Site readiness for screeding
A screed crew can't start until the building is ready for them, and a crew stood down costs everyone. These ten checks come from what the screeds need and the Building Regulations. Tick them off before you book the date.
Liquid screed is less forgiving than sand and cement: it runs into every gap, so the base has to be sealed.
Free, no obligation. One local screeding contractor prices it, not five.
The ten checks
- WeathertightRoof on, windows and doors in or sealed with polythene, insulation or ply. Weatherproof before screeding.
- Temperature
Internal air 5°C to 20°C for cement-based liquid screed. In winter, closed and heated.- DPM
A damp-proof membrane below the screed or slab on a ground floor.- Radon
In a High Radon Area, the radon barrier installed and the standby sump in (EPA: a sump in every building since 1 July 1998).- Insulation
Flat to the base with no rocking; at least 100 kPa compressive strength under cement-based liquid screed. A new dwelling's ground floor U-value: 0.18 W/m²K, or 0.15 with underfloor heating (TGD L).- Perimeter strip Round every wall, column and upstand: 8 mm, or 10 mm with heating.
- Membrane over insulation
For liquid screed: at least 500 gauge polythene, lapped 100 mm and taped, flat, no foil tape.- Heating and services
Pipes clipped at least every 400 mm and pressure tested, preferably with water. Services in ducts where possible.- Levels and joints
Datum marked, finished floor levels confirmed, joint positions agreed: over structural joints and between heating zones.- Access
Room for the truck or mixer near the building, a hose route, and the floors clear of other crews on the day. - Temperature
Before the day
- Drawings to the screeder: floor plans with areas, the section through each floor type, and heating zone layouts.
- The programme, with the floors that are ready and the ones that follow.
- Who supplies what: insulation, perimeter strip, polythene, joint formers.
- The drying plan: heat, ventilation, dehumidifiers, no gas heaters.
The checklist for a single house, written for homeowners, is on liquidscreed.ie.
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.
“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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Site readiness questions
What needs to be done before screeding?
Building weathertight, DPM and insulation down, perimeter strip fitted, services and heating pipes down and tested, levels marked, access clear.
Can screed be laid before the windows are in?
The building should be as weathertight as possible, with the roof on and openings sealed with polythene, insulation or ply.
What temperature is needed for screeding?
The air inside between 5°C and 20°C when a liquid screed is laid, and above 5°C after.
Do heating pipes need testing before screed?
Yes. Pressure test them, ideally with water, before the screed.
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