floor screed - vid clip

[Diamond Pool Finishers]

nearly every swimming pool i do i screed myselfe, with these days a labourer but iused to do it all on my own!! when i started it would take me all day , by the time i was in my mid-twentys it would take me 3-4 hours then i noticed it was taking me most of the day again!! 51 so now have labourer and i'am back to 3-4 hour's just laying!! happy -day's

 

[Rob Z]

same as me phil, i have just bought a BRAND NEW STRAIGHT EDGE aly one!! can't wait to try it ,my old aly straight edge i have had for 25 year's from rapina &the new one is from them as well but it's not as wide,in the box section a mate of mine he is a full time screeder 25 ton's a day man recomended them he said they are so much easyer to use!! so ill give anything a go if it make's life easyer me!!

Dave, I know what you mean about having a great straightedge. I'm still bitter about losing a nice 4' magnesium straightedge on a job 8+ years ago!:mad2::incazzato:

 

[Rob Z]

FYI , here's a tip in case it helps someone.

We've modified the "dot/tile" method for SLC over concrete slabs. We set pieces of small mosaic tile (1" X 1") in small blobs of Laticrete rapid setting epoxy, and level the upper surface of the mosaic with a laser. The epoxy sets up within minutes, and we can prime and prep the area as normal for SLC.

Then, when pouring the SLC, gauge your placement of the liquid so it just barely comes above the surface of the mosaic dot. If you do it correctly, the surface tension of the SLC will "bulge" around the mosaic dot and won't flow over the tile. Then, with your SLC rake, you can swoosh the liquid in that area a bit and the surface tension of the SLC will break and it will flow just barely across the tile.

We'll do 25-30 bag pours with just 3 of us, and as we say it's all "asses and elbows" while you're mixing and pouring and raking. There's no time at that point to worry about getting the levels right.

If someone hasn't already tried this method, I hope it helps on your next job.

 

[The Legend; Phil Hobson RIP]

Hi Rob this is the way I use runners for SLC, using rapid set polymer sand and cement runners, put in from small tile dots set by laser. Same idea really.

 

[Ken Bruty]

Here's another slant on it to get floor level regardless of the thickness of slc needed, find the highest point in the floor drill a shallow hole plug it and set a screw head 3mm above the surface, repeat this every 50 - 100cm or whatever you feel comfortable with trowelling level. Use your spirit level from the first one and adjust screw until level, repeat over the whole area, pour your slc level with the screw heads and trowel where necessary, you will now have a flat level floor, if you can't drill into the floor, use some rapid tile adhesive to stick small plastic packing shims to the concrete of varying thicknesses to get your levels.

 

[Scott]

Wish i had seent this before i did the screed in my porch!

 

[jay]

Wish i had seent this before i did the screed in my porch!

didnt go the way you wanted

 

[Scott]

didnt go the way you wanted

That is the understatement of the year, its truly awful. The only saving grace is its only about 2000x1300, i know what your thinking, how canit be that small and that bad?

I had to get it done in a hurry and didnt have enough time/material to do it in one hit and i think that was my down fall. Standing on a par of step fitting a light the step were rocking all over the place. It will be fine though as im going to tile it anyway.

 

[jay]

That is the understatement of the year, its truly awful. The only saving grace is its only about 2000x1300, i know what your thinking, how canit be that small and that bad?

I had to get it done in a hurry and didnt have enough time/material to do it in one hit and i think that was my down fall. Standing on a par of step fitting a light the step were rocking all over the place. It will be fine though as im going to tile it anyway.

you could always remove and re do if you are not happy with it its a good skill to learn very handy at times

 

[Scott]

you could always remove and re do if you are not happy with it its a good skill to learn very handy at times

Its such a small area i cant be bothered and to be honest its such a pain as its the main entrance to the house. I will however earn from my mistakes

Ill post a pic on here when i refurb the downstairs to show you an out of level screed that you wouldnt believe

 

[Ajax123]

hand laying and hand compacting screeds won't be allowed before too many years I think. Good old health and safety.

The issue I find most people have with sand cement screeds is they use them much too dry.

 

[jay]

hand laying and hand compacting screeds won't be allowed before too many years I think. Good old health and safety.

The issue I find most people have with sand cement screeds is they use them much too dry.

that sucks next health and saftey will stop tiling
yes you are right people try to do rendering to dry comes down to a dieing trade

 

[The Legend; Phil Hobson RIP]

that sucks next health and saftey will stop tiling
yes you are right people try to do rendering to dry comes down to a dieing trade

Jay, I agree all trades are dying. Tiling is a prime example, I have witnessed over the years tiling skills being diluted. By that I mean people being trained by people who have little experience. Tiling is a very highly skilled profession if done correctly, preparation is essential, the ability to screed/ render etc. is paramount. This is just my opinion, and I do hope it doesn't offend anyone.