Levelling workshop floor - What is "screed" ?

[Maverick81]

Hi.
My workshop floor is currently rugged, cracked concrete as it has been for as long as i can remember and long overdue a renovation. I am wanting a smooth and LEVEL surface as a foundation to reinstall my workshop upon.

I have been looking at "self levelling compounds" as sold in the DIY stores though i have never used this stuff before. Is this what i should be usiing?
While looking for into on the subject on the forum and the net I have come across the people refering to "screed"...."laying screed".
What is Screed? Is screed and self-levelling cement the same thing?

Please advise. Thank you.

I had previously done small areas of basic concreting, but i am not a builder or familar with anything more than basic terminoligy and products.
Thanks again.

[mattty]

You really need to get to the underlying problem of why the floor is cracked in the first place, otherwise the crack will continue through any new surface in short time.
Neither screed nor SLC have any great strength SLC does as the name suggests and is designed to even up minor floor discrepancies, Screed is normally applied over a structural concrete floor to build levels up and although has some structural strength, it doesn't contain the large aggregate of concrete and is not designed as a structural floor, more a surface finish.

The best solution may be to break up the existing concrete floor and lay a new floor including some basic steel work such as some A142 mesh. The problem needs investigating first though.

[woodsmith]

You could "float" a chipboard floor on top of a layer of insulation. I've done that with my workshop and its a lot nicer to work on than concrete.

[thatsnotafestool]

Be warned....self-levelling compound is NOT self-levelling. You can't just tip it out of the wheelbarrow in the middle of the floor and then walk away thinking that when you come back the next day, your floor is smooth as silk! It needs manual 'helping' to get it reasonably flat ..after which time it will sort itself out.

[woodsmith]

You really need a special tool to get SLC flat, its like a roller brush and it spikes the surface removing bubbles and getting the material to spread. Otherwise I would describe it as self levellingish compound.

[thatsnotafestool]

You really need a special tool to get SLC flat, its like a roller brush and it spikes the surface removing bubbles and getting the material to spread. Otherwise I would describe it as self levellingish compound.

I know. My neighbour from many years back did the wheelbarrow trick. That's how I know it needs help!

[cncpaul]

You could "float" a chipboard floor on top of a layer of insulation. I've done that with my workshop and its a lot nicer to work on than concrete.

+1