07426 957332info@decorativesurfacecompany.com Monday to Friday, 7:30am–6pm - TikTok HomeAboutServices Service Areas Our WorkReviewsContactRequest a Free Quote Home - Our ProcessOur process # How Our Microcement Installation Process Works Eight clear steps from survey to sealed finish, so you know what happens and why. Get a free fixed-price quoteCall 07426 957332 A seamless microcement finish looks effortless, but it is the result of a careful, step-by-step process. Here is exactly how we take a project from first enquiry to a sealed, finished surface, and why each step protects the result you are paying for. ## Why the process matters more than the product Microcement is a thin, hand-applied finish. It is laid in layers only a few millimetres thick, which is exactly why it can go over existing floors and walls without the upheaval of ripping everything out. That same thinness is also why the process matters so much. There is nowhere for a poor substrate, a rushed coat or a skipped seal to hide. Every step either protects the finish or puts it at risk. Most problems people see with microcement, such as cracking, patchy colour, lifting at edges or staining in wet areas, come back to one of three things: the surface it was laid on was not ready, the layers were not built correctly, or the seal was not right for how the room is used. A clear, disciplined process removes those risks before they become your problem. We are manufacturer-certified with IDEAL WORK UK for microcement systems, and we follow their system specifications on every job. Below is what that looks like from your first call to the day you walk on the finished surface. ## Step 1: Your enquiry and an honest first conversation It starts with a phone call or a form on the website. We ask what you want to finish (floor, walls, wet room, stairs, worktops or furniture), roughly how large the area is, what is there now and how the room will be used. Photos help a great deal at this stage. This conversation is also where we tell you plainly if microcement is not the right answer. If you need a floor for heavy wheeled traffic, oil or chemicals, resin is usually the better choice, and we install that too. If the room needs work from other trades first, we say so now rather than at the survey. ## Step 2: Survey of the substrate Before we quote, we look at the surface the microcement will sit on. We check that it is sound, level, dry and stable, and we look for movement, cracking, contamination and anything else that would compromise the bond. This is the most important step in the whole job, and it is the one most often skipped. A finish this thin follows the surface beneath it. If that surface moves, cracks or holds moisture, the finish will show it. We do not carry out screeding, damp-proof membranes or levelling ourselves. If the substrate needs work, we tell you exactly what is required so it can be arranged with the right trade before we arrive. In wet rooms and showers, tanking and waterproofing are also done by others beforehand. ## Step 3: A free, fixed-price quote Once we know what we are working with, you receive a free quote. We price on a fixed price for the job, not a day rate. You know the full figure before we start, and it does not creep up if a coat takes longer than expected. The quote sets out the system we recommend for your space, such as Microtopping, Solidro, Puro Metallio, LIXIO, RASICO, Acid Stain or Architop, along with the areas covered and what needs to be ready before installation. When you are happy, a 45% deposit covers materials and secures your installation date. ## Step 4: Choosing colour and finish Microcement is not one look. Colour, texture and sheen all change how a room feels, and the same colour can read very differently on a floor in a bright kitchen and on a wall in a dim en-suite. We talk you through the options, show you real samples and give a clear recommendation based on the room and how you live in it. Because the finish can run across floors, walls, stairs and worktops in one continuous tone, this is also the point to decide where the surface starts and stops. Getting this right is what gives a space that calm, unbroken look. ## Step 5: Protecting the room and preparing the surface On installation day, we protect the surrounding areas, fixtures and joinery before any material is opened. We then check that the substrate is in the condition agreed at survey. If it is not, we will not start. It is far better to pause for a day than to lay a finish we cannot stand behind. Preparation then follows the manufacturer's system: priming and any mesh or base layers specified for that surface, so the microcement has a stable, well-bonded foundation. ## Step 6: Building the layers by hand Microcement is built up in thin layers, each applied and worked by hand with a trowel. Base coats give strength and fill. Finishing coats create the colour, texture and character you chose. Between coats, the surface is allowed to cure and is lightly refined, so each layer bonds properly to the last. This is skilled, unhurried work. The movement of the trowel is what gives microcement its soft, natural variation, and it is why no two installations look exactly alike. It is also why the installer matters as much as the material. ## Step 7: Sealing for how you use the room The final stage is sealing. The sealer protects the surface from water, stains and everyday wear, and it sets the final sheen, from matt to a soft satin. We choose the seal for how the space will be used. A shower, a busy kitchen floor and a living room feature wall all need different protection. We then talk you through when you can use the room again and how to care for the surface, so it keeps looking the way it did on the day we finished. ## Step 8: Handover and aftercare Before we leave, we walk the job with you. Microcement is easy to live with: regular cleaning with a pH-neutral cleaner and avoiding harsh chemicals keeps it looking its best. Our workmanship is guaranteed for one year, and if you have a question afterwards, you can call us directly. ## Frequently asked questions Do you carry out the subfloor preparation?No. Screeding, damp-proof membranes and levelling are carried out by other trades before we arrive. We tell you exactly what is needed at survey, and we only install onto a substrate that is ready. Do you tank wet rooms and showers?Waterproofing and tanking are handled separately before we apply the finish. We then seal the microcement appropriately for a wet environment. How is the job priced?Quotes are free and priced as a fixed price for the job rather than a day rate, so you know the figure before we start. How do I secure an installation date?A 45% deposit covers materials and secures your installation date. Can microcement go over my existing floor?In most cases yes. Microcement is applied at only a few millimetres thick over a sound, level substrate, so it can often go over existing surfaces. We check this at survey before quoting. Is it compatible with underfloor heating?Yes. Microcement is compatible with underfloor heating and conducts heat well because of its thin, seamless build-up. Is the work guaranteed?Our workmanship is guaranteed for one year, and we carry £10 million public liability insurance. ## Related pages - All services - Microcement flooring - Microcement walls - Wet rooms & bathrooms - Our work ## Ready to talk about your project? Quotes are free and fixed-price, so you know the figure before any work starts. Call Jack on 07426 957332 or send your details and we will come back to you. Request a free quoteCall 07426 957332 Microcement and resin specialists working across Yorkshire and the North West. Manufacturer-certified with IDEAL WORK UK and OX RESIN, with £10 million public liability cover and a one-year workmanship guarantee. ## Services - Microcement Flooring - Microcement Walls - Wet Rooms & Bathrooms - Microcement Stairs - Furniture & Worktops - Resin Flooring ## Areas - Leeds - Bradford - Harrogate - York - Manchester - Sheffield - Ripon - Windermere - Kendal ## Get in touch - 07426 957332 - info@decorativesurfacecompany.com - 5 Horncliffe Way, Menston,Ilkley, LS29 6SP - Monday to Friday, 7:30am–6pmInstagramTikTok © 2026 The Decorative Surface Company. All rights reserved. Privacy PolicyCookie PolicyTerms & ConditionsFounded by Jack Norfolk. Call NowFree Quote