Comparison · checked 29 October 2026
Liquid vs sand and cement screed
The two main floor screeds compared on the figures that change your build.
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- Sources under every figure
Figures checked against each source on 29 October 2026. How we check
Liquid screed is faster to lay, thinner and self-curing, and it wraps fully round heating pipes. Sand and cement can be laid to falls, suits small jobs and patches, and every builder knows it. Both have to dry before the floor finish, and depth decides how long that takes.
In a house, a floating liquid screed can go down from 35 mm where sand and cement needs 65 mm. Per mm, they dry at roughly the same rate.
Screed planner
Plan your screed
Put in your floor and the day it's laid. You get the volume, the weight, when it should be dry enough for floor finishes, and when the heating can go on, from the makers' own figures.
Drying times are for good conditions, closed up and ventilated. The floor is tested before finishes go down, not guessed. None of the Irish screeding contractors' sites we checked publish a price per m², so the price comes from your floor.
Side by side
| Sand and cement | Liquid screed | |
|---|---|---|
| Floating depth in a house | 65 mm (MPA) | 35 mm calcium sulphate (Gyvlon); 35–45 mm cement liquid (Cemfloor, Roadstone) |
| Cover over heating pipes | 65–75 mm total over heating (Designing Buildings Wiki) | 25 mm (Gyvlon, Roadstone, Cemfloor) |
| Laid per day | Up to 150 m² (Gyvlon's comparison) | Up to 1,500 m² (Gyvlon); up to 2,000 m² (Roadstone FlowPlus) |
| Walk on it | 7 days (Gyvlon's comparison); cure 5 days under polythene (MPA) | 24–48 hours |
| Curing | Covered for at least 5 days (MPA) | Self-curing (Gyvlon); no additional curing (Roadstone) |
| Drying, 50 mm | About 50 days (BS 8204-1 rule) | About 60 days (Gyvlon, Roadstone rules) |
| Max bay, unheated | 36 m² (Gyvlon's comparison) | 80 m² (FlowPlus); 150 m² (Cemfloor); 1,000 m² (Gyvlon) |
| Laid to falls | Yes (a levelling screed can provide falls, MPA) | FlowPlus can't be laid to falls (Roadstone) |
| Before tiles or timber | Test to 75% RH | Calcium sulphate: sand, test, prime. Cement liquid: clean, test. |
| Heat transfer | 1.1 W/m·K (Gyvlon's comparison) | 2.2 W/m·K (Gyvlon) |
Sources: Mineral Products Association, Mortar Data Sheet 22: Screeds (Issue 3, October 2023); Gyvlon flowing screed general data pack (Anhydritec); Roadstone FlowPlus cement liquid screed brochure (RS.BRO-19 Rev 01, March 2022); Cemfloor Complete technical data sheet (2023); Designing Buildings Wiki, Screed over underfloor heating (last edited 15 September 2020); Ronacrete, Drying of Screeds. Checked 29 October 2026.
Several sand and cement figures come from Gyvlon's own comparison table. Gyvlon makes liquid screed, so read those as one maker's comparison.
Calcium sulphate or cement-based liquid
| Calcium sulphate (Gyvlon) | Cement-based (FlowPlus, Cemfloor) | |
|---|---|---|
| Surface before floor finishes | Must be sanded to remove laitance, then primed | Cemfloor: no sanding for laitance; Roadstone: light abrasion |
| Cement adhesives | Only over a primer barrier | Compatible (Cemfloor) |
| Moisture limit | 75% RH (0.5%) | Below 75% RH (about 2% carbide, Roadstone) |
| Heating on | From 7 days | From 14 days, max 45°C (Roadstone) |
| Biggest heated bay | 300 m² | 40 m² (FlowPlus); 100 m² (Cemfloor) |
Sources: Gyvlon flowing screed general data pack (Anhydritec); Roadstone FlowPlus cement liquid screed brochure (RS.BRO-19 Rev 01, March 2022); Cemfloor Complete technical data sheet (2023). Checked 29 October 2026.
Which to choose
- New build or extension with underfloor heating: liquid screed suits, for the thin cover and full encapsulation of the pipes. Gyvlon says full encapsulation eliminates trapped air round the pipe.
- Wet room or a floor to falls: sand and cement.
- A single room, a patch or a repair: sand and cement or a bagged polymer screed.
- Tight dates: a thin liquid screed, or a fast-drying screed.
- Old solid-wall house: neither, maybe: see lime screed.
Source: Gyvlon flowing screed general data pack (Anhydritec). Checked 29 October 2026.
Questions people ask
Is liquid screed better than sand and cement?
Neither is better everywhere. Liquid screed is thinner, faster to lay and self-curing. Sand and cement can be laid to falls and suits small jobs.
Does liquid screed dry faster than sand and cement?
Per mm, about the same: one day per mm for the first 40–50 mm. Liquid screed dries sooner because it can be thinner: 35 mm floating against 65 mm.
Can I tile onto liquid screed?
Yes, once dry. Calcium sulphate screed must be sanded and primed first (Gyvlon). Cemfloor says its cement-based screed works with cement adhesives without laitance sanding.
Which is better for underfloor heating?
Liquid screed needs only 25 mm over the pipes and fully surrounds them. Gyvlon gives it a thermal conductivity of 2.2 W/m·K against 1.1 for sand and cement.
Sources (6)
Prices and facts on this page were checked against these published pages. We are not connected to these businesses.
- Mineral Products Association, Mortar Data Sheet 22: Screeds: mortar.org.uk
- Gyvlon flowing screed general data pack (Anhydritec): specifiedby.com
- Roadstone FlowPlus cement liquid screed brochure: roadstone.ie
- Cemfloor Complete technical data sheet: cdn.shopify.com
- Designing Buildings Wiki, Screed over underfloor heating: designingbuildings.co.uk
- Ronacrete, Drying of Screeds: ronacrete.co.uk
Get your floor priced
Four taps about the job and one screeding contractor who covers your county rings you. Or call 087 162 1846, lines open 8am to 8pm.