ᐅ Walking on the screed after three days or as early as the next day?

Hello,

I have already researched online: screed should not be walked on before 3 days at the earliest.
But our general contractor said that the screed (flowing screed) would be walkable after just 1 day.
Is that really okay?

Thanks for your answers!

Of course, you can walk on it after one day, but it is not recommended, as this could cause minor hairline cracks. The same applies to any kind of load or pressure.

Shock loads or impact stress should only be applied after 4 to 7 days. I would wait at least 3 days before walking on it more frequently.

I wouldn't recommend doing that – in extreme cases, you risk voiding the warranty, for example with tile installation.

Do what the screed installer advises. This also applies to ventilation, heating, and so on. Not what you read online or what someone writes in forums. Depending on the type of screed and the additives used, the required drying times can vary significantly nowadays. There are even accelerators that claim walkability after just one day.

Maybe you have quick-drying screed. We had that too; it was walkable after 1 day and ready for covering after 10 days. I would also trust the screed installer.

We have fast-drying screed installed. When it was applied, the builder himself opened the house after 24 hours, opening all the windows, and even walked around inside. This was necessary because the temperature inside reached almost 60°C (140°F) due to the extremely rapid curing of the screed. It was essential to cool and ventilate the space; otherwise, the drywall would not have held up. Karsten