A good concrete floor screed design will include strength, bonding and compatibility with what is to be used over it – whether that be another covering or simply left as a wearing surface. If you require any technical or application support, give Rawlins Paints a call on 0113 245 5450. The traffic and load expectations of the floor will need to be taken into consideration prior to the floor screed’s application to ensure that the strength of the screed will be built to match the required specification.

The Differences Between Concrete and Screed

A key difference between screeds and concrete (which can have the same material ingredients) is that a screed is usually only as a top layer or finish to a concrete base. There is also a different texture between concrete and screed, with concrete being more coarse, rough and containing more aggregate and stones in with the sand and cement. Both floor screeds and concrete can be painted with a heavy duty concrete floor paint, also available at Rawlins Paints. Screed has a smoother texture than concrete, and is more like a mortar with its smaller aggregate components. Once laid, this makes for a much smoother and finer grain appearance than concrete.

How to Screed a Floor

At Rawlins Paints, our focus is on commercial and industrial properties, whose floor space far exceeds domestic settings. Professional applicators with experience of laying and installing these self-levelling floor screeds and compounds, will most likely have adapted their application methods to include things they find helpful to speed up the process and provide a better overall finish. For first time users and professionals alike, each resurfacing screed typically comes with an application guide, and Rawlins Paints’ blog also covers many application techniques for industrial and commercial purposes.

Sika Resurfacing Floor Screeds

SikaCem

SikaCem 810 is a modified SBR polymer admixture that is a patented latex combination of SBR, silica fume and superplasticiser. It is used for bonding and improving mortars, renders and screeds.

Sika Monotop

Sika MonoTop 620 is a one component cementitious polymer modified mortar, which can be used as a concrete pore sealer, levelling mortar and smoothing coat to repair minor defects on an internal or external concrete floor.

Sikagard

Sikagard 720 EpoCem is a 3-part cement and epoxy combination micro mortar for surface sealing that is a cementitious, thixotropic, fine textured mortar perfect for the levelling and finishing of damaged concrete, mortar or stone surfaces.

Sikafloor PurCem Range

Multi-component, resin rich, smooth coloured polyurethane modified, cement and aggregate screeds suitable for floors subject to heavy loading, abrasion and chemical exposure.

Rust-Oleum Resurfacing and Self-Levelling Floor Screeds

Rust-Oleum 6570 Basecoat Rapid SL

A rapid curing, self-levelling screed to level out uneven floors. It creates a seamless smooth base and can be walked on after 2-4 hours. It’s made of strong, durable material that is not hazardous (does not contain Portland cement) and does not shrink or crack. Ideal for warehouses, production zones, aircraft hangers and more.

Rust-Oleum Speed Screed

Rough concrete floors can be transformed rapidly and easily with this self-smoothing, hard wearing material designed to meet the demands of industrial use. Rust-Oleum Speed Screed gives a mid grey, non-dusting, slip-resistant surface that requires no further treatment before use.