about 4cm floor compound on top, so roughly 6cm plus or minus a bit for the slope. The reinforcement extends from the slab into the shower area, the whole bathroom is reinforced. Dowel from what is already cast might be a bit risky with the heating loops, if that's what you meant.nino said:
If you have recently cast everything else with concrete, I would continue with that and create the slope with it as well.
Personally, I wouldn't mix slow-setting mortar with fast-setting, not unless the regular concrete has dried for at least 6-12 months.
Personally, I wouldn't mix slow-setting mortar with fast-setting, not unless the regular concrete has dried for at least 6-12 months.