My parents house is an ex-council home built 1952. I assumed the ground-floor was concrete, but on inspection it seems to have a kind of bitumen or tar top layer - is this possible? It's breaking up in some parts and the pieces do look like black tar... The floors need levelling and wondered what the best way to go is. TIA Graham
The bitumen is probably both a levelling compound and insulation in one. In my house the bitumen was laid after the skirting and kitchen were fitted. Where I have removed the hearth and kitchen units I used a self levelling compound mixed with sand to raise the missing bits to the existing level.
Adam
The bitumen might be a damp proof course.
Alternatively, it might have been a glue for a floor covering. Both 1950's lino tiles and wood block would have been stuck down this way.
The floor surface you refer to is Asphalt. Asphalt is a mixture of bitumin and fine gravel, heated in a tank pulled by a lorry. Its uses are for floors, flat roofs and tanking. When laid for flooring a layer of Batiscloth ( Batiscloth type of course felt with a bitumen mixed in) is put down first and the hot asphalt spread on top. When it get old it can be lifted easy, it comes up like a slab of cold toffee.
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