Using Gypsol anhydrite binder creates a pumpable, self-smoothing floor screed. Moreover, this screed is an economically advantageous and a sustainable alternative to the labour-intensive and traditional sand cement screeds.
Gypsol; Anhydrite binder for pumpable, self-smoothing floor screeds
LKAB Minerals’ Gypsol, the high-performance anhydrite binder, is a key component for the flooring industry. It is the primary ingredient in pumpable, self-smoothing floor screeds.
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Alternative to sand cement screeds
Flowing floor screeds offer a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional, labour intensive sand cement screeds.
Whether you are an architect, designer, main contractor, self-builder or a flooring contractor we provide you with all the information you need to get the most out of Gypsol screed in your project.
Applications using Gypsol floor screed
We supply our alternative to sand cement screeds for a large variety of constructions. Building projects using Gypsol:
- Schools
- Nursing homes
- Apartments
- Community buildings
- Retail
- Houses
- Refurbishments
- Commercial projects
You will find case studies on the different projects in our DOCUMENTATION tab.
Where to buy Gypsol screed?
Gypsol screeds are available from more than 80 locations throughout the UK and Ireland. Our knowledgeable sales experts cover the whole of the UK and Ireland and work with a range of quality assured manufacturing partners. The expertise available within the Gypsol team, combined with the manufacturing experience of our partners, means that we can offer an unbeatable package to meet all of your flowing screed requirements.
Our distribution network is continually improving to ensure easy availability of Gypsol screeds regardless of the size, nature and location of your project.
Brands and manufacturers using Gypsol binder
There are several brands based on high-quality Gypsol binder including:
Gypsol screeds are also readily available from several independent manufacturers such as:
- The Concrete Company in the Eastern counties
- Bretts, Mixamate in the South East
- S Morris in the South West
- Axtell Concrete Ltd in the South
- Scotland based Scotscreed
- CRH Roadstone in Ireland
- Aire Flo Screed at Pontefract
- Ascus Screeding at Mansfield
Bagged Gypsol is even available as Sureflo, which is supplied by national merchant CCF in 25 kg bags for mixing on site.
Extensive Gypsol product range
In addition to our Gypsol Classic screed, we have developed a range of exclusive products. Each of these, such as the recently released Gypsol Rapide screed, allow you to incorporate our materials into just about any construction project.
| Products | Information |
|---|---|
| Rapide | A self-compacting, self-smoothing, fast-drying floor screed |
| Classic | A general purpose screeding system. The most commonly used material in our range. |
| HTC | Gypsol HTC (High Thermal Conductivity) for use with underfloor heating and cooling systems |
| TS-15 | An ultra-thin screed for bonded and un-bonded applications at a minimum depth of 15mm. |
| TS-20 | A thin screed suitable for bonded and un-bonded applications down to a 20mm minimum depth |
| XS | Extra strength material for use in heavy-duty applications, where loading is likely to be higher than normal |
| TimBRE | Specially formulated and tested for use in timber frame and over timber supported floors including acoustic conditions |
| Solida | Designed to offer a cost-effective, energy efficient and environmentally friendly whole house heating solution. Ideal for the mass house market or single dwellings. |
| Sureflo | Pre-blended product supplied in 25kg bags for mixing on site. Ideal where minimal quantities are required, or access for ready-mix lorries is not possible. |
| Summit | To use for screeds pumped over very long distances or high buildings of 10 stories and above. |
| Modular | Designed for use in modular construction to allow early movement of units. Also for a lightweight steel frame and Lewis Decking. |
Easy to place, self-compacting, free-flowing anhydrite screed binder
An extensive range of offsite mixing plants uses our Gypsol. Providing you with the following benefits:
| Benefits | Removes |
|---|---|
| deliver the Gypsol screeds to site ready to use | labour intensive site mixing and associated mixing equipment |
| pumped directly to where they are needed | manual handling operations |
| pumped using equipment with closed or grilled dispensing hoppers | risk of contact with moving machinery |
| finished using a lightweight dappling bar | requiring no secondary compaction most of the physical work needed to lay other screeds |
This way of working significantly reduces the negative impact on the musculoskeletal system of installing contractors.
Sustainable Gypsol floor screed solution
As a company at the forefront of screed manufacture, we are ever conscious of the impact we and our customers have on the environment. We therefore continuously aim to reduce our carbon footprint and educate our customers and clients about how they can optimise their designs using Gypsol screeds and help minimise their environmental impact.
Gypsol screed provides benefits, including:
- Low manufacturing carbon footprint
- Low embodied energy
- Low operating energy
- Reduced lifetime impact
- Low-temperature underfloor heating
- Safer to work with
- Low cost
- Reduced waste
Due to the inherent properties of Gypsol Screed and its sustainable credentials, our material has been awarded Silver status by the Supply Chain School for Sustainability.
Low manufacturing carbon footprint
Our carbon footprint has been independently audited and certified, verifying that Gypsol Binder products just 26.26 kg of carbon dioxide per 1 tonne of material manufactured. This compares favourably with cement manufacture, which exerts in the region of 900kg per 1 tonne of material produced. You could, therefore, save up to 94% of the carbon emissions associated with the manufacture of your floor screed by switching from cement-based to Gypsol screed. Find out more in our carbon footprint guidance sheet.
Low embodied energy
Unlike other binder systems, the manufacturing process for Gypsol binder requires no high-temperature production methods. This means that very little energy is used in the manufacture of our material. When incorporated into Gypsol Screed, it can also be used at much-reduced depths, requiring less material in the construction process. It also allows for more sustainable products to be used in conjunction with the screed, thus reducing the embodied energy of the building. For more information on optimising your design, contact your regional specifications manager.
Low operating energy
The more you reduce the energy used during the operational lifetime of a building, the lower the impact on the environment. Reducing your screed depth offers the opportunity to increase insulation depth. This enables the use of insulation systems which provide a lower GWP (Global Warming Potential) as well as reducing the heat loss through the floor, ensuring the building is as thermally efficient as possible.
Reduced lifetime impact
Gypsol screeds are 100% recyclable, which has a significant effect on the lifetime analysis of a building.
Low-temperature underfloor heating
When using underfloor heating, the key to efficiency is high thermal conductivity coupled with rapid response to changes in ambient conditions. Gypsol screeds offer thermal conductivity as high as 2.5 W/mK compared with 1:4 sand cement screed, which typically offers just 1.1W/mK.
This advantage, coupled with the thinner section, improves the floors ability to generate thermal inertia, increasing the coefficient of performance of the underfloor heating system by up to 25%. Altogether this results in much-reduced flow temperatures and corresponding energy savings.
Gypsol binder toxicology
Our LKAB Minerals’ Gypsol screeds emit no VOCs.
Gypsol origins
LKAB Minerals manufacture Gypsol binder from a by-product of the chemical industry. For every 1 tonne of Gypsol binder used 0.98 tonnes of landfill is avoided. Also, we are the only Anhydrite binder supplier with our own UK based manufacturing facility, ensuring control of the entire process and reducing the carbon footprint associated with transportation and logistics.
Safe to work with Gypsol screed
Gypsol binder does not contain Portland cement. Gypsol screed is supplied ready to use, significantly reducing the manual labour associated with other screed systems. Installation of Gypsol is carried out using specialist pumping equipment and does not require the installer to be on his hands and knees. Gypsol is fully self-compacting and therefore, reduces the negative on the musculoskeletal system of installers.
Gypsol origin
We manufacture Gypsol anhydrite binder to CE certified standards in the UK. LKAB Minerals produce Gypsol binder from a by-product which we retrieve from the chemical industry. Previously this product was used as landfill.
Gypsol toxicology
A non-toxic, non-hazardous stable mineral. You can download the Safety Data Sheet from the documentation tab.
LKAB Minerals can provide support to assist with your Gypsol screed projects.
CPD’s and documentation
The internal support we offer consists of:
- CPD training presentation at your company. FREE of charge, duration ~1 hour. Ask for more information or plan a session via our Area Technical and Specification Managers via below contact form.
- Informational guides. You find these all under the DOCUMENTATION tab.
- General design
- Underfloor heating
- Post-installation guide
- Floor coverings flow chart
- Surface preparation guide
- Ancillary products guide
- Gypsol comparing sheet
- Creating joints
NBS Specifications
The Gypsol team can offer a comprehensive NBS Specification for your project. Contact your regional Technical Specification Manager for details.
BIM Modelling
Located with the NBS National BIM Library, BIM Modelling is a specification tool for designers. Our BIM Models are listed below:
- Gypsol classic flowing screed
- Gypsol Modular Gypsum based flowing screed
- Gypsol Solida heated screed system
- Gypsol Summit flowscreed
- Gypsol TimBRE self-levelling anhydrite screed
- Gypsol TS-15 ultra-thin flowing screed
- Gypsol TS-20 thin flowing screed
- Gypsol XS High Strength Anhydrite screed
- Sureflo bagged Gypsum screed
- Gypsol HTC thermal screed
RIBA
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) provides support to Architects & designers:
LKAB Minerals currently sells its Gypsol products in the UK only. To reach the closest Gypsol distributor please check with the responsible Gypsol Technical and Specifications Manager. The below map provides you more details.
Daniel Gordon – Scotland, Northern-Ireland, Ireland, London, South East England
T: +44(0) 7889 810046 – Email: daniel.gordon@lkab.com
Iain Bradwell – Northern England, North Wales
T: +44(0) 7475 782513 – Email: iain.bradwell@lkab.com
Alan Jackson – Eastern England
T: +44(0) 7966 651006 – Email: alan.jackson@lkab.com
Ian Mitchell – Western & South West England, South Wales
T: +44(0) 7971 868608 – Email: ian.mitchell@lkab.com
For the UK only we created an APP you can conveniently download on your mobile phone to find the nearest supply depots. You can simply enter the postcode or location of your project and press “find plant” for the answer.
Furthermore, on this page we offer you to download datasheets, case studies and information guides to ease working with Gypsol floor screed.
Case Data Sheets & Safety Data Sheets
Information Guides
- Gypsol - Ancillary products stockists and suppliers
- Gypsol - Creating joints with the screed range
- Gypsol - Design Guide
- Gypsol – Preparation Guide
- Gypsol - Post installation guide
- Gypsol - Underfloor Heating Guide
- Gypsol - Why choose it?
- Gypsol Rapide - Installation Guide
- Gypsol - Floor Finish Flow Chart Guide
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How thin can I lay Gypsol screeds?
+Bonded: 15 mm (TS-15)
Unbonded: 15 mm (TS-15)
Floating domestic: 35 mm
Floating commercial: 40 mm
With underfloor heating: 20 mm cover to pipes (HTC) -
What is the benefit of using Gypsol screeds with underfloor heating?
+There are a few benefits of using Gypsol screeds with underfloor heating. The minimum cover to the heating element needs only to be 20mm using HTC screed, so the heat only has to travel through 20mm of floor screed before you start to feel the heat. Gypsol screeds are self-compacting making them denser compared to hand applied floor screeds. This means that the heat will travel through the screed more quickly. You install the screed in a very fluid state, intimately encapsulating the heating elements and drawing the heat from every surface.
This means that the reaction times will be faster, reaching your desired temperature more quickly.
The Gypsol team can offer you advice on bay sizes and the location of expansion joints; this is important where underfloor heating is employed. -
What is the cost of using Gypsol screeds compared with other floor screeds?
+To gain an accurate comparison, measure the cost of installation per square metre of floor rather than the cost of material per tonne or metre cubed. Because you can lay Gypsol screed much thinner than conventional sand cement screeds more square metres of floor is covered. For example, a sand/cement floor screed without underfloor heating laid on insulation should be at least 65mm deep. In this example, it means that you can only cover 15 square metres with one cubic metre of material. However, the same floor laid using a Gypsol floor screed at 40mm deep would cover 25 square metres.
This also allows the potential to change insulation types to more cost-effective options, offering significant cost savings for your floor. -
Can I install tiles or vinyl onto Gypsol screeds?
+Yes.
You can lay any floor covering onto Gypsol floor screeds, including carpets, tiles, vinyl, LVT and resin floor systems. As with all screeds, whether cementitious or Gypsol, will need to be properly prepared; clean, dry, mechanically abraded and primed.
Best practice is quoted by the Contract Flooring Association in their guide to contract flooring.
Also, any underfloor heating should be commissioned and run prior to installing floor finishes. -
Can Gypsol screeds be used for outdoor use?
+We recommend that you use Gypsol screeds only in weather tight environments. The Gypsol team can offer you advice on all aspects of the floor installation, and can even draw up a floor specification which you can present to your contractor for tendering purposes. Just call us for professional advice.
Related applications
Interested in what Gypsol can do for you?
Start by selecting your country to get the right contact person:
My name is Alan Jackson and I'm a Gypsol product expert located in 232.
If you are interested in what this product can do for you, please give me a call or send me a message.
Office 0044 (0)7966 651 006
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