# Perth Microcement > Microcement with no grout lines, trowelled by hand across Perth. Microcement, also called micro concrete, is a cement-based coating. We trowel it on by hand in thin layers, then seal it. The finished coat is usually 2 to 3 mm thick, so it barely raises the floor, and it goes on walls as well as floors. ## Facts - Business: Perth Microcement - What we do: Microcement for bathrooms, showers, floors, walls and kitchen benchtops, trowelled on by hand, and Micropool linings for pools. - Over tiles: Usually laid straight over existing tiles that are firmly stuck down, so there's no demolition. - Service area: All of Perth, north and south of the river (Perth, WA). - Quotes: Free. We look at the room, then give you a price. - How to enquire: Send the quote form at https://perthmicrocement.com.au/#quote and we call you back. - Phone: (08) 6275 6585 - Email: info@perthmicrocement.com.au - ABN: 80 464 251 819 ## Services - Microcement bathrooms and showers: Walls, floors, shower recesses and vanities in one continuous finish, with no grout lines. - Microcement over tiles: Laid straight over tiles that are firmly stuck down, so the room is redone without the demolition. - Microcement floors: One floor with no grout lines, running through living areas, kitchens and laundries. - Microcement kitchen benchtops: A cement finish on kitchen benchtops and splashbacks, sealed against water and stains. ## Pages - [Microcement Perth (home)](https://perthmicrocement.com.au/): Microcement for Perth bathrooms, showers, floors and benchtops, usually laid straight over your old tiles. We look at the room, then give you a free quote. - [Our services](https://perthmicrocement.com.au/services/): Microcement for bathrooms and showers, floors, kitchen benchtops and walls, laying it over old tiles, and Micropool linings for pools. - [Microcement Products and Colours](https://perthmicrocement.com.au/products/): We use the Duotech microcement range in Perth. See what each product is for, from showers and floors to pools and liquid metals, and the colours. - [Microcement gallery](https://perthmicrocement.com.au/projects/): Photos of microcement bathrooms, showers, floors, laundries, an outdoor kitchen and courtyard walls. - [Microcement FAQs](https://perthmicrocement.com.au/faqs/): Answers about going over tiles, showers, colours, cleaning and quotes. - [Microcement guides](https://perthmicrocement.com.au/guides/): Plain guides to microcement. - [About Us](https://perthmicrocement.com.au/about/): Perth Microcement is run by Todd, who has worked with concrete and cement for over 30 years. We look after you from the first call to the finished room. - [Contact Us](https://perthmicrocement.com.au/contact/): Call Perth Microcement on (08) 6275 6585, email or fill in the quote form. We come and see the room first, then give you a free quote. - [Business Information](https://perthmicrocement.com.au/llm-info/): What we do, the areas we cover, how a free quote works and how to contact us. - [Microcement over tiles: what to know before you start](https://perthmicrocement.com.au/guides/microcement-over-tiles/): Microcement can usually go over old tiles if they're firmly stuck down. Here's how the tiles are checked and prepared, and what it means for a shower. - [Is microcement waterproof? What it means for your shower](https://perthmicrocement.com.au/guides/is-microcement-waterproof/): Microcement sheds water once it's sealed, but it isn't a waterproof membrane. A membrane under the finish is what keeps an Australian shower dry. - [Microcement vs tiles: which suits your bathroom?](https://perthmicrocement.com.au/guides/microcement-vs-tiles/): Microcement or new tiles? Compare grout lines, demolition, floor height, cleaning and repairs, and see when tiles are still the better choice. - [How to clean and look after microcement](https://perthmicrocement.com.au/guides/microcement-care-and-cleaning/): Here's how to clean microcement floors, walls and benchtops, which cleaners to avoid, what to do with spills and how to keep the sealer in good shape. - [Privacy Policy](https://perthmicrocement.com.au/privacy/): How enquiry details are handled. - [Terms of Use](https://perthmicrocement.com.au/terms/): Terms for using the site. Full text: https://perthmicrocement.com.au/llms-full.txt ## FAQs ### About microcement **What is microcement?** Microcement is a cement coating coloured with pigment and spread on by hand with a trowel, the flat steel tool plasterers use. A primer goes on first so it grips what's underneath, then the base coats, the top coats and a clear sealer. It sets as one continuous surface, so there are no tiles and no grout lines to clean. **How thick is microcement?** The finished coat is usually 2 to 3 mm thick. That's why, when it goes over old tiles, it only raises the floor by a few millimetres. **Where can microcement be used?** Inside, it goes on bathroom walls and floors, showers, vanities, kitchen benchtops, splashbacks and feature walls. It can also run as one floor through the living areas, kitchen and laundry. It works outside too, and our own jobs include an outdoor kitchen benchtop and courtyard walls. For pools there's a separate product in the range we use, called Micropool. **Can it go over timber, plasterboard or a laminate benchtop?** Yes, it can go over all three. The surface has to be firm, because microcement can crack if what's under it moves. At the site visit we check for anything loose or springy. Then we prime it, which helps the microcement bond to it. **Is microcement the same as micro concrete?** Yes. Micro concrete is another name for the same cement-based coating. ### Going over tiles **Can microcement go over my existing tiles?** Yes, as long as they're firmly stuck down. The tiles are cleaned so there's no grease or dust left on them, and a fibreglass mesh goes over them to help stop cracks. The waterproof layer under your tiles, called a membrane, stays as it was put in. If the shower already leaks, that's fixed first, because a new finish on top won't stop a leak. **What happens to the grout lines?** We fill them as part of the prep, then prime the surface so the first coat grips. **Will it make my floor higher?** A little. Because it sits on top of your old tiles, the floor goes up by a few millimetres. **Does microcement crack?** It can, if the surface underneath it shifts. When we go over tiles, we fill the grout lines and add a reinforcing mesh made of fibreglass. In the corners, where walls meet the floor or each other, the mesh wraps around the corner and the joins are taped. On the walls, each coat goes on while the last is still a little damp, to stop delamination, which is the layers separating. ### Showers and wet areas **Is microcement waterproof?** Microcement sheds water, so it runs off the surface, and in a shower it goes on top of the waterproofing rather than replacing it. In Australia that waterproofing is a membrane, a waterproof layer under the finish, made to the AS/NZS 4858 standard and put in to AS 3740. If your shower is ripped out, it gets a new membrane before anything else. If we go over your tiles, the old membrane stays under them, and the primer that bonds to the tiles is a waterproofing product too. **Is it slippery in a shower?** Like any smooth sealed floor, microcement can get slippery when it's wet. For shower floors there are sealers made with a non-slip finish, so ask us about one for yours at the site visit. We also give the shower floor as much fall, a slope towards the drain, as it allows, so the water runs off. **Can microcement go on the shower walls and floor?** Yes. The walls, floor and shower recess can all be done in one finish, with no grout lines for mould to grow in. ### Colours and finishes **What colours does microcement come in?** It's tinted with pigment, so it comes in warm, natural and cool tones, from chalk white through to charcoal. You pick your colour from the colour chart when we quote. **Is it matte or shiny?** The sealer on top decides it. You can have a matte finish or one with a soft sheen. ### Cleaning and repairs **How do I clean it?** Sweep or vacuum a floor before you mop it, because grit dulls the sealer, then mop with the cleaner we leave you and don't scrub. Wipe up oil, food colouring and paint straight away, and put felt pads under chair and table legs so nothing scrapes across it. For some days after it's sealed, the surface is still curing, which means hardening, so don't mop it until then. When the sealer starts to wear, it can be given a fresh coat of sealer, usually about once a year if it needs it. **Can a damaged spot be repaired?** Yes. A damaged spot can be re-trowelled and resealed where it is, without redoing the whole surface. The patch may not match the rest exactly. ### Quotes and the job **How much does microcement cost in Perth?** Every room is priced on its own after we've come out and seen it, and you don't pay for the quote. Going over firmly stuck tiles saves you paying for demolition and a skip bin. Tiles that have to come off add to the price, and so do small fiddly areas and curved shapes like window arches. Send a photo of the room with your enquiry and we'll tell you what's involved before we come out to see it. **How long does it take?** Allow about three to four days for a bathroom around 2 by 2 metres where we're going over the tiles. We do the walls first, and all their coats go on in the one day, before the one underneath has dried. Then we do the floor, sanding and taking the dust away between coats. We lay less at a time on hot Perth days, so summer jobs, and rooms that are hard to get into, can take longer. **Is there a minimum job size?** No, there isn't. A single vanity top, a powder room floor or one feature wall gets the same site visit and free quote as a whole bathroom. **What happens after I send an enquiry?** We call you back to talk about the room, then book a time to come and see it. After the visit, you get your quote. **Is the quote free?** Yes. The quote is free and you don't have to go ahead. **Which parts of Perth do you cover?** All of Perth, north and south of the river, from Joondalup down to Rockingham and out to the hills. ## Microcement over tiles: what to know before you start https://perthmicrocement.com.au/guides/microcement-over-tiles/ (published 2026-10-11) Microcement can usually go over old tiles if they're firmly stuck down. The tiles are cleaned, the grout lines filled, and a primer and fibreglass mesh go on to help it grip and stop cracks. In a shower, the waterproof layer under the tiles, called a membrane, stays as it was put in, so any leak is fixed first. If your bathroom is full of tiles you're sick of, the good news is they can usually stay where they are. ### Can microcement go over tiles? Usually, yes. In most bathrooms microcement goes straight over the old tiles, as long as they're firmly stuck down. A tile that moves can crack the thin coat on top of it, so a loose tile can't just be coated over. It comes out first, and a new tile the same size and shape goes in. ### How the tiles are checked At the site visit we check each tile. A tile that sounds hollow when you tap it, often called drummy, has come loose from the wall or floor behind it. A drummy tile comes out, and we put in another tile the same size and shape so the surface stays flat. It doesn't have to match, because it gets covered. If a whole wall or floor is loose, it's usually better to strip that part back. ### How the tiles are prepared Before any microcement goes on, the tiles are prepared so the surface is clean, flat and solid: - The tiles are cleaned so there's no grease, soap scum or dust on them. - The grout lines are filled, so the surface is flat and stable. - A primer goes on. It's a coat that helps the microcement grip the tiles. - Two base coats go on, with fibreglass mesh to help stop cracks coming through. On walls the mesh goes between the two base coats, and on floors it goes down first. - Two top coats go on. On walls, each coat goes on while the last is still a little damp, so the layers bond together. - The surface is sealed to protect it from water and stains. ### Laying microcement on a hot Perth day Heat makes microcement go off, meaning set, faster. On a hot day we put an additive or ice in the mix to slow it down. We also lay less each day, so the job can take a bit longer when it's hot. ### Going over tiles in a shower Under the tiles in a shower there should be a waterproof layer, called a membrane. Going over the tiles leaves that membrane exactly as it was put in. That only helps if the membrane is doing its job. If the shower leaks, has water damage nearby or has gaps in the grout or silicone, it has to be repaired first, because microcement won't fix a leak. In the corners, where the walls meet the floor and where two walls meet, we wrap the mesh around the corner and tape the joins before the coats go on. ### Will the floor be higher? A little. The finished coat is usually 2 to 3 mm thick, so over old floor tiles the floor goes up by a few millimetres. That's normally fine, but it's worth checking doors that sit close to the floor and the step into a shower. We look at both when we see the room. ### When going over tiles isn't the right call Going over tiles isn't the right call in every room. These are the times we'd tell you to sort something out first, or strip the tiles off: - Lots of the tiles are loose or cracked. - The shower leaks or there's water damage around it. - The slab or wall under the tiles is cracked or moving. ## Is microcement waterproof? What it means for your shower https://perthmicrocement.com.au/guides/is-microcement-waterproof/ (published 2026-10-11) Sealed microcement sheds water, but it isn't a waterproof membrane, the layer under the finish that keeps water out of the walls and floor. In an Australian shower, the membrane has to meet AS/NZS 4858 and AS 3740, the Australian waterproofing standards. Going over existing, firmly stuck tiles leaves the membrane as it was put in. You'll see microcement sold as waterproof. Sealed microcement does shed water, but in a shower it still needs a membrane under it. ### It sheds water, but it isn't a membrane Once it's sealed, microcement sheds water. The sealer on top stops water soaking into the cement, so it's fine to use in a shower. But microcement is a finish, not a waterproof membrane. The membrane under it is what stops water getting into the walls and floor. ### What a membrane is, and why a shower needs one A membrane is a waterproof layer under the finish of a wet area. In an Australian home it has to meet AS/NZS 4858, the standard for waterproofing membranes, and it's put in following AS 3740, the standard for waterproofing bathrooms and laundries. That's true whatever the finish on top is, tiles or microcement. The finish keeps most of the water off, and the membrane catches what gets past. ### Why going over tiles helps Many membrane makers say their membrane has to be covered with tiles. If microcement goes straight onto the membrane, it isn't used the way its maker says, and its warranty can be lost. Laying microcement over the existing, well-stuck tiles leaves the membrane as it was put in. Only the surface you see and touch changes. ### What we check before a shower gets microcement If the shower is being ripped out, it gets a new membrane before anything else goes on. If we're going over the tiles, microcement won't fix a leaking shower, so these come first: - No leaks, and no water damage like staining, mould or swelling in the walls, floor or cupboards nearby. - Tiles firmly stuck, with none loose or cracked. - Grout and silicone intact, with no gaps around the taps or the drain. ### Corners and joints Water usually gets in at the corners, where the wall meets the floor or two walls meet, and around taps. These spots move a little as the house moves. So in the shower recess we wrap the reinforcing mesh around each corner and tape the joins before the coats go on. ### No grout lines for water to track along In a tiled shower, the grout lines are where water sits and mould grows. Microcement has no grout lines, so it's one continuous surface that's easier to keep clean. On the shower floor we get as much fall, meaning slope, towards the drain as the floor allows, and the microcement runs right into the drain. A smooth sealed floor can be slippery when wet. Shower floors can be finished with a non-slip seal, so ask us about one at the site visit. ## Microcement vs tiles: which suits your bathroom? https://perthmicrocement.com.au/guides/microcement-vs-tiles/ (published 2026-10-11) Microcement has no grout lines and can usually go over your old tiles, so there's no demolition. New tiles mean the old ones come off first, but a single broken tile is easier to swap if you kept spares. The price of either one depends on the room. If your bathroom needs redoing, it usually comes down to two choices: new tiles, or microcement over the old ones. ### The look Tiles come in every colour, glaze and pattern, but they all have grout lines. Microcement goes on in continuous coats, so walls and floors run without a break. Because it's trowelled by hand, microcement has a soft, cloudy variation across the surface rather than a printed pattern. ### Demolition and mess Retiling a bathroom means the old tiles come off first, which means noise, dust and a skip bin. Microcement usually goes straight over firmly stuck tiles, so most of that is skipped. Loose tiles still come out first, and a new tile the same size and shape goes in. ### Floor height New tiles replace the old ones, so the floor stays about the same height. Microcement sits on top of the old tiles, so the floor goes up a few millimetres. It's usually 2 to 3 mm thick. ### Cleaning Grout is the hard part of a tiled bathroom. It stains, it cracks and it needs scrubbing, especially in the shower. Microcement has no grout lines, so it's a wipe down with a gentle cleaner. ### Repairs Tiles win here. If one cracks and you kept spares, you swap that one tile. A damaged spot of microcement can be re-trowelled and resealed where it is, without redoing the whole surface. The patch may not match the rest exactly. ### Cost It depends on the room for both. With microcement over tiles, you're not paying to strip the old tiles out and cart them away. For microcement, the price depends on the size of the room, what's underneath and how many surfaces you're covering. We give you the price after we've seen it, and the quote is free. ### When tiles are the better choice Microcement isn't right for everyone. New tiles make more sense if: - you want a pattern, a mosaic or a particular tile - being able to swap one damaged piece matters more to you than having no grout ## How to clean and look after microcement https://perthmicrocement.com.au/guides/microcement-care-and-cleaning/ (published 2026-10-11) Microcement is easy to look after: sweep or vacuum the grit, then wipe or damp mop with the cleaner we leave you, and don't scrub. Skip bleach, acids and scouring pads, which can damage the finish. In our experience, a fresh coat of sealer about once a year is enough, and walls and vanities can go longer. Microcement has no grout lines, so cleaning it is mostly a wipe down. A few habits keep the sealer on top in good shape. ### The first few days After the sealer goes on, the surface keeps hardening for some days, which is called curing. Until then, it shouldn't be mopped or wet cleaned. We'll tell you when the room is ready to use again and when you can start wet cleaning. ### Everyday cleaning Grit is what wears the sealer down, so the most useful thing you can do is sweep or vacuum floors often. Mats at the doors stop a lot of it getting in. To wash it, damp mop or wipe with warm water and a pH-neutral cleaner, meaning a gentle one that's neither acidic nor alkaline. Give the cleaner a moment to work before you wipe, and don't let it dry on the surface. ### What to avoid These can damage the sealer and the finish under it: - bleach and harsh or abrasive cleaners - acids, including vinegar and some harsh bathroom sprays - scouring pads and abrasive powders - dragging heavy furniture across the floor - hot pans straight onto a benchtop ### Spills and stains The sealer gives you time, but it's best to wipe spills up straight away. Oil, grease, food colouring and paint are the ones to watch. ### Floors and furniture Put felt pads on chair and table legs so they don't scratch the surface. When you move something heavy, lift it or slide it on a soft cloth. ### Keeping the sealer in good shape Over time, a fresh coat of sealer brings the protection back. Floors in busy areas need it sooner than a wall or a vanity. In our experience, about once a year is enough, if it needs it, and walls and vanities can go longer. We leave you written care instructions and the cleaner to use when the job's done. ### If it gets damaged A damaged spot can be re-trowelled and resealed where it is, without redoing the whole surface. The patch may not match the rest exactly.