FprEN 13409

• Abstract:

  This document specifies the measurement of setting time of a prepared cementitious or calcium sulfate-based floor levelling compound, after mixing with the liquid component, e.g. water.; This document applies to cementitious and calcium sulfate-based floor levelling compounds used for the preparation of subfloors to ensure the suitability of the substrate prior to the installation of floor coverings. By using the floor levelling compound, a homogeneous layer is built up on the load-bearing substrate, to ensure consistent absorbency, evenness and strength.

• Status: Not Published
• Publication Date: 17-Feb-2027
• ICS: 91.100.99 - Other construction materials
• Technical Committee: CEN/TC 193 - Adhesives
• Drafting Committee: CEN/TC 193/WG 4 - Building adhesives
• Current Stage: 4599 - Dispatch of FV draft to CMC - Finalization for Vote
• Start Date: 26-Aug-2026
• Due Date: 16-Feb-2026
• Completion Date: 26-Aug-2026
• Ref Project: oSIST prEN 13409:2026 - Adhesives - Test method for cementitious and calciumsulfate-based floor levelling compounds - Determination of setting time

• Revises: EN 13409:2002 - Methods of test for hydraulic setting floor smoothing and/or levelling compounds - Determination of setting time
• Effective Date: 08-May-2024

FprEN 13409 is a CEN draft European Standard for measuring the setting time of cementitious and calcium sulfate-based floor levelling compounds after mixing with the liquid component. It specifies a Vicat-needle test for determining initial and final setting times, so laboratories can assess products used to prepare subfloors before floor coverings are installed.

What does FprEN 13409 specify?

FprEN 13409 specifies a test method for the setting time of a prepared cementitious or calcium sulfate-based floor levelling compound after mixing with water or another liquid component. It is written for floor levelling compounds used to create a homogeneous subfloor layer with consistent absorbency, evenness and strength.

The document is organized into nine clauses: scope, normative references, terms and definitions, principle, standard test conditions, apparatus and materials, procedure, expression of results, and test report. In practice, this means the standard tells the laboratory what to test, which equipment and atmosphere to use, how to run the Vicat-needle measurement, how to calculate the result, and what to record in the report.

What are the key requirements of FprEN 13409?

FprEN 13409 bases the test on observing needle penetration into the mixed compound and recording the time to defined penetration values. The practical point is that the setting time is not judged visually alone - it is measured with a defined apparatus and a defined reading point.

Test conditions and equipment

• Standard test conditions are 23 °C ± 2 °C and 50 % ± 5 % relative humidity, with air circulation below 0.2 m/s, and all materials and apparatus stored under those conditions. This reduces variation from temperature and moisture.
• Vicat apparatus is used in accordance with EN 196-3, with a steel needle of defined size and mass and truly vertical movement. This gives comparable penetration results between laboratories.
• The mould is a hard-rubber truncated cone of defined depth and diameter, placed on a plane glass plate. Other mould materials or shapes may be used only if they give the same results.
• A timer accurate to 1 s is required. This matters because the result is reported in minutes but depends on timing of successive penetrations.

Sample preparation and calibration

• The Vicat apparatus is calibrated before testing by lowering the needle to the base plate and setting the pointer to zero.
• The floor levelling compound and liquid are mixed in accordance with prEN 1937:2026, then the mould is filled immediately without compaction or vibration. This keeps the sample representative of the mixed product as used.

Determining the setting times

• For initial setting time, the needle is applied when the mix shows signs of setting, with a short pause before release, and repeated at intervals until the scale reading reaches 4 mm ± 1 mm. This identifies the point where the material has started to lose plasticity.
• For final setting time, testing continues until the needle penetrates only 0.5 mm. This marks the later stage when the material has essentially set.

Reporting

• The results are expressed as elapsed time from the end of mixing, rounded to the nearest minute.
• The test report must identify the product, the liquid proportion, the mixing method and total mixing time, the initial and final setting times, any deviations, and the test date. That gives users traceability when comparing batches or checking conformance.

What terms does FprEN 13409 define?

FprEN 13409 uses a small set of technical terms to make the test unambiguous.

• Setting - the transition from a plastic state to a solid state.
• Setting time - the time characterized by the initial and final penetration times.
• Initial setting time - the elapsed time to the point where the needle reading is 4 mm ± 1 mm.
• Final setting time - the elapsed time to the point where the needle first penetrates only 0.5 mm.
• Floor levelling compound - the cementitious or calcium sulfate-based material tested for subfloor preparation.
• Vicat apparatus - the penetration device used to measure setting by needle resistance.

Who uses FprEN 13409?

FprEN 13409 is used by testing laboratories, manufacturers of floor levelling compounds, and quality control teams that need a repeatable way to measure setting time. It is relevant to product development, batch release testing, and technical comparison of cementitious and calcium sulfate-based systems used before floor coverings are installed.

What changed in FprEN 13409 from the previous edition?

FprEN 13409 will supersede EN 13409:2002. The stated changes are the replacement of the term “hydraulic setting floor smoothing and/or levelling compounds” with “cementitious and calciumsulfate-based floor levelling compounds,” a more concrete scope, and editorial changes.

Which standards are used with FprEN 13409?

FprEN 13409 refers to four companion standards in clause 2:

• EN 196-3 - provides the Vicat apparatus basis and the related setting-time test framework.
• EN 923 - supplies adhesive terminology used for terms and definitions.
• prEN 1937:2026 - provides the standard mixing procedures and the floor levelling compound and liquid used in the test.
• ISO 554 - specifies the standard atmospheres used for conditioning and testing.

What does the FprEN 13409 document contain?

FprEN 13409 contains the test principle, the required atmosphere, the apparatus description, and a step-by-step procedure for initial and final setting time measurements. It also includes a figure showing the Vicat apparatus arrangement and needle, which helps laboratories set up the test consistently.

The document further contains the result expressions and the test report items needed for traceability. In practice, it is a laboratory method document for testing, quality control, and product characterization rather than a product specification.

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-april-2026
Lepila - Preskusna metoda za cementne in kalcijsulfatne izravnalne mase za tla -
Ugotavljanje strjevalnega časa
Adhesives - Test method for cementitious and calciumsulfate-based floor levelling
compounds - Determination of setting time
Klebstoffe - Prüfverfahren für zement- und calciumsulfatbasierte Bodenspachtelmassen -
Bestimmung der Abbindezeit
Adhésifs - Méthode d’essai pour les mortiers de nivellement à base de ciment et de
sulfate de calcium - Détermination du temps de prise
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: prEN 13409
ICS:
91.100.99 Drugi gradbeni materiali Other construction materials
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

DRAFT
EUROPEAN STANDARD
prEN 13409
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
February 2026
ICS 91.100.99 Will supersede EN 13409:2002
English Version
Adhesives - Test method for cementitious and
calciumsulfate-based floor levelling compounds -
Determination of setting time
Adhésifs - Méthode d'essai pour les mortiers de Klebstoffe - Prüfverfahren für zement- und
nivellement à base de ciment et de sulfate de calcium - calciumsulfatbasierte Bodenspachtelmassen -
Détermination du temps de prise Bestimmung der Abbindezeit
This draft European Standard is submitted to CEN members for enquiry. It has been drawn up by the Technical Committee
CEN/TC 193.
If this draft becomes a European Standard, CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations
which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration.

This draft European Standard was established by CEN in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other
language made by translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC
Management Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and
United Kingdom.
Recipients of this draft are invited to submit, with their comments, notification of any relevant patent rights of which they are
aware and to provide supporting documentation.

Warning : This document is not a European Standard. It is distributed for review and comments. It is subject to change without
notice and shall not be referred to as a European Standard.

EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2026 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. prEN 13409:2026 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

prEN 13409:2026 (E)
Contents Page
European foreword . 3
Introduction . 4
1 Scope . 5
2 Normative references . 5
3 Terms and definitions . 5
4 Principle . 5
5 Standard test conditions . 5
6 Apparatus and materials . 6
7 Procedure . 6
7.1 Calibration . 6
7.2 Determination of initial setting time . 6
7.3 Determination of final setting time . 7
8 Expression of results . 8
9 Test report . 8

prEN 13409:2026 (E)
European foreword
This document (prEN 13409:2026) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 193 “Adhesives”,
the secretariat of which is held by UNE.
This document is currently submitted to the CEN Enquiry.
This document will supersede EN 13409:2002.
prEN 13409:2026 includes the following significant technical changes with respect to EN 13409:2002:
— term “hydraulic setting floor smoothing and/or levelling compounds” changed to “cementitious and
calciumsulfate-based floor levelling compounds”;
— concretisation of the scope;
— editorial changes.
prEN 13409:2026 (E)
Introduction
Persons using this document are to be familiar with normal laboratory practice.
This document does not purport to address all the safety problems, if any, associated with its use.
It is the responsibility of the user to establish health and safety practices and to ensure compliance with
any European and national regulatory conditions.
prEN 13409:2026 (E)
1 Scope
This document specifies the measurement of setting time of a prepared cementitious or calcium sulfate-
based floor levelling compound, after mixing with the liquid compon
...