DIY liquid floor screed.....bad idea?

[24sevenv24]

Hi All

After getting a £1250 quote for 18m2 of floor screed at 50mm, I thought I would investigate other options. I will require liquid screed for my extension with underfloor heating. I cannot go for a dry screed as I only have 50mm to work with.

Has anyone ever DIY'ed liquid floor screed? I see it is not recommended but I'm struggling to see why...

1:3 liquid mix of sand / cement with added fibres. 6-7 batches mixed up in a paddle mixer making sure to get ratios exact every time. Possibly an added additive for speedier drying. I would set floor level tripods in various places levels with my lazer level and would Wheelbarrow the mix in onto prefilled/pressurised underfloor heating pipes.....all for under 300 quid....is this really a bad idea? What am I missing

Advice welcome. Thank you

 

[pcaouolte]

What am I missing

I expect that you would be missing a flat floor. A good tradesman would get that floor within a few millimetres of flat and level all over. I suspect that DIY wont get close.

 

[24sevenv24]

I expect that you would be missing a flat floor. A good tradesman would get that floor within a few millimetres of flat and level all over. I suspect that DIY wont get close.

But it would be a flowing liquid? is it any different to someone mixing up their own self levelling floor screed which is done all the time by Diyers...

 

[pcaouolte]

I have yet to see self levelling compound actually laid level by a DIYer.

 

[stuart45]

You only get one shot at it going over UFH, so it's a gamble getting the mix and the laying spot on if you've never done it before.
I've mixed my own for small areas adding SBR, but wouldn't fancy it for a room with pipes.
Weber make ready made bags for small areas, but you'd need over 60 for that at around £20 a bag.
Let us know if you have a go.
An extra point if you are using bags of sand is getting the exact amount of water into the mix, as sand varies in how much water it's holding.

 

[cdbe]

Add some SBR. I think you're after a "bonded" screed. If it gets away from you just finish a bit low and put a thin coat of SLC on later.

Or get another quote, that's ridiculous for one room - presumably not worth their while.

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

I did my garage once, first time ever as a newbie. I used proper stuff, whisked up in a bucket. It was OK for a garage but not good enough for a room in the house. Had a few humps and bubbles.

 

[24sevenv24]

Thanks for the replies. I must say it does make me a little nervous! What would you say a reasonable price should be for this amount of screed supplied and pumped by a company?

 

[SpecialK]

Get some more quotes? I had southern liquid screeds do mine a few years back. 9x3m at 55mm and it was £1k... extra £150 to have it "sanded"

Well worth just getting it done by someone.

You can hire out a screed mixing pumping thing to DIY it? Or just order it straight off a truck if you are feeling brave.

 

[Notch7]

I cannot go for a dry screed as I only have 50mm to work with

Mapei top cem will do 50mm min I think for floating floors

or maybe their renovation screed.

 

[martygturner]

Its pretty easy, just put it down accordaing to the manufacuters max fill height...just use hire a tub mixer eg https://www.speedyservices.com/hire...Altrad-Belle-Tubmix-50-Screed-Mixer-110v-30kg. At 50mm you could easily forgo the screed and put down a resin floor.

If you want a self level use some https://www.flooringtoolsdirect.com/spiked-shoes, these allow aeration of the self level so it settles pretty flat and a float on a stick to smooth off the surface.