Is liquid screed right for my floor?
Pick three things about your floor and the check gives a plain answer on liquid screed, the depth and drying time for both kinds, and what your floor finish needs.
It's an estimate, not a quote. The button under it hands your answers to the quote form, so the contractor who rings you starts from the same figures.
Free, no obligation. One local screeding contractor prices it, not five.
Liquid screed suits this floor. It flows round the pipes with no air gaps, can be 25 mm over them, and is thinner than the 65 mm a floating sand and cement screed needs in a house.
| Calcium sulphate | Cement-based | |
|---|---|---|
| Depth | 41 mm (46 mm at the nominal 30 mm cover) | 45 mm |
| Dry, good conditions | about 42 days | about 50 days |
| Heating on from | day 7, up to 50°C | day 14, up to 45°C |
| Surface before flooring | sand off the laitance (low-laitance mixes need less) | lightly abrade and clean |
| Biggest bay | 300 m², so 1 (one pour) | 40 m², so up to 2 |
- With the heating used to dry it, the heat-up cycle (15°C, up 5°C a day to 50°C, 7 days there, back down, 48 hours off) puts the first moisture test at about day 31.
- Tiles: prime first. On calcium sulphate, cement-based adhesive needs the screed at 75% RH; a calcium sulphate based adhesive can sometimes go on at 87% RH (ask the adhesive maker).
How this is worked out
| What | Rule |
|---|---|
| Depth, no heating | Floating minimum in a house: 35 mm calcium sulphate, 45 mm cement-based |
| Depth, with heating | Pipe + 25 mm cover, never under the floating minimum; a 16 mm pipe is assumed |
| Drying | 1 mm a day to 40 mm, then 2 days a mm, in good conditions |
| Heating on | Day 7 up to 50°C (calcium sulphate); day 14 up to 45°C (cement-based liquid screed) |
| First test, heated | Day 7 + a 22-day cycle + 48 hours off = about day 31 |
| Bays | Heated 300 / 40 m², unheated 1,000 / 80 m² |
| Finish limits | 75% RH; 87% RH for calcium sulphate adhesives where the maker allows |
What it can't know
- Your pipe size and spacing: the heating designer's drawing has them.
- Your floor zone: the finished floor level on the drawings sets the room for insulation and screed.
- Your site: a cold, damp building in January dries far slower than good conditions.
- Your finish's own limit: wood suppliers often ask for drier screed than 75% RH.
Liquid screed poured by the contractor who takes your call
Calls on this site ring JAM Floor Screeding: James Mulhall, based in Portlaoise, 25 years laying floors. Lines open Mon to Sat, 7am to 6pm. These are his jobs.
“JAM were punctual, professional and efficient and did an outstanding job on pouring our new floor as part of a renovation. Very highly recommend!”
“Excellent work, laser level finish, neat and tidy worker, highly recommend.”
“Top class work by james and his crew, highly recommend”
Quoted word for word from JAM Floor Screeding's Google reviews. Read them on Google
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Floor check questions
Is the floor check a quote?
No. It's the minimum depths and drying rules applied to your answers. The contractor prices the real floor.
Why does it show two answers?
Calcium sulphate and cement-based liquid screeds have different depths, drying and bay limits. Seeing both helps you ask for the right one.
What pipe size does it assume?
16 mm, a common size in houses. Your heating designer's drawing gives the real one.
What happens when I press Get this floor priced?
Your answers are ticked on the quote form below and a short note is added for the contractor. Nothing is sent until you add your number and press Send.
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