In this exclusive blog post, we delve into the ideal tools and materials to use for screeding from the Ultra Tile experts at Instarmac, and answer some key questions around the screeding process.

What Is Floor Screeding?

Floor screeding is the process of installing a concrete, sand and cement or anhydrite floor to create a level and sturdy substrate. Floor screeding acts as a subfloor prior to the application of smoothing compounds and/or final floor finishes such as ceramics, natural stone, luxury vinyl tiles and wood etc.

Examples of some fantastic screeding products on the Pro Tiler Tools website are:

• For Outdoor Tiling, a quick drying screed, such as the Ultra Floor Screed It Ultracem Fibre Modified Cement Binder Fast Drying
• Our Ultra Tile Fix range
• Our Ultra Floor range

How Long Does Floor Screed Take To Dry?

There are several contributing factors that will determine how long it takes for a floor screed to dry. These include the types of material being used, the thickness of material and site conditions, for example, the temperature and humidity of the room you are working in and whether the building is watertight. Consideration should also be given to any other elements that have been installed to the surface of the floor, for example, a curing agent, as this may trap moisture.

A typical rule of thumb is that, at 20°C and 65% relative humidity in the air, a cementitious screed will take approximately 1mm per day to dry. An anhydrite screed will take approximately 1mm per day to dry for the first 40mm, and then 0.5mm per day thereafter.

Should you find an Ultra Tile Or Ultra Floor self-levelling compound or screed that you would like to use for your project, ensure you check the product data sheet for specifics or talk to a helpful member of the Pro Tiler Team on 01604 859800 or email [email protected].

What Is A Latex Floor Screed?

A latex floor screed is a commonly used term for a smoothing underlayment or a levelling compound. Latex floor screeds are used to give a substrate a smooth final finish, prior to the application of a floor covering.

Do you know where the term latex screed comes from? It dates to when contractors would have to add a liquid latex to a cementitious compound to give the mixed smoothing underlayment additional performance properties, such as flexibility. This obviously is no longer the case and today smoothing underlayments are manufactured using synthetic polymers, rather than natural latex, to give you unrivalled flooring products.

Explore Ultra Tile Self-levelling Compounds and Ultra Floor Self-levelling Compounds.

Tips For Preparing A Floor For Levelling

Instarmac advises, “Our top tip is to ensure all screeds are dry, clean, sound and solid”.

New screeds may need mechanical abrading to remove surface laitance, hardeners or polishing compounds that will hinder the bond of a smoothing compound to the floor. A product such as the Bihui Concrete Grinder would is ideal for removing old surfaces as well as preparing a new base for secondary renovation.

Another big tip is to always use a primer. We recommend priming as there are a number of benefits this process brings, such as increasing flow of the smoothing underlayment, stopping chemical reactions and consolidating surfaces by acting as a dust binder.

Ultra Tile Fix ProPrimer Advanced Polymer Primer and Ultra Floor PRIME IT Multi-Surface Primer 5L are great choices for floor preparation prior to tiling.

How Soon Can I Lay Flooring After Laying Smoothing Compound?

It all depends on the product you are using. Certain products, like UltraFloor Level IT Super30 for example, will allow floor coverings in as little as 45 minutes. Other products may require a period of up to 24 to 48 hours before you can lay any floorcovering. It depends on the material.

If you are unsure, we recommend following the manufacturer’s instructions.

Which Tiling Products Do I Need?

Ultimately, we understand the importance of achieving a high-quality finish with your tiling projects, so we want to ensure that you’re able to produce outstanding results with our tiling tools and materials. We also value quality customer service, and offer a speedy next-day delivery service on the majority of products, so that you can fulfill projects quickly and efficiently for all of your customers.

Should you need any tiling advice or support with your order, don’t hesitate to contact us via email at [email protected] or give us a call at 01604 859800.