The Short Answer
On our estimates, screeding a floor costs about £12 to £24 per m² for a traditional sand and cement screed, £14 to £26 for fast-drying and £16 to £29 for liquid (flowing) screed. A 20m² room is about £360 to £620, and the laying takes 6 to 8 hours.
The longer wait is the drying. Flooring can't go down until the screed is dry enough, and that can take weeks, which is why fast-drying screeds exist.
Screeding prices
| Job | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Traditional screed, per m² | £12 to £24 |
| Fast-drying screed, per m² | £14 to £26 |
| Liquid (flowing) screed, per m² | £16 to £29 |
| A 20m² room | £360 to £620 |
| A single garage floor | £330 to £450 |
| Levelling an existing floor, per m² | £6 to £30 |
Screed or levelling compound?
They're different jobs. Floor levelling compound (often called latex screed) levels and smooths an existing floor before a new covering, while screed is a sand and cement mix that builds up a floor. If you only need a smooth surface for LVT or laminate, a thin compound is far cheaper than a new screed.
Traditional, fast-drying or liquid?
- Traditional sand and cement is the cheapest per m².
- Fast-drying costs a little more but can shorten the job.
- Liquid (flowing or self-levelling) screed costs the most per m².
How long before you can lay flooring
Flooring makers set the rules, and they're strict:
- Quick-Step's rule of thumb for its laminate is 1 week per centimetre of screed up to 4cm, twice as long for each extra centimetre up to 6cm, and 4 weeks per centimetre beyond that. A 5cm screed works out at about 6 weeks.
- Karndean (via Tapi) asks for at least a day per millimetre, and moisture below 75% relative humidity before glue-down LVT goes on.
Quick-Step says drying depends on the climate and ventilation, and moisture should always be measured, not guessed. If a floor covering is waiting, I'd use a fast-drying screed and ask the screeder for a moisture reading before the fitter arrives.
Garage floors
It's common to screed a garage floor when converting it into a workshop, gym or office: about £330 to £450 for a single garage. For a full conversion into a room, see garage conversion costs.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does screeding cost per m²?
About £12 to £24 per m² for traditional screed, £14 to £26 fast-drying and £16 to £29 liquid, on our estimates.
Is screeding a floor a big job?
Laying it is quick, 6 to 8 hours for a 20m² room, but the drying takes weeks before most floor coverings can go down.
How much does it cost to screed a 20m² room?
About £360 to £620 on our estimates, depending on the screed type. That's about £240 to £480 in traditional screed.
Can I screed a floor myself?
I'd use a screeder for a new screed: every floor that goes on top depends on it being level and dry.
Is screeding cheaper than concrete?
Per square metre, yes: about £12 to £24 for traditional screed against £60 to £80 for a new concrete base, on our estimates. They aren't usually alternatives, though: a screed builds up and finishes a floor indoors, while a concrete base is what goes under something like a shed or garden room.
How we priced thisView sources (2)
Rules come from the legislation and official guidance, read at source. Prices are our estimates: we check them against trade price data, retailer shelf prices and specialists' price lists, then build them up from their parts so the totals add up. Below are the sources behind the page; the trade price guides we only compare against aren’t listed. Where sources disagreed, we've said so. More on our method.
- IndustryHow long does screed take to dry before laying laminate flooring?, Quick-Step. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
- IndustryHow to lay Karndean flooring (published 14 August 2025), Tapi. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
