Screeds: Comfort, Insulation and Stability

More than leveling — screeds provide comfort

With the completion of electrical and drainage pipe installations, we have entered a new and essential phase in the construction of the Azuaga 68 and Ernesto 65 buildings: floor filling using technical screeds.

Screeds do much more than just level the surface for the final floor finish. They play a key role in protecting infrastructure and creating a thermally efficient and acoustically comfortable living environment.

⚙️ Lightweight leveling layer with expanded clay

The process begins with a lightweight mortar made from cement, sand, and expanded clay aggregate, applied directly over the installed pipes. This mix weighs less than half of a standard mortar, significantly reducing the structural loadon the building.

In addition to being light, expanded clay also provides thermal and acoustic insulation, enhancing overall building performance.

We use high-quality expanded clay from the brand Leca, part of the Saint-Gobain group:🔗 https://www.saint-gobain.pt/produtos/leca/leca-xs#descricao

Lightweight Screed

Expanded Clay

🧊 Thermal insulation on ground-floor units with XPS

In the ground-floor apartments, which are in direct contact with the basement (an unconditioned environment), we apply a 5 cm layer of extruded polystyrene (XPS). This material, similar to Styrofoam but much denser, provides excellent thermal resistance.

We use Soprema’s XPS boards, a trusted name in the Portuguese market for insulation solutions:🔗 https://www.soprema.pt/pt/gamme/xps

XPS Instalation

🔇 Impact sound insulation with Impactodan

Over the XPS layer, we install a 5 mm thick acoustic mat made of dense foam. This acts as an acoustic decoupling layer, blocking impact noise such as footsteps and vibrations — the common nuisance of hearing someone walking in the apartment above.

We’ve chosen Danosa’s Impactodan, one of the most respected brands in the industry:🔗 https://www.danosa.com/pt-pt/produto/impactodan/

Impactodam on XPS

Impactodam over Lightweight Screed

🧱 Final traditional screed layer

The last layer is a conventional cement and sand screed, which levels the surface and provides the ideal base for the final floor finish.

In both Azuaga 68 and Ernesto 65, the chosen final flooring will be a multi-layer engineered wood — a refined and durable solution that also improves thermal and acoustic comfort inside the apartments.

Convencional Screed

🏢 What about the upper floors?

For upper-floor apartments, since the floor is not exposed to unconditioned environments, thermal insulation will be ensured by applying mineral wool above the false ceiling of the unit below — a solution we will detail in a future blog post.

Red Dot builds with care and technology — protecting your future investment

Every technical choice at Azuaga 68 and Ernesto 65 reflects our commitment to delivering comfort, efficiency, and lasting quality in every home we build.