Floor Screed Moisture Content Before Tiling

A high moisture content can affect the adhesive making the new tiles lose their bond and lift.

Floor screed moisture content before tiling.

There is a resultant slower dissipation of construction moisture in the tiling system so it may be time to rethink this whole issue. By michael hailwood director laticrete uk. How important is it to assess the moisture content of screeds. After this period retained water needs to evaporate away until a normal moisture content is reached.

Tiles should be fixed using a 3mm deep solid layer of adhesive and a minimum 3mm joint should be left between tiles to accommodate movement and for grouting. Moisture testing is carried out using a suitable approved method such as a flooring hygrometer or carbide bomb test. Typically still dark in colour due to its moisture content. During this time shrinkage occurs to compensate for the volume loss of water.

Moisture testing should be carried out after the commissioning of the ufh system but before any tiles are laid. For any kind of flooring the final floor finish vinyl tiles wood panelling carpets etc cannot be laid to perfection unless the screed on which it is laid has. On average your screed will need around 60 days to cure completely and you should conduct a moisture test before laying your new floor finishes. Before laying onto calcium sulfate screeds it is vital to ensure that the moisture content is at the correct level for the required floor finish.

Concrete slabs and floors can be excellent subfloor surfaces for tile and other floor coverings but too much moisture in the concrete can cause problems with flooring installations. Typical values for moisture sensitive floor finishes are less than 0 5 water by weight or less than 75 relative humidity rh for impermeable floors and less than 1 w w for more permeable floors. Therefore it s advisable to have a floor tested for moisture content prior to installing flooring or moisture barriers. Before tiling the area must be fully dry to ensure the adhesive will adhere to the tile and floor screed without issue.

The biggest issue that has always been associated with floor screeding is the long drying period that stands as a major hurdle in the early completion of flooring. Tiling a screed too soon whilst the substrate is still stabilising can result in tiles blowing away from their base heaving as the screed shrinks below. There s a quick and simple way of testing for moisture yourself but if you re pressed for time or want the reassurance of a professional test screed it can conduct a british. Why not call one of our floor screed experts to find out exactly.

This is particularly important if you are working with a concrete subfloor. The numerical values displayed in the lcd display represent the actual percent moisture content of wood mc and the wood moisture equivalent wme of concrete dry wall and other materials. What we should know before tiling them october 2017.