Traditional Sand & Cement Screed · Devon
Traditional Sand & Cement Screed in Lapford
For Lapford jobs where gypsum-based screed is ruled out, wet rooms, balconies, timber-sensitive junctions, we lay a semi-dry sand and cement mix, bay by bay, finished to SR2 with a hand float or power trowel.
Talk through your Lapford sand and cement job
No pump access, an awkward fall, or a wet area, call and we'll talk through the right build-up for your Lapford floor.
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For Lapford jobs where gypsum-based screed is ruled out, wet rooms, balconies, timber-sensitive junctions, we lay a semi-dry sand and cement mix, bay by bay, finished to SR2 with a hand float or power trowel.
For Lapford 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.
Most of our Lapford jobs sit within 30 minutes of base, so site visits stay simple and pour days run to time. Lapford sits Exeter (16 mi), and we work the surrounding villages on the same week's diary.
Who this is for in Lapford
Lapford runs a healthy mix of residential renovation and small-to-medium commercial fit-out. We price both, and run both with the same fixed-price approach.
EX17 access, routes and logistics
County
Devon
District
Mid Devon
Postcode
EX17
Nearest city
Exeter (16 mi)
Nearest motorway
M5 (J31, ~19 mi)
Primary A-road
A377
Local industries
Ambrosia creamery, agriculture
Common builds
stone cottages, station-side new builds
Traditional Sand & Cement Screed in Lapford — how it works
Unlike a self-levelling liquid screed, sand and cement is placed and compacted by hand, so we control the fall towards a drain, form an upstand at a threshold, or feather it into an existing floor level in a way a pumped pour cannot.
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.
What to expect on pour day in Lapford
- 1
Site visit to assess substrate, falls, depth and access, since sand and cement can be barrowed where a pump truck cannot reach
- 2
Substrate prep, priming or DPM, and setting out of bay lines and laser levels
- 3
Mix and place the screed in bays, compacting as we go to remove voids
- 4
Hand float or power trowel to a flat, dense SR2 finish
- 5
Protect and allow to cure, typically a day per millimetre of depth after the first 50mm
- 6
Follow-up inspection before floor coverings or tiling begin
Recent work near Lapford
Materials and systems we use in Lapford
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.
Lapford-area service radius
FAQs from Lapford clients
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 Lapford?+
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.
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 Lapford job.
Do you use a screed pump for sand and cement in Lapford?+
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.
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.
How long does a sand and cement screed take to dry in Lapford?+
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.
Trust points for a Lapford brief
Hundreds of square metres poured around Lapford in the last 12 months
Single-team continuity — same crew, same standards, every job
Written fixed-price quotes — no day-rate creep
Moisture-test handover record so flooring contractors take the slab on without dispute
Talk through your Lapford sand and cement job
No pump access, an awkward fall, or a wet area, call and we'll talk through the right build-up for your Lapford floor.
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
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