Screed Damper: Application

Screed damper tape is used to compensate for the expansion of the screed material that occurs as a result of changes in its temperature. The use of such a compensating tape becomes especially relevant when laying underfloor heating, which due to its operating mode is especially susceptible to temperature extremes.

Material characteristics

This building material is made of polyethylene foam, which is characterized by the ability to take its original shape after the termination of external mechanical loads. It is this quality that allows the damper tape to reliably protect the concrete coating from the effects of its thermal expansion. In addition, the use of such a material makes it possible to achieve high thermal insulation performance.

Currently, there are a fairly large number of "popular" options for replacing the edge band with cheaper material in order to save. Almost any improvised means are used for this: wooden slats, isolon, linoleum, etc.

However, it is worth remembering that in addition to performing its main function, such a material should provide durability and high technical characteristics of the entire structure.

Advantages of Foam Products

Polyethylene foam has the following advantages:

1. Resistance to moisture and fungus.
2. This material does not lose its qualities under the influence of temperature changes.
3. The small specific gravity of the polyethylene foam, as well as its lightness and elasticity in combination with the tape design of the damper make the installation process extremely simple and convenient.
4. High thermal insulation (one of the auxiliary functions of the edge tape is an additional restriction of heat transfer between the materials of walls and floors).
5. Hypoallergenicity and environmental safety of this material allow it to be used safely in residential premises.
6. The ability of an edge tape made of polyethylene foam to ensure the stability of a concrete floor to vibration and other mechanical stresses.
7. Long service life. Provided that it is installed correctly, this material can last for many years.

Features of the styling process

The maximum floor area, which provides reliable protection of the screed from deformation as a result of temperature expansion, provided that the damper tape is laid only at the walls, is 10 m2. If the total area of ​​the room exceeds this value, then care must be taken to install additional expansion joints using this material. Also, without fail, such seams under all doorways should be equipped. To do this, it is necessary to fix the damper tape on a horizontal surface using mounting angles.

The screed tape can have a self-adhesive surface, with the help of which the process of its installation is greatly facilitated. When using cheaper models of this building material, it is mounted using liquid nails. It is a little less convenient, but also very reliable. Laying is done in such a way as to ensure a minimum number of joints, with each of them being overlapped.

The width of the tape can be from 50 to 150 mm. The choice of its specific size depends on the thickness of the floor and the area of ​​the room. Naturally, when installing prefabricated or multi-layer structures, you need to use a wider tape. As for its length, manufacturers produce this material in rolls from 8 to 100 m, which allows you to easily select the required size to ensure the reliability of the concrete floor in a particular indoors.

For the convenience of removing protruding parts of the sealant that are visible after completion of construction work, many manufacturers supply their products with special longitudinal grooves. When laying the tape, pay attention to ensure that these grooves are on top.

The damping tape can be equipped with a protective apron (skirt) with a width of 3 to 10 cm, which when bending down and serves to prevent concrete from flowing into the gap between the tape and the floor. Due to this, additional thermal insulation of the screed is achieved.