Screed drying and the programme
Screed drying sets the programme for every trade after it. Sand and cement: about one day per mm for the first 50 mm (BS 8204-1), then about 2 days a mm, so 65 mm takes around 80 days and 75 mm around 100 days. Liquid screeds: 1 mm a day to 40 mm, then 2 days a mm.
Underfloor heating can force dry calcium sulphate from day 7 and cement-based liquid screed from day 14; fast-drying sand and cement screeds can take flooring in days. Plan the screed's drying into the programme, not after it.
Free, no obligation. One local screeding contractor prices it, not five.
Drying days by depth
| Depth | Sand and cement (BS 8204-1) | Liquid screed |
|---|---|---|
| 35 mm | 35 days | 35 days |
| 40 mm | 40 days | 40 days |
| 45 mm | 45 days | 50 days |
| 50 mm | 50 days | 60 days |
| 65 mm | 80 days | 90 days |
| 75 mm | 100 days | 110 days |
Milestones after the pour
| Sand and cement | Calcium sulphate | Cement liquid (cement-based liquid screed) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foot traffic | About 7 days | 24 to 48 hours | 24 to 48 hours |
| Curing | Covered at least 5 days | Self-curing | No extra curing |
| Building opened | After curing | From 48 hours | After 7 days |
| Loading | After 7 days | Light partitions to 50 kg/m² | |
| Heating on | When dry enough: follow the heating maker | Day 7, up to 50°C | Day 14, up to 45°C |
| Fast-drying option | Fast-drying sand and cement: 75% RH in about 4 days at 50 mm, 6 days at 75 to 100 mm (at 20°C) | Force drying | Liquid DPM |
Sequencing the work on site
- BeforeRoof on, windows in or sealed, first fix done, heating pipes down and pressure tested, DPM and insulation laid. Site readiness.
- ScreedNobody else in the rooms on the day. Liquid screed is closed up for 48 hours or 7 days (cement-based liquid screed).
- PlasteringWet work adds moisture to the air. Moisture from the screed and the plaster has to be ventilated out, or drying slows.
- Drying
Heat, ventilation and dehumidifiers. Not gas heaters: they raise the humidity.- Heating commissioned Typically a 21-day cycle, before any floor finish.
- Test, then floor
75% RH for most finishes, tested by the flooring contractor.Winter
A cement-based liquid screed is laid with the air inside between 5°C and 20°C, and kept above 5°C after. Met Éireann's 1991–2020 means put January at about 5°C in most of the midlands (4.7°C at Mullingar, 5.0°C at Portlaoise and Naas). So a winter pour needs the building closed and heated, and the drying days above stretch. Each county page gives its own winter figures.
Screed laid by the contractor who takes your call
Calls on this site ring JAM Floor Screeding: James Mulhall, based in Portlaoise, 25 years laying floors. Lines open Mon to Sat, 7am to 6pm. These are his jobs.
Levelling compound over underfloor heating 
Sand and cement screed, new build 
Commercial floor screed “JAM were punctual, professional and efficient and did an outstanding job on pouring our new floor as part of a renovation. Very highly recommend!”
“Excellent work, laser level finish, neat and tidy worker, highly recommend.”
“Top class work by james and his crew, highly recommend”
Quoted word for word from JAM Floor Screeding's Google reviews. Read them on Google
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Floor Screeding guides & price breakdowns
Straight answers to what people ask most: itemised costs, specifications, planning or grants, and what to check before you book.
Cost & Pricing GuideScreeding price per m²Screeding price per m² in Ireland: how a rate is built. How contractors price, what the materials cost, and a job sheet builder.Read the guide →Timeline & PreparationSite readiness for screedingSite readiness checklist for screeding: weathertight, 5–20°C, DPM, radon, insulation, perimeter strip, taped polythene, tested pipes, levels and access.Read the guide →Specification GuideWorking with a screeding contractorScreeding contractors for builders and self-builders: what they do, what they need from you, and the questions that separate one price from another.Read the guide →Specification GuideIndustrial and farm floorsIndustrial and farm floors: when it's a levelling screed and when it's concrete, BS 8204-2 wearing surfaces, S.100 farm concrete and S.128A resurfacing.Read the guide →More guides & resources: All guides & calculator hub · Technical & trade glossary · Frequently asked questions · All areas covered · About this site
Drying and programme questions
How long does a 65 mm screed take to dry?
About 80 days in good conditions: one day per mm to 50 mm (BS 8204-1), then about 2 days a mm. Our sums from the BS 8204-1 rule.
How long does liquid screed take to dry?
1 mm a day to 40 mm, then 2 days a mm. 40 mm: about 40 days; 50 mm: about 60.
When can other crews walk on a new screed?
Liquid screeds after 24 to 48 hours. Sand and cement is cured for about 7 days.
How can drying be speeded up on a programme?
Thinner screeds, fast-drying additives, force drying with the heating (calcium sulphate from day 7), dehumidifiers, and keeping wet work and gas heaters out.
Floor Screeding across all 26 counties
Requests from all 26 counties go to one vetted local specialist who covers your county — from Dublin, Cork, Galway and Limerick to Kildare, Meath, Wicklow, Waterford and Donegal. Pick your county below for local prices, specifications and advice. Compare all areas covered →
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- Drying