Floor Preparation
Screeding
Precision begins beneath the surface. Perfectly level floors are the foundation for every premium tile installation — the preparation that makes an exceptional finish possible.
Overview
Screeding
Exceptional tiled floors don’t begin with the tile — they begin beneath it. Screeding is the preparation that creates a perfectly flat, level surface to tile onto, and it is one of the most important stages in achieving a premium finish.
Most homeowners never see it, and few understand what it is. But the difference between a floor that looks right and one that doesn’t is almost always the flatness of what’s underneath — the work that happens before the first tile is ever laid.
Behind the tiles
Behind the Tiles
What you never normally see — the complete waterproofing process that sits beneath every finished surface and protects your home for decades.
01
Large Format Tiles
Large-format tiles span more of the floor, so any undulation underneath telegraphs straight into the surface. A floor that isn’t flat makes large-format installation almost impossible to do well.
02
Natural Stone
Stone is rigid and unforgiving. On an uneven substrate it will rock, crack or finish with visible lippage — flaws that can’t be polished out.
03
Lippage
Lippage is the lip formed where one tile sits higher than its neighbour. It’s almost always a substrate problem, not a tile problem — and it’s the most common sign of a floor that wasn’t screeded flat.
04
Grout Consistency
On an uneven floor, grout joints open and close as tiles follow the substrate. Consistent, even grout lines only happen on a flat, true surface.
05
Finished Appearance
The difference between a floor that looks right and one that doesn’t is rarely the tile. It’s the flatness of what’s beneath it — the preparation you never see.
In plain language
What Is Screeding?
Screeding is the process of creating a perfectly flat, level surface to tile onto. Before any tile is laid, a sand-and-cement layer is applied and levelled to a precise tolerance — the foundation that every premium finish is built on.
A perfectly level surface
A flat, true substrate that gives tiles an even base to sit on.
Correct falls where required
In wet areas, the screed is laid to falls so water drains where it should.
Supporting premium finishes
The level base that large-format tiles and natural stone need to look right.
Preparing floors before tiling
The preparation stage that happens before the first tile is ever set.
Before & after
The Difference Preparation Makes
The same tiles, the same room — entirely different results. An uneven floor produces lippage, opening grout lines and a finish that never quite looks right. A professionally screeded floor produces flat, consistent, durable results that last.
Uneven floor
Tiles follow the substrate — lippage, opening joints, and a finish that looks wrong from the first day.
Screeded floor
A flat, true surface gives every tile an even base — the starting point for an exceptional finish.
Improved tile alignment
Tiles sit flat and true to one another across the whole floor.
Reduced lippage
No lips between tiles — the surface reads as one continuous plane.
Better drainage
Falls built into the screed move water to the drain, not across the floor.
Long-term durability
A well-prepared floor doesn’t crack, lift or fail — it lasts for the life of the tiles.
Perfectly flat, level surfaces
Eliminates lippage and uneven joints
Correct falls for wet areas
The foundation for large-format and stone
A finish that lasts for the life of the floor
Where this fits
Suited to considered spaces.
The bathrooms and homes this work is most at home in.
Bathrooms
Wet-area floors laid to falls so water drains correctly — the preparation that makes a bathroom floor safe and durable. Recommended screeding for every bathroom.
Open Plan Living
Large, continuous floors that need to be flat across their full span — essential for large-format tiles to read as one surface.
Large Format Tiles
Large-format porcelain demands a flatter substrate than any other tile — screeding is what makes a flat large-format floor possible.
Luxury Homes
Architectural residences resolved as one level interior — no steps, no lippage, no compromise across the home.
Outdoor Areas
Alfresco and patio floors laid to falls and finished for exposure — preparation that stands up to the weather.
Renovations
Existing floors levelled and corrected before new tiles are laid — fixing what’s underneath so the new finish looks right.
Commercial Spaces
High-traffic floors prepared flat and durable enough to perform under constant use.
Why Wells Brothers
The standard clients return for.
Exceptional Craftsmanship
Every surface installed with measured precision and respect for the material.
Premium Materials
We work only with quality stone, tile and installation systems.
Luxury Finishes
A finishing standard suited to the most considered architectural homes.
Reliable Project Delivery
Disciplined scheduling that protects the programme of the wider build.
Technical expertise
Preparation Determines the Finish
A premium tiled floor is the result of decisions made long before any tile is laid. Understanding the entire flooring system — not just the finished surface — is what sets a correct installation apart.
Surface preparation
The substrate assessed and prepared so the screed bonds and performs as intended.
Laser levelling
Screed levelled to a precise tolerance using laser levels — flatness you can measure, not guess.
Falls for wet areas
Falls calculated and formed so water moves to the drain, in line with the relevant standards.
Expansion joints
Movement joints placed where the floor needs them, preventing cracks over time.
Drying times
Screed allowed to cure and dry fully before tiling — a step that can’t be rushed without consequence.
Substrate assessment
The existing substrate assessed for suitability before any screed is specified.
Our process
The project journey.
A clear, architectural approach from first conversation to final review.
01
Substrate Assessment
We assess the existing substrate for suitability, level and condition before specifying any screed.
02
Set-out & Levels
Levels, falls and set-out are established with laser levels before any screed is laid.
03
Screeding
The screed is applied and levelled to a precise, flat tolerance — the foundation for the finish.
04
Curing & Drying
The screed is allowed to cure and dry fully — a step that cannot be rushed.
05
Tiling
Only once the floor is flat, true and dry does tiling begin — the preparation that makes the finish possible.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions.
Screeding is the process of creating a perfectly flat, level surface to tile onto. A sand-and-cement layer is applied and levelled to a precise tolerance before any tile is laid. It is the preparation that gives tiles an even base to sit on — and it is one of the most important stages in achieving a premium finish.
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Not every floor needs a new screed, but every floor needs to be flat before tiling. If the existing substrate is already level and suitable, screeding may not be required. If it isn’t flat, screeding is the way to make it flat. We assess the substrate first and only specify screeding where it’s needed.
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Uneven floors show up as lippage between tiles, grout joints that open and close, tiles that rock, and a finish that looks wrong from the first day. We use laser levels to measure flatness before tiling, so the substrate is assessed — not guessed at — before any work begins.
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Yes. In renovations, screeding is often used to level and correct an existing floor before new tiles are laid. It can bring an uneven or out-of-level substrate back to a flat, true surface — fixing what’s underneath so the new finish looks right and lasts.
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Screed needs to cure and dry fully before tiling begins. Drying time depends on the screed type, thickness and conditions, but it is commonly measured in days to weeks, not hours. It cannot be rushed without consequence — tiling onto screed that hasn’t dried is one of the most common causes of floor failure.
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No. Tiles should only be installed once the screed has cured and dried fully. Installing too early is one of the most common causes of cracked tiles, failed grout and lifted floors. The wait is the work — and it is what protects the finished floor for the long term.
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Skipping preparation is the single most common cause of floor problems. On an uneven substrate, tiles follow the floor: lippage between tiles, opening grout joints, cracked stone and a finish that never looks right. The cost of fixing it later is far greater than the cost of preparing it properly first.
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Large-format tiles demand a flatter substrate than any other tile. Because they span more of the floor, any undulation underneath telegraphs straight to the surface. For large-format porcelain and natural stone, a flat, screeded substrate isn’t optional — it’s essential to achieving a flat, lippage-free finish.
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Areas we service
Across the Mornington Peninsula.
From coastal homes to architectural builds, Wells Brothers delivers premium tiling throughout the region.
MorningtonMount ElizaMount MarthaRyeRosebudSafety BeachDromanaFrankstonRed HillMornington PeninsulaSorrento
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Exceptional Floors Begin Before the First Tile.
Whether you're building a new home or renovating an existing space, proper preparation is the foundation of a beautiful, long-lasting finish.