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Magnesite
Magnesite is a magnesium carbonate mineral with a chemical composition of MgCO3. It is named after the presence of magnesium in its composition. Magnesite usually forms during the alteration of magnesium-rich rocks or carbonate rocks by metamorphism or chemical weathering. Magnesite is a specialised cementitious product that is based on Magnesium Oxychloride (or Magnesium Oxysulphate) cements.
The most common form involves the reaction between a Magnesium Chloride solution and Magnesium Hydroxide powder to form the cement binder. The finished product also contains a filling material which is commonly sawdust, wood fibres, cork or can also contain ASBESTOS. Colourants may have also been added. Magnesite Flooring is moisture sensitive and will gradually breakdown if it remains wet for an extended period. Magnesite will swell up and the filler can also rot and produce unpleasant odours.
The product is mixed and then poured onto the surface to be topped. Magnesite Flooring is normally at least 10mm – 25mm thick. But can get up to 50mm thick if two coats have been poured. Magnesite was applied to the top of concrete ground floors in unit blocks. It has been commonly used in homes built in the ’20s, ’30s and was still used up into the ’80s.
Magnesite, sometimes misspelt as Magnosite was commonly used as a floor topping or floor levelling product. Magnesite contains a very strong glue, when Magnesite absorbs water, the glue can leach into concrete floors and corrode steel reinforcement bars causing Concrete Cancer. There are thousands of buildings built in between the 1920s and 1980s with Magnesite Floor toppings that need to be removed.
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We Will NEVER… EVER Be Beaten On Price At Magnesite Removal Sydney
We Also Offer MASSIVE DISCOUNTS Off Our Normal Advertised Prices If You Have A Large Job!
Dust-Free Magnesite Removal & Concrete Grinding (Will The Job Be 100% Dust-Free?)
No, The Job Will Not Be 100% Dust-Free. BUT!
How Do We Achieve A Almost 90% Dust-Free Magnesite Removal & Concrete Grinding Experience For Our Clients Free Of Charge?
Step 1: Removal Of The Magnesite Flooring
Removal of the magnesite flooring with the use of our high powered Hilti TE-2000 AVR Demolition Hammer. Which we connect to our Hilti TE DRS-B Dust Removal System which is connected to a DustMaster DM-2680-M Dust Extractor.
Step 2: Concrete Grinding The Magnesite Residue
We will remove all the magnesite residue on your concrete slab with the use of a high powered Satellite 480 G3 Concrete Grinder that is connected directly into a high powered DustMaster DM-2680-M Dust Extractor.
When we are removing a flooring system such as magnesite substantial dust is produced from removing the magnesite off the floor as well as from grinding the residue of the slab. This dust is still massively reduced by the use of our high powered commercial dust extractors and vacuum systems that are plugged directly into our equipment.
But unfortunately, small amounts of dust are still produced and cannot be completely eliminated even with the most expensive high-end equipment and the latest technology. It should also be noted that certain equipment such as concrete grinders NEED small amounts of dust to function correctly. (Although over 90% of the dust is still sucked up by a 3 engine dust extractor that is plugged directly into the concrete grinder) but around 10% of the dust still escapes.
This system is intentionally designed to let 10% of the dust escape as the concrete grinder needs dust under the diamonds (the blades that are grinding your slab) to grind the concrete without damaging your slab or our equipment.
If you are concerned about the small amounts of dust that may possibly get into areas that we are not working in such as the kitchens, bathrooms, cabinets, etc. we would advise that you seal off those areas that we are not working in with plastic and sticky tape before our team arrives to avoid delays.
Get A Better Understanding Of Just How Powerful Our DustMaster DM-2680-H Dust Extractor Is
Dustmaster® series dust extractors have been specially designed to handle demands of the concrete grinding industry which has high loading fine dust.
This is the H-Class (or often referred to as HEPA) Dust extractor that is certified to handle hazardous dust. These amazing dust collectors have been certified to capture up to 99.99% of the dust.
Dust extraction in our industry is often more important than the actual grinding itself. Without it, we could breathe the fine dust which could be detrimental to our health.
– Featuring dual 10A motors, maximum performance is ensured. The longopac bagging system makes handling and disposal of hazardous dust much easier.
– Performance is maintained by the rotary filter cleaning mechanism which automatically cleans the filter during operation.
– This machine has a single durable toggle switch for each motor.
– A deep clean is achieved while running whilst the motor is turned off. The rotary filter cleaning can be turned off when the DustMaster is not in use, using the rotary switch on the front panel.
– H-Class (H13) dust extractors must pass the 0.3µm DOP test that certifies they capture no less than 99.99% of the dust.
– The rotary filter cleaning system is very effective and takes only 10-20 seconds to deep clean the filter. You may never have to remove the filter to clean it again, keeping your job and your hand’s cleaner!
– You won’t find a better piece of equipment to handle your job, this is the most high-end piece of equipment that we can use for your job. The next level up would require a 15A power supply which would require you to supply us a generator on-site as residential power only has 10A.
Will Strata Pay To Remove My Magnesite Flooring?
Magnesite flooring is “Common Property” so is your concrete subfloor. Your Strata is required by law in NSW to pay for magnesite flooring removal as well as any damage that it has caused to your concrete slab such as Concrete Cancer.
Although as of 2020 it seems it’s becoming more and more common for strata’s to update their bylaws so that they no longer have to pay for the magnesite removal and concrete grinding, especially the ones struggling with money (although they are still liable for any concrete cancer). The majority though still cover magnesite removal, so make sure to check your strata’s bylaws!
It is not uncommon for a strata committee to try to bully a property owner (especially a new one who is not familiar with strata laws) out of having their magnesite removed. Often lying and saying that it is in “Fine condition” and “Does not need to be removed” and is “Safe” which is just simply not true. There is no possible way that they can tell how your concrete slab looks and if it is in a safe condition without first removing the hazardous magnesite flooring.
The slab remediation is definitely the responsibility of the Owners Corporation not the responsibility of individual owners. Common property includes concrete slabs, shared walls, balconies, and in most instances windows and exterior doors (depending on when your Strata Plan was registered). Check your Strata Plan’s common property definitions with the Department of Lands.
Magnesite is not a floor covering an individual unit owner would have installed. It would have been laid to level the slab and act as a soundproofing agent during construction around the time period of the 20s to the 80s. It doesn’t get used anymore, due to its destruction of concrete slabs through Concrete Cancer, its general lack of waterproofing and unsafety as it can contain asbestos.
Fair Trading – By-Laws In Your Strata Scheme
How Much Does It Cost To Remove Magnesite?
We charge $42 per square metre to remove your magnesite flooring
Then we charge $10 – $20 per square metre to grind the concrete afterwards to remove any magnesite glue/cement residue from your concrete to allow the successful reinstallation of a new flooring system or floor levelling compound.
It should be noted that these expenses should be paid by your strata.
Will I Need Your Concrete Grinding Services After You Remove My Magnesite?
Yes, once our team has removed your magnesite you will see “magnesite glue residue” or small bumps of magnesite that could not be removed with our jackhammers that will need to be ground off your concrete slab using our Dust-Free Concrete Grinding equipment to allow the successful reinstallation of a new flooring system or Floor Levelling compound to restore your concrete slab to the correct height after the magnesite has been removed.
If you skip this process and do not “Concrete Grind” you will be left with “Magnesite Residue” on your concrete slab, the issue with this is:
– Magnesite residue left on your concrete slab that has not been removed with a concrete grinder will cause your floor levelling agent installed ontop of the magnesite residue to fail quickly within a short period of time
– If your floor levelling agent installed fails within a short period of time (which is likely), you will not be “reimbursed” for the cost of this, as you did not take the proper practices of concrete grinding all the magnesite residue away, therefor voiding any warranty of the installation.
– Your new flooring system that you have purchased and have paid to be installed ontop of your new floor levelling agent, will now have to be ripped up and removed as your floor levelling agent has failed and is starting to crumble and pop up. Costing you well over $20,000+ to be removed and re installed. All because you decided to skip a minor cost of the concrete grinding process. (around $2,000 or less)
– If only a “Scrape” of the magnesite is performed instead of a FULL concrete grind, sometimes not all concrete cancer is revealed, and not all magnesite residue is removed, which is dangerous and bad practice. Other companies use the scraping method as a way to cut corners and reduce job costs, however, this leads to future problems with your flooring.
– A magnesite asbestos test MUST be performed prior to ANY magnesite job, a lot of companies in sydney are NOT doing this, which is ILLEGAL, if you have been quoted by a company and they are attending to do the work without getting it tested for asbestos, DO NOT proceed with the quote, for the safety of EVERYONE in the premise.
Click here to view our Concrete Grinding page for more information
Do I Need To Hire A Skip Bin?
No, Other magnesite removal contractors and magnesite removal companies regardless of job size will make you hire a skip bin which will cost a huge amount ($375 – $1,000+). Which will have to sit in your front yard for days while you deal with the annoyance of organising it and the large cost of the whole process.
Here at magnesite removal Sydney, we come in, remove your magnesite flooring, as well as grind down any Magnesite Residue than our team will sweep and vacuum your property to clean up any dust!
Then once we are finished, we will also take all the waste to a local resource management centre for you (Recycling whenever possible) which will be far cheaper than you having to hire a skip bin and dealing with the frustration of that whole process! (On average our clients save 60% on disposal of waste charges)
The 6 Stages Of Magnesite Removal
Stage 1: Removal Of The Magnesite Flooring
Removal of the magnesite flooring with the use of our high powered Hilti TE-2000 AVR Demolition Hammer. Which we connect to our Hilti TE DRS-B Dust Removal System which is connected to a Commercial Vacuum in smaller jobs or a DustMaster DM-2680-M Dust Extractor on larger jobs.
Stage 2: Concrete Grinding The Magnesite Residue
We will remove all the magnesite residue on your concrete slab with the use of a high powered Satellite 480 G3 Concrete Grinder that is connected directly into a high powered DustMaster DM-2680-M Dust Extractor.
Stage 3: Inspecting Your Concrete Slab For Any Concrete Cancer
Your concrete may be suffering from concrete cancer and may need to be repaired before you apply a new floor levelling coat or a new flooring system down. This inspection is free of charge and our team will let you know if they see any concrete cancer that needs a professional engineer / remedial builder to come out to inspect the site to provide a free quote for concrete cancer repairs.
Stage 4: Repairing Your Concrete Slab If Any Concrete Cancer Is Found
This is a must before you apply a new floor levelling coat or a new flooring system down. This should NEVER be skipped.
Stage 5: Relevelling Your Concrete Slab If Needed
Magnesite was used as a floor levelling system decades ago before they realised that it caused damage to concrete slabs and is no longer a suitable product. So now that it has been removed you will most likely need to re-level your concrete slab with a new product such as Ardit.
Stage 6: Installing Your New Flooring System
Finally, your concrete slab is ready and safe for a new flooring system to be installed!
What Is Magnesite Flooring? And Why Does It Need To Be Removed?
Older buildings especially apartments & unit blocks across Sydney that were built between the 20s up until the 80s are more than likely to have magnesite flooring. It is a made of a chemical named Magnesium Oxychloride, which is a kind of asbestos material. (It can be extremely dangerous to your long-term health to remove if you don’t take the proper precautions while doing it).
Magnesite was used quite a lot in the flooring industry in the past and it is the properties that are often thirty or more years old. These older properties could still have it present. Magnesite flooring screeds were predominantly used in unit blocks and apartments.
Because magnesite flooring is water-soluble, it will return to its previous state should it be exposed to enough water. Magnesite flooring is also quite flexible, meaning that it is not suitable to be overlaid with a floor levelling compound, making it unsuitable to be used with all types of floor coverings.
Although magnesite flooring was quite a popular subfloor product many decades ago, the introduction of more modern, safer and more durable subfloor products has meant that magnesite flooring has fallen from favour.
When building contractors do discover a flooring screed that contains magnesite, the chances are that it was installed decades ago and is now showing definite signs of wear and tear. The best thing to do in this case would be to carefully remove the magnesite flooring and lay a new floor in its place.
Magnesite is often mixed with concrete making it extremely difficult to remove even with the strongest team and specialized heavy demolition equipment such as a hydraulic jackhammer.
The dust that is released from magnesite flooring when it is removed can be extremely dangerous to breathe in as well, making specialized safety equipment a MUST!
It has been commonly used in homes built in the 20s-80s. Just like many other asbestos-containing building materials, it was a useful chemical for a range of materials but unfortunately, the time has developed it into a health hazard, as well as a hazard to the building structure as it can cause Concrete Cancer.
– Depending on the age of your property, the Magnesite in it will be anywhere from 40 – 90 years old. Unfortunately, in that time the chance that it has gotten water damaged through various sourced over that time would be extremely high. Magnesite flooring does not cope well with water if moisture is trapped in it from rain coming in from windows, balconies or a washing mashing flooding, a bathroom flood, etc. These are all just unfortunate things that may happen again and again over the decades. So the chance that several of these things have happened in your property making it well time to remove your magnesite flooring before it continues to damage your concrete slab further increasing the cost of potential repairs.
– It is strongly recommended to remove all of the magnesite floorings and grind down any remaining magnesite residue to assess if the concrete slab is safe, free from concrete cancer in a usable condition. Before a new flooring system or floor levelling agent is installed, as there is likely concrete cancer that may need repairs.
– It is strongly recommended to remove all the magnesite otherwise there is an extremely high chance of the new flooring system “Popping up” and failing within the first 12 months of installation. Even if certain areas of the magnesite with serve damage is repaired, the flooring system will still likely fail.
– Attempting to install any new flooring system without first removing the magnesite is extremely foolish and putting the safety of others in the unit at risk. Magnesite should ALWAYS be removed and the concrete should ALWAYS be inspected for any potential concrete cancer that MUST be repaired for the safety of EVERYONE in the unit block.
– No company will be willing to give you any insurance at all what so ever on any flooring system installed onto a magnesite floor because of how extremely likely it is to fail.
– It is extremely selfish to put the safety of others in the unit block at risk because you do not want to pay to remove your magnesite flooring before you renovate your floors. Money should NEVER come before safety. It should be noted that your Strata will often cover all of these costs.
What Equipment Does Our Team Use?
Do I Need To Turn Off My Air-con & Fire Alarms?
Yes, while we are grinding your concrete and removing your magnesite with jackhammers, although we do try to keep the dust to an absolute minimum through various methods such as dust extraction units or wet grinding. Dust still may occur, so it is important that you turn off air conditioning units and isolate, switch off and cover your fire alarms as dust will set them off.
Do You Offer Free Quotes With A Price Beat Guarantee?
– We will beat all of our competitor’s quotes by up to 30%*
– We also offer FREE quotes & site inspections
– We will NEVER be beaten on price at magnesite removal Sydney
How Do I Work Out How Much My Job Will Cost?
To work out how much your job will cost simply measure the length and width of the area that you need magnesite removed from, then head over to our square metre calculator page
Once you have worked out how many square metres of magnesite you need removed multiply it by $42 per square metre for magnesite removal + $10 – $20 per square metre for concrete grinding.
Does Magnesite Flooring Contain Asbestos?
Sometimes, Magnesite is a specialised cementitious product that is based on Magnesium Oxychloride (or Magnesium Oxysulphate) cements. The most common form involves the reaction between a Magnesium Chloride solution and Magnesium Hydroxide powder to form the cement binder. The finished product also contains a filling material which is commonly sawdust, wood fibres, cork or can also contain ASBESTOS. Colourants may have also been added. The product is mixed and then poured onto the surface to be topped. Magnesite flooring is normally at least 10mm – 25mm thick. But can get up to 50mm thick if two coats have been poured. Magnesite was applied to the top of concrete ground floors in unit blocks. It has been commonly used in homes built in the ’20s, ’30s and was still used up into the ’80s.
Why Can’t I Just Install My New Flooring System Over The Magnesite Floor?
So unfortunately at SOME POINT, it does need to be replaced with a new subfloor because as you can imagine after that period of time, its usually facing some serious wear and tear. (Usually from moisture damage, they didn’t know that magnesite flooring was so prone to moisture damage). It should also be noted there are so many better subfloor options that can be used to replace magnesite these days such as Ardit & Ardex which provide a much better subfloor cover.
The biggest problem is people fork out tens of thousands of dollars buying new flooring systems and paying to have it installed over a magnesite subfloor. Then a few months or a year later the flooring system starts popping up because the magnesite beneath starts to bubble up because the glue is losing its grip to the concrete slab because it has been disturbed so much while your new flooring system was installed, as well as the fact that its simply just been down for too long (40 – 100 years is a long time…)
So usually people only install carpet, as its cheap, easy to replace, less risky and normally replaced every few years anyways in a rental property.
Installing any other flooring system such as tiles, floorboards, vinyl, slate, laminate, parquet etc will always end in tears. Also, NO installer or company will give you ANY form of warranty on the installation of the flooring if it’s on a magnesite floor because they know it’s going to fail within 12 months.
This is why it’s always safest to remove your magnesite flooring and start fresh before installing a new flooring system to avoid any drama in the future.
What Does Concrete Cancer From Magnesite Flooring Look Like?
Concrete Cancer (also known as Concrete Spalling) is aggressive rusting of steel reinforcement beams in the concrete slab which can be incredibly dangerous to the strength of the structure and flooring.
Sydney’s older apartment developments have a topping of magnesite flooring on concrete flooring that displays a smooth finish. Long-term exposure to moisture that occurs in household kitchens, bathrooms, laundries or balconies as well as windows, can lead to the magnesite releasing harmful chlorides.
Which will start to damage the material as well as the concrete and steel, causing corrosion and the material to disintegrate, crack and lump. When this occurs a few decades after installation, magnesite must be removed and the damaged areas affected by Concrete Cancer/Concrete Spalling must be repaired.
So Why Choose Our Team At Magnesite Removal Sydney For Your Project?
Every year here at Carpet Removal Sydney our team removes tens of thousands of square metres of flooring systems. So as you can imagine they run into every issue you can imagine. As the flooring systems they encounter are all installed different ways and we also offer such a large range of services.
So as you can imagine our team is quite experienced in the services we offer and know how to handle any issue that we may come across on any flooring removal project. Giving our customers the peace of mind knowing that they have a highly experienced team doing their job.
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– Proudly 100% Australian Owned & Operated!
– 100% Licensed & Insured Flooring Specialists!
– 35+ Years Experience Specializing In Flooring!
– 24/7 – 365 Service Available At No Extra Charge!
– Up-Front Pricing, Lowest Prices & No Hidden Costs*
– Fully Qualified & In House Trained Specialists Team!
– Found A Cheaper Price? We, Will, Beat It Every Time*
– There Is A Highly Trained On-Site Supervisor On Every Job!
– We Use The Latest Dust Extraction Equipment Free Of Charge*
– All Floors Are Left Clean, Smooth And Ready For Reinstallation*
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What Is Magnesite
If your home was built in the 1920s-1980s, it is likely that your home has Magnesite. Magnesite is a specialised cementitious product that is based on Magnesium Oxychloride (or Magnesium Oxysulphate) cements. The most common form involves the reaction between a Magnesium Chloride solution and Magnesium Hydroxide powder to form the cement binder. The finished product also contains a filling material which is commonly sawdust, wood fibres, cork or can also contain ASBESTOS. Colourants may have also been added.
Magnesite was commonly used as a Floor Levelling compound from the 1920s to the 1980s. Magnesite is not used anymore, but because it was present in a lot of older buildings throughout Sydney, it means that floor removal contractors will come across it quite often, so knowing how to deal with it when the issue comes up is very important.
Magnesite is a form of cement, created through magnesium oxychloride. What makes Magnesite different from normal cement is that fillers and aggregates such as wood chips or sawdust have been added into it sometimes it may also have ASBESTOS. Magnesite was mainly used in Sydney, as a slab topping or an underlay to carpet and other forms of floor covering.
Magnesite is extremely rich in chlorides, resulting in problems of sweating, diffusion of chloride ions into the concrete substrate and metal corrosion, usually seen as lumps appearing below the carpet or cracks in the floor tiles.
There are many issues with having a Magnesite in your property which is why it is now recommended to remove it.
Magnesite is not a floor covering an individual unit owner would have installed. It would have been laid to level the slab and act as a soundproofing agent. It doesn’t get used anymore, due to its destruction of concrete slabs through Concrete Cancer, its general lack of waterproofing and it is known to contain to possibly contain ASBESTOS.
(It can be extremely dangerous to your long-term health, to remove if you don’t take the proper precautions while doing it, only a licensed specialist should ever attempt it).
Because Magnesite is water-soluble, it will return to its previous state should it be exposed to enough water. Magnesite is also quite flexible, meaning that it is not suitable to be overlaid with a smoothing compound, making it unsuitable to be used with all types of floor covering.
What Is Magnesite Used For?
Magnesite was used quite a lot in the flooring industry in the past and it is the properties that are often thirty or more years old, these older properties could still Magnesite present. Magnesite screeds were predominantly used in industrial buildings as it was known to be resistant to oil spillages, but are also often found it unit blocks and apartments.
Because Magnesite is water-soluble, it will return to its previous state should it be exposed to enough water. Magnesite Floors are also quite flexible, meaning that it is not suitable to be overlaid with a smoothing compound such as ardit, making it unsuitable to be used with all types of floor covering.
Although Magnesite Floors were quite a popular subfloor product many decades ago, the introduction of more modern, safer and more durable subfloor products has meant that Magnesite Flooring has fallen from favour.
When building contractors do discover a flooring screed that contains Magnesite, the chances are that it was installed many decades ago and is now showing definite signs of wear and tear. The best thing to do in this case would be to carefully remove the Magnesite Flooring and lay a new floor in its place.
Magnesite Flooring Removal will clearly take some time, but by laying a new damp proof membrane and a smoothing compound capable of offering a deep fill to replace the Magnesite, will mean the subfloor is far more suitable for modern use and will remove the risk of Concrete Cancer damaging your subfloor.
Magnesite is often mixed with concrete making it extremely difficult to remove even with the strongest team and specialized heavy demolition equipment such as a hydraulic jackhammer. The dust that is released from Magnesite when it is removed can be extremely dangerous to breathe in as well, making specialized safety equipment a MUST!
Magnesite has been commonly used in homes built in the 20s-80s. Just like many other asbestos-containing building materials, it was a useful chemical for a range of materials but unfortunately, the time has developed it into a health hazard, as well as a hazard to the building structure as it can cause Concrete Cancer.
For more information on Magnesite please visit:
Magnesite Flooring Removal
Is Magnesite Considered Dangerous?
to put it simply, yes Magnesite is considered dangerous to the structure and your health.
It is important to determine whether or not your home has Magnesite because this type of flooring is unsafe and should be replaced. Floors that were made from Magnesite are prone to getting damp since they do not remain moisture-proof.
When this occurs, the chlorides that are in the Magnesite end up seeping into the concrete that is beneath the topcoat. If it is bad enough, it can even corrode the reinforcements of the floor or corrode any water or gas pipes that may be present. Since Magnesite is water-soluble, that means that it will always return to its previous state if it exposed to enough water. So what does this mean for homeowners
Magnesite Floors are tricky to work with especially if you are trying to refurbish or renovate your home. Since Magnesite is flexible, it is not a suitable material to simply be overlaid by a smoothing compound. It is also not a good material to be used with some types of floor coverings. Something flexible such as carpet can be successfully used but if a more resilient covering is used, then problems are likely to occur.
Due to the fact that Magnesite was used in old homes, it also means that by now, your Magnesite Floor might not be in the best of shape and is likely showing signs of wear and tear. If this is the case, the best solution is simply to dig out the old material and replace it with a more resilient product.
The Affects That Magnesite Has Had On Sydney
Up to 90 percent of apartments built between 1960 and 1980 have Magnesite-related defects, according to experts. Louie Douvis.
Magnesite, which was commonly used as a floor topping or levelling product, contains glue. When Magnesite absorbs water, the glue can leach into concrete floors and corrode steel reinforcement bars, causing the concrete to expand.
The City Futures Research Centre at the University of NSW said that in NSW alone there were more than 14,000 strata schemes containing more than 186,000 lots or units registered between 1961 and 1979 which may contain a Magnesite Floor. Peter Johnsson, associate principal with engineering consultancy firm ACOR, said up to 90 percent of apartments built during that period had a Magnesite Floor, particularly those in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, northern beaches, and western suburbs.
“The cost to fix this issue can range from $30,000 for an apartment on the low side to over $100,000 today,” Mr. Johnsson said.
Marton Marosszeky, director at BCRC, a group of specialist consultants in materials for construction, said owners of older apartments needed to be aware of the problem. “It’s a looming problem that’s coming towards us at a fast rate the moment,” he said. There are thousands of buildings built in that era with Magnesite. This could potentially eclipse the cladding issue.
But because it’s hidden and slow to manifest, it’s not getting a lot of attention.” Mr. Marosszeky said one of the Magnesite Floor-related jobs BCRC was working on in Sydney involved a 64-apartment building where all units were affected Signs of Magnesite Floor damage include cracked tiles and floors that bulge over rusting steel bars.
“The owners will have to spend up to $2 million to fix this problem,” he said.
“They’re spending millions of dollars rectifying a problem caused by a defective building material that is no longer in the market for the last 30-odd years.”
Unlike the cladding issue, which prompted government and insurance industry intervention because it involves newer buildings, owners of older apartments with legacy problems will have to shoulder the cost. “You could argue that Magnesite is similar to the faulty materials like flammable cladding, but because it’s not a new building, it’s been built at a lower standard in the old days, there’s no current pressure for the government,” Mr. Johnsson said.
Magnesite A Costly Issue Plaguing NSW
“In those days, apartments were built quickly and builders didn’t take time to make the floors perfectly flat with the concrete.
“The Magnesite Floor used to make the floors nice and flat was filled with sawdust and cork held together by glue. Now the glue was the problem because it was made of magnesium oxychloride in the Magnesite Floor.”
Magnesite Floor absorbs water and dissolves the chloride in the topping. When the chloride leeches to the steel bars reinforcing the floor, it corrodes them. Mr. Marosszeky said the corrosion causes the concrete to expand by as much as eight times the volume of the original steel.
These expansive forces rupture the concrete, lifting the concrete just as a tree root lifts a footpath as the roots expand, Which is why its best to remove your Magnesite Floor ASAP. Magnesite Floors that are damage could show up as hollow sound on tiles, cracking of tiles and bulging of the carpet over the rusting steel bars.
Because of the slow corrosion, the symptoms aren’t visible until the damage is already widespread.
“Usually, when it’s discovered, the affected area that you can see is nowhere near the extent, because it’s a massive hidden problem in the concrete,” Mr. Johnsson said.
“So you’ll be looking at least two to three times the amount that is visible on the surface that will require repair. So when you see lumps on the floor, or corrosion rust stains on the concrete, the problem is already there.”
Because it is a structural issue, ignoring it is not an option.
“If you leave it for too long the bars simply get eaten away and then structural strengthening has to be undertaken, adding very significantly to the remedial cost,” Mr. Marosszeky said. “If you let it go, it can cost more than $1000 per square meter to remediate the problem, so stay alert and get help as soon as you detect any issues.”
“In the worst cases, the building will collapse. You have to fix it because it’s a structural problem.”
For more information on Magnesite please visit:
Magnesite Flooring Removal
Can I Lay A New Floor Over Magnesite?
Please do not attempt to do this, it is NEVER a good idea to install ANY type of flooring system over Magnesite (its quite common for someone to attempt to install a new floor on top of Magnesite only for the new floor to start having issues due to the Magnesite bubbling up which will cause your new flooring system to fail and start to pop up.
Once you have removed your old flooring system and have revealed Magnesite , even if it does not look damaged it should always be removed. This will prevent the Magnesite from:
– Causing tens of thousands of dollars in concrete cancer damage to your concrete sub floor.
– Failure of your new flooring system.
– You can catch any issues early by removing the Magnesite it gives you the chance to inspect your concrete slab to make sure any issues are fixed early.
– No floor installing company will give you insurance or warranty on your new install if there is Magnesite.
– Magnesite will devalue your property rapidly.
– Magnesite can be harmful to your health (especially if you have children or pets!)
– Because the Magnesite has most likely been laid over 50 years ago, it will already be showing signs of wear and tear, which means it should always be replaced with a more suitable product.
WHY CHOOSE
FLOORING REMOVAL & CONCRETE GRINDING SYDNEY?
Dustmaster® series dust extractors have been specially designed to handle the demands of the concrete grinding industry which has high loading fine dust.
This is the H-Class (or often referred to as HEPA) Dust extractor that is certified to handle hazardous dust. These amazing dust collectors have been certified to capture up to 99.99% of the dust.
Dust extraction in our industry is often more important than the actual grinding itself. Without it, we could breathe the fine dust which could be detrimental to our health.
– Featuring dual 10A motors, maximum performance is ensured. The longopac bagging system makes handling and disposal of hazardous dust much easier.
– Performance is maintained by the rotary filter cleaning mechanism which automatically cleans the filter during operation.
– This machine has a single durable toggle switch for each motor.
– A deep clean is achieved while running whilst the motor is turned off. The rotary filter cleaning can be turned off when the DustMaster is not in use, using the rotary switch on the front panel.
– H-Class (H13) dust extractors must pass the 0.3µm DOP test that certifies they capture no less than 99.99% of the dust.
– The rotary filter cleaning system is very effective and takes only 10-20 seconds to deep clean the filter. You may never have to remove the filter to clean it again, keeping your job and your hand’s cleaner!
– You won’t find a better piece of equipment to handle your job, this is the most high-end piece of equipment that we can use for your job. The next level up would require a 15A power supply which would require you to supply us a generator on-site as residential power only has 10A.
Carpet Removal Sydney is proud to be the #1 flooring removal business in Australia.
We are proudly 100% Australian owned and operated, With over 35 years of experience in the trade.
Expect nothing but the best in the trade from your fellow Australian!
We only offer the highest quality labour guaranteed, with our professional carpet removal and flooring removal specialists.
They have been trained by only the best of the best in the trade, the most highly experienced flooring removal specialists who are licensed, qualified and insured to make sure that every job is run smoothly.
Carpet Removal Sydney has over 20 testimonials and over 150 reviews!
We are proud to be an Australian 5 star business!
Carpet Removal Sydney also offers a price beat guarantee! Simply get any quote
from any of our Competitor’s and we will beat their price by up to 10%*
We Will NEVER… EVER Be Beaten On Price
Our flooring removal specialists are 100% insured and licensed, trained specialists.
No matter what the job is, no matter how big or small, our team will always get the job done in a timely manner. For the cheapest price possible for the client while still maintaining the highest standards of workmanship possible for our client to get the best results possible.
Carpet Removal Sydney’s team is specialized in a large range of Dust-Free services. Our business has it all!
Commercial Flooring Removal & Concrete Grinding
Carpet Removal Sydney has perfected the recipe for a perfect job while maintaining professionalism and unparalleled service. We only offer the highest quality of labour guaranteed by our team.
Carpet Removal Sydney always makes sure that the highest level of customer service and customer satisfaction is always achieved on every job. No matter how big or small your job may be our team will always make sure that no one mistake is made.
Our professional flooring removal specialists are licensed, insured and they have been trained by only the best of the best in the trade to make sure that every job is run smoothly.
We will always make sure that your property is left clean from the process of removing your flooring
And make sure that you are happy with the end result!
Carpet Removal Sydney is proudly 100% Australian owned and operated, expect nothing but the best in the trade from your fellow Australian!
Commercial Flooring Removal is our team’s specialty. Our Commercial Floor Removal team has been trained and equipped with the best of the best-specialized equipment and the latest, high tech, tools, safety equipment, dust extraction equipment and demolition gear to get your job done faster than any of our competitor’s while still having the best price possible!
Our team that specializes in Commercial Floor Removal will come to your property and remove whatever type of flooring system that has been installed in your commercial property and then we can also offer a Concrete Grinding service if there is any residue on the concrete after the Commercial Floor Removal process has been completed.
We Will Beat All Of Our Competitors Quotes By Up To 10%*
We Will NEVER… EVER Be Beaten On Price At Commercial Floor Removal Sydney
We Also Offer MASSIVE DISCOUNTS Off Our Normal Advertised Prices If You Have A Large Commercial Floor Removal Job

FREE PRICE BEAT GUARANTEE
QUOTE
We’ll Beat ALL Quotes By Up To 10%
Conditions apply. *Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.
TESTIMONIALS
“He has great product knowledge and took the time to thoroughly explain the differences of each carpet in a simple way. He has a very personable manner and is very friendly and polite. He explained the process well provided a competitive quote. He was flexible with the install date (as I had some other trades finishing off work before the carpet could be installed) and worked with me to secure a date that suited both parties. I had an issue with the underlay requirements due to strata laws and Declan was very helpful in helping me source the correct underlay to meet strata requirements. I believe he went over and above his role to assist me. The floors are amazing! I’m extremely happy with the choice and the whole process. Thank you Declan. I hope Carpet Removal Sydney realise what an asset you are to their team. ”
“I had absolutely no idea what to do when we had a pipe burst in our property, but thankfully Carpet Removal Sydney had a 24-hour emergency assistance team that did an absolutely amazing job with the removal of the carpet that had been completely soaked, called them up at 2 am on a Tuesday and they were here within 30minutes. Couldn’t be happier with their services!”
“You were very professional, well dressed, well mannered and quick. I will recommend your services to our friends. Thanks again!”
“Very impressed with your team members high quality work. You all arrived on time, you did an amazing job finish the removal process and installation process without damaging anything. (My last two experiences with carpet layers from carpet court they both damaged the skirting boards and a piece of furniture) So thanks for giving me faith again that a job can be completed without my property being damaged. And thanks to your team for helping me in such short notice due to my unit having flood damage! Really appreciate everything that you did for me!”
“Was completely gobsmacked at the quotes that I got from 3 other company’s on the northern beaches and how outrageously high they were just to remove the carpet in a shop I had recently purchased. So it was such a relief when my friend recommended I try out Carpet Removal Sydney and I ended up saving over $3,000, Thanks again!”
“Thanks again for your help guys, I really appreciate you coming so far to do such a small job”
“Can’t argue with cheapest prices, best customer services, and same day service! very impressed!”
“I was shocked when I had realised that my daughter had spilled my paint set all over my new carpet in my rental property, had no idea what to do, everything I tried failed, gave Carpet Removal Sydney a quick call and they gave me free advice over the phone, with no charge that actually worked! Thank you so much!”
“Excellent service from the team at Carpet Removal Sydney. Will definitely use their services again, was absolutely amazed at how much money I saved going through Carpet Removal Sydney instead of going through Carpet Court.”
“The boys at Carpet Removal Sydney also did an absolutely amazing job with the removal as well as the installation of my carpet as well after it was flooded by my dishwasher overnight. Called them up at 6 pm, they were also there the next day and completed the take up the same day! Really happy with the result.”
“I attempted a carpet removal job my self in my new office only to realise the job was commercially glued down, needless to say as a I.T nerd i had absolutely no chance of removing it haha. I thought i would give a few companys a call to request a quote on how much the removal process would cost… and my god i was shocked at the overwhelming expense of how much commercial carpet removal costs… I was so relieved though when i stumbled across Carpet Removal Sydney (One of my co-workers recently had their team out to remove carpet in a new house they purchased) and was relieved when i finally found a company that was willing to do it for a fair price. I was a little concerned at the start due to their price being so much lower than all of their competitors, but my co-worker re assured me that they had an amazing team. I was quite relieved when the whole process was over and they had done such an amazing job for almost a third of their competitors prices. Thanks again lads! If you ever need a computer fixed hit me up! ”
“The boys at Carpet Removal Sydney went out of their way to help me so much as I wasn’t able to move a lot of the furniture myself as my back isn’t great. I also saved over $400 getting the carpet removed by these guys! Would recommend, thanks again!”
“Thanks again boys! really happy with how my shop looks now! i knew ripping out the carpet was the best option, definitely looks a lot better with a clean smooth slab so that i could install a nice hardwood floor”
“I always recommend Carpet Removal Sydney when a tenant moves out of one of our properties if the carpet needs to be replaced. They always do an amazing job, leave the property clean and save our clients hundreds and sometimes even thousands.”
FREE QUOTE CALL OR TEXT
0424 408 330
We Will Beat All Quotes By Up To 10%*
No Call Out Fee Conditions apply*
GET YOUR JOB BOOKED IN AND FINISHED TODAY !!