Microcement specification for architects and interior designers in Ireland

Microcement is not a single product; it is a layered build-up. A specification that names only "microcement" leaves the most important decisions — bond, abrasion resistance and sealer chemistry — to whoever is holding the trowel. Specify it the way you would specify a floor finish: substrate, primer, base coats, finish coats, sealer, and the colour and sheen you expect at handover.

The typical build-up runs primer, two passes of a fibre-reinforced base coat, two passes of the decorative or traffic finish, then a sealer or varnish appropriate to the use. Total applied thickness sits in the region of 2–3 mm, which is why the system goes over existing tile, screed, concrete or plaster without demolition and without losing meaningful floor height or door clearance.

The substrate governs the result. It must be sound, dry, clean and structurally stable — microcement bridges hairline cracking through the fibre-reinforced base coat, but it does not resolve structural movement, rising damp or a failing screed underneath. Loose tiles are removed and made good; hollow tiles are the single most common cause of a failed floor.

Over existing tile, the joint pattern is dealt with at base-coat stage and the correct primer is selected for the glaze. Over timber or any deflecting deck, movement is the controlling factor and the build-up is specified accordingly. In showers, wet rooms and any tanked area, the waterproofing layer goes in beneath the microcement — the coating is the finish, not the tanking. Where a substrate is unusual, send us the detail and we will confirm the build-up in writing rather than guess.

There are 73 colours in the range, and the sealer or varnish sets the sheen — matt, satin or gloss — independently of the pigment. Because microcement is hand-applied, the trowel pattern is part of the finish; two applicators will produce two subtly different surfaces from the same tin. That is a feature of the material, and it is worth writing into the specification so the client's expectation is set at design stage.

We recommend physical samples on every project. Colours read differently under Irish north light than they do on a screen, and sheen level changes how much of the trowel movement is visible. Sign the sample off with the client before the order is placed — it is the cheapest step in the process and it removes the most expensive argument.

See the full colour range or request samples.

At concept stage we help you choose the system and set realistic expectations on appearance. At detailed design we confirm the build-up, substrate preparation and sealer for each area, and supply samples for client sign-off. At tender we set out the material schedule so quantities are comparable between applicators rather than invented on each return. On site we stay reachable for substrate questions and detailing, and we deliver nationwide so the programme is not held up by collections.

If you do not have an applicator, tell us the county and the scope and we will point you toward the right conversation. Quantities can be sized in advance on the microcement calculator.