Screed & industrial floors

The ideal surface for your home!

Screed is an essential component of any floor structure.

At B.O.T Estrichbau GmbH, we are experts in the field of screed and offer high-quality solutions for residential and commercial properties. Our experienced specialists ensure the professional laying of screed that is not only stable and durable, but also offers optimum protection against moisture and efficient thermal insulation.

Screed is an indispensable element in many commercial buildings. They not only provide a solid foundation, but also fulfil specific requirements in terms of durability, load-bearing capacity and functionality. Whether it’s production facilities, warehouses, workshops or other commercial spaces, screed and industrial floors are the ideal choice.

There are different types of screed, which are selected depending on the purpose and individual requirements.

With us, you not only get high-quality screed, but also comprehensive advice to help you make the best choice for your project.

Our experts are at your side now!

What types of screed are there?

Screeds are categorised according to their binders:

Floating screed lies on an expressly suitable and sufficiently resilient impact sound insulation board or heat-insulating layer made of mineral fibres, plastics or natural insulating materials. It is movable on its base and has no direct connection to the neighbouring building components. It is used to improve the thermal or impact sound insulation of the floor construction. An edge strip is required to ensure that the screed has no contact at any point. The screed should be at least 4 cm thick.

Screed on a separating layer is separated from the load-bearing substrate by a thin intermediate layer. The separating layer must be water-repellent and is usually designed as a 0.1 mm thick PE film. The surface of the load-bearing substrate should not have any point-like elevations, loose components or mortar residue. Screed on a separating layer is applied when ceilings are subject to high bending loads or the load-bearing concrete is water-repellent.

Bonded screed is a screed that is permanently bonded to the load-bearing concrete. Perfect adhesion largely determines the quality of the bonded screed. Accordingly, sufficient roughness of the base concrete is an essential prerequisite for a good screed. The bonded screed is particularly suitable if the floor is exposed to particularly high mechanical stresses.

Heated screed underfloor heating systems are increasingly being used today. Underfloor heating is characterised by comfort and the avoidance of cold feet. Heated screed is a heatable screed that is usually designed as a screed on an insulating layer. The composition of heated screed is basically no different from normal screed, but it must not corrode the heating pipes. It must not contain any aggressive components that could damage the plastic pipes. The screed cover of the heating system is usually at least 45 mm.

Rapid screed is an ideal product for interior areas in residential, office and administrative buildings as well as hotels, schools, nurseries, etc. It can be walked on and laid in a very short time. Due to the very fast drying time, construction times can be extremely shortened with rapid screeds. The disadvantage of this screed is its relatively low compressive strength of approx. 20 N/mm, which limits its use to certain areas.

Industrial screed is primarily installed in industrial or commercial premises. It is also used in warehouses of all kinds, multi-storey car parks and airport facilities. This screed must be able to withstand considerable stress, e.g. from pedestrian and vehicle traffic. The advantages are high mechanical strength, high heat resistance, good chemical resistance and high abrasion resistance.

Cement screed is probably the most commonly used type of screed. It contains almost the same components as concrete and is therefore also known as a concrete screed. It is particularly resistant to water after hardening, but does not have particularly good insulating properties. Its use should be avoided for floor areas of more than 36 square metres, as cracks can potentially form.

Due to its good strength values and high resistance to moisture, it is particularly suitable for indoor and outdoor use. It is also known as a heating screed for laying underfloor heating systems. The drying time until it is ready for covering is between 20 and 30 days.

Calcium sulphate screed
Another popular type of screed is anhydrite screed – or calcium sulphate screed. As it conducts heat particularly well and causes little tension, it is particularly popular as a heating screed. Calcium sulphate (burnt gypsum) is used as a binder here. Its great advantage over cement screed is that it can be walked on much faster. It is also dimensionally stable and crack-free. The addition of synthetic resin dispersions further increases its strength. Calcium sulphate screed is processed in the same way as cement screed.

Conventional anhydrite screed
Anhydrite screed is conventionally mixed in the same way as cement screed, but with anhydrite as a binder rather than cement. Anhydrite binder is gypsum-based and therefore not suitable for outdoor use.

Epoxy resin screed is a robust and resistant screed that is particularly suitable for wet areas such as level-access showers or laundry rooms. The advantages are water resistance, load-bearing capacity and flexibility, while the disadvantages are high costs and the need for additional floor covering.

Lightweight screed is an alternative to conventional cement screed. Lightweight aggregates made of expanded shale are added to the screed, which can reduce the total weight by around a third for the same screed thickness. In addition to cement, a lightweight screed also contains additives that make the screed lighter. A ready-to-use lightweight screed is a quick-hardening, hydraulically bound levelling insulation.

 

How long does it take for the screed to dry?

For the subsequent installation of a floor covering, it is necessary that the screed is sufficiently dry. It is particularly important to observe the drying time if underfloor heating has also been installed. Otherwise, consequential damage can quickly occur. The drying time depends on various factors:

• Screed type
• Thickness of the screed layer laid
• Type of post-treatment
• Laying method of the screed
• Ventilation and room climate

Screed that is laid together with underfloor heating generally dries faster than unheated screed. If the screed has a certain residual moisture content, then a sufficient drying time has been achieved. This is also known as the equilibrium moisture content. Once this condition has been reached, further floor construction can begin.

 

How much does a square metre of screed cost?

There are many factors that determine the price of screed construction. Some of them are listed here:

• How high is the screed structure?
• What type of screed should be used?
• Will additives be used for faster drying?
• How large is the volume of the project?
• and many other factors.

But we can reassure you. We will always find a way together with you to find a high-quality screed at an affordable price.