10 best floor screeds
Concrete screed is the most common method of flooring in new-build apartments and private houses. For greater comfort, both a "warm floor" electric heating system and a conventional water heating circuit (made of special pipes with high heat transfer) can be installed under it.
Our review presents the best brands of sand concrete in the form of ready-made dry mixes for screed. The rating was compiled on the basis of the performance characteristics of the finished coating, the opinions of professional builders and feedback from owners who preferred one of these brands.
TOP 10 best floor screeds
10 Perfekta (fibrous layer)
Professional builders mark the dry mix for self-leveling floors Perfekta (fiber layer) as one of the most convenient materials to work with. The reviews especially indicate the speed of drying - you can walk on a screed layer of 1 cm after a couple of hours. In addition, Perfekta's consumption is about 17 kg per square meter, which is one of the lowest in the rating. Despite the high fluidity (the finished solution has the consistency of thick kefir), this screed does not have self-leveling characteristics, therefore it is better for it to work when arranging a floor with a thickness of 5 to 12 cm.
It will be optimal to use this brand of dry mix for filling a water heating circuit or an electric "warm" floor. The main condition is that the layer is more than 2-3 cm. This will provide better resistance to stress after complete drying. According to the manufacturer's recommendations, Perfekta (fiber layer) should be covered with a floor covering only after 7 days from the moment of pouring, but ceramic tiles can be laid the very next day.
9 Eunice Horizon
When pouring the floor with Eunice Horizon mixture for one sq. meter leaves, on average, up to 19 kg of ready-made solution. This is with a layer thickness of only 10 mm, so that the consumption of this brand is one of the most profitable. At the same time, the dry mixture can be used both for screed (5-10 mm) and for preparing a new base (in new buildings or during a major overhaul of an apartment). Despite the higher cost (compared to sand concrete), many new home owners prefer to use this brand to create a "floating" floor with a water circuit for heating.
Eunice Horizon, judging by the reviews, is quite successfully used in the arrangement of "warm" floors. The mixture is resistant to moisture, therefore laying on a wet base does not cause negative consequences in the form of swelling or subsequent cracking. A clear advantage is the fact that it will be possible to walk on the new floor after a couple of hours, although the final drying will take a week. The surface of the screed turns out to be smooth, glossy and, of course, perfectly flat, which for scrupulous owners is one of the most important factors influencing the choice in favor of Eunice Horizon.
8 Ceresit CN 173
The use of Ceresit CN 173 for floor screed gives consistently better results, provided that the working mortar is properly prepared from the dry mix. The use of this brand is most expedient when organizing a "warm" floor system, both electric and using a water circuit. The fact is that Ceresit CN 173 does not shrink at all, and when pouring, it quickly aligns the upper "mirror" due to the modifiers present in its composition.
In the reviews of specialists who used this brand for floor screed in apartments (both in new buildings and in old panel houses during major repairs), it is indicated that Ceresit CN 173 has clear advantages over ordinary sand concrete. The finished coating hardens in 5-6 hours, and gains the necessary strength the next day.
7 KNAUF Tribon
This mixture is used both for screed over the old coating or mats of the "warm" floor, and for pouring the floor heating circuit. It should be remembered that a slightly larger layer of mortar is required for a water heating system, and KNAUF Tribon allows you to obtain a coating with a thickness of no more than 60 mm. Average consumption of this brand per sq. meter is about 17 kg of dry mix (10 mm layer).
Judging by the reviews of professional builders, this screed turns out to be much stronger than ordinary sand concretes, dries quickly (you can walk on the floor after 5-6 hours, and the coating can withstand the full load in a day) and, moreover, has better fluidity, quickly leveling layer surface by level. In addition, this brand has European certificates of conformity and has an environmentally friendly impeccability - KNAUF Tribon is better suited for residential premises than other screeds.
6 NOVAMIX M-300
One of the best brands of sand concrete taking part in our rating. The dry mix is based on 500 grade cement and sand. Optimally suited for self-leveling floors, including "warm" ones. Virtually no shrinkage, subject to the proportions of preparation of the finished solution. Low cost and ease of use makes this building material one of the most popular in the domestic market.
Judging by the reviews, it is successfully used both for the primary pouring of floors in new buildings, and as a screed over the old concrete pavement in ordinary apartments. The mixture hardens after 120 minutes, which allows the surface to be leveled as much as possible. NOVAMIX M-300 does not lead to the formation of a water film, which indicates better strength throughout the entire thickness of the fill. It has high frost resistance and can be used for outdoor work (casting foundations, blind areas, concrete paths, etc.).
5 Titanium М300
This brand of sand concrete has the best price on the domestic market among dry mixes for concreting work. Convenient packaging and ease of preparation of the ready-made solution makes Titan M300 the most suitable for pouring the coating in new buildings. It is also suitable for the installation of a screed over the system of "warm" floors in apartments of multi-storey buildings. Curing takes place within 2 hours, which makes it possible to do without expensive floor levelers, performing sand concrete pouring along the "beacons".
Judging by the reviews of builders who use a dry mixture of this brand on an ongoing basis, the resulting screed is characterized by a rather high strength (withstands a load of 40 MPa). Components of Titan M300 are Portland cement, sifted river sand (fraction up to 3 mm) and granulation (up to 5 mm). Thanks to such a large size, no shrinkage occurs at the time of hardening. The affordable cost and excellent characteristics of the solution have led to the appearance on the market of fake mixtures of this brand, so when choosing, you should pay attention to the seller's reputation.
4 Stone Flower М-300
This grade of sand concrete is distinguished by good leveling ability and speed of hardening. The use of a coarse fraction of sand does not shrink as the solution dries, which, with the proper skill of a specialist, makes it possible to do without finishing the floor leveling - the screed can be easily removed under the level. For 1 sq. meter accounts for 20-25 kg of dry mix (layer thickness of 10 mm), which indicates a high density of the solution and excellent strength characteristics.
In the reviews of the owners, the convenience of working with the ready-made mixture is noted. Such a laborious process as the arrangement of a "warm" floor system in an apartment or the initial pouring of a floor base in a new building, using sand concrete of this brand, is greatly simplified. The mixture can also be used for floors with a water heating circuit (the most common heating method in private houses).Resistance to low temperatures (withstands up to 50 cycles) allows the use of Stone Flower M-300 as a binder solution in brickwork, as well as in the construction of various concrete surfaces (blind area, paths, etc.).
3 Vilis M-400
It is not by chance that sand concrete of the Vilis M-400 brand was in the third position of our rating. It belongs to high-strength concretes in which coarse sand is used. The screed does not shrink as it dries. The floors obtained in this way are highly resistant to wear and tear - judging by the reviews, the material has proven itself well in the production of flooring in garages, basements, and outbuildings. It is also used when pouring street areas and paths. It is resistant to low temperatures, does not crack or crumble.
It is also used to fill the floor from scratch in new buildings, when installing a “warm” floor in apartments. Correct preparation of the solution provides the finished mixture with high plasticity, which, using the rule, makes it quite easy to bring the surface under the level. As a result, it is possible to save money on finishing filling, which, with large volumes of work, comes out in a fairly decent amount.
2 Rusean M-300
Among dry mixes of sand concrete, Rusean M-300 is one of the most popular on the market and has established itself as particularly durable - it is used for screed in rooms where a large load on the floor is planned. The preparation of a ready-made solution requires high accuracy - a lack of water will not allow to fully level the surface of the screed, and its excess will reduce the strength, and, when dry, can lead to the formation of cracks.
Judging by the reviews, Rusean M-300 dries quite slowly - it takes about two days so that you can safely walk on the screed. Further work (laying the floor covering) should be carried out only after complete drying, which occurs 7-10 days after pouring. One square meter 10 mm thick consumes about 22 kg of dry sand concrete. It is often used when installing a "warm" floor, since the high density of the mortar (2.1 t / m²) allows you to make a thin rough screed of 10-15 mm, which, nevertheless, will be a sufficiently strong coating.
1 Holcim М300
For the preparation of sand concrete of this brand, Holcim Portland cement is used, of which many developers could be convinced. When hardened, it gives a bluish tint, indicating the high characteristics of concrete. It is often used for screed in new buildings, where high requirements are imposed on raw materials. Correct preparation of sand concrete solution will provide not only the declared characteristics of the coating (although the solution is successfully used in masonry and even during plastering work), but will make the floor surface as flat as possible.
In numerous reviews, both professional builders and private developers about the brand of dry concrete Holcim M300, there is practically no criticism of the building material. They fill the floors in houses and apartments, arrange a screed over heating systems, both electrical and using a water heating circuit. Also, this mixture is successfully used for street concreting sites or garden paths. In all cases, Holcim M300 sand concrete showed itself only from the best side, on which its leading position in our rating is based.
