Bonded or unbonded
Every screed is designed as one or the other. A screed on a separating layer, or on a contaminated slab, counts as unbonded.
AS 3958 App A.1, A.2.2● System 10 of 12 · Screeds & levelling
Floor Screed & Self-Levelling
Falls, levels and fast turnarounds: a pre-blended rapid screed, a binder for site-mixed screeds and two self-levellers.
AS 3958 screeds10 mm bonded (FORSPEC system)
6products
3CAD details
Up to 25 yrwarranty, depending on the systemwarranty, by system
● The build-up
Six products, one TDS figure each.
Each layer with the one figure that matters, from its data sheet. Tap a layer to see why it is there.
01
Bonding primerACTFLEX 3003 to 5 m² per kg as a tack coat
Polymer primer that bonds screeds and levellers to the slab. 15 and 18 kg pails. For FORCEM, 2 L goes into each 20 kg bag mix.
02
Rapid screed, pre-blendedSCREED XBonded from 10 mm · tile from 12 h
Unbonded at 40 mm, or 35 mm over FORSPEC membranes with mesh and a double slip sheet. Foot traffic in 2 to 3 hours. A membrane can go on from 24 hours once the screed is below 4.5% moisture.
03
Binder for site-mixed screedFORCEM SCREED BINDER20 kg bag to 100 kg of sand
Mixed 1:5 by weight with graded sand. Bonded from 10 mm, unbonded at 40 mm, floating at 55 mm. One bag makes about 6.1 m² at 10 mm. Light foot traffic at about 8 hours; membrane and tiling from 24.
04
Reinforcing fibresFIBRE X20 g per 20 kg bag of SCREED X
Standard dose is 1 kg per tonne of mix; the enhanced dose is 1.5 to 2 kg per tonne. 1 kg pack.
05
Self-levellerLEVEL X1.5 to 100 mm · 1.7 kg/m² per mm
20 kg bag mixed with 4.4 to 4.8 L of water. Walk on it in 2 hours, membranes from 4 hours, floor coverings from 24. Prime with ACTFLEX 300 at 4.5% moisture or less, EP250 above that.
06
High-strength self-levellerLEVEL X PRO1.5 to 100 mm · walk on in 2 h
The higher-strength grade. 20 kg bag mixed with 4.4 to 4.6 L of water, at 1.7 kg/m² per mm.
How much do I need?One 20 kg bag of FORCEM with 100 kg of sand makes about 6.1 m² of screed at 10 mm.
Calculate →● The rules, in plain English
AS 3958, in short.
AS 3958 covers site-mixed sand and cement screeds. SCREED X and FORCEM thicknesses are FORSPEC system figures from their data sheets.
Mesh in an unbonded screed
A site-mixed unbonded screed is at least 40 mm thick with mesh as near mid-depth as possible. Bonded site-mixed screeds run from 15 to 50 mm.
AS 3958 App ABond coat, laid wet
A bonded screed gets a bond coat on the slab or membrane straight before the screed goes down, while it is still wet.
AS 3958 App A.9A plain-English summary, not the standard. Check the current documents for your job, or send us the job.A summary, not the standard. Check the current documents for your job.
● Every product in this system
Screeds & levelling: 6 products.
TDS and SDS open straight from the card.
● How it's done
Watch an engineered screed go down.
SCREED X: how to lay an engineered screed
- Engineered
- Blend vs binder
- Prep
- Mix
- Lay
● 3D models
See every layer before site starts.
Each FORSPEC detail is modelled in 3D so the site team sees the build-up for screeds & self-levelling before anyone opens a pail. Send the job and we model yours.
● On site
Real jobs. Real FORSPEC.
Your job next
Got a job like this coming up?
Send the drawings or a few photos. A FORSPEC rep comes back with the system, the CAD details and a 3D of your job.
Send us your job →● CAD library
Drawn details, ready for your set.
3 standard details for screeds & self-levelling. Open one to view it and download the PDF and DXF.
● Typical values
The numbers, and how they were tested.
Typical values from FORSPEC research and development testing, each with the test standard used. Where a test report is named, the value comes from that report.
FORCEM SCREED BINDER
Typical values, R&D
| Property | Typical value | Test standard |
|---|---|---|
| Compressive strength, 1 / 7 / 28 days | 17 / 25 / 30 MPa | AS 1012.9 |
LEVEL X
Typical values, R&D
| Property | Typical value | Test standard |
|---|---|---|
| Compressive strength, 1 / 7 / 28 days | 15 / 25 / 35 MPa | AS 1012.9 |
| Flexural strength, 1 / 7 / 28 days | 5 / 7 / 8 MPa | AS 1012.11 |
LEVEL X PRO
Typical values, R&D
| Property | Typical value | Test standard |
|---|---|---|
| Compressive strength, 1 / 7 / 28 days | 15 / 25 / 40 MPa | AS 1012.9 |
| Flexural strength, 1 / 7 / 28 days | 5 / 7 / 8 MPa | AS 1012.11 |
Typical values are a guide to performance, not specification limits. Check the current data sheet for the product before you specify.Typical values, not specification limits. Check the current data sheet.
● Questions we get
Straight answers, from the TDS.
How thick does a floor screed need to be?
SCREED X goes down bonded from 10 mm and unbonded at 40 mm. FORCEM goes bonded from 10 mm, unbonded at 40 mm and floating at 55 mm. These are FORSPEC system figures from the data sheets.
How soon can you tile on a screed?
SCREED X takes tiles from 12 hours. A FORCEM screed takes a membrane or tiles from 24 hours.
How much screed do I need?
FORCEM uses 3.0 to 3.3 kg of binder per m² for every 10 mm: one 20 kg bag with 100 kg of sand makes about 6.1 m² at 10 mm.
How thick can self-levelling compound be poured?
LEVEL X and LEVEL X PRO pour from 1.5 to 100 mm, at 1.7 kg/m² for every millimetre.
How long before a self-leveller can be walked on?
LEVEL X is walkable in 2 hours. Membranes can go on from 4 hours and floor coverings from 24.
● Go deeper
Drawings, data sheets, jobs and news.
DrawingsCAD details for this system3 details here, PDF and DXF to download→Data sheetsTDS, SDS and test reportsEvery document for this system→CalculatorSCREED X calculatorArea in, packs out→CalculatorLEVEL X calculatorArea in, packs out→SpecifySpec clause for this systemClause, drawings, data sheets→NewsMoisture in concrete: how dry is dry enough?FORSPEC News→NewsScreeds on balconies: what NCC 2025 changesFORSPEC News→NewsThe membrane under the screed, on every floorFORSPEC News→
● The other systems
Twelve systems. One warranty.
● Not sure it suits the job?
Send us the job. We spec it.
Drawings, photos or a description. A FORSPEC rep comes back with the system, the spec clause, CAD details and a 3D visual within 6 business hours.