UltraFloor Smoothing Underlayments

1. Separate your floor area using wooden dividers to ensure that your floor can be screeded evenly. Make sure these areas are of a manageable size due to the rapid nature of UltraFloor products. 2. Apply your screed layer, spreading the mixture with a trowel and compacting with a screed board. 3. Level your screed, using a straightedge to create a flat surface. If your screed is self-levelling this may not be necessary. 4. Repeat this process across each section of your floor, before filling in the gaps left by the dividers. You can then float your screed for a smoother finish. 5. Allow 24-48 hours for the screed to set. Depending on your floor covering, some flooring can be installed in as little as 3 days.

The term floor screeding can mean a number of different things. Screed is a concrete-like substance with a smoother mix than traditional concrete, which is often used to provide a strong foundation in flooring applications. Screeding may refer to the application of a structural subfloor, prior to the application of a final finish, or it can mean the application of a smoothing compound to a structural subfloor to remove any remove undulation, prior to applying a floor finish.

The drying time for floor screed will vary according to the dimensions and conditions of your installation, as well as the type of screed used. Floor screed is a levelling compound that is used as a base for flooring, so the required thickness will change depending on the intended usage of your floor. Most UltraFloor floor screeds can be walked on in less than 3 hours and can receive floor coverings shortly after.

It is not always necessary to screed a concrete floor. This will depend on the environment the floor is intended to be used in. It may be necessary to screed a concrete floor if there will be another layer of flooring applied on top of the screed, such as carpet, tiles, or wood flooring.

The makeup of floor screed is akin to that of concrete, but with a smoother mix. Floor screed is therefore comprised of a mixture of sand (or aggregate) and cement, though the ratio of these two ingredients will depend on your required smoothness. Typical sand and cement screed is a 1:5 or 1:6 ratio with sharp sand and cement.

Like traditional floor screed, latex floor screed can be painted due to its smoothness. The short answer to this question is yes – in many applications, you can paint latex floor screeds. However, it is only possible to do so if your latex floor screed has a wear course. As such, we always recommend seeking advice from the paint manufacturer before beginning any work.

Usually, the answer is no – screed is not waterproof. In most applications, where your screed leveller must be prepared for water ingress, it is necessary to use a DPM (Damp Proof Membrane). This can be applied atop or below the screed to create an impenetrable layer of waterproofing, and add an additional level of adhesion.