The Benefits of Liquid Screeding in Underfloor Heating Systems

Underfloor heating is an excellent way to keep your home warm and comfortable. It distributes heat evenly across your interior space, and it eliminates the need to install radiators, hence more space for décor and furniture. Lastly, it creates a clean look if you desire a minimalist approach to interior design.

An integral element to underfloor heating is screeding installation. Screed plays an important role in building construction as it delivers a smooth and level surface on top of structural cement and optimises underfloor heating systems.

Liquid screed is becoming more popular in UK residential and commercial building construction. But before we discuss its benefits, let’s take a look at its difference from traditional screed.

Liquid screed vs. traditional screed

Traditional cement screed and liquid screed are the two most common types of material used in flooring systems in the UK. While both offer a high-quality finish, their composition is different from one another.

Traditional screed is made from mixing sand, cement, and water. Sand screed or traditional screeding is material laid on top of an uneven subfloor providing a more levelled base on which final flooring touches such as carpeting, laminate, tile, and solid wood are installed on. It is also poured over and around underfloor heating pipes and other services primarily for coverage.

Liquid screed is a flowing cementitious screed that uses calcium sulphate instead of cement. It has a higher amount of water than cement which makes a smoother more delicate finish. It is poured in situ and dries at a faster rate than traditional cement.

Benefits of liquid screed

Here are the benefits of using liquid screed over traditional cement for underfloor heating systems.

• No air gaps. A distinct advantage of installing liquid screed is that it covers the subfloor heating entirely. Installation by reputable floor screeding contractors means there are no air gaps that can slow down or prevent efficient transference of heat throughout the surface. Liquid screed is up to 100% more efficient in terms of heat transference.
• Quicker drying time. Liquid screed is ideal for construction projects that are subject to strict time constraints. Unlike traditional screeding that takes more than a week to dry, liquid screeding can be force dried in just a few days. Its quick-drying feature means that you can get the space up and running in less than two days.
• Low shrinkage. Liquid screed made from calcium sulphate is known for its low shrinkage quality. There is a minimal probability of shrinkage or cracking. This is true for flowing screeds and cement and anhydrite-based liquid screeds.
• Superior durability. Liquid screen can be laid down in thinner layers than cement screed. A thin layer of liquid screed is proven to be stronger and more durable than thicker layers of traditional screeding made from sand and cement. The thinner layer of screed also means that contractors can install a thicker layer of floor insulation.

Lastly, a thinner layer of screeding results in enhanced build design and structural integrity.

The benefits of liquid screed over traditional floor screed are plentiful. With its durability, longer-lasting quality, energy efficiency, and quick drying time, it only makes sense that it is a preferred underflooring screeding solution for modern residential and commercial construction projects.