Bitumen floor in downstairs toilet with dirty great trench in it

[Crispym]

Hello everyone, not been here for a while. Nice to be back.

I’m refitting the downstairs toilet and have just uncovered the horrors under the carpet. The floor is hard bitumen but there has been a bit(!) excavated for the ch pipes. There is also concrete laid (hah) to level (double hah) the floor where the pipes enter the room. My intention is to lay cork tiles eventually so what are my options here?

Thinking I could lay some self levelling compound to bring the floor to the level of the concrete but what about the trench? I’m not sure if the excavation hasn’t gone beneath the bitumen so don’t want to introduce a wick by pouring slc into it.

Happy to hear opinions.
Chris

 

[HappyHacker]

You can buy a paint on black rubber type stuff as a DPC in the trench also often used as a radon barrier. Not sure what you can then cover the pipes with but in the position they are in will there be any load on top of them. Would expanding foam be any good?

I found the MAPEI ULTRAPLAN 3240 self leveler to be excellent, more expensive than most but excellent results.

 

[Bingy man]

I have the same floors in my flat , it’s basically asphalt ( a form of tarmac/ bitumen) as for the ch pipes I can only hope they are protected from corrosion. In the summer ( when we get one ) it softens and furniture legs will sink into it , in the winter it goes brittle. This constant movement eventually breaks it up . So depends how you want to proceed but my larger floors are now laminated and the smaller one’s ripped up and re screeded. You can use levelling compound but I think the acrylic type is better than the cement based . If the filling in around the ch pipes is poor maybe remove ( carefully) any loose pieces and make good . It’s not the best surface to tile over so you will need to clean it thoroughly to remove any lumps or bumps , then rough it up to provide a key and of course apply a suitable primer . If you use levelling compound across the entire floor and then lay cork tiles you will of course raise the floor level above the surrounding floors . The extreme way would be to remove the toilet pan etc , cut the asphalt back to the skirting and remove, throughly clean subfloor ( probably concrete) apply s b r to seal wrap ch pipes in denso or pvc pipe wrap then fill in with screed or levelling compound up to the existing level of surrounding floors , allow to completely dry then prime and tiles if your choice. -good luck

 

[Crispym]

Thanks both, some great ideas although I’m wee bit reticent about digging up the whole floor. I can imagine the screams of horror from the CEO

 

[Stigmorgan]

Not wanting to be the voice of doom here but this could be very important, so with my school site manager hat on, depending on the age of the property that bitumen adhesive could contain asbestos, if it was built prior to the year 1999 it would be worth having it checked, in school we still have areas that have the original tiles from 1971, the bitumen adhesive contains asbestos, luckily this is all encapsulated beneath carpet but if/when we have new carpets fitted we will have to have an asbestos removals company carry out the carpet removal and clear the tiles and adhesive. This is classed as licensed work and would be illegal to do yourself.

 

[Bingy man]

Not wanting to be the voice of doom here but this could be very important, so with my school site manager hat on, depending on the age of the property that bitumen adhesive could contain asbestos, if it was built prior to the year 1999 it would be worth having it checked, in school we still have areas that have the original tiles from 1971, the bitumen adhesive contains asbestos, luckily this is all encapsulated beneath carpet but if/when we have new carpets fitted we will have to have an asbestos removals company carry out the carpet removal and clear the tiles and adhesive. This is classed as licensed work and would be illegal to do yourself.

The Marley vinyl tiles used to contain asbestos as well as the adhesive. My flat was built in the 60,s but the flat was surveyed for asbestos prior to a full re wire and new heating. The floors were tested ; ( ashphalt ) and were asbestos free . However you raise a good point and I agree that an asbestos test is a good idea if your not sure better safe than sorry.

 

[Crispym]

an asbestos test is a good idea if your not sure better safe than sorry.

Thanks for the heads up stigmorgan and bingy man. #sigh

 

[Bingy man]

Thanks for the heads up stigmorgan and bingy man. #sigh

Another less invasive option would be to remove any loose pieces of cement from the ch pipes duct and make good with sand / cement/ levelling compound, seal the floor without disturbing it and fit a good quality vinyl floor in one piece- cheap and a durable vinyl should last a while ..

 

[Crispym]

Another less invasive option would be to remove any loose pieces of cement from the ch pipes duct and make good with sand / cement/ levelling compound, seal the floor without disturbing it and fit a good quality vinyl floor in one piece- cheap and a durable vinyl should last a while ..

This is definitely my preferred option!

 

[Stigmorgan]

As @Bingy man said, encapsulation is an a more affordable and perfectly safe way to go, I'd use a self levelling compound then whatever tile or vinyl you want to use, that's what they did in the bathroom of my school house, actually still have half a roll of the vinyl safety floor stored in the garage.

 

[Bingy man]

As @Bingy man said, encapsulation is an a more affordable and perfectly safe way to go, I'd use a self levelling compound then whatever tile or vinyl you want to use, that's what they did in the bathroom of my school house, actually still have half a roll of the vinyl safety floor stored in the garage.

Agreed - if in doubt just keep it simple and keep the pennies for another day , especially as it’s not a room anyone will spend a massive amount of time in ..

 

[Crispym]

I am all for simple. Allows me to remain true to type.