Microcement in New Build Homes Ireland

Why Microcement Suits Irish A-Rated New Builds

The modern A-rated new build has become the dominant housing typology in Ireland, characterised by high levels of insulation, mechanical ventilation heat recovery (MVHR), triple-glazed windows and underfloor heating as standard. This building type creates an interior environment that is almost completely different from the draughty Georgian or Victorian houses that dominated the Irish housing stock a generation ago — and it demands interior finishes that match this contemporary character.

Microcement is ideally suited to the A-rated new build environment. Its thin application is fully compatible with underfloor heating, conducting heat efficiently from the floor slab to the room above. Its seamless, continuous surface suits the open-plan ground floors that characterise modern Irish domestic architecture — where kitchen, dining and sitting room flow into each other across a single uninterrupted floor area. And its wide range of contemporary colour and finish options allows it to complement the architectural palette of any new build design.

The construction programme for a new build should be planned to allow adequate time for the screed to cure before microcement is specified. A standard sand/cement screed over UFH requires a minimum of 4-6 weeks after pouring before microcement can be applied. This is a common programme pinch point — screed contractors and microcement applicators should be coordinated early in the project schedule. Cementec Ireland can advise on programme planning and provide technical data sheets for architects and project managers.