calcium sulphate screeds take forever to dry

[Spud]

I have a job local to me where the customer was sold a calcium sulphate screed as a fast track floor solution fot their project, the screed was done back beginging of july and is still not dry enough to tile , I spent hundreds of pounds on moisture and humidity testing equipment and even have a gypsum based an anhydrite adhesive from tile master waitng to stick the tiles down, in some areas the humity of the floor is 93% the heating has been run to dry out the floor and the customers cant get their job finished due to using this type of flooring what a load of rubbish

 

[Gazzer]

I have same problem on 2 of my jobs. Builder swears blind never to use them again.

 

[Daz]

Frustrating for you and your customer Gary.
I have tiled a few of these and, admittedly, it has been a good 10 to 16 weeks from pour. I used Nicobond anhydrite addy and "touch wood" I've not had any issues.

 

[White Room]

I've not done one but looks like I would be taking the first exit.....

 

[Ian]

I'm quite surprised it's not dried especially when the heating has been run through it. They are a pain I agree. I don't have any issues with tiling on them but, like you say, it's weeks if not months and countless tests before you can get to that point.

 

[Ajax123]

I have a job local to me where the customer was sold a calcium sulphate screed as a fast track floor solution fot their project, the screed was done back beginging of july and is still not dry enough to tile , I spent hundreds of pounds on moisture and humidity testing equipment and even have a gypsum based an anhydrite adhesive from tile master waitng to stick the tiles down, in some areas the humity of the floor is 93% the heating has been run to dry out the floor and the customers cant get their job finished due to using this type of flooring what a load of rubbish

Is this a "low Laitance" screed by any chance Gary?? And do you know what heating cycle they have done and what depth of screed it is?

 

[thompsonbrown]

Did a cemex Screed last year, took over 4 month to dry.

 

[Gazzer]

I have no issues tiling to them but as Bri says its the testing and explaining to the client....some times I feel like a parrot when telling them......and then they always say the same thing.....why were we not told all this by the screeder ?....Why indeed ?

When it comes to the testing as well ts the cost of a Hygrometer or 3 and the travelling an time to do the tests, wouldnt be so bad if it could be done in one go but you cant !

 

[Ian]

Testing needs to charged for IMO. But do you run the risk of losing the job? It's a bit like charging to quote.

 

[Ajax123]

you could always give the client a "free" hygrometer with their order and put the cost in the price of the job. Some screeders do that and it seems to work ok.

 

[Ian]

you could always give the client a "free" hygrometer with their order and put the cost in the price of the job. Some screeders do that and it seems to work ok.

Thats all good and well if they use me for the job, if they don't I've lost £70!

 

[Gazzer]

Thats all good and well if they use me for the job, if they don't I've lost £70!

Plus you have to believe they do the test properly !

 

[Ian]

Plus you have to believe they do the test properly !

Lol, yeah! I can imagine it now "we did the test and it's 75% RH" course it is! :lol:

 

[bugs183]

I'll stay outta this thread, :mad2:

 

[Spud]

No not a low laitence screed ,free hygrometer what a load of nonsense I purchased the protimeter floor testing kit cost 450 plus vat came with 1 foam testing box I decided to buy 2 more boxes that you can plug the hygrometer into at 26 pounds each ago and 3 digital boxes lucky I did as over the 6 rooms they were placed in all 6 readings were different ranging from 68 percent to 93 one hygrometer would not be enough to give an accurate reading of any average sized floor these screeds do not dry out quickly v

 

[Ian]

It's a bit of a worry really as we've had some warm weather over the past few months. Is it fair to say our climate isn't particularly suited to this type of screed?

 

[Ajax123]

Thats all good and well if they use me for the job, if they don't I've lost £70!

No you give it free WITH the order to tile....

 

[Ian]

No you give it free WITH the order to tile....

Ok fair enough, include it in the deposit, type thing. Problem is it may well be a couple of months from deposit to actually tiling, I could see a few restless customers on the cards.

 

[bugs183]

No not a low laitence screed ,free hygrometer what a load of nonsense I purchased the protimeter floor testing kit cost 450 plus vat came with 1 foam testing box I decided to buy 2 more boxes that you can plug the hygrometer into at 26 pounds each ago and 3 digital boxes lucky I did as over the 6 rooms they were placed in all 6 readings were different ranging from 68 percent to 93 one hygrometer would not be enough to give an accurate reading of any average sized floor these screeds do not dry out quickly v

I looked into all this Gary. Spoke to all the moisture testing companies, adhesives companies, screed manufacturers. Everyone said something different. I gave up in the end! Most of the builders i use had problems with this screeds be it the mix not drying, dodgy pours etc, so they've all gone back to sand and cement.