Screeding is the process of levelling and finishing a freshly poured concrete surface by drawing a straight edge (screed rail or straight edge) across it. It is one of the first finishing steps after placing concrete, intended to bring the surface flat and to the correct level.
How does screeding work?
Immediately after pouring and compacting, a straight aluminium or timber edge is placed on the formwork edges or on previously set screed rails. By pulling the edge across the concrete surface in a sawing motion, excess concrete is pushed to low spots.
The process:
- Pour concrete and distribute roughly with a shovel or rake
- Compact by vibrating or rodding to remove air pockets
- Screed — pull the straight edge across the guides in a sawing motion
- Top up — fill low spots and screed again
Application
Screeding is used for:
- Concrete floors — foundation slabs, garage floors and industrial floors
- Sand-cement screeds — screeds are levelled between guide rails
- Driveways and paths — concrete paving in gardens
- Small cast elements — window sills, doorsteps and similar
Screeding versus power floating
Screeding is the rough levelling step. For a smooth surface, the concrete is then often power-floated (machine-smoothed) or hand-trowelled.
Related terms
- Concrete
- Screed
- Formwork
- Compacting
- Floor finish
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