Floor Screeding Otford Kent (TN14): You should contact a floor screeding service in Otford if you are restoring a property or cellar, are looking to install underfloor heating or have a damaged or uneven floor. Floor screeding gives a smooth finish to a rough sub-base, and will allow you to lay your final layer of flooring material, (tiles, carpets, boards etc) over the top of it. Screeding a floor allows you to provide a high quality and durable finish for any part of your home or office.
FLOOR SCREEDING CONTRACTORS OTFORD
Supplying the experience and proper working methods to generate a perfect base for your flooring, a screeding contractor in Otford can help you with whatever size or shape of room you are remodeling. After analyzing your project they will advise you on the perfect choice of screeding and which method of laying it is most appropriate for your situation.
It might be necessary, based on the intended use of the room, for a structural engineering survey to conform to building regulations on load requirements, point loadings and flex strength of the screed floor.
Skilled and qualified tradespeople are essential to a successful outcome and will extend your floor's lifespan through the use of the right kind of screed for the intended purpose of your room. Picking the correct screeding materials and the method of installation is critical if you want to end up with a quality and durable finish for your floor.
Before deciding on a screeding contractor from the many based in the Otford area, ask to what standard of finish they're basing their quotation, and also ensure you get two or three estimates. For domestic homes an estimate will usually be provided for an SR (Surface Regularity) level of SR1 or SR2. SR2 and SR3 may be cheaper options, however the floor screeding finish may have deviations and errors, whilst SR1 guarantees a perfect finish. Any imperfections in the screeding (as might arise with SR2 or SR3) may cause issues with laying flooring due to indentations, ridges, flat spots in the floor surface.
The regulations and guidelines specified in the British Standards BS8204 have to be observed by all Otford floor screeding companies and they should also be approved by the manufacturers of specialist screeding materials (Flowcrete, Gypsol, Cemfloor etc.) to prove their competence and safe working practices. This accreditation program showcases a contractor's training and performance in the application of a manufacturer's merchandise.
Commercial screeders in Otford will usually undertake screeding projects in factories, warehouses, schools, restaurants, hospitals and shopping centres.
TYPES OF SCREED
Standard Screeds - This is acceptable for everyday residential usage and comprises a combination of sand and cement. This mixture uses a 5 to 1 ratio of sand to cement. This 5:1 ratio standard flooring screed will set hard at a rate of one millimetre per day after applying.
Industrial and Heavy Duty Screed - A screed that is designed for heavy traffic and high load areas where the maximum possible durability and strength is necessary.
Polymer Screeds - When a reduced thickness of floor is needed due to building requirements, a polymer screed provides a high strength solution to this situation. The drying times vary in accordance with proprietary product guidelines.
Fibre Reinforced Screed - The first choice where underfloor heating is being installed in residential properties in Otford. The special fibres in the screed mix enhance overall strength and durability whilst also safeguarding against thermal shrinkage and cracking. It has a drying rate of one millimetre per day.
Advanced Drying and Fast Drying Screeds - As the name suggest, these screeds dry quickly and allow you to use the screeded area much faster. The majority of the fast or advanced drying screeds are of the fibre reinforced kind and are suitable for a wide array of flooring projects where the swifter drying rate of 3-7mm is a welcome advantage.
Liquid or Self-Levelling Screeds - When a high standard of finish is needed this compound of latex and cement is employed to achieve SR1 quality floor screeding. Primarily used to improve a poor substrate level or damaged floor in order to lay a brand new flooring surface, such as tiling on the top of it. They can be as little as 1mm in depth, and because of the latex polymers, will still provide high strength.
SCREEDING PREPARATION AND INSTALLATION
Screeding companies will need to carefully prepare all areas prior to any other work in order to guarantee a hard wearing and quality screed flooring. Any oil, paint, debris and grease on the existing floor surface can affect the bonding of the screed, and must be removed.
If any products are used during this stage it's crucial to make certain that no residues of detergents, soaps or other cleaning products are left on the floor surface and it is allowed to dry out naturally. At this stage cracks need to be mended because these can easily travel up through the laid screed and be visible in the completed surface. A decent Otford screeding specialist will address these aspects during a site survey and make sure that all preparations are completed before moving on to the next stages of the screeding process.
To shield the screeding layer and flooring materials from moisture rising up through the ground, a damp proof membrane (DPM) must be laid. There could be two or three layers of different thicknesses of polythene to act as barriers between the screed and the insulation layer.
If your house is located in an area where radon is present an extra barrier layer is required to stop radon gas from seeping through. A simple airtight membrane may be enough in places with relatively low emissions of radon, however in more extreme cases there may have to be a more complex extraction system to remove any ground penetrating radon.
Once the floor base has been properly prepared and any DPMs installed, a primer or sealant is then put on. These sealers and primers will ensure the screed bonds effectively to the base and help accomplish a quality finished floor. Custom-made equipment such as airless sprays will usually be used to apply a primer or sealant, which should be done by qualified screeding installers in Otford following the manufacturer's guidelines and safety advice.
This is the time that under floor heating can be laid out in the correct manner and installed. Insulation panels can be positioned and the heating pipes and wires will be firmly mounted so there's no movement while the screed is being applied. When properly installed an under floor heating system is an efficient way to warm up a room and high quality screed retains its heat, creating an even heat across the floor surface.
The screed can now be prepared in situ and spread onto the base surface. Your use of the room will help the screeding company on what kind of screed is right for your requirements. For quick drying screeds there will be at least twenty four hours delay before it is able to be walked over, and a further 3 days minimum before any flooring material can be laid over it. Such periods will be longer for heavy duty and standard screeds and the manufacture's guidelines must be followed to the letter to achieve the best finish and durability of the floor.
You can assess the SR level of the finished screeding once it's solidified enough to walk on. The test involves the use of a 2 mtr straight edge laid on the floor surface and any deviations from true are calculated.
- SR1 - Over the whole floor area, if there aren't any deviations greater than 3 millimetres from the straight-edge, then you have a top specification SR1 standard surface.
- SR2 - SR2 is for normal standard floors in industrial and commercial projects and can deviate from the straight-edge by up to five millimetres.
- SR3 - For utility floors where the finish is relatively immaterial the SR3 is the classification and should have a maximum deviation measurement of 10mm or less.
If your screeding has been installed with specific load bearing requirements in mind then a qualified structural engineer is going to be needed to perform these soundness tests. This test will ascertain the strength of the screeded surface and its suitability for the proposed use. This should include what is known as a "drop hammer test" which records specific data on the flexibility and strength of the screed. Any screeding that's got load bearing requirements must be sanctioned by a qualified structural engineer heeding the BS8204 guidelines. (Tags: Screeding Otford, Floor Screed Otford, Floor Screeding Services Otford, Floor Screeding Otford).
Multi-Coloured Floor Screeds
Industrial or commercial settings usually use coloured floor screeds as a flooring material. These screeds are made up of a combination of coloured resins, aggregates, and sealers that are mixed together to create a unique and decorative finish. Areas with heavy foot traffic or machinery commonly utilise them as they provide a slip-resistant, long-lasting and durable surface.
To achieve a specific aesthetic or match a business's branding, multi-coloured screeds can be tailored accordingly. Their easy-to-maintain and clean properties make them a frequently chosen option for facilities that require a high standard of hygiene. In addition, multi-coloured screeds offer a seamless finish that eliminates any joints or grout lines, making it an ideal choice for cleanrooms and similar environments. Designers and architects have the freedom to create custom flooring designs that meet their project requirements by selecting the aggregates' size, shape and colour in multi-coloured screeds. Overall, multi-coloured floor screeds offer a versatile and practical flooring solution that can improve both the function and style of any industrial or commercial space.
Screed Reinforcement
Screed reinforcement is a method of reinforcing concrete screeds to improve their durability and strength. The creation of level surfaces involves applying thin and flat layers of concrete known as screeds to a base layer. While commonly used in construction projects for flooring, they can also be utilised as a finishing layer for walls and ceilings.
In order to prevent cracking and enhance strength, the screed mixture is enriched with reinforcement materials such as wire, polypropylene fibres or steel mesh during installation. The distribution of load and weight across the surface is evened out by this reinforcement, and it also enhances its ability to resist abrasion, thermal changes and impact.
To make sure that their projects will provide a high-quality and functional surface for many years to come, screeding professionals may use screed reinforcement.
Latex Floor Screeds
When a level of flexibility is needed in a floor's surface you might find that the employment of a latex self-levelling floor screed will be best. Latex floor screeds generally comprise two parts - a cement-based compound, and a liquid latex additive. The liquid latex part actually replaces the water that would normally be used for mixing floor screed, and is quicker drying and far more flexible than standard screeds.
Used for levelling-out subfloors, this latex compound creates a suitable surface for the installation of your chosen floor finishes. This is appropriate for use on sub-floors of quarry tiles, wood, sand/cement, asphalt and concrete, to provide a smooth and resilient surface that is perfect for the application of flooring adhesives. If your sub-floor has any movement in it, this type of floor screed will give you a crack-free, flexible finish, on which your chosen floor coverings can sit.
When installing a "floating" screed, for instance when a screed is being laid over a layer of thermal or acoustic insulation, screed thicknesses of 50 to 75 millimetres may be needed, and latex floor screeds are not suited to this purpose.
Granolithic Screeding
Granolithic screeding is a popular flooring material that's commonly used in heavy-duty environments because of its durability and strength. It is made from a mixture of sand, aggregate, cement, and sometimes pigments, which are combined to form a mortar-like mixture. The mixture is poured onto the floor and then smoothed out to an even, level surface.
Granolithic screeding is typically used in commercial and industrial buildings as well as in high-traffic areas in residential buildings. It is also commonly used in areas where abrasion and chemical resistance are essential. The resulting surface is hard and smooth, which makes it easy to clean and maintain, and provides an excellent base for other flooring products.
Granolithic screeding is typically applied over a concrete sub-base, and the surface is usually treated with a curing compound to make sure it sets correctly. As soon as it has cured, it creates a seamless floor with a hard, smooth surface that is resistant to excessive wear. It is also highly resistant to water and chemicals, which makes it suitable for use in environments where there's a risk of spills or exposure to harmful materials.
Upcoming Articles:
Subfloor repair.
Other Trades Otford Kent: When your Otford home is in need of improvements or remodeling, a number of different craftsmen may be necessary to complete the work, and despite the fact that your present search is for screeding in Otford, Kent, you could also need the skills of roof cleaning in Otford, a carpet layer in Otford, a plasterer in Otford, garden clearance in Otford, a home improvement expert in Otford, an electrician in Otford, a floor tiler in Otford, SKIP HIRE Otford, vinyl flooring in Otford, rubber flooring in Otford, a stonemason in Otford, a handyman in Otford, a roofer in Otford, a heating engineer in Otford, an underfloor heating specialist in Otford, a carpenter in Otford, and probably others.
Screeding Related Tasks
There is a variety of work that can be conducted by your local Otford floor screeder including conservatory floor screeding, floor preparation, domestic screeding, bonded screed, rapid strength floor screeding Otford, screed floor removal, screed aftercare Otford, floor noise dampening, underfloor heating installation, substrate floor preparation, cheap floor screeding, acoustic flooring solutions Otford, commercial screeding, acid etching concrete Otford, concrete screeds, sand and cement screeds, resin floor screeds Otford, smoothing compounds, decorative floor screeding Otford, liquid screeds, floor screeding advice, thin bed floor screeding Otford, final floor finishes in Otford, floor resurfacing, monolithic floor screeding Otford, granolithic screeds, external screeding Otford, latex screeding, fibre reinforced floor screeding, screed surveys & testing in Otford, polished screeding, screed flooring, concrete pumping Otford, subfloor repair, screeded kitchen floors, and more floor screeding tasks. Listed are just a selection of the duties that are accomplished by those installing screeding. Otford professionals will tell you about their whole range of services.
Floor Screeding Near Otford
Also find: Noah's Ark screeding, Kemsing screeding, Knockholt screeding, Dunton Green screeding, Romney Street screeding, Chelsfield screeding, Twitton screeding, Shoreham screeding, Sundridge screeding, Badgers Mount screeding, Heaverham screeding, Well Hill screeding, Cotman's Ash screeding services and more. All of these places are served by companies who do floor screeding. Otford business and home owners can get screeding price quotes by clicking here.
Screeder Otford - Screeding Services Otford - Floor Screeding Otford - Floor Screed Contractors Otford - Screeding Otford - Self-Levelling Screed Specialists Otford - Floor Levelling Services Otford - Commercial Screeding Otford - Fast-Dry Screeding Otford