How long does it take for floor screed to dry?

In essence, a sand and cement screed floor can be walked on after about 48 hours, but it must first cure and then dry before anything else is fitted or set on it.

The phrases drying and curing are frequently interchanged in the construction industry and used to refer to the same thing. There is a clear distinction between the two when it comes to floor screed.

Curing is the process of giving the screed a few days to gradually set; it must not dry out too rapidly because this could make it overly hard and lead to cracking.

This is accomplished by covering the screed with a thick polythene sheet and sealing it, which helps the screed retain the majority of its moisture as it cures. The temperature and humidity in the space where you are working will determine how long this procedure will take, which might be up to 7 days.

After the screed has cured, the drying procedure takes place. The polythene layer is removed after the cure is complete, allowing the moisture to evaporate over the course of 24 to 48 hours.

A range of screeds is available on our Screed Pallet Deal and Bulk Buy page.

One of the most popular screeds is Mapei Ultraplan Renovation Screed 3240.