Tag: Liquid Screed

The purpose of a floor screed is to produce as near a level surface as possible upon which the finishing floor is to be laid, whether that is carpet, wood, tile, or more. A concrete substrate can have lots of dips and “waviness” and if you try to lay the finishing floor on top of it there will be problems, especially if it is tile. A screed is a thin layer of material that is laid on the concrete in order to produce a level to as near Surface Regularity 1 as possible. SR1 means that there is no discrepancy of more than 3mm over a 2-metre length.

Advantages Of Liquid Screed That You Can’t Simply Ignore

A liquid screed, also known as a flowing screed, has many advantages over a traditional sand and cement screed. Liquid screed can be used in both domestic and commercial properties whether they are new build or a renovation project. Because it is a liquid, it can be laid to provide a very level surface using a laser leveller and an auger.

At UK Screeds we can lay a liquid screed very fast. It is delivered to site already mixed and ready to pour, so there is no requirement for operatives to mix on site, nor is any space needed in which to do so. Our team has the skill and experience to lay up to 100 square metres in 45 minutes and as much as 2,000 square metres in a day. This saves a huge amount of time on a contract compared with a sand and cement screed laid by hand.

Using our laser levelling equipment also means that the screed that we lay will be level to within surface regularity SR2 or better. Surface regularity is tested by using a 2m straight edge which is laid on the surface of the screed and testing with a slip gauge. The maximum gap at any point has to be no greater than 5mm for it to pass SR2, and 3mm for it to be classified as SR1.

A liquid floor screed also dries very quickly. Once laid, you will be able to walk on it within 24 – 48 hours, which is another big time saver on a contract where other trades may need to work, such as installing windows, lighting, and so on.

At UK Screeds Ltd we also carry out floor sanding. When a liquid screed has dried there will usually be a layer of laitance that accumulates on the surface as water in the screed dries out and pushes fine particles to the surface. If flooring is laid directly on to this surface it could have an effect on the floor life if the screed and flooring are not bonded tightly, especially in the case of tile which could crack. We sand the screed to a perfect finish to ensure a long-lasting adhesion.