Screed
A tiled floor is only as good as what’s underneath it. Astral Tiling installs screeds for commercial and residential projects, from levelling and set-downs to falls to waste in wet areas, balconies and podiums, so the floor is flat, strong and ready to tile on time.
Engineered screeds
Engineered screeds use a purpose-made binder or a factory pre-blended mix instead of site-batched sand and cement. They’re designed for consistent strength and faster drying, which makes them the right choice when the program is tight or the floor finish is moisture-sensitive.
- Rapid-set screed cements: mixed with sand on site but set and dry far faster than a traditional screed, for example ARDEX A 38 and ARDEX A 48
- Fast-drying screed binders and pre-blends: such as MAPEI Topcem Pronto, MAPEI Mapecem Pronto, ARDEX A 36 Abascreed and Dribond Driscreed, giving a predictable mix and short waiting times before tiling
- Repair, ramp and patching mortars: for making good, forming falls and ramps, and correcting levels
- Self-levelling compounds: for smoothing a sound substrate to a flat finish before large-format tiles or floor coverings
Sand & cement screeds
The traditional choice: a semi-dry mix of washed screed sand and cement, compacted and finished by hand. It’s economical, works across a wide range of thicknesses and suits most tiling projects where the program allows time to dry.
- Bonded screeds: laid directly onto a primed or slurried concrete slab, for thinner beds
- Unbonded screeds: laid over a separating layer when the screed must move independently of the slab
- Floating screeds: laid over insulation or an acoustic underlay
- Falls to waste: graded screeds for showers, wet areas, balconies and podiums, coordinated with the waterproofing
Which screed is right for your project?
| Sand & cement | Engineered | |
|---|---|---|
| Drying before tiling | Slower, depending on thickness and conditions | Fast: often within days or hours, per the product’s data sheet |
| Cost | Lower material cost | Higher material cost, but saves program time |
| Consistency | Depends on site batching | Factory-controlled binder or blend |
| Best for | Standard programs, general levelling and falls | Fast-track programs, moisture-sensitive finishes, thin or heavy-duty applications |
Not sure? Send us the drawings and program and we’ll recommend the most practical option for each area.
Screed calculator
Estimate your materials
Estimates only, for planning and budgeting. Sand and cement figures assume a semi-dry screed (dry volume factor 1.33, cement 1,440 kg/m³, sand 1,600 kg/m³). For engineered screeds, use the coverage from the product's technical data sheet. We'll confirm exact quantities with your quote.
Get a screed quoteScreed products we use
Mapei2
Ardex3
A 36 AbascreedScreeds & levellingPremixed sand and cement screed preparation for all types of floor coverings.TDSSDS
A 38Screeds & levellingRapid-set cement screed for all types of floor coverings.TDSSDS
A 48Screeds & levellingRapid-set cement screed preparation for all types of floor coverings.TDSSDS
Browse the full technical library
TDS = technical data sheet, SDS = safety data sheet. Data sheets open from each manufacturer's website, so you always get the current version.