What is microcement? (and what the MicroLux Seamless System adds)

Microcement is a thin, seamless surface that is applied by hand, in layers, directly onto a prepared surface. Once finished, it gives you one continuous look across a floor, a wall, a shower or a bathroom, with no tile edges and no grout lines.

People choose it for the calm, monolithic look often seen in European homes. Because it is applied in thin coats, it can be used on floors, walls and, with the right preparation, in wet areas such as showers.

How microcement goes on

Microcement is not poured or laid like tiles. It is trowelled on in several thin coats by a trained applicator. Each coat has a job, and each one is allowed to be ready before the next goes on. The final look, whether soft and cloudy or more even, comes from the finish coats and the hand of the person applying them.

The result is a surface that is not a single product out of a tin, but a build-up of layers that work together. That is why the system matters as much as the product name.

What a complete system looks like

The MicroLux Seamless System is built around Atria Super Titanium, made in Sicily by Colorificio Atria, a company that has been making these products since 1968. The layers, in order, are:

• Substrate preparation
• Primer
• Base coats
• Super Titanium finish
• Atriafloor Filler
• Atriapol protective topcoat

Slip resistance depends on the texture and topcoat chosen for each area, and we confirm it in writing in your proposal. We explain what that means for everyday living in our guide to slip resistance, kids, pets and underfloor heating.

Two specifications

There are two ways the system can be specified, depending on what is underneath. Internal walls can go straight over paint-ready plaster without base coats. The complete system adds two base coats, and it is required over MDF and similar board substrates.

Which one applies to your home is confirmed at the Site Assessment, once the surface has been looked at properly.

What the MicroLux Seamless System adds

A good product still depends on what it is applied to and who applies it. The MicroLux Seamless System adds the parts that sit around the product:

• Every substrate is tested and prepared before a single coat goes on.
• In wet areas, the finish goes over a compliant waterproofing membrane, which MicroLux can install and certify as part of one system.
• Installation by our own specialists, with daily photo updates.
• A 5-year workmanship warranty from MicroLux and a 10-year product warranty from Atria Australia, both transferable to a new owner.

What microcement is not

It is worth being clear about one thing. The finish itself is water resistant, and the sealers protect against stains, but microcement is not a waterproofing membrane. In a shower or any wet area, waterproofing is a separate layer underneath. We cover this in more detail in our guide to waterproofing and wet areas.

Is it right for you?

Microcement suits people who want a calm, continuous look and are happy to look after it with a little routine care. It is a good fit for bathrooms, living floors and feature walls. Whether it suits your particular surfaces is something we confirm at a Site Assessment, rather than guess at from photos.