30+ years of South Wales pours · Fully insured

Liquid ScreedAcross South WalesLaid On Time, Every Time

Self-levelling flowing screed laid up to 2,000m² per day, walk-on in 24 hours, and ready for floor finishes in a week, installed by a Blackwood crew with three decades on the hose.

Get Free 24hr Quote 01495 427946

Freshly poured liquid flowing screed laid flat across a South Wales extension

30+

Years on the tools

2,000m²

Laid per day

24hrs

Walk-on finish

±3mm

SR2 flatness

Liquid Screed Explained

The Fastest Way To A Flat, Finish-Ready Floor

What it is

Liquid screed, also called flowing screed or self-levelling screed, is a calcium sulphate or cementitious slurry pumped onto your prepared substrate, which then self-levels under its own weight. The result is a dense, void-free floor up to four times faster than a hand-laid sand-and-cement screed, with significantly better flatness.

Who it's for

Housebuilders running tight programmes, commercial main contractors pouring large open spaces, self-builders specifying underfloor heating, and refurbishment projects that cannot afford weeks of drying time. If you're laying tile, vinyl, engineered timber, resin or polished finish, liquid screed gives the truest base.

When it's needed

Specify liquid screed when you need large daily output, SR2 flatness for sensitive floor finishes, or optimal performance from underfloor heating. It's also the right call when site access limits traditional wheelbarrow logistics, we pump up to 200m from the wagon, into upper floors, and across awkward plots.

Why a professional matters

Liquid screed is unforgiving of poor preparation. Edge insulation, perimeter joints, DPM laps, pipe fixings, and substrate datum levels all have to be correct before the first litre lands. A specialist crew with three decades of South Wales pours behind them is the difference between a floor that performs for 50 years and one that cracks, curls or fails moisture testing.

The Cost Of Getting It Wrong

What Goes Wrong When Liquid Screed Is Cut-Price

Liquid screed looks straightforward. It isn't. Here is what we see on rescue jobs across South Wales when corners get cut.

What Goes Wrong

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Cracking and curling

Incorrect joint detailing or unprotected drying conditions cause the slab to crack along stress lines and lift at the edges, destroying the very flatness liquid screed is chosen for.
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Failed moisture tests

Skip the dappling stage or rush the drying programme and the floor finish installer will refuse to start. Every day the floor sits drying is a day your programme slips and your trades sit idle.
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UFH hot-spots and cold patches

Voids around heating pipework caused by poor pump technique mean uneven heat output, higher running costs, and a homeowner complaint that lands back on you.

Common Mistakes

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Choosing on price alone

The cheapest quote almost always omits site survey, substrate prep, edge insulation, or post-pour dappling. The 'saving' evaporates the moment remediation is needed.
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Booking without a site visit

Quotes given over the phone miss access constraints, substrate condition, and existing levels. The crew arrives, can't deliver, and the job either fails or doubles in price.
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Ignoring the drying programme

Liquid screed needs a controlled drying environment, sealed building, no draughts in the first 48 hours, then ventilation. Skip this and the floor doesn't dry in time for the next trade.

Our Process

From Enquiry To Handover

Quick Phone Quote

Call us with postcode, area and timing. We give you an indicative price on the spot, often within minutes.

Free Survey For Local Enquiries

For local jobs we visit, measure, and confirm specification for your liquid screed pour at no charge. Charges may apply for surveys further afield, agreed up front.

Written Quote In 24 Hours

Written quotation in your inbox within one working day of the survey, confirming m² rate, mix design and a firm pour date. All quotes subject to site survey.

Pour & Finish

Our crew arrives on time with kit, pumps and labour. Continuous flow, level checks, and a clean handover at the end of shift.

Handover

Moisture testing on request and after-care guidance so the next trade can start with confidence.

Why It Matters

The Benefits, In Concrete

Four Times Faster

Up to 2,000m² in a single day pour. Large open-plan plots completed in a single shift, not a fortnight.

SR2 Flatness

Self-levelling slurry achieves ±3mm flatness as standard, ready for any finish without grinding or remediation.

Optimised For UFH

Denser, void-free slab around heating pipework. Better thermal conductivity means faster response and lower running costs.

50-Year Service Life

Properly specified and laid, liquid screed outlasts most floor coverings sitting on top of it.

Lower Trade Down-Time

Walk-on in 24 hours, foot-traffic loading immediately. Your trades aren't sitting idle waiting for sand-cement to cure.

Quote Held Once Confirmed

No surprise extras on the invoice. The price we quote is the price you pay, even if the pour takes longer than planned.

Technical Detail

Liquid Screed Specification, Materials & Methods

The right liquid screed for your project depends on the loading, the substrate, the floor finish, and whether underfloor heating is in scope. Here's what we install across South Wales and how we decide.

Calcium sulphate vs cementitious

Calcium sulphate (anhydrite) screeds offer the best flow, the flattest finish and the best thermal performance for UFH, but they are sensitive to moisture once laid and require dappling to remove laitance. Cementitious flowing screeds are more tolerant of damp conditions and accept water-based adhesives directly, but cost slightly more per m². On most South Wales projects, we recommend calcium sulphate for new-build residential with UFH, cementitious for wet rooms, bathrooms, and ground-bearing slabs in damp conditions. We'll specify the right product on your site survey.

Depth, loading and reinforcement

Domestic floating screeds over insulation are typically 35–50mm. Bonded screeds onto a structural slab can go as thin as 25mm. Heated screeds require a minimum cover of 30mm above the pipe. Commercial loading and forklift traffic call for thicker pours, fibre reinforcement, or a structural mesh, we calculate this from your loading schedule, not from a default.

Underfloor heating compatibility

Liquid screed is the gold standard for UFH. The slurry flows completely around the pipework, eliminating air voids that cause hot-spots and cold patches with hand-laid screed. We pressure-test the pipework with you before the pour, restrain floating pipes, and complete the commissioning heat cycle to the manufacturer's schedule once the floor has reached strength.

Residential vs commercial differences

Residential pours are typically 50–500m² with attention to clean handover and homeowner expectations. Commercial pours run 500m² to multi-thousand-m² in a single shift, with stricter joint detailing, fibre reinforcement, and programme integration with steel, MEP and finishes trades. Our crew is sized for both, and we mobilise the right kit, the right number of wagons, and the right pump for either.

Drying, dappling and handover

Liquid screed requires 24–48 hours of controlled drying with no draughts, then progressive ventilation. We return to dapple the surface (removing the thin laitance crust) at 5–7 days, then carry out hygrometer moisture testing if your floor finish installer requires it. Typical timeline from pour to floor finish: 7–14 days for domestic, 14–21 days for commercial with UFH.

Recent Work

Liquid Screed Pours On Site

Real photos from recent South Wales liquid screed jobs, pump set-ups, pour days and finished floors.

View Full Gallery

Liquid flowing screed laid over insulation in a South Wales new build

Calcium sulphate flowing screed levelled inside a domestic extension

Self-levelling liquid screed poured around blockwork piers

Smooth liquid screed finish reflecting daylight in a Cardiff extension

Liquid screed pour to bi-fold door threshold with DPM upstand

Flowing screed levelled over UFH pipework in a rear extension

FAQ

Liquid Screed Questions, Answered

Still unsure? Call 01495 427946

How much does liquid screed cost in South Wales?+

Most domestic jobs in South Wales fall between £18–£28 per m² installed, depending on depth, access, edge detailing and UFH. Commercial m² rates are typically lower due to volume. We give a firm written quote within 24 hours of your site survey, no estimates, no surprises.

How quickly can I walk on liquid screed?+

Foot-traffic in 24–48 hours. Light trades on at 7 days. Floor finishes typically at 7–14 days for cementitious products, 14–21 days for calcium sulphate, subject to moisture testing.

Is liquid screed better than traditional screed?+

For most modern builds, yes, it's faster, flatter (SR2 vs SR3), denser, and far better around UFH pipework. Traditional sand-and-cement still has a place for thick or sloping floors, but for finish-ready flat slabs liquid screed wins on every metric except up-front m² cost.

What lead time do you need?+

Standard bookings: 7–14 days from confirmed quote. Priority slots for repeat clients and programme rescues, we hold a few each week. Emergency next-day pours are sometimes possible, call us.

Do you cover all of South Wales?+

Yes, from our yard in Blackwood we pour daily in Cardiff, Newport, Swansea, Bridgend, Cwmbran, Torfaen, Monmouthshire, Vale of Glamorgan and across to Hereford.

What product warranty applies to liquid screed?+

Manufacturer product warranties apply (typically 10 years on calcium sulphate systems). We supply mix certificates and product data with every pour.

Can liquid screed be laid over underfloor heating?+

It's the best product on the market for UFH. The flowing slurry encapsulates pipework completely, eliminating air gaps that cause hot-spots, cold patches and wasted energy with traditional screed.

What preparation do I need to do before you arrive?+

Sealed building envelope (windows, doors, roof), insulation laid and taped, DPM in place, UFH pipework fixed and pressure-tested, and clear vehicle access to the pump location. We confirm all of this on the site survey and provide a written checklist.

Will the floor crack?+

Properly designed and laid, liquid screed has very low shrinkage and does not crack under normal conditions. Day-joint and movement-joint detailing is critical, and is something we engineer into the pour from the survey stage.

Next Step

Get A Liquid Screed Quote Within 24 Hours

Tell us the postcode and the m². We give an indicative price on the call and firm it up in writing after a site survey.

Request Free Quote 01495 427946

30+ years experience
Fully insured
Free site survey for local enquiries
Written quote within 24hrs

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