How Long Does It Take To Completely Dry A Semi-dry Screed

2023 Author: Philip Bishop | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 07:54

• What affects drying?
• Floor options
• Drying a semi-dry screed
• Moisture measurement
• Speed up the process

After the "rough" version of the floor has been made, a certain time must pass before the flooring is laid. But few people know about how long the floor screed dries. If the surface is wet, the facing materials will begin to damage. This will require additional financial costs. It is important to know that the substrate is dry enough to even walk on it. The drying time of a semi-dry screed is influenced by various factors, which should be discussed in more detail.

What affects drying?

It is difficult to say unequivocally how much a semi-dry screed dries. Even experts will not give a categorical answer here. External factors will play a huge role here, as well as the process of preparing the solution and its installation.

1. The choice of the base. A wooden base allows the concrete mortar to dry much faster than if it is done on a waterproofing film.

2. Solution preparation technology. The amount of water used while preparing the mixture for work will increase the drying time. But it is very important that all the requirements from the manufacturer, which are prescribed for each ready-made mixture, are observed. The amount of water is especially important for a semi-dry screed.

   

3. Humidity characteristics. The drying time of the floor screed will also depend on them.
4. Floor covering used. A specific topcoat will require a specific moisture level. If you do not allow the solution to dry sufficiently and subsequently lay the tiles, then the glue used will not be able to show all its qualities, adhesion will be significantly reduced. As a result, the ceramics will begin to flake off; all types of work will need to be carried out from the very beginning.
5. Number of mortar layers. The more of them, the longer the floor screed dries.
6. A liquid composition with a large thickness will dry slightly more than a regular thin screed.
7. Temperature indicators. Evaporation of moisture takes place at high temperatures. This also reduces the number of days during which the semi-dry screed will be ready for use under the flooring.

Floor options

After pouring the solution, it will take time for it to dry completely and to be ready for subsequent work. But much will depend on the driest mixture, which is used as the main component. It will influence the very "rough" version of the floor.

• From sand concrete. The mortar is not as liquid as, for example, cement mortar, which reduces the time to complete drying, equal to about 6-8 days.
• The plaster screed can be installed very easily and can harden even after 6 hours. But this time will not be enough to carry out the flooring. The complete drying period is also approximately 6-8 days.
• Tile base. Much will depend on the fastening element. When using tile adhesive, the substrate should dry for at least two weeks. If it is a waterproof glue, then 5-6 days will be sufficient for drying a semi-dry screed.
• For laminate flooring, the maximum substrate moisture should be 5%. The substrate is also important here. If it is made of a non-absorbent material, then the flooring can be made as soon as the semi-dry floor screed hardens. This is about 3-4 days later. As a result, we get the answer to how much the semi-dry floor screed dries under the laminate.
• In a cement screed, not only dry, semi-dry mortars can be used, but also the so-called "self-leveling" floors. "Wet" mixtures will have the longest drying time and can take up to 25-30 days.

Drying a semi-dry screed

The composition of a semi-dry screed is not completely liquid, but at the same time it is quite dense. With its help, the floors are leveled, and also given a high resistance to wear. Due to the low specific gravity of the use of water, such solutions dry out very quickly compared to the "wet" version. But in any case, it is important to dry the base to the limit.

During the drying process of the screed, all the bonding components experience severe stress. If at this time any mechanical external influence is exerted, then cracks and chips will very easily appear. This is very important for a semi-dry screed, as it is laid on the base in strips. The existing compensation gaps are created so that the material can expand under the influence of temperature changes, as well as shrinkage. No stratification occurs in this case.

The average drying time for a semi-dry screed is 10-13 days. When its layer is at least 40-50 mm - a little over two weeks, and three weeks will have to wait if we encounter a layer of 70-80 mm.

When the layer reaches 10 cm, then it is not much different from the usual layer made using the "wet" version. In this case, the drying time of a semi-dry floor screed will be up to four weeks.

After about 6-10 hours, such a base is obtained under the floor, when you can walk on the screed after pouring. Of course, you cannot exert a strong influence on him here, but you can simply move around.

It is very important to create a microclimate in the very room where the filling was carried out. This will provide an opportunity to get an answer to how much the screed dries in the apartment with maximum efficiency. Temperature stability within 22-24 degrees allows the rough floor to dry out evenly. It is not worth using heat guns, as this will damage the screed layer. At low temperatures in the cold season, on the contrary, it is better to maintain the temperature within at least 5 degrees. If the floor screed is not frozen, then the main thing is not to freeze it.

In addition, the coating should be protected from possible cracking.

It will not be superfluous to cover the base with polyethylene film. This point is even spelled out in building codes and ordinances 3.04.01-87. You can independently set and maintain humidity at 60-65 percent.

It is worth noting that in summer, the drying of a semi-dry screed is faster than in winter. You can even roughly calculate how much the floor screed dries in the apartment. It should be remembered that any rush in the future will ruin any floor.

Moisture measurement

In order to find out about the moisture content of the finished screed, there is one simple folk way. It is enough to take a napkin, put it on the "rough" floor, covering it with tiles for example. A day later, look at her condition. When the napkin stays dry, it's safe to say that you can start laying the flooring.

There are also special devices that allow such manipulations to be made to measure the level of humidity.

They will help you get an answer to the question of how long a dry screed dries. Among the equipment, a carbide hygrometer is distinguished. The accuracy of his results is very high. True, it makes no sense to acquire it when the screed is installed in one room. The price will not justify the result. In addition, when using it, the integrity of the poured screed is violated.

Among the devices, an electronic moisture meter can be distinguished. Here, the integrity of the screed remains in place and does not come to commit any violations to determine the humidity. True, the accuracy of this device is somewhat lower than that of a carbide hygrometer. Before buying this or that equipment, you need to think about whether it is worth it. One room definitely does not require this. According to the readings of the instruments, they should not exceed 2 CM-% or 3.4% mass moisture.

Speed up the process

Some try to find the maximum number of ways so as not to think about how long the concrete floor screed dries, but to complete everything very quickly. This is not always rational. It is impossible to direct warm air currents to the screed due to the fact that it will not dry equally around the entire perimeter.

There will be no uniformity at all. Subsequently, such areas will appear that will be empty or, as experts call them, “coils”. Even airing is not the best option. The temperature outside the window may differ significantly from that in the room. The maximum that can be done in such a situation is to turn on the cannons and direct them towards the ceiling. This will raise the temperature in the entire room.

The main thing in this or that case is not to overdo it. If you leave the guns in this position for a long time, then the screed can completely lose water, dry to the limit. In this case, the strength of the cement stone will remain at a minimum value. This all suggests that it is best to leave the finished version of the screed until it dries completely with the natural parameters of the room. It will take a little more time here, but the result will only be positive and no surface changes will occur during operation.

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