Maintenance

Cementitious levelling screeds are designed to provide a level surface in which to apply carpet, tiles, natural stone, linoleum, wood flooring, etc. and do not serve as a wearing course for direct traffic.

Generally these are laid to SR1, SR2 and SR3 in compliance with BS8204:1 2003. SR1 is the highest quality and is usually achieved by applying a smoothing levelling compound to accommodate thin sheet flooring finishes at an additional cost.

Understanding Temporary Screed Protection

This document is designed to help our clients understand the requirement for temporary screed protection to achieve best possible performance of the chosen system. Lack of protection will result in wear to the integrity of the screed, particularly at an early stage (whilst green) and will continue to breakdown over time. Direct impact to the screed surface will also result in localised damage. Failure to provide protection will affect the performance of the screed and void any warranty agreements in place.

Trafficking – taking away the confusion

There often appears to be confusion in data provided for the trafficking of cementitious levelling floor screeds and we confirm that with the addition of FlexiDry screed additive generally after 12 hours light foot traffic can proceed but there would still be a requirement for protection to stop direct wear and impact damage. (Please refer back to specific data sheets provided by the manufacturers for the traffic times of other screed types).

Final Screed Strength

Most levelling screeds, whether standard or fast drying, will not reach final strength until 28 days has expired in usual circumstances. Point loadings and substrate conditions should always be considered and recommend that any heavy loading requirement should be calculated by qualified structural engineers. It is therefore very important that the protection is considered and who will be responsible to install such protection. It is also important to ensure the protection is maintained until final finishes are installed. Care should be taken as to the expected traffic in order to choose the most appropriate solution. Some certified contractors offer the supply or supply and installation of this protection. Alternatively we recommend these services through www.screedprotection.com. Their products are environmentally friendly and recyclable with flame retardant options available upon request.

We do hope you find the above informative and look forward to assisting you further in providing the perfect solution. Cementitious levelling screeds are designed to provide a level surface in which to apply carpet, tiles, natural stone, linoleum, wood flooring, etc. and do not serve as a wearing course for direct traffic.