Liquid Screed Suppliers in Newport, Cardiff and the South West

Screed is traditionally made from mixing sharp sand and cement and is used to cover a structural concrete floor. It can also be used to safely cover insulating materials when there are underfloor heating pipes present. Screed provides a smooth, even surface which then allows carpet, tile or other flooring materials to be laid on top.

The main reason for using screed is to produce a smooth, level floor that can be used as a base for your chosen flooring type. Due to the thickness of the material, screed has an optimum consistency for providing a flat and even covering.

There are several types of screed available, so it’s important to ensure you choose the right type depending on what it is going to be used for. Below is a list of the most common types of screed available and their uses:

Bonded Screed – This type of screed is fully bonded to the substrate using a bonding agent. It is typically used when heavy loading may be a common occurrence such as driveways and carparks.

Unbonded Screed – This mix is generally applied on top of damp proof membranes over concrete bases. The membrane helps reduce shrinkage and the presence of damp. It is essential that an appropriate drying process is used otherwise the edges of the screed may become distorted. This type of screed is good for cast-in pipes found in underfloor heating.

Liquid Screed – Otherwise known as self-compacting screed, is probably the most popular type used across multiple industries as it has a very quick setting time of just 24-48 hours. This type of screed is commonly used for underfloor heating.

To start with, the floor space should be measured to ensure the amount of screed supplied will be enough to properly cover the area. Then, a number of levelling gauges will be placed around the floor which will be used to ensure there is a consistent depth throughout to produce a high-quality finish.

The pre-mixed screed will then be pumped onto the surface until the desired depth is achieved. It will generally take less than an hour to lay screed throughout an entire ground floor of a typical new house, but this will vary for larger than normal properties or those with complex room layouts.

The screed will then be agitated manually to ensure there are no bubbles and to check all surfaces are smooth. This is normally done using a dappling bar with someone wading through the screed.

Screed will take at least 24-48 hours to dry, but it depends on the type of screed that is used and the area covered. You should also allow longer for drying time if the area is likely to have lots of walking over or heavy furniture, at least 5-7 days in most cases.

It’s always best to check the manufacturer’s guidelines when deciding how long to wait before laying flooring on top of screed. You should always do a proper test to check if the screed is dry enough before proceeding to lay any kind of flooring.

The main difference, is that concrete is much coarser and has more hard core aggregates to increase overall strength whereas with screed, it requires a smoother finish so is made from finer aggregates. Both materials normally consist of a cement, water and aggregate mixture.