Discover the pros and cons of a cast floor
Still unsure whether to choose a cast floor or another type of floor? The range of flooring available is enormous. To help you, we have listed the main advantages and disadvantages of a cast floor for you. If you are still undecided after reading the article, pay a visit to our EPI Experience showroom. Our advisors will be happy to show you the possibilities and answer all your questions.
Advantages of a cast floor
Have you recently moved and need a new floor installed, or do you want to renew your current floor? If so, a cast floor can be a good and stylish choice, but it is also very practical. If you are looking for a floor that requires little maintenance, a cast floor is very suitable. For example, cast floors are easy to clean, require little maintenance and are very strong. In fact, the average cast floor lasts up to 30 years. So a very durable choice.
By choosing a cast floor, you have a floor that is ideally suited for underfloor heating, but also does very well aesthetically. For example, the floor is seamless, making rooms appear more spacious and transparent. In addition, you have a variety of design options, because cast floors come in all kinds and in a variety of colors.
Another nice thing is that you can apply the floor over the existing surface, so no demolition work needs to be done beforehand. For example, a cast floor can usually be applied over an existing tile/tile floor. In addition, cast flooring is suitable for any room. In addition to the fact that a cast floor is thus easy to maintain and looks beautiful, the material is also highly sound-absorbent, reducing noise through the floor.
Disadvantages of a cast floor
A cast floor can also have disadvantages compared to a substrate of other material in certain cases, but these disadvantages are easily avoided.
One of the disadvantages of a cast floor is that cracking can occur in a new home. In 95% of cases, this is caused by the screed being fixed/attached to the subfloor. The crack starts in the subfloor, and as it grows larger, and the screed is unable to bridge the crack, it can draw into the screed, so to speak, and possibly crack further. The EPI Superbase casting floor is inherently slightly elastic and can accommodate small cracks. Larger cracks can be prevented by applying an additional layer, the EPI Membrane, against cracking. Whether this is necessary will have to be considered per floor. Incidentally, if you extend the EPI Superbase cast floor with the EPI Membrane, it can achieve a static crack bridging of more than 2.5 mm. So crack bridging does not have to get in the way of your choice of a cast floor.
Another disadvantage of a cast floor, as mentioned above, is that while it is strong, it is not completely scratch resistant. However, this is easily solved by using furniture protectors such as those from scratch no more, under the furniture.
Finally, discoloration can occur with a cast floor, this can be prevented by an additional topcoat that prevents discoloration or by choosing a cast floor that does not discolor. The previously mentioned EPI Superbase cast floor is one of our non-discoloring cast floors.
In the unlikely event that damage occurs in the screed, it is repairable by specialized companies.
Would you like advice on an EPI cast floor in your home? Feel free to contact us or make an appointment at the EPI Experience.