My builder has put a sand and cement screed down today which is approx 75mm. I see on other posts the drying time is approx 1mm per day which would mean it would take 2 1/2 months until I can tile. I have discussed this with my customer and he is ok to wait but would rather have it tiled before if possible. The area is only 2.5m2 and it's in a porch which has 2 big full glass sliding doors so it get very hot in there most of the day. Would the screed dry any quicker than 1mm per day due to the temperature and a small area? Cheers Ross

You could use a vapour equalisation membrane or an adhesive suitable for green screeds.. but to lessen the chance of efflorescence the membrane would be my choice.

if it dries too quick it may start cracking!
why not use a green screed adhesive that allows tiling at an earlier date?

I seen screed put down today on a whole 30yd2 floor and patches elsewhere.
The house is being handed over on the 18th of this month
I have started tiling today on floors which have been down 2 years now and i'll be on hol before its finished,

Originally Posted by Dave

You could use a vapour equalisation membrane or an adhesive suitable for green screeds.. but to lessen the chance of efflorescence the membrane would be my choice.

How long would I have to wait till I can cover screed with membrane?

The moisture may evaporate quicker but dos'nt help with the curing of the screed, after a couple of weeks use a ditra or a green screed adhesive

Membranes such as Ditra or Dural ci can be used as soon as the screed is hard enough to walk on..

Originally Posted by david campbell

if it dries too quick it may start cracking!
why not use a green screed adhesive that allows tiling at an earlier date?

I will be laying travertine so adhesive would need to be white....can you get this sort of adhesive in white? or is Dave's advice on membrane the way to go?

Membrane

Originally Posted by whitebeam

Membrane

Ok cheers...Would I fix the membrane down with green screed addy or just a flexy addy?

Originally Posted by CCTiling

I will be laying travertine so adhesive would need to be white....can you get this sort of adhesive in white? or is Dave's advice on membrane the way to go?

Daves advice on membrane is the way to go - and with Travertine that is/should be the norm. (2 and half mts = £30 maximum )

membrane if it's travertine,usually i wouldn't bother on such a small area but in your situ it would be better, i know the bal green screed comes in grey only,not got round to trying mapei yet! someone else might know

Originally Posted by CCTiling

Ok cheers...Would I fix the membrane down with green screed addy or just a flexy addy?

mapei kerquick/keraflex in white

Flexy addy

Originally Posted by CCTiling

I will be laying travertine so adhesive would need to be white....can you get this sort of adhesive in white? or is Dave's advice on membrane the way to go?

When laying travertine, the membrane will cope with screed shrinkage and no cracks to the stone.

Ok thanks for advice guys....my customer will be pleased he doesn't have to wait so long!

As above, Keraquick and latex plus would be my choice. Then membrane, mix your adhesive slightly thinner than for tiling, use 3mm/ 4mm notched trowel for fixing membrane, and make sure you remove any air pockets as you lay

Another option is to use a waterproofing paint on membrane designed for rising damp ARDEX AUSTRALIA
Ardex Wpm 300 is a product i use for this .

Green screed adhesive could also be used ,shortest time i think is 16 hrs until tiling. (ardex X 56 ).

Either way you have plenty of options

Regards

Hi Trev, nice to have you back mate.

Do Bal make a flexi adhesive that can be used on a green screed. Anyone know what its called?

Originally Posted by jimbo

Do Bal make a flexi adhesive that can be used on a green screed. Anyone know what its called?

They do along with other adhesive manufactures.. bal's is called green screed and is mentioned above i think..

The dry time quoted is correct. At 75mm it would take 110 days to dry.

Originally Posted by FlexiDry

The dry time quoted is correct. At 75mm it would take 110 days to dry.

75mm at 1mm per day to dry...have I missed something?

A standard sand cement screed dries at 1mm for the first 40 days and then dries 0.5mm per day thereafter. At 75mm depth this equates to 110 days.

Originally Posted by FlexiDry

A standard sand cement screed dries at 1mm for the first 40 days and then dries 0.5mm per day thereafter. At 75mm depth this equates to 110 days.

Thanks for that, new info for me.

And me

Me also