Traditional Sand & Cement Screed · Devon
Poltimore Traditional Sand & Cement Screed Specialists
Not every Poltimore floor wants a pump on the driveway. A traditional sand and cement screed, hand-laid to bays and trowelled flat, still earns its place on deep fills, external thresholds and jobs where a wet-mix, robust finish matters more than speed.
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Not every Poltimore floor wants a pump on the driveway. A traditional sand and cement screed, hand-laid to bays and trowelled flat, still earns its place on deep fills, external thresholds and jobs where a wet-mix, robust finish matters more than speed.
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.
Most of our Poltimore jobs sit within 30 minutes of base, so site visits stay simple and pour days run to time. Poltimore sits Exeter (4 mi), and we work the surrounding villages on the same week's diary.
What we plan around in Poltimore
County
Devon
District
East Devon
Postcode
EX4
Nearest city
Exeter (4 mi)
Nearest motorway
M5 (J29, ~2 mi)
Primary A-road
B3181
Local industries
agriculture, equestrian yards
Common builds
stone farmhouses, barn conversions
Traditional Sand & Cement Screed in Poltimore — how it works
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.
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.
Right fit for Poltimore rural self-builders and farms
Poltimore sits rural — barn conversions, self-builds, agricultural sheds, equestrian floors. Access is usually fine, but power and water on site need confirming up front. We do that at the site visit.
Specifications suited to Poltimore 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.
Latest jobs across Devon
What backs our Poltimore work
Poltimore screed questions, answered
Can you lay sand and cement screed externally in Poltimore?+
Yes, external thresholds, patios tying into internal floor levels and step-downs are common sand and cement jobs, since the mix tolerates exposure that a liquid screed is not designed for.
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 Poltimore job.
How is sand and cement screed different from liquid screed in Poltimore?+
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.
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.
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 Poltimore?+
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.
Adjacent areas — usually same-week diary
Whether it's a single wet room or a full rural self-builders and farms scheme in Poltimore, we set out bays, control the falls and hand back a dense, SR2-flat floor ready for tiling.
Talk through your Poltimore 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 Poltimore 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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