Traditional Sand & Cement Screed · Devon
Traditional Sand & Cement Screed Poured to SR1 in Pinhoe
Pinhoe 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 Poured to SR1 in Pinhoe
30 seconds. We'll come back same-day with a fixed price and next available date.
Or call our landline on 01392 237700
Pinhoe 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 Pinhoe jobs sit within 30 minutes of base, so site visits stay simple and pour days run to time. Pinhoe sits Exeter (3 mi), and we work the surrounding villages on the same week's diary.
Traditional Sand & Cement Screed in Pinhoe — 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 Pinhoe 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.
What we plan around in Pinhoe
County
Devon
District
Exeter
Postcode
EX1
Nearest city
Exeter (3 mi)
Nearest motorway
M5 (J29, ~2 mi)
Primary A-road
A30 / B3181
Local industries
Pinhoe Quarry, new-build housing
Common builds
large new-build estates, station-side flats
Where liquid screed earns its keep in Pinhoe
- Large new-build estates — a regular brief in Pinhoe
- Station-side flats — a regular brief in Pinhoe
- Small commercial units — a regular brief in Pinhoe
- Pinhoe Quarry — a regular brief in Pinhoe
- New-build housing — a regular brief in Pinhoe
Pinhoe-area projects
Step-by-step for a Pinhoe job
- 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
Why Pinhoe clients pick us
Adjacent areas — usually same-week diary
Cemfloor systems for Pinhoe
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.
What people in Pinhoe usually ask
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 is sand and cement screed different from liquid screed in Pinhoe?+
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 Pinhoe 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.
Do you use a screed pump for sand and cement in Pinhoe?+
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.
How long does a sand and cement screed take to dry in Pinhoe?+
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.
Wet room or balcony screed in EX1?
Falls to drain, external thresholds, deep fills, we quote Traditional Sand & Cement Screed for homeowners and contractors alike jobs across Pinhoe 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