Choosing the Right Screed for You

Many builders rely on traditional speaking floor screed. Made by mixing cement and sharp cement, such a screed is sturdy and has the trust of many. However, times have changed, and people have realized that traditional screed is not the most efficient way to do it.

While efficient and versatile, traditional screed takes a lot of time to settle in, with 1 mm of screed taking a day to dry. It leads a 50mm thick screed to take 50 days to dry. However, impatience runs high in many construction projects, leading many to overlook the dryness and uneven floors.

Therefore, when selecting the right screed, decide how much you have to lay each day. Different types of screeds have different requirements. If you neglect to pay attention to that, the screed won’t dry properly. Consider the thickness and type of screed based on your time requirements beforehand. Here are the rest of the details to keep in mind.

Types of Screeds to Consider

Five types of screeds are there, each having a specific function.

Bonded Screed

It is bonded to the floor using a primer or a substrate agent and is good for thin flooring. It is durable and can hold up heavy objects. Their minimum thickness is around 25mm.

Unbonded Floor Screed

It is not directly bonded to the floor but is separated by a membrane. It can level itself and is made out of sand and cement with occasional calcium sulfate added. Its minimum thickness is 50mm.

Partially Bonded Floor Screed

If you are looking for affordable floor screed options, partially bonded can be your go-to screed. The trade-off is that it is not very durable, and you need at least 50mm of it to ensure it doesn’t break. For additional protection, it must be laid on a rough slab.

Liquid screeds or Cemfloors

Liquid screeds are novel screeds. They dry fast, set fast, and can be more expensive than the traditional screed. That said, because of the less time it takes, you’d offset most of the labor costs. It is the best screed in the market, capable of handling everything from domestic to commercial traffic.

Floating Screed

You apply this screed over insulation. However, care must be taken because it can crack due to shrinkage. You must use the right edging foam or insulation to prevent that.

Factors to Consider when Choosing a Screed

Time

Do you need the floor laid quickly? Are you willing to wait? It is the most common and critical factor when considering a screed. As we already mentioned, different types of screed take different types to dry. Liquid screed – fast drying screed – doesn’t take 24 to 48 hours, making it the quickest drying screed in the market.

On the other hand, traditional screed dries at a pace of 1 mm per day, taking 50 days for full drying. That said, there is a trade-off. Liquid screeds can be expensive, while traditional screeds are not.

Durability

Changing the floor screed is not something you can do every season, and you need to give it time to dry, and once it dries, the screed should be durable enough to handle the foot traffic. For instance, foot traffic on residential property would be far less than a commercial property. Add to that, commercial traffic would also have heavy machinery, which would require a stronger, more durable screed. Choosing a fast-drying screed may be more expensive, but it is more durable, not need you to repeat the same process for years to come.

Underfloor Heating

Underfloor heating is the most undervalued factor considered when choosing floor screeds. However, its popularity has grown, especially in commercial properties. Liquid screed is the best option in this situation. It has less depth and higher thermal conductivity, with no air voids around the pipes or throughout the screed. 

Conclusion

Choosing the right screed is often difficult. However, this guide gives you enough details to get started. Assess your requirements and your budget before deciding. And call us if you have any more queries.