Laying Cement Screed Indoors in Limited Space Conditions

Uninterrupted and rapid work was the decisive factor for the contractor to use the TMX 1000 forced-action mixer for this job site.

3.5 tons of dry-mixed cement screed, three workers and litte workspace – these were the conditions on the construction site for master tiler Jens Werner: 340 square feet of tiles had to be laid in the kitchen area of a company canteen. It was necessary to install cement screed as a subfloor beforehand. The challenge: The construction site was located on the first floor of a company building and installation had to be carried out during ongoing operations.

For Werner and his staff, this meant working in cramped conditions. In addition, the installation was to be carried out while regular business operations were taking place – and with as little disruption as possible. When selecting the cement screed, Werner opted for the ready-mixed, fast-setting screed Novoment M3 plus by Manufacturer PCI. Even though the cement screed had to be applied to a relatively small area, around 3.5 tons of material were required. This was due to the installation height of 3.5 - 4 inches.

When selecting suitable mixing technology, Werner opted to use the Collomix TMX 1000 forced-action mixer. This mixing device ended the search for the ideal solution for mixing the heavy material. This is because the Collomix TMX 1000 can, in one mixing process, prepare three 55 lbs. bags of screed for processing simultaneously.

Dust-free mixing with an optimum result

The Collomix TMX 1000 forced-action mixer is particularly suitable for use in confined spaces. This is due to the fact that material can be filled into the mixing drum of the mixer directly from to top, whereby a bag ripper opens the bags and the contents land exactly in the mixer. The mixing tank offers a volume of 26 gal. – ideal for three to four bags of the chosen material including the requisite mixing water. The three-armed mixing tool grips the material in its entirety and, with 30 revolutions per minute, ensures a thorough mixing of the heavy mass. This yields an optimum mixing result.

Unlike a conventional concrete mixer, the granular, earth-moist material on the sides and bottom of the TMX 1000 tank cannot escape and is completely captured by its mixing tool. At the same time, the material is consistently broken down with the high torque of the forced-action mixer. Another argument in favour of the Collomix TMX 1000 for Jens Werner was that the machine has a connection for dust extraction. This criterion was especially important for this construction site, as it was an indoor site. After all, the cement dust that escapes during filling without dust extraction is anything but healthy. A dust extractor with a HEPA-filter was therefore connected to the TMX 1000 on site and work was consistently performed dust-free.

Water addition – crucial for the mixing quality

The amount of water added is crucial for ensuring a consistent mixture quality. Here, contractor Werner decided to use Collomix’s water dosing instrument AQiX on the construction site. The water hose is connected directly to the water dosing device, the desired amount of water is set at the touch of a button, and the instrument is attached to the edge of the mixing tank. When the preset amount of water is reached, the device switches off automatically. This ensures that the mixing quality remains exactly the same for each batch. Ready-mixed materials in particular require a high degree of dimensional accuracy when adding water in order to achieve an optimum result. Even slight differences in the amount of water can lead to changes in the material properties or processing.

48 mixes in only two and a half hours

In less than 90 seconds, the team had finished mixing one batch after the other. These loads were emptied into a transport bucket via the bottom slide. Since the finished mixed batch weighs about 220 pounds, a dolly was used for easier transport. After just two and a half hours, the entire 3.5 tons of screed had been processed into 48 mixes, not least thanks to the Collomix TMX 1000.

For Jens Werner and his team, the decision to opt for the Collomix forced-action mixer was justified – and paid off – with this project. The high mixing quality in addition to the short mixing and processing times were just as convincing as the machine concept and operation. Even cleaning was quick and easy. As stated by Werner, the company often has to perform screed work and subfloors for patios also have to be carried out. The Collomix TMX forced-action mixer is ideally suited for the mortars required to this end and also significantly reduces the physical strain, concludes Jens Werner.