Best Microcement Kit for Walls, Floors and Countertops: How to Choose

Short answer: If you're doing countertops, vanities, shower walls, or a mix of walls and floors, choose a two-component microcement kit that comes with its own primer, link coat and two-part top coat. That's what our Continuo Decor (30–40 sq ft) and Continuo Living (100–125 sq ft) kits by San Marco are. If the job is interior floors, walls or ceilings and you'd like a product you don't have to mix, AllOver by San Marco is single-component: open the pail and trowel it on. Pick the kit size from your square footage, and get the primer right for your surface (tile and stone need a different primer from bare plaster or concrete).

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What is microcement?

Microcement is a thin, trowel-applied decorative coating. It gives a seamless, concrete-look finish over an existing surface, so there's no need to demolish what's already there.

• Continuo is a multilayer system that goes onto floors, walls and furniture. The total system is less than 3 mm thick and normally weighs less than 3 kg/m².¹ Its decorative coat, Continuo Deco, is a two-component paste: a tinted acrylic part (A) mixed with a cement-and-aggregate powder (B).²
• AllOver is a single-component system made from an acryl-silane polymer with reinforcing fibres, for interior floors, walls and ceilings. It goes on about 2 mm thick.³ ⁴

Both systems finish with a clear protective top coat. That top coat gives the surface its water and stain resistance.

Where can it go?

Surface	Continuo (Decor / Living kits)	AllOver
Interior walls	Yes¹ ⁵	Yes³ ⁴
Interior floors	Yes¹ ⁵	Yes³ ⁴
Ceilings	Not stated on our kit pages	Yes⁴ ⁶
Countertops / vanities	Yes, listed on both kit pages⁵ ⁷. San Marco gives the kitchen top as an example surface the system has to protect¹	Not listed. San Marco lists furniture and the wall behind a stove or sink⁴
Shower walls and floors	Yes, inside shower enclosures over a sound, waterproofed substrate, with an extra layer of top coat¹. Not on shower trays or ceramic/resin fixtures¹	Yes, on walls and floors inside shower enclosures over a waterproofed substrate. Not on shower trays or ceramic/resin fixtures⁸
Over existing tile	Yes, with Pro-Link primer. A leveling base and mesh fill the grout lines⁵ ⁷	Yes, on tile with joints up to 4 mm (wider joints need leveling first)⁸
Over floors with underfloor heating	Yes, following the manual's section on heated screeds¹	Yes⁴
Outdoors	No. Our Continuo Decor and Living kits are not for outdoor use.	No. San Marco excludes outdoor areas, pool surrounds and parking areas⁸
Not suitable for	Damp surfaces or rising damp, glass, metal, linoleum, traditional parquet, sanitary ware¹	Damp surfaces or rising damp, glass, linoleum, traditional parquet, sanitary ware, areas with trolley or forklift traffic⁸

San Marco's AllOver manual says the surface must not be continuously immersed in water or exposed to rising damp.⁸ Both systems exclude damp substrates and rising damp.¹ ⁸

How to choose a kit

1. Measure your square footage. Allow a little extra for edges and waste. Kits are sized by coverage, so this decides between Decor and Living, or which AllOver size you need.

2. Look at what's underneath:

   • Bare plaster, drywall or concrete takes the standard porous primer (Atomo).
   • Glazed tile, stone or other non-porous surfaces need Pro-Link adhesion primer instead.⁵ ⁷
   • Uneven surfaces or tile grout lines need a leveling base with fiberglass mesh before the decorative coats.⁵ ⁷

3. Decide whether mixing suits you.

   • With Continuo, you mix Deco A and Deco B at 3:1 by weight, and power mixing is recommended.² ⁷ It's best for countertops, showers and high-wear surfaces.
   • AllOver needs no mixing at all.⁶

4. Choose the look:

   • Continuo goes from smooth, flat "monolithic" to textured and two-tone.² Top coat options are matte, satin or glossy (Living) and matte or satin (Decor).⁵ ⁷
   • AllOver comes in Light Texture (soft movement) or Smooth Finish (flatter, adds a coat of AllOver Finish).⁶

5. Order a sample first if you can. We sell a 1 kg Continuo Deco A & B color sample⁹ and AllOver sample kits (6–8 sq ft).⁶ Colors look different on screen.

What's in our kits

Continuo Decor: 30–40 sq ft (product page)

For countertops, bathroom vanities, shower walls, accent walls and other small surfaces.⁷

Component	Size	Coverage (per our product page)
Atomo primer	1,000 ml	~100 sq ft
Deco A (decorative layer, tinted)	5 kg	30–40 sq ft
Deco B (hardener powder)	1.66 kg	n/a
Link A (clear coat primer)	100 ml	125–150 sq ft
Link B (hardener)	50 ml	n/a
Top Coat A, matte or satin	833 ml	80–90 sq ft
Top Coat B (hardener)	250 ml	n/a
Mini roller kit (tray + 2 roller sponges)	n/a	n/a

Not included: leveling base (call if you need it) and Pro-Link for tile or stone.⁷

Continuo Living: 100–125 sq ft (product page)

For bathrooms, kitchens, whole rooms and full floors.⁵

Component	Size	Coverage (per our product page)
Primer: Atomo or Pro-Link	1, 5 or 15 L	100–120 sq ft per liter
Leveling Base (optional variant)	25 kg bag	Varies
Deco A (decorative layer, tinted)	15 kg	100–125 sq ft per A/B set
Deco B (hardener)	5 kg	n/a
Link A (clear coat primer)	0.5 L	600–700 sq ft per A/B set
Link B (hardener)	0.25 L	n/a
Top Coat A, matte, satin or glossy	2.5 L	180–200 sq ft per A/B set
Top Coat B (hardener)	0.5 L	n/a

The kit includes primer. The product page lists Atomo or Pro-Link (1, 5 or 15 L). Use Atomo on porous surfaces; use Pro-Link on tile or stone (the product page says extra charges for Pro-Link apply).

AllOver: 6 to 170 sq ft (product page)

Single-component. Every kit includes AllOver Base and AllOver Top clear coat. Smooth Finish kits also include AllOver Finish.⁶

Kit	Light Texture (2 coats Base + Top)	Smooth Finish (2 coats Base + 1 coat Finish + Top)
Sample	6–8 sq ft: 1 kg Base + 1/6 L Top	6–8 sq ft: 1 kg Base + 1 kg Finish + 1/6 L Top
Small	30–35 sq ft: 5 kg Base + 1/2 L Top	30–35 sq ft: 5 kg Base + 5 kg Finish + 1/2 L Top
Large	135–170 sq ft: 20 kg Base + 2.5 L Top	135–170 sq ft: 20 kg Base + 20 kg Finish + 2.5 L Top

A color chart fan deck is also available.⁶

Quick comparison

	Continuo Decor	Continuo Living	AllOver
Coverage	30–40 sq ft	100–125 sq ft	6–8, 30–35 or 135–170 sq ft
Components	Two-component (mix A+B)	Two-component (mix A+B)	Single-component, no mixing
Primer in box	Atomo (porous surfaces)	Atomo or Pro-Link (included)	None needed on most substrates. AllOver Base acts as the anchoring coat⁴ ¹⁰
Top coat	Two-part, matte/satin	Two-part, matte/satin/glossy	AllOver Top, semi-matt¹¹
Good fit for	Countertops, vanities, shower walls, accent walls	Bathrooms, kitchens, full floors, whole rooms	Interior floors, walls, ceilings
Indoor / outdoor	Interior only	Interior only	Interior only

Coverage and coats

• Continuo Deco: 2–3 layers depending on the effect. San Marco's guide figure is 1.2–1.5 kg/m² across 2 layers.²
• Continuo top coat: two coats.⁵ ⁷ ¹
• AllOver Base: 1–3 layers depending on the effect, at 0.6–0.8 kg/m² per layer (1 kg/m² if mesh is used).¹⁰
• AllOver Finish: 0.3–0.4 kg/m² per layer.¹²
• AllOver Top: 2 layers, 7–8 m²/L across both.¹¹

Coverage always depends on the surface. San Marco recommends a test area first.² ¹⁰

Prep, step by step (Continuo)

From our product pages.⁵ ⁷ Request the full manual for mixing ratios and detail.

1. Sand the substrate with 80-grit to create a key.
2. Dilute primer 1:1 and apply one coat. Let dry. Use Pro-Link on tile or stone.
3. Optional: apply Leveling Base to fill grout lines or uneven areas. Embed mesh in the wet base, let dry, cover with more base, let dry, then prime again.
4. Mix Deco A and Deco B in two halves and trowel the first coat with a stainless steel trowel. Let dry.
5. Trowel the second coat in your chosen pattern. Let dry. Optional: sand with 300-grit and clean.
6. Mix Link A + B, dilute with water and apply by brush or roller. Let dry.
7. Mix Top Coat A + B and apply two coats.

For AllOver, sand with 80-grit, prime tile with Pro-Link, add Base Level with mesh if waterproofing is needed, then apply two coats of AllOver Base and 1–3 layers of clear coat.⁶

Sealer / clear coat

• Continuo: Link is a two-component, water-thinnable primer that evens out color. The top coat is a two-component, water-based acrylic-urethane finish that doesn't yellow and resists abrasion and scratching.¹ In showers, San Marco calls for brushing Link into the floor-wall joints and adding an extra top coat layer.¹
• AllOver Top: a clear, water-based protective coat with a semi-matt finish. It resists water, hot and cold liquids and common household and catering substances.¹¹ It's tested for chair casters (EN 425) and is HACCP compliant.¹¹

Dry and cure times

Product	Touch dry	Recoat	Notes
Continuo Deco	60 min	after 3 hours	~120 min working time after mixing (at 25 °C)²
Continuo Link → Top	n/a	Top at least 4 hrs after Link; 2nd Top at least 3 hrs later	Link goes on at least 12 hrs after the last Deco coat¹
AllOver Base	1 hour	after 4 hours	~40 min working time¹⁰
AllOver Finish	1 hour	after 3–4 hours	~40 min working time¹²
AllOver Top	30 min	after 3 hours	n/a¹¹

• Light foot traffic: 24 hours after the last top coat, for both systems.¹ ⁸
• Full chemical and physical resistance: about 5 days.¹ ⁸ Don't cover the surface with sheets or cardboard during that time.¹ ⁸

• Application conditions:

  • AllOver: 10–35 °C, air humidity under 75%, substrate moisture under 4%.¹⁰
  • Continuo Deco: 5–35 °C.²

FAQ

What's the best microcement kit for countertops? For countertops and vanities we point people to Continuo Decor (30–40 sq ft). It's a two-component system with its own primer, link coat and two-part top coat, and our product page lists countertops as a main use. For a large kitchen run, Continuo Living covers 100–125 sq ft.

Can microcement go in a shower? Yes, on shower walls and floors, if the surface underneath is sound and waterproofed first. San Marco excludes shower trays and ceramic or resin fixtures, and recommends an extra layer of top coat in showers. AllOver surfaces must not be continuously immersed in water.

Can I put microcement over tile? Yes. Sand the tile, then use Pro-Link adhesion primer instead of the standard primer. Fill grout lines with leveling base and fiberglass mesh. With AllOver, tile joints should be no wider than 4 mm.

How much does one kit cover?

• Continuo Decor: 30–40 sq ft.
• Continuo Living: 100–125 sq ft.
• AllOver: 6–8, 30–35, or 135–170 sq ft, depending on kit size.

Allow a little extra for edges and waste.

How many coats of microcement do I need?

• Continuo: 2–3 decorative coats, then a link coat and two top coats.
• AllOver: two coats of Base (plus one coat of Finish for the Smooth look), then two coats of AllOver Top.

How long before I can walk on it? Light foot traffic after 24 hours from the last top coat. Full resistance after about 5 days.

What's the difference between Continuo and AllOver?

• Continuo is two-component (you mix A and B) and comes with a link coat and a two-part top coat.
• AllOver is single-component and ready to use, for interior floors, walls and ceilings.

Can microcement be used outdoors? No. Our Continuo Decor and Continuo Living kits are not for outdoor use. AllOver is interior only; San Marco also excludes it from pool surrounds and parking areas.

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Questions about your project? Call 608-620-5066. Orders typically ship same or next business day.

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