What is floor screed used for?

When it comes to construction projects, it’s all about ensuring you use the most cost-effective approach possible in order to achieve the best results. And when it comes to underfloor heating, not only will this system help to distribute heat more evenly throughout the building, it also results in lower energy costs.

With that in mind, if you want to install underfloor heating in your next construction project, you may have come across the term “floor screed” before – but do you know what is floor screed used for?

In our latest blog post, we take a closer look at floor screed to help you understand what floor screed is used for and how it forms part of an underfloor heating installation. Read on to find out more and get yourself up to speed.

What is floor screed?

Put simply, a floor screed can be applied onto solid in-situ concrete ground floor slabs any insulation layer or alternatively onto precast concrete beams.

What is floor screed made of?

Floor screed is usually made of a material that has similar properties to concrete, produced from a 1:3 or 1:4.5 ratio of cement to sharp sand, and can also comprise of cementitious and latex products as well as anhydrite binders and water.

What is floor screed used for?

Floor screed is most commonly used to level out a concrete sub-base, especially when it is particularly uneven, as well as giving more tolerance in the application of sensitive floor finishes and supporting stress during the drying process.

In regards to underfloor heating, floor screed is used to cover and bury the pipes that are used in the system, therefore helping to deliver the best performance and aid the transport of heat.

What types of floor screed are there?

The three most commonly used types of floor screed are:

• Traditional screeds: This is most commonly used to create a level surface in the final finish of a floor made up of sand cement
• Self-levelling compounds: When a greater degree of tolerance is required for the application of sensitive floor finishes, this is applied to the top layer of a screed, with varying thicknesses from 1mm to 40mm, this is also commonly known as latex
• Reinforced screeds: Through the use of fibres or metal mesh, this is used to support stress upon the screed that can occur during the drying process. In addition, curling, cracking and shrinkage can also be prevented.
• Liquid screeds: Also know as free-flowing or Anhydrite screeds, these can be installed quickly and easily in a range of commercial and domestic environments.

Where is floor screed used?

Floor screed is used across a range of construction projects but is most commonly found in commercial units, schools, housing, retail units and airports.

UKS Group is the UK’s largest and most experienced underfloor heating and flooring specialist. To find out more about our underfloor heating services, contact the sales team today by calling 0117 907 7298 or emailing info@uksgroup.co.uk.