Aftercare of screed finishes

Aftercare of screed finishes

It is essential that the following 24 hours after the screed installation the entire area where the screed has been installed must be frost- free and not subject to extreme temperatures (less than 5°C or more than 30°C). The surface of the screed must also be protected from severe draughts and direct sunlight. More information about the aftercare can be found in our Aftercare Guide found below.

Typically, Anhydrite Screed drying times are 1mm per day up to 40mm then 0.5mm per day thereafter. Thicker screed will cause longer drying times.

If being laid on Underfloor Heating, then the screed’s traditional drying time may be reduced by 50-60% using the UFH to force dry the screed. This needs to be done slowly as not to shock the screed.

Starting the UFH temperature at 20C and held for 4 days and then 5C increments increased every 24 hours. This should continue up to a maximum of 50C and then held for 5 days before 5C increments are decreased every 24 hours until you reach 25C.

Whilst doing this, ensure ventilation via windows and doors being open or dehumidifiers.

Once the drying stage has finished; residual moisture content needs to be determined to clarify the suitability of floor finishes. To find out more about this please see our Moisture Testing Page under Additional Services or contact us directly.

Laitance can also form whilst drying, to find out more about the removal of this and the service that we offer please see our Laitance Removal page under Additional Services.

 

To find out more about the aftercare of anhydrite screed contact us.

Cementitious Screed

Aftercare of screed finishes

Cementitious Flowing Screed is a cement-based screed which means that floor coverings can be applied much faster than calcium sulphate screeds.

Cementitious Flowing Screed can be tiled at a final moisture content of 3.5%CM and timber floors can be installed at a final moisture content of 2.5%CM.

Compared with other liquid screeds which generally require them to be force dried with underfloor heating; Cementitious screeds can be used in non-heated floors as it doesn’t require force drying to remove moisture. Then, using the correct tile adhesives tiles can be placed in as little as 5 days in nonheated floors and after 16 days in heated floors once the heating has been commissioned.

 

To find out more about the aftercare of cementitious screed contact us.