Screeds
High-quality self-leveling floor screed is the main material used to create a smooth, even surface on which you can install tiles, natural stone, or wooden flooring. It is often used as a finishing product on a solid concrete base and can also be used to cover piping systems for underfloor heating.
Self-leveling screeds are available at competitive prices and are primarily composed of a mixture of sand, cement, and water. The combination is manually mixed in a bucket using a mixing paddle. In the case of larger areas, it is recommended to mix it using a specialized screed pump before it is sprayed through a hose connected to the pump.
You can also find ready-made floor screed on the market, which is often the most convenient option for work, especially if you have not worked with such a material before.
Types of Self-Leveling Screed
At Atek 1 construction store, we have included a wide range of concrete self-leveling floor screeds in our portfolio, suitable for your requirements and all projects. Among them, you will find semi-dry products containing polypropylene fibers for added durability, as well as self-leveling and self-compacting screeds, which help achieve a perfect finish.
We also offer self-smoothing or self-leveling liquid screed as an alternative to the semi-dry variety, although both types have their distinct advantages. Self-leveling screed is usually produced in two different variants based on a cementitious or calcium sulfate/anhydrite base.
As the name suggests, liquid self-leveling screed is particularly suitable for large-area installation using a pump. With this method, even screeding areas of up to 1000 square meters per day can be easily accomplished. In contrast, semi-dry floor screed is typically applied manually, allowing you to cover between 125 and 150 square meters per day. Specialized screed machines are available in the market, which can increase the pace to around 500 square meters per day.
As a liquid material, self-leveling screed is not suitable for areas where ramps or drainage areas are needed in wet spaces like a shower cabin, toilets, and changing rooms. Furthermore, some types of self-leveling screeds are not recommended for this type of use due to their unsuitability for contact with water, unless the used screed is specifically designed for the bathroom.
Thickness of Self-Leveling Screed
One of the main differences in semi-dry and self-leveling screed is its thickness. Semi-dry products are applied with a thicker layer, typically around 65-75 mm, depending entirely on the installation method and the future purpose of the area. However, this option is applicable to various places.
Only self-leveling screed based on calcium sulfate makes an exception in the world of self-leveling screeds. In general, it is not recommended to be used in unrelated or moving components. But you can use self-leveling screed enriched with fibers that create a network of glass fibers for such projects. This type of ready-made screed is exceptionally suitable for installing separated parts or even for covering underfloor heating.
In fact, the choice of the right option, whether it's self-leveling, should be based entirely on the specifics of your surface and the purpose of the room in which the repair is being carried out. If you're unsure which screed is right for you, consult our experts.
How to Mix Screed
Cementitious self-leveling screed is typically mixed on-site using a continuously working mixing pump, after which the construction material is pumped to the exact surface through a hose. For smaller areas, mixing can be done manually with a mixing paddle attachment for a drill.
Self-leveling floor screed based on calcium sulfate can be installed on-site when it is in the form of a ready-to-use mixture or by connecting a silo-based delivery system at the location to be treated.
Regarding semi-dry screed, it is generally mixed (dosed) on-site, either close to the area to be screeded or from a central dosing station, from where the material is pumped in its semi-dry form to the specific location. Ready-mixed semi-dry material can also be delivered on-site, but it may be necessary to add an ingredient to retard its drying and keep the material usable throughout the entire time.
Installation
Our offered self-leveling floor screed is cost-effective and self-compacting, meaning it requires no physical compaction except for using a frame to assist in the self-leveling process.
Self-leveling screed can also be leveled to perfection using a leveling system with a tripod and a laser level. Even stricter level tolerances can be achieved through the use of a grid of flat screws placed in the base. In this way, the screw heads act as a reference level for the screed.
While a quality and affordable self-leveling screed is fully self-compacting, semi-dry screed needs to be thoroughly compacted to ensure the removal of all air voids and irregularities that can lead to weaknesses in the screed. This process is done manually using trowels in cases where semi-dry screed is not applied automatically.
Drying
In general, a screed is considered dry when its moisture content is at a level of 75% RH or lower. In such cases, it is suitable for installation on a moisture-sensitive subfloor. As self-leveling screed is typically thinner, it requires less drying time and is an ideal choice for outdoor use.
For example, a 5-10 mm cement-based self-leveling screed can be sufficiently dry to install vinyl flooring on it after 24 hours, whereas traditional sand-cement screeds with a thickness of 75 mm would require a minimum of 75 days, even under perfect drying conditions.
Generally speaking, the drying time is directly dependent on the thickness of the self-leveling screed and the area of application. Complex additives to reduce moisture can dramatically reduce the drying time of a semi-dry screed based on sand and cement, as well as the choice of rapid-drying mixtures.
When allowing the floor to dry, you typically need to give each centimeter a week of drying time, depending on the depth of the screed. For screed with thicknesses greater than 5 centimeters, you usually need to allow a slightly longer drying period. Once the screed has been allowed to dry properly, you can start laying the finished flooring on top.
There is no one-size-fits-all product, so the choice of the right screed will depend on various factors, and it's very likely that your project may require the use of different types for different areas.
Choosing the Right Self-Leveling Floor Screed from Atek 1
As mentioned earlier, floor screed has various applications. Based on this criterion, you have a choice among various self-leveling screeds from the Atek 1 store. At our store, you will find self-leveling screed for external use, underfloor heating, bathrooms, terraces, floors, and more.
It is important to keep in mind that self-leveling screed is an alternative to standard methods. Both the costs and time are significantly reduced through the quick dosing, application, and drying of ready-made floor screed, self-leveling screed for outdoor use, or indoors, and the better control these products provide over the final floor result.
So, why use self-leveling screed? The decision to do so should be made after determining what the flooring will be. Elastic floor coverings need to adhere tightly to the base, revealing all (even very fine) imperfections on the base, whereas coverings like carpet and carpeting simply hide everything. Therefore, ensuring a well-appearing, perfectly leveled, and smooth surface is essential.
Cementitious self-leveling floor screed requires minimal effort to apply and can effectively and quickly level large floor surfaces. The thinner consistency of this self-leveling mixture, compared to other types of ready-made screed, makes it easy to fill uneven areas seamlessly.
Floor screed is ideal for filling, smoothing, and leveling various substrates before installing parquet, ceramic tiles, seamless resin floors, textile and elastic floor coverings. Moreover, it is waterproof, frost-resistant, suitable for use on underfloor heating systems, can be pumped, and is suitable for creating bonded screeds under ceramic tiles on cement bases.
Feel free to visit our online construction store, where you can explore various types of self-leveling screeds at good prices and their applications.