{"product_id":"ardex-a-48-rapid-set-screed","title":"Ardex A 48 Rapid Set Screed","description":"\u003cdiv role=\"main\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFor fast-track floor prep on concrete substrates, ARDEX A 48 Rapid Set Screed allows you to lay tiles, natural stone, and terrazzo after 8 hours. It prevents the long drying delays of standard screeds, making it suitable for moisture-sensitive floor coverings, resilient systems, and parquet on commercial or residential projects.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n \u003ch3\u003eWhat it does\u003c\/h3\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eThis premixed cement and aggregate screed is formulated for rapid drying and high dimensional stability, helping to prevent the shrinkage cracks and curling common with traditional sand-cement mixes. It is compliant with the AS 1884 resilient flooring standard, allowing the application of smoothing cements after 24 hours and resilient or textile floorcoverings after 2 days. The rapid-setting binder system achieves 20 MPa compressive strength in 24 hours, meaning the screed is walkable in approximately 4 hours to keep trades moving on site.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n \u003ch3\u003eNumbers that matter\u003c\/h3\u003e\n \u003cul\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e8-hour tile window:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ready to receive tiles, natural stone, and terrazzo after 8 hours of drying, compared to the multiple days required by conventional screeds.\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e20 MPa compressive strength (1 day):\u003c\/strong\u003e Reaches approximately 20 MPa after 24 hours, rising to 30 MPa at 3 days and 35 MPa at 28 days to support heavy traffic and floor finishes.\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e15mm minimum thickness:\u003c\/strong\u003e Can be installed as a bonded screed at a minimum thickness of 15mm, or as an unbonded screed on a slipsheet at a minimum thickness of 40mm.\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e60-minute working time:\u003c\/strong\u003e Provides up to an hour of working time at standard temperatures, though mixing, placing, and finishing must proceed in rapid 10-minute succession to manage the fast-setting chemistry.\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e20kg\/m² coverage:\u003c\/strong\u003e Requires approximately 20kg of dry powder per square metre for every 10mm of screed thickness.\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n \u003ch3\u003eWhere to use it\u003c\/h3\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eARDEX A 48 is suitable for internal and external concrete floors. It can be configured as a:\u003c\/p\u003e\n \u003cul\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eBonded screed directly over prepared concrete.\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eUnbonded screed over a slipsheet.\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eFloating screed over an insulating layer.\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eHeated screed over floor heating systems.\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003c\/ul\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eIt provides a stable base for the subsequent installation of tiles, natural stone, parquet, resilient floor coverings, and the ARDEX WPM 750 Undertile Butynol waterproofing system.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n \u003ch3\u003eInstallation and system limits\u003c\/h3\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTo ensure a successful installation, follow these process rules:\u003c\/p\u003e\n \u003cul\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSurface preparation:\u003c\/strong\u003e Subfloors must be mechanically prepared (shot-blasting, scarifying, or diamond grinding) to an open porous concrete matrix. Acid etching, solvents, and sweeping compounds must not be used. Direct-to-earth slabs require a damp-proof membrane or an ARDEX moisture barrier.\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBonded slurry coat:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bonded applications require a wet-on-wet installation. Prepare a slurry bond coat using ARDEX P 51 mixed 1:1 with clean water and blend with the screed powder. Place the main screed mix directly into the wet slurry; do not allow the slurry coat to dry out.\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBay sizing:\u003c\/strong\u003e Lay the screed in maximum 40m² bays, with the longest side not exceeding 8m. Maintain a length-to-width ratio of no more than 2. Separate bays with a 2mm gap, which can be joined the next day with epoxy to establish panels up to 100m². Bound all perimeter walls, columns, and directional changes with compressible foam strips and flexible polyurethane sealant.\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCompaction:\u003c\/strong\u003e Install in 50mm increments to ensure proper mechanical compaction. For multiple layers, follow the wet-on-wet slurry process between each lift.\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n \u003ch3\u003eLimitations\u003c\/h3\u003e\n \u003cul\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eDo not install ARDEX A 48 if the ambient or substrate temperature is below 5°C or above 35°C.\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eDo not bond ARDEX A 48 directly to any ARDEX waterproofing membranes.\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eAvoid placing heavy loads, such as pallets of tiles or heavy machinery, on the screed before it has achieved final strength.\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Ardex","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46775984652480,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0507\/3630\/0224\/files\/ardex_a_48_screed.png?v=1758170371","url":"https:\/\/adheseal.com.au\/products\/ardex-a-48-rapid-set-screed","provider":"Adheseal","version":"1.0","type":"link"}