Traditional Sand & Cement Screed · Devon
Lifton Traditional Sand & Cement Screed Specialists
For Lifton 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.
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For Lifton 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 Lifton 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 Lifton jobs sit within 30 minutes of base, so site visits stay simple and pour days run to time. Lifton sits Plymouth (25 mi), and we work the surrounding villages on the same week's diary.
PL16 access, routes and logistics
County
Devon
District
West Devon
Postcode
PL16
Nearest city
Plymouth (25 mi)
Nearest motorway
M5 (J31, ~34 mi)
Primary A-road
A30
Local industries
distribution, light manufacturing
Common builds
steel-frame units, warehouse floors
What Lifton builds usually need
- Steel-frame units — a regular brief in Lifton
- Warehouse floors — a regular brief in Lifton
- Trade-counter fit-outs — a regular brief in Lifton
- Distribution sheds — a regular brief in Lifton
- Distribution — a regular brief in Lifton
Traditional Sand & Cement Screed in Lifton — how it works
For Lifton 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.
We mix a semi-dry sand and cement screed on site or bring it in via a screed pump, lay it to string lines or laser-set pins in bays, then compact and trowel it to a flat, dense surface. It is slower than a liquid pour, roughly a day of drying time per millimetre of depth once you get past the first 50mm, but it tolerates a much wider range of site conditions.
Cemfloor systems for Lifton
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.
Floors poured around Lifton
Lifton-area service radius
Proof from the Devon workload
Hundreds of square metres poured around Lifton 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
Common Lifton build questions
Can sand and cement screed go over underfloor heating?+
It can, though thermal response is slower than a liquid screed because of the voids that form around hand-laid pipework. For Lifton UFH jobs we will usually recommend liquid screed unless there is a specific reason to use sand and cement.
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.
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 Lifton job.
How is sand and cement screed different from liquid screed in Lifton?+
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 Lifton?+
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.
Do you use a screed pump for sand and cement in Lifton?+
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.
If your Lifton 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.
Talk through your Lifton 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 Lifton 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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