Magnesite Flooring Repair & Upkeep

If your home was built sometime during the 1930s to the 50s, there is a good chance that your home was built with magnesite flooring. Magnesite is a unique form of cement that is created by adding aggregates such as sawdust or wood chips. It is important for you to know how to take care of magnesite floors.  By adding these fillers, magnesite is actually much more durable than cement is. In addition, magnesite is also lightweight, noncombustible, and even resistant to grease and oil stains, all of which makes magnesite a good option for your floor. However, as the years went on, carpeting or linoleum floors became more popular so this type of flooring was often simply installed right over the magnesite. Today, many homeowners are discovering the magnesite flooring that is underneath their carpet. What often ends up happening is that the magnesite is now cracked or in poor condition. If this is the case, don’t worry, there are some things that you can do to repair your magnesite floor. 

One of the main problems of magnesite flooring is that it has a high chloride content which may lead to metal corrosion or the diffusion of chloride ions into the concrete, which results in lumps in the floor. Since the floor was often covered by carpet for example, the end result is a corrosive buildup that has gone unchecked for decades. If this is the case, first measure the chloride content in the floor. If it has a higher content, it is likely that there will be more corrosion. 

To repair your floor, simply remove the magnesite topping and after locating all chloride contaminated concrete, remove those areas before replacing it with new concrete. Once your magnesite floor has been repaired, maintaining and managing your floor is much easier. Be sure to use non-oil cleaners as over time this may wear away the natural finishing of the magnesite. Instead, use a polyurethane finish to clean your floor. This is important for the upkeep of magnesite flooring, while preventing any further damage to it. 

If you are looking to repair your magnesite flooring, call West Coast Water Proofing for a QUOTE today!