Short answer: before the screeding team arrives, the building should be weathertight, the insulation, membrane and edge strip laid, any underfloor heating pressure-tested, and there should be clear access and parking for the pump and deliveries. A ready site means a better floor and avoids paying for a return visit.
The building
- Roof on, windows and external doors fitted or boarded, so rain and draughts are kept out
- Temperature above about 5°C, and no frost forecast for the first days
- Wet trades such as plastering finished, or planned so they do not slow drying
The floor
- Insulation laid flat and tight, with no rocking boards
- Membranes lapped and taped, and turned up the walls
- Edge strip fitted to every wall, column, pipe and door frame
- Underfloor heating pipes clipped down, filled and pressure-tested, and left under pressure
- Door thresholds and finished floor levels agreed and marked
Access and logistics
- Parking for the pump, and for a delivery lorry if liquid screed is being delivered
- The hose route from the road to the room clear, with any delicate surfaces protected
- Water supply available
- Permits or parking suspensions arranged in controlled zones
After the pour
- Keep the rooms closed for the first 24 to 48 hours, then ventilate steadily
- No foot traffic until we say it is ready
- Follow the heating start-up schedule we give you
See liquid screed, underfloor heating screed, or book a date.
Written by Ben Phillips, director of Chelmsford Floor Screeding Ltd, floor screeding contractors based in Billericay with 20+ years of experience across Essex and London. More about us.