How to make a stone carpet floor?

A stone carpet is created by combining aggregate (river, marble, or virtually any other) with epoxy resins. This combination creates an exceptionally durable and aesthetically pleasing surface. Furthermore, the final effect is limited only by your imagination. In fact, any shape and appearance can be achieved. 

Installing a stone carpet floor may seem straightforward in theory, but in this case, it's best to rely on the knowledge and experience of the contractors. Below are the most important steps to follow when installing a stone carpet floor.

Preparing the substrate for the stone carpet

For aesthetic and waterproofing reasons , stone carpet is most often used on balconies and terraces. For new balconies and terraces, grinding or shot-blasting the concrete substrate is required. This procedure is performed to improve the adhesion of the waterproofing layers and the stone carpet itself.

The situation is different when it comes to renovating balconies and terraces . The most popular finishes are tiles and stoneware. When deciding to renovate these surfaces, the most common cause is leaking tiles or stoneware.

Unfortunately, if the waterproofing on a balcony leaks, the concrete slab is often also damp. In such cases, the necessary steps include the complete removal of the tiles and any remaining tile adhesive. If, after this procedure, the concrete substrate is found to have a moisture content above 4%, it should be brought to below 4%, or a dedicated primer , Neopox Primer WS , which accepts a moisture content below 100%. Of course, don't forget to grind or shot-blast the concrete substrate.

Waterproofing the substrate under a stone carpet

A stone carpet floor is permeable (drainable), so waterproofing is required before applying the resin-based aggregate. The most commonly used product for waterproofing under a stone carpet is Neolastik 1K . It is a flexible, fiber-reinforced cementitious waterproofing material. Thanks to the powdered activator, the product has the properties of a two-component mixture. After adding the appropriate amount of water (approximately 5 liters of water per 20 kg of product) and mixing, the mixture is ready to use. Neolastik 1K can be applied by roller or brush, preferably in two layers of 2 mm each.

Making a stone carpet type substrate

To prepare the layer of aggregate mixed with resin, begin by calculating the required amount of Epoxol RM, Epoxol RM-YR , and Neodur Polyurea . Theoretical requirements depend on two factors: the maximum diameter of the aggregate you want to use for your desired floor. Another factor, dependent on the aggregate diameter, is the minimum thickness of the stone carpet.

Example:

For example, if our aggregate has a maximum diameter of 5 mm, the minimum thickness of the stone carpet must be above 15 mm (the thickness of the stone carpet should be three times the diameter of the aggregate). In this particular case, for an aggregate with a diameter of 5 mm and a stone carpet thickness of 15 mm, the theoretical requirement for Epoxol RM or RM-YR resin per square meter is between 2.3 kg and 2.8 kg. The requirement for aggregate is 23 kg/ m2 .

With Neodur Polyurea the resin requirement is lower. The resin-to-aggregate weight ratio is very favorable at 1:12. For the example described above, the theoretical resin requirement would be between 1.5kg and 1.9kg.

The next step is to thoroughly prepare the resin, which means mixing both components separately, then combining them and mixing again using a low-speed mixer (approximately 400 rpm). It's worth remembering that two-component products are characterized by a shelf life , so you have one hour to work from mixing. Now it's time to thoroughly mix the resin and aggregate, after which we finally begin laying the stone carpet. Pour the aggregate and resin into the desired thickness using a trowel or squeegee. In some cases, eaves profiles designed for stone carpets should be used. For thicker stone carpets, formwork may be necessary.

The most important features of products for making stone carpets:

Neodur Polyurea S polyurea sealer . This two-component sealer is based on aliphatic resins. This means it's fully resistant to sunlight and won't yellow even after many years. It gives the stone carpet a "wet" appearance, bringing out the color of the aggregate (for this reason, we don't recommend using it on stone carpets made exclusively of light-colored aggregate).

Stone carpet floors have many applications and advantages. They can be used to create highly decorative floors both indoors and outdoors. The application itself, while seemingly easy and pleasant, requires extensive knowledge and experience. Another advantage of this solution is its high mechanical and chemical resistance.