Floor Screeding Strood Kent (ME2): If you are aiming to install under floor heating, have an uneven or damaged floor or are restoring a property or cellar in your Strood home, then it is time to consider contacting a professional floor screeding company. To provide you with a solid foundation for your choice of top flooring material, a screed is used to create a smooth floor surface on top of a rough concrete sub-base. Floor screeding will provide a durable, quality surface for any room.
FLOOR SCREEDING EXPERTS STROOD
Having all of the know-how and experience to help you achieve a perfect floor in whichever shape or size of room you are working on, a good floor screeding firm in Strood is the best choice for your floor screeding project. To ascertain the right form of screed you need, and how best to apply it, they will do a meticulous evaluation of your project.
They'll in addition assess if a structural engineer is needed to make sure any flex strength, point loadings and load requirements are followed as set out in construction and building regulations.
The skills and training that a qualified screeding specialist brings to your project should guarantee a high quality result and help in extending the lifespan of your floor. Choosing the appropriate screeding materials and the best installation technique is crucial if you want to end up with a durable and quality finish for your floor surface.
Before deciding upon a floor screeding contractor from any operating in the Strood area, ask to what standard of finish they're basing their estimate, and also make sure that you get two or three estimates. The estimate could be based on what is known as the SR, or Surface Regularity calculation. SR2 and SR3 could be less costly options, however the floor screeding finish could have deviations and errors, whilst SR1 guarantees a pretty much perfect quality of finish. Any error in the screeding (as might arise with SR2 or SR3) can cause issues with laying flooring due to ridges, indentations, flat spots in the floor surface.
Every Strood screeding company must adhere to British Standards (BS8204) and ought to have some form of accreditation from the manufacturers of screeding materials and equipment, for instance Cemfloor, Flowcrete, Gypsol. This accreditation scheme illustrates a company's ability and training in the application of a manufacturer's product.
Strood commercial screeders will be involved in floor screeding in schools, hospitals, factories, warehouses, shops and hotels.
TYPES OF SCREED
Standard Screeds - A combination of cement and sand which is acceptable for standard residential usage. This mixture comprises a 5 to 1 ratio of sand to cement. This 5:1 ratio standard screed will dry out at a rate of 1mm per day after application.
Polymer Screeds - An extremely high strength solution where a reduced thickness is necessary. Polymer screeds are made by many manufacturers and due to their diverse chemical compositions have specific drying times for each individual product.
Industrial and Heavy Duty Screed - A screed designed for heavy traffic and high load areas where the maximum possible strength and durability is crucial.
Fast Drying and Advanced Drying Screeds - If you have to use the area in question at the earliest opportunity a fast drying screed can be used. Drying at a rate of three to seven millimetres, determined by the mixture, they're typically a fibre reinforced type of screed and are great for flooring projects that have tight deadlines.
Liquid or Self-Levelling Screeds - A latex and cement formula which can produce the highest standard of finish to SR1 levels. The self-levelling compound provides a clean and smooth surface over a rough substrate or damaged floor to allow all types of flooring materials to be laid. These can be as little as 1mm in depth, and thanks to the latex polymers, will still provide a high strength finish.
Fibre Reinforced Screed - The expert's choice for domestic use on top of under floor heating. The improved strength and flexibility provided by the fibres in the screed mix help protect the resulting floor from cracking and shrinkage due to heat. The screed will dry out at a rate of 1mm/day.
SCREEDING PREPARATION AND INSTALLATION
To enable the screeding to be of a high quality finish that's hard wearing and durable, time must be devoted to carefully preparing the area before any screeding material is poured. It is important that any contaminants such as loose debris, grease, paint or oil is eliminated from the base before laying any screed, as these can affect the bonding process that a quality screed demands.
If any products were used during this stage it is crucial to make certain that no residues of detergents, soaps or other cleaning products are left on the surface and it is permitted to dry out naturally. It's vital to mend any cracks in the surface to stop them being visible and "travelling" upwards into your newly screeded floor. A professional Strood screeding specialist will address such aspects during the on-site survey and ensure that all preparations are finished before moving on to the next steps in the floor screeding process.
A DPM (damp proof membrane) will be applied after the preparation work has been finished to prevent ground moisture getting into the flooring materials and screeding. There might be 2 or 3 layers of different thickness polythene to act as barriers between the insulation layer and screed.
If your home is located in a place where radon gas is present an extra barrier layer is required to stop radon gas from seeping through. This can be just a simple airtight membrane, or in severe situations a ventilation system is installed beneath the floor screed to take away any influx of radon gas from ground level.
The final step of surface preparation is the spraying or painting of a sealant or primer. A primer assists in the screed bonding process to the base surface and different types exist depending on which screed type is being applied. Equipment such as airless sprays are used to apply a primer or sealant, which should be done by experienced screeding companies in Strood following the manufacturer's guidelines and safety advice.
If required, this is the time that underfloor heating can be installed and laid out in the correct manner. The cables and heating pipes are securely mounted on insulation panels to prevent any movement and ensure that they are positioned correctly. Under floor heating is one of the most efficient ways to heat a room and an expertly installed system will give an even warmth across the floor area.
Obviously, if you are not fitting under floor heating, you simply bypass this stage and get on with applying the floor screed. The particular requirements of the room will dictate the form of screeding that's used. After the pouring of the screed there'll be at least 24 hours (for quick drying screeds) before you can walk on the surface, and a seventy two hour minimum curing period for the laying of any floor coverings. Such periods will be increased for standard and heavy duty screeds and the manufacture's instructions should be followed to create the optimum finish and durability of the floor.
You can assess the SR level of the finished screeding as soon as it is hard enough to walk on. The standard SR test uses a 2 mtr straight edge to check for any variations in the screed surface.
- SR1 - SR1 is the best specification and permits only 3 millimetres of disparity from the straight-edge.
- SR2 - The standard flooring in commercial and industrial builds is normally SR2 and has a maximum possible deviation of 5mm across the entire floor.
- SR3 - For utility floors where the quality of finish is relatively inconsequential SR3 is the standard and should have a deviation measurement of ten millimetres or less.
There may also be a requirement for a structural engineer to do a soundness test. Using specialised equipment the engineer will verify the screeded surface strength and its suitability for use in a load bearing environment. This will include a "drop hammer test" which records specific data on the strength and flexibility of the screed. The precise measurement and testing tools needed mean that this can only be carried out by a qualified structural engineer following the guidelines of the British Standards BS8204. (Tags: Floor Screeding Services Strood, Screeding Strood, Floor Screeding Strood, Floor Screed Strood).
Latex Screeds
It is better to use a latex self-levelling floor screed when a level of flexibility is needed in the surface of a floor. Typically coming in 2 parts, latex screeds comprise a cement-based smoothing compound, and a liquid latex component. The latex liquid solution replaces the water which is used in normal screeds, making it quicker drying and more flexible.
This latex screed is used to level-out a subfloor prior to the final decorative surface being installed. This screed is suitable for sub-floors made from sand/cement, quarry tiles, wood, concrete or asphalt, is perfect for the application of flooring adhesives and gives a resilient and smooth surface. Even if there's movement on your sub-floor, this latex floor screed will provide a crack-free, flexible finish.
When installing a "floating" screed, for example when a screed is being laid on the top of a layer of thermal or acoustic insulation, screed depths of 50 to 75 millimetres may be necessary, and latex floor screeds are not suited to this purpose.
Screed Reinforcement
Improving the strength and durability of concrete screeds can be achieved by using screed reinforcement. Screeds are created by applying thin and flat layers of concrete to a base layer, resulting in a level surface. They are commonly used in construction projects for flooring, and can also be used as a finishing layer for walls and ceilings.
To enhance strength and prevent cracking, reinforcement materials like fibres, wire or steel mesh are included in the screed mixture during installation. The reinforcement helps to distribute the weight and load of the surface evenly, while also improving its resistance to impact, abrasion and thermal changes.
By decreasing the risk of shrinkage and cracking caused by changes in humidity or temperature, screed reinforcement improves both the strength and durability of screeds. The selection of screed reinforcement material for a project is based on various factors, such as load capacity, thickness and finish, and is tailored to meet specific requirements. By ensuring the structural integrity and quality of screeds, screed reinforcement provides a reliable and long-lasting surface suitable for a range of applications, making it an essential component of the screeding process in many projects.
Screeding Related Tasks
There is a variety of work that can be undertaken by your local Strood floor screeder including structural screeds, conservatory floor screeding in Strood, flow screeding, floor screed repairs, screed reinforcement in Strood, wet room floors, shop floor screeding, residential screeding Strood, acid etching concrete, decorative floor screeding Strood, final floor finishes Strood, pumped screeds, latex screeds, cheap screeding, external screeding in Strood, floor screeding advice, basement floor screeding, sand floor screeding in Strood, floor preparation services, floor screeding tools in Strood, concrete moisture testing services, polished screeding, concrete screeding, hospital floor screeding, polished concrete flooring, floor smoothing compounds in Strood, floor screed aftercare, industrial screeding in Strood, floating screed, thin bed floor screeding Strood, subfloor repair Strood, damp proof membranes, garage floor screeding, granolithic screeding, floor levelling, and lots more floor screeding tasks. Listed are just some of the duties that are conducted by those specialising in screeding. Strood professionals will be delighted to keep you abreast of their full range of screeding services.
Floor Screeding Near Strood
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