Screed drying times

Hi we need 63mm of screed before we lay engineered wood flooring. We are using standard screed and have seen that it dries 1mm a day. Do you actually have to wait that long or could you lay the engineered wood flooring on sooner?

 

You can use a moisture suppressant on top of the screed

 

You will have to have a moisture suppressant if your bonding the floor down. If your floating the floor you could use a isolator sheet or a Triton dpm sheet beneath the underlay to speed the job up. Always best to let the screed dry out. All other wet trades should be completed and heating up and running before you install wood flooring


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Thanks @merit we are not floating the floor or bonding the floor. Any other ideas how we can speed up the drying time? Does it really take 2 months?

 

What you doing then? Nailing it to the screed?


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It'll be laid on a membrane - unbonded

 

So it’s floated then


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Okay I'm not familiar with the terminology. I know floated as not on concrete - just wooden floorboards like T&G

 

No floated is in un bonded on a underlay
So you can dpm the screed with a few options


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Thanks what are the options? In your opinion have you actually waited the full 2+ months for screed to dry?

 

Yes

 

Okay what are the options to get it to dry quicker?

 

It usually takes a plumber 2 months to get the heating right so yeah. Your not one of those people that tries to put the floor down before the kitchen and windows are installed are you?
: /


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What plumbers do you work with?! That's a long time. The kitchen is going on top of the flooring. Who puts the kitchen down before the flooring?! Looks weird. The plinths will be all the wrong height. Also we have a non integrated fridge and dishwasher, which wouldn't open unless it's on top of the floor.

 

Also I must add it's engineered wood flooring - 16mm

 

If its sand cement there are no options yo get it dry quicker. The only realistic option is a liquid DPM to trap in residual moisture. You can do that anytime after any underfloor heating has been commissioned and run. You cant force dry as it will crumble and crack, you cant use a polythene sheet as it will sweat and go mouldy so liquid DPM is the only answer.

 

Most people lay the floor after the kitchen is in.

 

I probably see half that do and half that dont.

 

Thanks. We aren't having underfloor heating, what else do you suggest, normal radiators or dehumidifier?

 

Agree. All my houses have wood flooring, under the kitchen.