How to Screed a Floor

Would you like to find out how to screed a floor correctly rather than paying a contractor to screed your floor?

This guide uses easy-to-follow instructions and images that you can follow along with.

So, let's take a look...

What Tools Do I Need to Screed a Floor?

Below is a list of the tools you'll need to screed a floor:

• Brush
• Bucket
• Mixing tool
• Straight edge
• Trowel

What Safety Equipment Do I Need to Screed a Floor?

Here is a list of the recommended safety equipment you'll need to screed a floor:

• Safety goggles
• Gloves
• Overalls
• Dust mask

What Materials Do I Need to Screed a Floor?

Below is a list of the materials that you'll need to screed a floor:

• Water
• Bonding agent
• Cement
• Sand

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Preparing to Screed a Floor

Below is a list of things that you'll need to do to prepare for screeding a floor:

• Remove everything from the floor.
• Sweep away any dirt and debris.
• Slightly dampen the floor to reduce suction.

How to Screed a Floor Yourself — Step-by-Step Guide

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to screed a floor, although for a professional finish you should always hire a floor screeding expert.

Step 1

First of all, you will need to add water to the floor to dampen it. This will help to reduce suction.

Step 2

Next, mix bonding agent and cement according to the manufacturer's instructions as the exact measurements can vary. This will then act as your primer, although this process is only required for bonded screeds.

Step 3

Mix together the ingredients to create your screed. The mix you create will depend on the thickness of the screed you are laying and the size of the area. The floor screed mix will consist of a combination of cement, water, and sand.

Step 4

Next, apply the primer to the floor in a thin layer using a brush. Bonding primer can dry in about 15 minutes, so it's important to have the screed mixed and ready to apply first.

You should prime a small area at a time, so the screed can always be applied to wet primer.

Step 5

Begin to lay the screed using a trowel and level it off with a straight edge.

Step 6

For the floor screed to be successful, you will have to work in bits so that it's level. Complete a small area at a time by laying down the mixture and using a batten to create a level surface. Use a trowel to spread the mixture before levelling it with the batten.

Step 7

If you notice any dips on the surface, simply add some more mixture and continue to level it out using your trowel and batten.

Step 8

Once you have covered the entire floor and you're happy that it's level, you will need to cure it. Cover the floor with a polythene sheet and leave it to cure for at least 5 days.

Step 9

After at least 5 days, you can then take the polythene sheet away and allow the drying process to start. You will need to leave the floor until the surface is completely dried out, which takes around 1 day per millimetre of thickness for the first 50mm, in dry, warm (20°C) conditions. This slows to a day and a half per millimetre of thickness beyond the first 50mm. Screed in cold, damp rooms can take considerably longer to dry.

Step 10

Once your surface is completely dry, the job is then complete.

Types of Floor Screeding

Below is a list of the different types of floor screed:

Bonded Screed

A bonded screed will be bonded to the substrate with a binding agent or a primer. This type of screed is ideal for thinner flooring sections that are designed for holding up heavier options.

Pros

• ✔ Durable.
• ✔ Can hold up heavy objects.

Cons

• ✖ Requires primer.

Unbonded Screed

This type of floor screed is not applied directly to the sub-floor but is instead separated by a damp-proof membrane or a base that hasn't been prepared for bonding. Unbonded screeds need to be at least 50mm thick and can be sand and cement or calcium sulphate.

Pros

• ✔ Not bonded directly to the floor.
• ✔ Can be laid over a damp-proof membrane.

Cons

• ✖ More likely to curl at the edges and joints.

Floating Screed

A floating screed is applied above the insulation boards, so the boards need to be strong enough for the screed to be compacted onto them. It needs to be at least 65mm thick and kept away from walls and pipes by using edging foam.

Pros

• ✔ Can be laid over floor insulation.
• ✔ Can be used with underfloor heating.

Cons

• ✖ Requires the right kind of insulation.
• ✖ Could be prone to cracking with shrinkage.

Some professional companies will use liquid floor screed or latex floor screed, as although separate products, both can create a smooth finish by simply pouring the mixture onto the surface without the need for a straight edge for levelling.

However, these types of floor screed tend to be difficult to apply if you don't have the right tools or skills to do so, so these screeds should be left to the professionals.

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Getting the Right Floor Screed Mix

A traditional and common screed is generally made up of a mix of one part cement to four parts sand. The consistency tends to be a relatively dry yet firm consistency that can hold together under pressure.

It is usually mixed in a cement mixer on-site so that the mixture is prepared and ready to apply right away as soon as it's needed.

This type of screed requires minimal preparation and can easily be applied to the room using a trowel and straight edge (as we've explained in our step-by-step guide).

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