Floor Screeding Cottenham Cambridgeshire (CB24): A floor screeding professional can level an uneven or damaged floor, help with renovations or help install underfloor heating on your Cottenham home, when needed. Floor screeding gives a smooth, level finish to a basic sub-base, and enables you to lay a suitable flooring material, (carpets, boards, tiles etc) on top of it. If you want your floors to last a long time then a floor screed is the most important factor in any building or renovation task.
FLOOR SCREEDING CONTRACTORS COTTENHAM
Providing a superb standard of service, an established floor screeding company in Cottenham will have the necessary expertise, knowledge and equipment, regardless how large or small the room you require to be levelled. Once your project has been properly evaluated, they will be in a position to inform you of the appropriate form of screed required for your project, and how best to apply it.
They'll likewise assess if a structural engineer is required to make certain any point loadings, load bearing and flex strength are met as laid down in building and construction regulations.
The skills and training that a certified screeding specialist brings to your project will guarantee a successful outcome and help in prolonging the life of your floors. There are numerous kinds of screed and choosing the appropriate mix and installation technique is crucial to create a top quality floor that is durable and fit for purpose.
Ensure you get two or three price quotes for your Cottenham floor screeding project and also ask what standard of finish each price quote is for. For domestic homes an estimate will normally be given for an SR (Surface Regularity) standard of SR1 or SR2. SR1 is the best quality, and whilst SR2 and SR3 might be cheaper at first glance, they do not guarantee a totally even or flat surface. An SR2 or SR3 standard could mean there are ridges or flat spots that might cause problems when putting down your final floor surface.
Every Cottenham screeding company has to follow British Standards (BS8204) and should have accreditation from screeding material and equipment manufacturers, e.g. Flowcrete, Gypsol, Cemfloor. This accreditation program showcases a firm's training and ability in the use of a manufacturer's merchandise.
Cottenham commercial screeders will be involved in screeding floors in factories, shopping centres, warehouses, schools, pubs and hospitals.
TYPES OF SCREED
Standard Screeds - Frequently used in residential flooring projects where the blend of cement and sand is perfect for standard floor traffic usage. 5 parts sand to 1 part cement is the typical mix for standard screed. After laying a standard screed dries out at a rate of just 1mm/day.
Liquid or Self-Levelling Screeds - A cement and latex mixture which can achieve the highest standard SR1 finish. This self-levelling compound provides a clean and smooth surface over a rough substrate or damaged floor to enable all types of flooring materials to be laid. Even with a thickness of 1mm, the latex polymers within the screed provide a high strength surface for a wide range of uses.
Fibre Reinforced Screed - The preferred option where underfloor heating is being installed in residential homes in Cottenham. This is because of the improved strength and protection against thermal cracking and shrinkage provided by the special fibres within the screed. It dries out at the same rate as a standard screed, at about 1mm per day.
Polymer Screeds - An extremely high strength flooring solution where a reduced screed thickness is needed. Manufacturer's guidelines for drying times are different across the product ranges.
Fast Drying and Advanced Drying Screeds - If you need to move forward urgently with the flooring due to time restraints, this screed dries much faster than standard flooring screeds. They are usually a fibre reinforced screed that dries out at a rate of between 3-7mm per day and are employed in time-sensitive projects.
Industrial and Heavy Duty Screed - A screed designed for heavy traffic and high load areas where maximum durability and strength is crucial.
SCREEDING PREPARATION AND INSTALLATION
Screeding companies will need to carefully prepare all areas before any other work so as to guarantee a hard wearing and quality screed flooring. Any oil, debris, grease and paint on the original floor surface can affect the adhesion of the screed, and must be removed.
Any cleaning products that are used during this process shouldn't leave any residues, and the floor base must be permitted to dry by itself naturally. If screeding over a stone or cement floor any cracks should be mended to stop them from "travelling" through the screed layer and producing imperfections on the finished floor surface. A competent Cottenham screeding installer will pick up on such aspects during the site survey and ensure all preparations are complete before pressing on with the next steps in the screeding process.
Before the screeding can be laid a DPM (damp proof membrane) will have to be put down to protect the final flooring and screed from moisture. The DPM is made out of thick polythene and various layers might be used to act as a moisture barrier for the screed.
If your property is situated in a place where radon is present an extra barrier layer is needed to stop radon gas from getting through. An air-tight membrane may be sufficient in areas with low levels of radon, but in more severe cases there may have to be a more complicated extraction and ventilation system to remove any ground penetrating radon gases.
As soon as these stages have been completed the screeders will put on a sealant or primer to the prepared base. These sealers and primers will ensure the screed bonds successfully to the base and help create a quality finished floor. On account of their specialist nature, only professional screeders in Cottenham should be entrusted with using them safely and correctly and using equipment that's made for the task.
If you're installing under floor heating, this is the time that it will need to be set out and installed. Insulation panels can be put in position and the wires and heating pipes will be securely fastened to prevent any movement whilst the screed is being poured. Warmth is spread evenly across the floor in a skillfully installed under floor heating system, and with it being an effective method of heating, it's a good choice for most Cottenham home restoration projects.
If you are not installing under floor heating the screed can now be prepared on site and poured. The requirements of the room will dictate the sort of screeding that is used. After the pouring of the screed there'll be at least twenty four hours (for advanced and quick drying screeds) before you are able to walk upon the surface, and a 72 hours minimum curing period for any floor material installation. Manufacturer's drying guidelines for standard and heavy duty screeds should be observed so as to achieve a quality finish and provide a stable and even surface.
You can assess the SR standard of the completed screed once it's hardened enough to walk on. The standard SR test uses a 2m straight edge to check for any deviations in the floor surface.
- SR1 - Deviations of three millimetres or less being measured across the entire floor area shows your screeding to be of the highest quality and classed as SR1.
- SR2 - If the floor deviates from the straight edge by five millimetres or less it is SR2 quality and is the normal standard for industrial and commercial floors.
- SR3 - SR3 is utility standard where a perfect finish isn't needed. This specification can have a maximum permissible deviation depth of 10mm.
There may also be a requirement for a structural engineer to carry out a soundness test. The assessment will make sure that your newly laid screeding is suitable for the load point requirements specified in the site survey. The screed layer could be given what is known as a drop hammer test to measure flexibility and strength at distinct points. The precise measurement and testing tools required mean this can only be undertaken by a competent structural engineer observing the guidelines of the British Standards BS8204. (Tags: Screeding Cottenham, Floor Screed Cottenham, Floor Screeding Cottenham, Floor Screeding Services Cottenham).
Screed Reinforcement
Improving the strength and durability of concrete screeds can be achieved by using screed reinforcement. A base layer is covered with thin and flat layers of concrete, called screeds, to create a level surface. They are commonly used in building projects for flooring, and can also be used as a finishing layer for ceilings and walls.
To prevent cracking and increase strength, reinforcement materials like polypropylene fibres, steel mesh or wire are included in the screed mixture during installation. This reinforcement helps to distribute the weight and load of the surface evenly, while also improving its resistance to impact, thermal changes and abrasion.
The selection of screed reinforcement material for a project is based on various factors, such as thickness, finish and load capacity, and is tailored to meet precise requirements. Consistent distribution of the reinforcement throughout the screed, and avoiding displacement over time, is crucial and depends on its correct installation. The application of screed reinforcement is an effective way for building professionals to make sure that their projects will be able to withstand the test of time and provide a functional, high-quality surface for many years to come.
Latex Screed Cottenham
When the make-up of your floor's surface means that a degree of flexibility is required, it may be advantageous to use a latex floor screed, as opposed to one with a rigid finish. Latex floor screeds generally comprise 2 parts - a cement-based powder, and a liquid latex component. The latex liquid additive actually replaces the water which would normally be used for mixing floor screed, and is quicker drying and much more flexible than standard screeds.
Used for levelling-out sub-floors, this latex compound provides a surface for the installation of your chosen floor finishes. This screed is suitable for sub-floors made of sand/cement, quarry tiles, concrete, asphalt or wood, is perfect for the application of adhesives and gives a resilient and smooth surface. This type of screeding will produce a crack-free, flexible finish, even if there's a bit of movement in your sub-floor.
When installing a "floating" screed, for example when a screed is being laid on top of a layer of thermal or acoustic insulation, screed depths of 50mm-75mm may be required, and latex flooring screeds aren't suitable for this purpose.
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Floor Screeding Near Cottenham
Also find: Milton screeding, Rampton screeding, Willingham screeding, Fen Ditton screeding, Horningsea screeding, Aldreth screeding, Stretham screeding, Chesterton screeding, Impington screeding, Earith screeding, Landbeach screeding services and more. Most of these villages and towns are serviced by companies who do floor screeding. Cottenham householders can get screeding quotations by clicking here.
Screeding Related Tasks
There are a wide array of tasks that can be completed by your local Cottenham floor screeding company including screed reinforcement, bonded screed, polished screeding, cheap floor screeding, screed pump hire, concrete screeding, floor preparation, screeding repairs, structural screeds Cottenham, sand and cement screeding in Cottenham, floating screed, polished screed floors, conservatory floor screeding Cottenham, shop floor screeding Cottenham, floor moisture testing, underfloor heating screeds, floor screed testing Cottenham, lightweight floor screeding Cottenham, substrate floor preparation, damp proof membranes Cottenham, factory floor screeding, final floor finishes, latex screed, bonded concrete screeding in Cottenham, industrial floor screeding Cottenham, sand screed, rapid strength floor screeds Cottenham, floor screeding quotes, anhydrite screed, fibre reinforced floor screeding, floor screeding, external screeding Cottenham, floor resurfacing, floor insulation, floor screeding tools, and more floor screeding tasks. Listed are just a selection of the activities that are conducted by those specialising in screeding. Cottenham specialists will be happy to inform you of their entire range of floor screeding services.
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