New-build lateral flats: continuous microcement done properly
Lateral apartments in the newer London riverside developments (Battersea Power Station, Nine Elms, the Royal Docks) are our other main London market. Typical floor plate is 200–400 m² of underfloor-he…
Lateral apartments in the newer London riverside developments (Battersea Power Station, Nine Elms, the Royal Docks) are our other main London market. Typical floor plate is 200–400 m² of underfloor-heated concrete screed, and the almost-universal ask is a continuous poured floor that reads as one surface from the entrance lobby through the kitchen, living, dining and out to the terrace threshold. Microcement is the finish that actually delivers that — no grout lines, no visible movement joints, no tile pattern to compete with the joinery.
- Programme integration with the developer — microcement is later than screed, earlier than second fix.
- Floor flatness — the screed has to meet SR2 or better across the pour zones.
- Underfloor heating commissioning — the slab has to be dried at controlled temperature before we start.
- Movement joints in the concrete slab — these have to be respected in the finish; we position hidden joints in line with them.
- Multiple trades on site at the same time — dust-sheet management is critical.
- 1Step 1
Attend the design meetings with the developer's architect and interior designer at spec stage.
- 2Step 2
Verify slab flatness before commissioning UFH; agree grinding or self-levelling if needed.
- 3Step 3
Dry the screed properly (7 days per 25 mm as a rule of thumb) before starting.
- 4Step 4
Apply microcement in continuous pours across each zone, hidden joints at existing slab movement joints.
- 5Step 5
Cure and seal to hospitality-grade sealer specification (typically 3–4 sealer coats for commercial-durability finish).
Microcement (2 mm system) across the entire ground floor. Colour usually in the pale-neutral family (Pale Stone, Oat, Concrete) so the joinery and art carry the room.
300–500 m² floor plate: typically 3–4 weeks on site for a two-person team, working around joinery and second fix.
Signature project: a 380 m² lateral apartment in Battersea Power Station — continuous microcement in Pale Stone across the entire ground floor, run in three pour zones over four days. Delivered inside the developer's programme with a hospitality-grade sealer specification.
This page is for developers, contract managers and the interior designers specifying finishes for new-build lateral apartments. See our specification support service for the full pre-quote package.
Can you match a sample the design team has approved?+
Yes — we routinely match to a designer-approved sample. We'll take the sample to our workshop, mix a small batch, apply it to a substrate board, and return it for approval before we start on site.
How does microcement handle underfloor heating?+
Very well. It's a thin (2 mm) mineral finish over the screed — it conducts heat efficiently and doesn't insulate the way a thick tile-and-adhesive build-up does. We do require proper UFH commissioning (a controlled heat-up over 7–10 days) before we apply.
What warranty do you offer on a new-build spec?+
Ten years on materials and workmanship on a properly specified, correctly substrated install. We provide a written warranty document at handover, with the material batch numbers, sealer specification, and aftercare instructions.
Free site survey. Programmes for new-build lateral flat projects typically start 4–6 weeks after quote approval.