Traditional Sand & Cement Screed · Dorset
Traditional Sand & Cement Screed for West Bay Builds
Not every West Bay 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 West Bay 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 West Bay jobs sit within 30 minutes of base, so site visits stay simple and pour days run to time. West Bay sits Exeter (40 mi), and we work the surrounding villages on the same week's diary.
Local facts that shape every West Bay pour
County
Dorset
District
West Dorset
Postcode
DT6
Nearest city
Exeter (40 mi)
Nearest motorway
M5 (J25, ~36 mi)
Primary A-road
B3157
Local industries
working harbour, tourism
Common builds
harbour cottages, seafront apartments
Traditional Sand & Cement Screed in West Bay — 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.
Who this is for in West Bay
West Bay is a coastal town, so damp control, salt exposure and tight winter pour windows shape every brief. We work the diary around that — and around the holiday-let turnover that funds half the jobs here.
Materials and systems we use in West Bay
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.
Recent work near West Bay
Trust points for a West Bay brief
FAQs from West Bay 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 West Bay?+
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 West Bay job.
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 West Bay?+
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 West Bay?+
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.
Other areas we cover near West Bay
Pin a date for your West Bay sand and cement pour and we'll bring the crew, the mix and the levels, then leave you a floor built to last.
Need a hand-trowelled screed in West Bay?
Tell us the depth, falls and access, and we'll come back with a fixed price for your West Bay sand and cement 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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