What is screed? Screed is a thin top layer covering a concrete subfloor, often comprised of cement and sharp sand. By employing a coarse aggregate of 6–10 mm, the industrial screed can be used for heavier-duty tasks.
It covers structural flooring concrete and can be applied to a solid, in-situ or precast concrete floor slab. It can also be applied to insulating materials and is perfect for concealing underfloor heating pipes.
Its purpose is to furnish a smooth, flat surface so that other finishing materials, such as carpet, tile or floorboards, can be laid on top.
Additionally, it can assist in leveling a floor surface to guarantee that it is secure and safe; as a general guideline, a floor should be leveled for a distance of 3 meters of no more than 5mm. Let us discuss more the question of what is screed. And the requirements based on the projects.
What is screed: Screed and Concrete
While cement, aggregate, and water are the same ingredients in both screed and concrete, the difference is that concrete is much coarser and contains more hard-core aggregates to enhance strength. On the other hand, the screed uses more fine particles to achieve a smooth finish.
A screed generally costs more than concrete and mortar.
What is a screed: Screed Types
There are three primary varieties of concrete, and the one needed depends on the base. It can be applied as a floating layer of insulating material, such as underfloor heating, or it can be laid unbonded on top of a damp-proof membrane.
Depending on the use, the minimum required thickness of each type of screed will change. The screed will need to be thicker the more heavy-duty the application, such as in industrial or high-traffic areas.
Nevertheless, as a general guideline, the minimum thickness needed for light-duty domestic applications should range from 25 mm for a typically bonded screed to 65 mm for a screed over underfloor heating pipes or a floating screed. We always recommend you speak with your building contractor or engineer, who is familiar with the particular needs of your construction site.
The screed can be strengthened with polypropylene fibres, fine glass, or metal mesh if required.
What is screed?: The cost to Screed a Floor
The amount of screeding required for a floor relies on several variables, including the price and quality of the screed used as well as the size and depth of the floor space. Giving precise pricing can be difficult because the elements differ.
Screed in Malta
By considering the area of the work site and the type of screed the project requires, We deliver the screed in a few different ways. Here at Kibitec, We dispatch a vehicle to mix your screed to the proper consistency before depositing it on the work site and wheelbarrowing it to the desired area. Other businesses can offer a specialized screed pumping service. A screed pump differs from a concrete pump in that it discharges a dry screed mixture into the desired place.
