Specification compared
Domestic vs Commercial Liquid Screed Specification
A screed for a family kitchen and a screed for a warehouse floor are not the same product, even when both are pumped from the same mixer.
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Liquid screed is often talked about as a single product, but the specification changes considerably once loading moves from domestic foot traffic to commercial use — forklifts, racking, plant or heavy footfall all push the requirement into a different strength and depth category.
Getting the spec right matters because under-specifying a commercial floor risks cracking and premature wear, while over-specifying a domestic floor simply adds unnecessary cost and drying time.
This page sets out the real differences between a typical domestic and commercial screed specification.
Domestic vs commercial screed specification
| Factor | Domestic vs commercial |
|---|---|
| Typical strength class | CT-C20-F4 to CT-C25-F5 vs CT-C30-F6 or higher |
| Typical depth | 50–65mm vs 65–100mm+ depending on loading |
| Design loading | Foot traffic, furniture vs racking, forklifts, plant |
| Flatness tolerance | SR1/SR2 acceptable vs SR1 usually mandatory |
| Reinforcement | Rarely needed vs fibre reinforcement or mesh common |
| Curing/drying oversight | General guidance vs formal RH testing and sign-off |
What drives a commercial spec upward
- Point loads from racking legs or heavy machinery
- Vehicular traffic — forklifts, pallet trucks
- Longer design life expectations with less tolerance for maintenance downtime
- Formal handover documentation and testing requirements from the client or main contractor
How we approach a commercial spec differently
- 1
Loading assessment
We ask for structural engineer loading data before proposing a strength class.
- 2
Fibre or mesh reinforcement
Specified where point loads or long unsupported bays require it.
- 3
Formal RH testing
Documented hygrometer readings provided for handover, not just a verbal confirmation.
- 4
Joint detailing
Movement and construction joints designed to the larger bay sizes commercial floors require.
Get the right spec for your project
Tell us whether the floor is domestic or commercial and we'll recommend the correct strength class and quote accordingly.
Domestic spec wins on cost and programme when loading is genuinely domestic — there's no reason to pay commercial rates for a house. Commercial spec is non-negotiable once forklifts, racking or heavy machinery are involved. Test it against the actual loading data, not the building's general description.
— Exeter Liquid Screeders
Domestic vs Commercial Screed Spec — questions we get asked
Keep reading across the site
Get the right spec for your project
Tell us whether the floor is domestic or commercial and we'll recommend the correct strength class and quote accordingly.