Lightweight Floor Screed for Offices: Tile on Mortar vs Perlite Concrete Screed
In offices, IT parks, hospitals and malls, the gap between the structural slab and the finished floor is often filled with a thick sand-cement mortar bed, with tiles laid on top. It works, but that mortar is one of the heaviest things in the building that does no structural work.
A lightweight perlite concrete screed fills the same depth at a fraction of the weight, and gives a hard, level surface that takes tiles, vinyl, carpet or wood directly.
Why floor screeds matter so much
Floor screeds and sunk fills are where most lightweight concrete goes in Indian buildings, far more than roofs. Every floor of a commercial building has a screed, and each one adds dead load to slabs that are often post-tensioned (PT) and designed tight.
Tile on mortar vs perlite concrete screed
| Tile on sand-cement mortar | Perlite concrete screed |
Density of the fill | About 2,080 kg/m³ (cement mortar) | Chosen per project, a fraction of mortar |
Levelling | By hand, bed thickness varies | Laid and levelled with an aluminium straight edge |
Surface | Rough bed for one finish only | Hard, smooth, monolithic, takes any finish |
Change of finish later | Break the bed | Lift the finish, the screed stays |
Drywall partitions | Fixed through tile into slab | Tracks screw straight into the screed |
Settlement | Possible if bed is poorly packed | Zero settlement |
What an 85 mm screed weighs
Cement mortar at about 2,080 kg/m³ weighs roughly 177 kg on every square metre at 85 mm. On a 10,000 m² office floor plate, that is about 1,770 tonnes of mortar on one floor. A perlite concrete screed takes a large share of that off; we will give you the exact figure for the grade your consultant approves.
Fast, clean finishing
Supplied by RMC and pumped, or from pre-mixed bags
Easy to pour and easy to level with an aluminium straight edge
Finishes to a table-top surface, so carpet, vinyl, wood or tiles go directly on top
Partitions without drilling into the slab
Office fit-outs change. Drywall partitions are fixed with tracks at the floor. We have filmed drywall tracks screwed straight into a perlite concrete screed. Most other lightweight concretes will not hold a screw, so this is one of the clearest practical differences on a commercial floor.
Where it is used
IT parks and commercial office floors on PT and RCC slabs
Hospitals and data centres
Airports and malls
Floor screeds over steel deck slabs
Frequently asked questions
What thickness can a perlite concrete floor screed be?
From about 25 mm upwards. The thickness is set by the services under the floor and the finished floor level.
Can tiles be laid directly on it?
Yes. Tiles, vinyl, carpet and wood can all go on the cured screed.
Is it suitable for PT slabs?
It is a non-structural screed laid on top of the slab. Its lower weight helps on slabs designed close to their limits; your structural consultant will confirm the design load.
Related reading: What is perlite concrete? · Foam concrete vs perlite concrete
About Perlite India. Perlite India designs and lays perlite lightweight insulating concrete for roofs, floors, sunk fills and podiums, with 3M+ sq.ft laid across India. Supported by the Perlite Construction Division of Keltech Energies Ltd, a member of the Perlite Institute (USA).
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