ABSTRACT
All substrates, irrespective of their nature of construction, must be independently capable of remaining stable without taking into consideration any structural benefits of the proposed finish. Furthermore, particularly in suspended floors, the design should take into account the weight of the finish to be applied. When substrates are steel or timber, deflection must be avoided, as by far the majority of finishes will not tolerate flexing without some loss of integrity. In those finishes that can provide adequate resilience, either by design or by inherent material properties, proper attention must be paid to the manufacturer’s limitations, which may vary considerably from product to product and manufacturer to manufacturer.
