Guide · West Sussex · PO19
Microcement basement floors — Chichester specification
Refurb briefs in Chichester for microcement basement floors typically arrive at the point the client has already ruled out tile. The reason is almost always the same — one of the goodwood estate ecosystem drives high-spec garage and showroom floor demand, a continuous the goodwood estate ecosystem drives high-spec garage and showroom floor demand — and microcement basement floors is the finish that answers it. The Chichester catchment we work across covers PO19, PO20 — reached via the A27 / A286, 1 hr from brighton via the a27. Nearby coverage includes Fishbourne (2 mi), Bosham (4 mi), Selsey (8 mi). Site conditions matter here: harbour-adjacent salt exposure in the western catchment. That shapes the primer and sealer specification below, not just the visible finish.
The local considerations for Chichester
What the finish sits on
Basement conversions carry the highest failure risk for any floor finish because of upward moisture pressure. Microcement over a properly tanked and drained basement floor is fine; over a damp slab it will lift within a year. The substrate diagnosis matters more than the finish specification.
How to make it read as designed, not applied
Basements benefit from a lighter microcement tone than the upstairs floor — bounces light into low-ceiling spaces. Continue the colour up onto the plinth as a coved skirting for a smaller, more designed feel.
The spec sheet
How the install actually runs
- Moisture testPre-start
Digital hygrometer readings across the slab — must be below 75% RH before any finish work.
- DPM if requiredDay 1–2
Two-part epoxy DPM applied where moisture exceeds threshold. 24-hour cure between coats.
- Base coatDay 3
Reinforced base coat with fibreglass mesh.
- Colour + sealerDay 4–7
Colour coats, then 3-coat polyurethane sealer.
Common install-time pitfalls
- ✕Applying without a moisture test — the finish debonds when moisture cycles.
- ✕Missing DPM on a marginal slab — hydrostatic pressure lifts the finish.
- ✕Ignoring the basement tanking guarantee — voids it and passes liability to the finish.
- ✕Wet-cured sealer trapping moisture — use a solvent-free polyurethane, not wax.
basement floors in Chichester — Q&A
Other guides for Chichester
Microcement basement floors — other Sussex towns
Related products & services
The short version
The short answer for Chichester: basement floors is a designed alternative to tile-and-grout, priced at £95–£170 per m², installed in about 3–5 working days, and carries a 10-year materials-and-workmanship warranty when we install it ourselves.