broken screed issue

[0Floz0]

Hey everyone

I was looking to do a quick refurbishment of my utility. It’s got vinyl floor which had a rip in it and a noticeable dip. I’ve ripped up the vinyl and seems the problem was a tad bigger than I was expecting. I’ve attached some images. I’m thinking of ripping out the loose parts and just patching it with some fresh screed. It’s a slab on top of some polystyrene floor. The new floor will be laminate and will have a membrane underneath as part of the underlay.

Key thing for me is time. I want to be able to put the flooring down on Sunday as the wife is away this weekend so it’d be nice to have it finished.

Is a screed the best option? I assume I can put some accelerator in it to speed things up? How fast would that make it before I can lay the floor?

Depth is going to be 80mm when I dig it out.

Cheers all!

 

[Wayners]

Dig up and concrete in.
Depending on depth you can buy floor screed in bags and add water to mix, or by concrete ready to mix.
I don't think you can dry it out very quickly. A summer fan with blow air and dry it but force drying may crack it.
I'd think it will need a few days to fully dry.

 

[0Floz0]

Dig up and concrete in.
Depending on depth you can buy floor screed in bags and add water to mix, or by concrete ready to mix.
I don't think you can dry it out very quickly. A summer fan with blow air and dry it but force drying may crack it.
I'd think it will need a few days to fully dry.

Thanks Wayners. Yeah definitely digging it out. Keen to get it dry as quickly as possible so I can lay the membrane and laminate over it. If I used an accelerator would that be better than force drying it?

For £8.80 a bottle is it worth a go?https://www.wickes.co.uk/Sika-Accelerator-Rapid-Hardening-Admixture---5L/p/133787#

Going to do it first thing tomorrow so I’m hoping to be able to lay the flooring mid day Sunday. I’m just wary of trapping moisture.

Would a levelling compound that goes up to 40mm be better? Thinking the Mapei renovation screed. Not sure if that dries out faster?

 

[Wayners]

That's hardner not dryer.
Speeds up the setting time. Won't help the drying

 

[0Floz0]

That's hardner not dryer.
Speeds up the setting time. Won't help the drying

Ah ok. Had assumed it going hard and drying were similar.

When you say floor screed in bags. Do you mean like https://www.toolstation.com/ultraplan-renovation-screed-3240/p21200 or something else? I’ve used that before and it does seem to dry pretty quickly so I’m wondering if that is better.

What would be the issue if I put the underlay over too quickly? Trapped moisture which would damage the screed? Or would it find its way out somehow.

It’s going to be 80mm when dug out.

 

[HERTS P&D]

1mm per day drying time.

So, middle of August.

Andy

 

[Wayners]

If you cover up it will go mouldy and smell.
May eventually damage the flooring

 

[0Floz0]

If you cover up it will go mouldy and smell.
May eventually damage the flooring

Fair enough. I’ll have to take the ear bashing from the wife. I’ll do the rest of the floor but leave that last corner open so it can dry. I’ve put the screed down now. Hopefully it performs better than the previous bit.

Is it likely to dry quicker because of the set screed around it? I’m guessing best way to check is stick a square of cling film down and see if there is condensation?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Wayners]

Damp sponge the edges.
Get the fan on it Monday as the air movement will help push it on.
Nice job though

 

[0Floz0]

Damp sponge the edges.
Get the fan on it Monday as the air movement will help push it on.
Nice job though

Thanks. Have just done that. Do I need to keep redoing it or is once enough? Laid it about 1pm.

 

[Wayners]

Be fine now.
Just to blend edge and dampen a bit. May stop it cracking

 

[noseall]

Fair enough. I’ll have to take the ear bashing from the wife. I’ll do the rest of the floor but leave that last corner open so it can dry. I’ve put the screed down now. Hopefully it performs better than the previous bit.

Is it likely to dry quicker because of the set screed around it? I’m guessing best way to check is stick a square of cling film down and see if there is condensation?

Thanks for your help.

It will likely crack again across the threshold. No dramas if you are having carpet or laminate. It could crack through any floor tiles though.

 

[0Floz0]

It will likely crack again across the threshold. No dramas if you are having carpet or laminate. It could crack through any floor tiles though.

Yeah going for laminate so hoping it doesn’t cause any issues. Trying to lay the longer planks over the larger filled ones once it’s dry.

 

[Wayners]

What about self leveler.
Notched trowel to spread.
Don't pour right up to the edges.

Mix correctly it will level itself

 

[0Floz0]

What about self leveler.
Notched trowel to spread.
Don't pour right up to the edges.

Mix correctly it will level itself

I’m confused. Self leveller for which bit? The screed patch is level