Traditional Sand & Cement Screed · Devon
Traditional Sand & Cement Screed — Braunton, Devon
Braunton builders sometimes need a screed that can be laid in a bucket-and-barrow operation with no pump access, or that has to tie into an external step, drain or wet room upstand. That is exactly where sand and cement wins over a liquid pour.
Get a fixed price for Traditional Sand & Cement Screed — Braunton, Devon
30 seconds. We'll come back same-day with a fixed price and next available date.
Or call our landline on 01392 237700
Braunton builders sometimes need a screed that can be laid in a bucket-and-barrow operation with no pump access, or that has to tie into an external step, drain or wet room upstand. That is exactly where sand and cement wins over a liquid pour.
Sand and cement screed is laid in bays with day joints, which we set out to avoid future cracking at natural stress points such as doorways and changes in depth. It is a more labour-intensive process than liquid screed, but it is proven, robust and unaffected by moisture the way calcium sulphate screeds can be.
Most of our Braunton jobs sit within 30 minutes of base, so site visits stay simple and pour days run to time. Braunton sits Barnstaple (5 mi), and we work the surrounding villages on the same week's diary.
Local facts that shape every Braunton pour
County
Devon
District
North Devon
Postcode
EX33
Nearest city
Barnstaple (5 mi)
Nearest motorway
M5 (J27, ~45 mi)
Primary A-road
A361
Local industries
tourism lets, harbour trades
Common builds
seafront apartments, 1930s coastal semis
Common briefs across Braunton
- Seafront apartments — a regular brief in Braunton
- 1930s coastal semis — a regular brief in Braunton
- Harbourside conversions — a regular brief in Braunton
- Guest-house retrofits — a regular brief in Braunton
- Tourism lets — a regular brief in Braunton
Traditional Sand & Cement Screed in Braunton — how it works
Sand and cement screed is laid in bays with day joints, which we set out to avoid future cracking at natural stress points such as doorways and changes in depth. It is a more labour-intensive process than liquid screed, but it is proven, robust and unaffected by moisture the way calcium sulphate screeds can be.
For Braunton wet rooms, balconies and any area with sustained water contact, sand and cement is usually the only sensible screed choice, since gypsum-based liquid screeds are not designed to tolerate standing water.
Specifications suited to Braunton builds
Sand and cement (typically 4:1 or 5:1 mix)
Semi-dry, hand-compacted mix ratio adjusted to depth and loading.
SBR bonding agent
Slurry-brushed onto the substrate for bonded screeds under 40mm.
Polypropylene fibre reinforcement
Added to reduce shrinkage cracking on larger bays.
DPM and separating membrane
For unbonded or floating screeds over insulation.
Falls formed to drain outlets
Built into the screed thickness for wet rooms and balconies.
Edge and movement joints
Set at bay lines, doorways and around columns.
Braunton-area projects
Other areas we cover near Braunton
Why Braunton clients pick us
What people in Braunton usually ask
Do you use a screed pump for sand and cement in Braunton?+
On larger jobs, yes, a screed pump can deliver the semi-dry mix into the building, which speeds up placement while keeping the hand-trowelled finish.
Will the screed crack?+
Bay joints and fibre reinforcement control shrinkage cracking. We set bay sizes and joint positions at doorways and depth changes to minimise the risk on any Braunton job.
What SR rating do you achieve on a trowelled screed?+
We finish sand and cement to SR2, within 3mm under a 2m straight edge, which is suitable for most tiled finishes. If you need SR1 flatness for large-format tile or resin, liquid screed is usually the better route.
How is sand and cement screed different from liquid screed in Braunton?+
Sand and cement is a semi-dry mix, hand-laid and trowelled in bays, whereas liquid screed is pumped and self-levels. Sand and cement suits deep fills, external areas and wet rooms; liquid screed suits large flat internal floors that need to dry quickly.
How long does a sand and cement screed take to dry in Braunton?+
Roughly a day per millimetre of depth once past the first 50mm, so a 65mm floor is typically ready for coverings in around six to eight weeks, depending on ventilation and site conditions.
Can you match an existing sand and cement floor level?+
Yes, we set datums off your existing finished floor level and build the new screed to match, allowing for whatever covering goes on top.
If your Braunton job needs a fall to a drain, an external step or a floor that shrugs off standing water, Traditional Sand & Cement Screed is very often the right call, not the fallback option.
Wet room or balcony screed in EX33?
Falls to drain, external thresholds, deep fills, we quote Traditional Sand & Cement Screed for coastal residential and hospitality clients jobs across Braunton and the surrounding villages.
Ready to get a price?
Tell us the rough size and location — we'll come back with a fixed quote today.
Or call our landline on 01392 237700
Related on this site