Traditional Sand & Cement Screed · Devon
Cemfloor-Certified Traditional Sand & Cement Screed Across Sidmouth
Deep make-up floors in Sidmouth, especially where the sub-base has been dug out or old floor coverings stripped back to an uneven slab, are still best served by a traditional sand and cement screed built up in layers.
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Deep make-up floors in Sidmouth, especially where the sub-base has been dug out or old floor coverings stripped back to an uneven slab, are still best served by a traditional sand and cement screed built up in layers.
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.
Most of our Sidmouth jobs sit within 30 minutes of base, so site visits stay simple and pour days run to time. Sidmouth sits Exeter (15 mi), and we work the surrounding villages on the same week's diary.
Traditional Sand & Cement Screed in Sidmouth — 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.
Local facts that shape every Sidmouth pour
County
Devon
District
East Devon
Postcode
EX10
Nearest city
Exeter (15 mi)
Nearest motorway
M5 (J30, ~14 mi)
Primary A-road
A3052
Local industries
boutique hotels, high-end residential
Common builds
Regency villas, listed cottages
Common briefs across Sidmouth
- Regency villas — a regular brief in Sidmouth
- Listed cottages — a regular brief in Sidmouth
- Esplanade apartments — a regular brief in Sidmouth
- Boutique hotels — a regular brief in Sidmouth
- High-end residential — a regular brief in Sidmouth
Latest jobs across Devon
How a Sidmouth pour runs
- 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
What backs our Sidmouth work
- 01Cemfloor-certified, fully insured, CDM-aware
- 02Coordinated with most South West UFH installers
- 03Pre-start meeting standard on every commercial job
- 04Local knowledge — we know the M5 (J30, ~14 mi) access window and A3052 traffic patterns
Other areas we cover near Sidmouth
Specifications suited to Sidmouth 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.
Sidmouth screed questions, answered
Can you lay sand and cement screed externally in Sidmouth?+
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.
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 Sidmouth job.
How is sand and cement screed different from liquid screed in Sidmouth?+
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.
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 Sidmouth?+
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.
Book a bay-laid screed in Sidmouth
Hand-trowelled screeds take longer to schedule around drying and access. Get your Sidmouth job in the diary early.
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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