Polished Liquid Metal Kit

Surface Prep

Before you prime and mesh it’s essential that your surface is completely flat, dry and well consolidated, so that there is no chance of movement.  Use a small amount of the base coat or a suitable filler to flush out joins and counter-sunk screw holes, then sand until the surface is completely flat.  See surface prep for full details of preparing surface for microcement.

Applying Primer 100 & Fibreglass Mesh

Fibreglass mesh adds strength to your microcement and adds strength to the substrate. Cut the mesh to size & then flip it over so that it curls towards the surface. You might find it easier to use Self Adhesive Fibreglass Mesh on corners.

Use a medium pile roller to apply an even coat of primer to the surface and mesh. The primer should help to hold the mesh in place, but you can also use stainless steel staples to hold it down.

Try to get the mesh flat to the surface.  If you do get bubbles in the mesh that you can’t flatten, you might need to move on and deal with them when applying base coats by slashing the bubble with your trowel or utility knife and flattening down at that point. If bubbles in the mesh are still showing through after the 2^nd base coat, sand them out so that you have a completely flat surface before applying top coats.

Primer 100 is a thick, high-quality product.  To get the full consumption out of the bottle, you may need a little water.  Add up to 10% water & shake to get all of the primer out of the container.

Fresh Plaster & Concrete

On freshly laid concrete, screed, self-leveller or fresh plaster use Primer 100 mixed with water at a ratio of 50:50 before applying a neat coat. Similar to a mist coat of paint, this will prevent the primer from sitting on the surface and create a strong bond between surface and microcement. The primer needs to sink into the substrate to take hold, which is where the water comes in.

After around 1 hour it should be dry enough to take a neat coat of Primer 100. If the substrate is very absorbent, you might need to buy more primer to complete this stage.

Leave to Dry

Leave the primer to dry. This should take around 1 hour. Primer 100 will loose it’s tack after 8 hours, so you will need to make sure you apply your base coat within 8 hours or apply another coat of re-prime.

When to Choose High Performance Primer

We highly recommend that you choose this option if you are working on load-bearing horizontal surfaces that have joins e.g. OSB/Ply/MDF/Cement Board flooring or across transitions between shower trays and surrounding floors. It also helps to strengthen concrete surfaces that have cracked, however the cracks should be repaired in advance. It’s also useful for bridging joins between boards in furniture and worktops.

This primer helps to inhibit moisture and stains from transferring through from your substrate.

If you think you need High Performance Primer but haven’t got it in your kit, the products are also available to buy separately.

Mixing 2nd Coat MicroDur Base

You will need 10kg Microdur Base per 10m2.

For each batch, measure 2.5l – 3.0l Water using a measuring jug. Pour the water into your mixing bucket, and mix in the Colour for 10kg MicroDur Base. Use the water to rinse out all of the colour from the bottle – to avoid colour variation between batches. Add 10kg MicroDur Base and mix thoroughly.

Let the mixture rest for a few minutes before applying.

Applying 2nd Coat MicroDur Base

Apply the 2nd Coat of MicroDur Base in exactly the same way as the 1st coat.

Leave to Dry

This should take around 3 hours if you are applying another coat of MicroDur on top. If your next coat is Microne, leave for 24 hours until completely dry.

Drying times may vary depending on temperature and humidity.

Sand with 40/80 Grit Sand Paper

Once the base coats are dry and before you apply your Top Coats, you need to make sure the Base Coats are completely flat.  Use a strong sand paper, like Silicone Carbide, to prevent colour from the sand paper transfering to your work.

Flatten the MicroDur Base with a 40 or 80 grit sand paper. An orbital sander is ideal, but, for smaller areas, you can do it by hand.  And for larger areas you may prefer to use a floor sander.

Use the sand paper to remove ridges and drips that have dried in the microcement.

The top coats are very thin so any ridges or imperfections in the base coats will be visible in the top coats.  Take your time to get it completely flat before moving on to the next step.

Vacuum the surface to remove all dust and debris. Do not wet the microcement.

Microcement Sanding Discs are available from Relentless Microcement.

Mixing the MicroMetal

You will need 5kg of MicroMetal to complete 1 coat over 10m2.

Add the MicroMetal to a mixing bucket and add a small amount of Metal Resin, mix thoroughly, then continue to add small amounts of Metal Resin until it reaches a workable consistency.  The amount of Metal Resin required does vary depending on the metal. You will need 500ml – 1l Metal Resin per 5kg MicroMetal.

Let the mixture rest for a few minutes before applying. Keep a lid on it between coats. Working time is 1 – 3 hours.

Applying the MicroMetal

Using a Microcement Trowel, work your way out from one corner creating a random edge pattern. Keep trowel movements small and random, avoid long sweeping arches – as these will show through to your final finish.

Use the grain in the liquid metal as your level – if you apply it thicker than the size of the grain, the finish won’t be as strong and will require a lot more sanding. Run the trowel back over each section that you have put down to smooth it out and remove excess product.

Run your finger or a corner trowel along internal corners to push the microcement into the corner and then gently trowel away the excess product.

Polishing the Metal

Work over the whole area with a 400 grit sanding disc on an orbital sander, sand all areas evenly so that you achieve a uniform depth across the area.

The 400 grit will expose the metal, where as subsequent grits will polish the exposed metals. Before moving to the next grit ensure you are happy with the level of cut in your work.

Continue to work up the grits, increasing the speed as you go. The following table shows the relative speed for each of the grits.

400 low speed
500/800/1000 medium speed
3000 high speed

Light Use After 48 Hours

You can start to use the microcement surface 48 hours after the final sealer has been applied.  By this time, the microcement is sufficiently waterproof, so you can use showers & taps.

You can also install fittings, but its important that you follow the guidance outlined below, for the first 14 days.

First 14 Days

Like all cementitious products, microcement takes 28 days to full harden. Which means it’s at it’s softest for the first 14 days after laying. It also needs to be kep well ventilated so that air can freely flow from the microcement into the atmosphere as it cures.

During this time it should only be subjected to light use and light foot traffic.  And no part of the microcement should be covered over.  So no leaving bottles in shower areas or rugs on floors.

Heavy work is not recommended during this time, but if it does take place then we recommend covering the floor with a breathable material and only covering down whilst work is taking place.  Protection should lifted off for the majority of the time and certainly through the night. The surface needs to dry out and harden. If airflow is restricted, it could stain permanently & not cure to full strength.

Fixing to Microcement Surfaces

Microcement can be drilled and screwed into using bits that are suitable for the substrate. Any holes or cuts will need protecting from moisture penetration by either putting silicone into screw holes or by surrounding fixtures & fitting entirely with silicone. Use 100% pure silicone for this job, to ensure good adherance to the sealed microcement.

Care must also be taken not to scratch the sealers whilst installing fixtures & fittings.

No Dragging or Dropping

Dragging heavy objects over the surface, or dropping them onto the surface is not recommended at any time, as damage could occur. Lift furniture rather than dragging it, and use lids or felt pads to protect flooring from pressure points or abbrasive surfaces.

Microcement is strong, but due to its limited thickness, it will deform in the event of a strong blow if the support beneath deforms. Generally, abrasion and impact resistance is comparable with hard wood.

Stain Resistance

Chemical resistance depends on the sealer used to protect the product. Our sealers are among the best in the industry for both hardness & strength.

Products containing dyes & acidic or alkaline products like tumeric, vinegar, lemon juice or bleach, may leave slight marks on microcement if left on the surface for prolonged time. If cleaning is done quickly, they shouldn’t stain.

If water stains appear at any time, let the stain dry out & reseal immediately.  Stains may become permanent if not treated quickly.

Prolongued Exposure to Water

If water is trapped against the surface for a prolonged length of time it may stain & potentially cause the microcement to blister. It is not advisable to leave wet towels, plant pots, wet shampoo bottles etc. in direct, prolongued contact with the microcement.

Cleaning

Microcement surfaces can be cleaned with any pH neutral cleaning products.

Do not clean microcement surfaces with aggressive or descaling products, such as those which contain chlorine, bleach and ammonia as they can damage the sealers.

Aftercare

Use Cemher Floor Protect every 2 -3 months to protect you microcement and to help build up the sealers. This specially designed product is formulated to maintain and protect microcement surfaces by waterproofing, reviving, and safeguarding previously sealed areas. It effectively restores minor scratches in floors without the use of wax, ensuring that the surface remains scratch-free when walked on.

To use, simply dilute 100ml of the product in 7 liters of water and apply it with a mop or cloth. For optimal results, repeat the application every 2 to 3 months.