With a deep history of construction and renovation projects, Birmingham contractors have long trusted traditional sand cement screeds for subfloors. However, modern building standards and technology have advanced far beyond these outdated materials prone to cracking, moisture issues and uneven surfaces incompatible with underfloor heating.
Why Traditional Screeds Fall Short
A hurried manual installation makes traditional screeds in Birmingham appealing to install quickly and cheaply. But as the sand/cement mixture dries over months, shrinking and cracking occur easily. The result is an unreliable surface needing frequent repairs and is unusable for many modern floor coverings.
With no barriers against vapour seeping upwards, traditional screeds also allow dampness into floors which breeds mould and ruins carpeting or wood surfaces over time. This preventable damage is exacerbated in Birmingham’s old buildings.
Site-mixed traditional screeds also fail to offer level smoothness up to strict SR2 tolerances now often required. And with no inbuilt adhesive qualities, extra work is needed to bond floor layers properly.
Liquid Screed – The Modern Birmingham Standard
Advanced seamless liquid screeds solve all the problems of traditional screeds in Birmingham using precise blends and modern binding solutions to create superior subfloors ready for today’s needs.
Resin and anhydrite liquid screeds pour as a fluid self-levelling mix that cures evenly with no shrinkage, cracks or uneven spots up to SR1 tolerances. Flexible synthetic latex or plant-based binders prevent surface issues despite settlement shifts.
Impermeable screed layers also protect floors by eliminating moisture transfer and vapour ingress through an airtight barrier. Liquid screeds are comfortable for added in-slab heating pipes.
With built-in bonding traits, liquid screeds adhere firmly to any subsurface from concrete to wood without extra installation steps. Thicker application in one pour is also simpler than multiple layers of traditional sand and cement mixes.
Modern specification manuals, building codes and public planning regulations now recognise liquid screeds as the preferred flooring option over outdated varieties.
Birmingham’s historic buildings and construction industry deserve flooring solutions built to last without constant repairs from cracking issues. Liquid screeds offer seamless high performance that satisfies today’s quality standards.
Contact Top Mix to upgrade your next residential or commercial project with durable liquid screeds. Or learn more about the limitations of traditional mixes compared to modern innovations.