Ask Andy “How soon can I lay wood flooring on the screed?”

Thank you Alyson for your “engineered oak floor” Question:

“How soon can I lay engineered oak floor on the screed?”

Watch Andy’s video to find out his answer:

Hi, my name’s Andy Parkin Managing Director of the Multi Award Winning Speed Screed.

Thank you very much for your question Alyson and that question is: “How soon can I lay engineered oak floor on the screed?”

Moisture is something that needs to be controlled. It can obviously cause damage and issues with any type of engineered wood. The magical numbers are:

• 75% R/H (relative humidity) Floating

For floating (not bonded to the screed)

• 65% R/H Bonded

If it is going to be bonded.

So that is 75% or 65% bonded or floating on top.

If you are looking at percentage moisture, you can take that with a carbide bomb test.

You can use an indicative meter, such as a Tramex Concrete Encounter Meter, to give you a percentage.

• Cement base products you are looking at 2.5% moisture or less
• Anhydrite/gypsum based product, then you’re, looking at 0.5% or less

Do not lay the lay until you have those readings or less.

The test for relative humidity would be the hygrometer, generally that would be a humidity sleeve, which is left to reach equilibrium overnight, and then the test taken the very next day.

So that is the general process for taking the measurement, but the figures that you are looking for are 75% R/H If it’s floating 65% R/H, if it is bonded, translating it to percentage moisture, it is 2.5% cement and 0.5% for anhydride/calcium sulphate/gypsum (goes under a few names).

If you have any questions, we love to help!  Contact us.