More and more contractors and specifiers in the UK are choosing to have liquid screed laid on the substrate of a building rather than the traditional sand and cement screed, because of the many benefits that it has.
A traditional sand and cement screed is laid by hand which means getting down on hands and knees and using hand tools to lay it. A liquid screed is far quicker to lay because it arrives ready mixed and is pumped on to the substrate. Because it is liquid, it is self-levelling and will fill any gaps or uneven areas. An area of 100 square metres can be covered with a liquid screed in as little as 45 minutes.
But the advantages don’t stop there. A liquid screed will not curl, and it is highly resistant to cracking. It is also extremely resistant to shrinkage. Where it is being laid over underfloor heating, another benefit is that it is almost twice as thermally conductive as a traditional sand and cement screed and is therefore environmentally friendly in that less energy is required to produce the same amount of heat in the room above.
It is also possible to force dry a liquid screed after only seven days. Using the right equipment, it can be force dried and ready for a finishing floor to be installed in as little as a month.
However, before the finishing floor is laid, the screed should be sanded. Sanding in Didcot is done so that any laitance remaining on the surface is removed regardless of what the finishing floor is going to be.
Floor sanding in Didcot begins with the screed being swept to remove any nails or other debris which could damage the sanding machine. For the initial sanding stage, a coarse grit paper is used, and then the second cut is carried out using a finer grit than the first cut. After that stage a final stage is carried out with a finishing machine and then the surface should be coated with a sealant. Carrying out this process will ensure that the finishing floor fits perfectly and any glues used in tiling for instance, will adhere correctly.
