This project focused on an extensive, multi-stage subfloor restoration and leveling package for the Teapot & Tumble crèche café in Portishead. Preparing a commercial space designed for young children and high foot traffic required repairing damaged concrete substrates, bridging timber transitions, and raising subfloor levels by up to 15mm across multi-room shopfront and play areas.
Subfloor Repair & Leveling Process
To establish a stable, perfectly smooth foundation for final floor coverings, a multi-tier preparation strategy was executed:
- Applied Ardex A46 moisture-tolerant repair mortar to fill deep voids, repair broken concrete edges, and transition timber plywood sections securely.
- High-Build Base Layer: Applied a thick first coat of Ardex K40 HB (High Build) self-leveling compound, raising overall floor levels between 10mm and 15mm across uneven areas.
- Precision Shopfront & Counter Integration: Flowed compound around custom counter joinery, perimeter timber frames, and window thresholds to ensure zero height discrepancies.
- Flow Top Coat: Poured Ardex K40 FLOW self-smoothing top coat over the base build to create a mirror-flat finish across main café rooms and corridor walkways.
Key Project Outcomes
- Level Transitions: Successfully built up ground levels by up to 15mm, eliminating dangerous step-offs between shopfront windows, counter areas, and main play zones.
- Commercial-Grade Smoothness: Ardex K40 FLOW created an ultra-smooth, dust-free surface engineered to receive heavy-duty commercial floor coverings.
- Substrate Structural Integrity: Spot repairs using Ardex A46 ensured high bond strength over mixed concrete and timber subfloors without cracking risks.
