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We make the floor on the concrete floor. Floor installation on concrete slabs

Floors on concrete slabs are able to withstand high loads. For this reason, most often they become part of the structures of multi-storey buildings. Laying slabs is a fairly simple task, but the characteristics of the material make some adjustments to the flooring process.

What should be considered when working with a concrete base?

Surface unevenness;
gaps between plates;
Pretty cool temperature.

Creating a screed on a concrete slab

The device of the floor on the slab suggests the presence of several options. The simplest is pouring the screed. You can make it in several ways:

Mixing sand and cement (with the addition of water);
By preparing a special mixture.

The old-fashioned method is no longer very relevant today. Much better than the second option. Of course, the purchase of a dry mix will cost a little more, but the result of its use will be much better. The fact is that manufacturers put on the market improved formulations, which include plasticizers, polymers and other components that improve product quality.

Mounting process

First of all, you need to inspect the slab for defects in order to know which places will have to pay more attention when pouring the solution. After that, a primer is applied to it (with a roller or brush).

Important! It is best to use a deep penetration primer. When the surface is dry, you should go to the screed. The layer should not be very thick. Its task is to hide defects and slightly level the surface. Somewhere in a day, the screed will dry out and it can be covered with a film. Polyethylene will play the role of a vapor and water insulator. The film should cover not only the floor, but also at least 15 centimeters of the wall.

After that, metal profiles or wooden slats are exposed over the entire area. The so-called beacons are installed in the same horizontal plane.

How to install a beacon?

In the corner of the room, near the stove itself, set the laser level. When the light rays mark a contour on the walls, make sure that they exactly repeat the level of the floor, along which you will need to carry out a fine finish.
It is necessary to install beacons over the entire area (along the contour) at a distance slightly less than the length of the rule, which will align the screed. Previously, strong threads are pulled from opposite walls. They are attached to self-tapping screws. Lighthouses are fixed with a plaster or screed mortar.

Final steps

Having installed the beacons, you can proceed to laying the insulation. There are no restrictions on the choice of material, but expanded clay will be the most optimal. It does not need to be protected with a film, unlike porous heaters. Then comes the turn of the main screed. It must be dense, and also have a thickness that can withstand heavy loads (5-15 cm).

Important! To make a flat floor, you need to use the rule. It should be laid on the beacons and pulled towards you. As a result, the excess solution will shrink to the wall and fill in the bumps.

The floor will dry in a few days. Then it will be possible to remove the beacons and fill the gaps. Finishing is recommended only on a completely dry surface.

Making a wooden floor

Wooden floor and now the most popular in private homes. Its installation is not particularly difficult. You need to start the device with the elimination of base defects. The usual solution based on cement will do. They close up cracks, chips, seams between the plates.

Then, with the help of a laser level, a contour is determined, along which a finished surface is eventually exposed, and the turn comes to create a general design.

Main works

The floor is covered with waterproofing material, as indicated at the beginning. Then the lags are mounted. They are installed in the same horizontal plane.

Important! The logs are fixed perpendicular to the boards, and the boards are fixed perpendicular to the wall with a window.

There are several options:

Using long self-tapping screws, the logs are cut through and fixed to the floor. Holes in the plate are made in advance. Plastic dowels are necessarily inserted into them.
Along the edges of the lag, you can install supports made from wooden slats or pieces of lag. The supports are attached to the floor, the logs are laid between them.
The modern way is to install a log on lifting devices.

Final steps

After installing and fixing the lag, you should do the floor insulation. Insulation is laid in the interlag space. The type of material used is not important, its thickness is important. In the process of installing wooden floors, the main thing is not to forget to leave a gap between the clean coating and the insulation. It will become ventilation, which will remove excess moisture and increase the life of the coating and thermal insulation materials.

Now it remains to cover the surface with polyethylene and proceed to the final step - laying the boards.

Water floor device

Before proceeding to the installation of warm water floors, you need to deal with their thermal insulation. For this case, foil insulation is best suited. It is covered with a reinforcing mesh. After that, you can already lay out pipes for water heating. They are fixed to the grid with plastic clamps.

Important! For greater reliability, a reinforcing mesh is also laid on top of the structure.

To protect the expansion joints, pipes are laid out along the walls (corrugated ones are suitable). It will be possible to proceed to concrete pouring after hydraulic testing. The water system is checked for faults during the day. All detected problems are promptly corrected.

To make the finishing screed of a warm water floor, you need to use a cement mortar. The thickness of the layer should be within 5-15 cm. After a day or two, it will dry, after which it will be possible to proceed to the direct operation of the warm floor. Raise the temperature gradually.

This method of arranging warm water floors is relevant not only if the floor slab acts as the basis, but also the concrete floor on the ground. The water floor is great for both home and apartment. It is warm, durable, protects against moisture and mold.

Laying self-leveling floors

To make the self-leveling floor the main coating, you need to start by priming the base. Epoxy or polyurethane primer is applied in two layers (only from one mixture). The front layer is applied exclusively to the decorated coating. Photo printing looks especially impressive on the surface. It is made on a special film, and a transparent self-leveling floor is laid on top.

Laying technology

The process of installing self-leveling floors begins with a standard procedure - cleaning the surface from dust and dirt. Next, a primer is applied. After it dries along the vertical surfaces that will be in contact with the self-leveling floor, a damper tape is glued around the perimeter. It protects the bulk base from cracking.

Then comes the turn of applying the self-leveling floor solution. It must be done, clearly following the instructions, using an electric mixer at low speeds.

Important! To get a homogeneous composition, you need to stir the mixture according to the principle: stir-stop. The duration of the action-inactivity should be the same and not exceed 5 minutes.

The finished solution is poured onto the surface and spread with a roller or spatula, and air bubbles are removed with a spiked roller. The thickness of the fill should be at least 3 cm. Now you need to wait until the coating hardens.

Important! Direct sunlight and drafts have a negative effect on uncured material.

The thickness of the surface also affects the time of complete drying of the surface. Hardening times are indicated on the packaging of the dry mix. As a rule, work on laying ceramic tiles begins after three days, and the installation of parquet - after a week.

The role of OSB in flooring

OSB or OSB is used to achieve one or all of 3 objectives:

To level the floor and hide defects.
To ensure good sound insulation. The multi-layer structure successfully absorbs noise.
To insulate the floor and make high-quality waterproofing. The material on a natural basis is characterized by increased moisture resistance and perfectly saves heat.

Features of the use of the material

OSB (OSB) are not always fixed to the floor. If the concrete base has large height differences or significant irregularities, the slabs are fixed on wooden beams. The latter successfully act as a lag.

Important! OSB (OSB)-plates with a thickness of 10 mm provide maximum resistance to deformation. They are laid in two layers (with offset). Fastening parts of the material is carried out using glue or spiral nails.

Wooden floors on logs are one of the oldest methods of arranging floors and the only one used in the northern regions of our country. Modern materials have only improved the old technologies, due to which the scope of application has significantly expanded and performance has improved. Before proceeding directly to the consideration of various options, you should familiarize yourself a little with the engineering requirements for calculations.

Logs are distinguished from beams by their smaller size and mobility. If the beams after installation cannot be moved, the repair is very long and labor-intensive, then the logs are a mobile architectural element. They are much easier to mount, if necessary, repairs are made faster.

Before proceeding with the construction of the floor, you need to study the requirements of regulatory documents for the dimensions of the log and the distance between them, taking into account the thickness of the floorboards.

Log section table with a step of 70 cm

Table of the distance between the lags depending on the thickness of the board

In order to learn how to independently make calculations based on tables, it will be useful to consider the simplest example. Initial data: the length of the room is 10 m, let's take a floorboard 30 mm thick.

Method of calculation

According to the table, with such a board thickness, the distance between the lags is 50 cm, with a room length of 10 m, 20 lags will be needed. The removal of the lag from the walls cannot exceed 30 cm. This means that we will have to increase their number by one piece, the distance between the rest will decrease to 45 centimeters.

Important note. During calculations, all rounding must be done only downwards, thus creating an additional margin of safety.

There is no need to calculate dimensions and distances to the nearest millimeter, no one is engaged in such measurements. By the way, during construction, the vast majority of architectural elements and structures are measured in centimeters, the highest accuracy is half a centimeter. Millimeters are almost never used during measurements.

Floor base options

These types of floors can be placed on a wooden and concrete base or on the ground. Each option has its own technological features, which must be kept in mind during the production of work. As for the specific purpose of the premises, taking into account this parameter, the floor base and its performance characteristics are selected. The device technology itself remains almost unchanged. There are, of course, options for warm and cold floors, but these features also have a common construction algorithm.

The device of a wooden floor on logs on wooden bases

Such floors can be made both in wooden and brick buildings, they can have several varieties. It is necessary to think over the features of floor coverings at the design stage of the building. Not only the purpose of each room and its dimensions are taken into account, but also the climatic zone of residence, microclimate requirements and the financial capabilities of the developer. Below are step-by-step recommendations for the construction of this type of floor.

Depending on the specific conditions, the algorithm can be changed somewhat, but all the main construction operations are mandatory. Moisture-resistant OSB boards or plywood sheets can serve as the base. The design of floor coverings provides for the possibility of laying heaters; it is allowed to use rolled and pressed glass wool or polystyrene. If there are heaters, then be sure to put hydro and vapor barrier.

Step 1. Take the dimensions of the room and calculate the number of lags, taking into account the above recommendations. Prepare materials and tools, markup. Do the work slowly, the mistakes made at this stage have extremely negative consequences. Removing them will take a long time.

Step 2. Start installing logs from the extreme wall. If the room has black floors, then the logs can be fixed directly to them. To facilitate the work, it is better to use perforated metal squares, such elements significantly speed up the work and increase the stability of the lag. According to the mark on the wall, taking into account the thickness of the floorboards, set one end of the log, fix its position.

Practical advice. During the installation of the extreme lags, do not fix them immediately; at first, the screws should only be baited. This will enable final fine adjustments to be made.

Do the same actions at the second end of the log, constantly monitor its position in terms of level. When the log lay down normally, you can firmly fix the ends and proceed with the installation of intermediate fasteners. The distance between them depends on the thickness of the boards that are used for the logs, it is about 70 centimeters.

Step 3 Between the extreme lags you need to pull the ropes, set all the remaining lags along this line. Constantly check the level, the installation accuracy should be ± 1–2 mm. There is no point anymore, it takes a lot of extra time. A small difference in height will be removed during the finishing of the front surface of the floorboards.

Step 4 If the floors are warm, then it is necessary to lay thermal insulation between the lags; waterproofing and vapor barrier are used to prevent moisture from entering. The distances between the lags must be adjusted taking into account the length and width of the heaters. It can be either mineral wool or polystyrene, or bulk types of insulation. If all the preparatory work is completed, then you can start laying the floorboards.

There are options for mounting the log on the floor beams. These are the so-called ventilated floors, most often used for non-residential premises. It is not necessary to observe special accuracy, the alignment of dimensions is done by lags. Logs to the beams are attached with nails or self-tapping screws on the side. The work algorithm is the same. First, the extreme ones are placed, a rope is pulled between them and all the rest are fixed along it.

Ventilation is carried out through special vents in the foundations, the distance between the ground and the floor must be at least fifty centimeters. Otherwise, the air exchange rate does not meet the required indicators, and this causes damage to wooden structures.

Floor installation on wooden logs for concrete

Such floors are considered more complex, time-consuming and expensive; all wooden structures must be reliably protected from direct contact with concrete. Otherwise, the structures will quickly become unusable and they will have to be changed prematurely. There is a chemical way to protect the log from decay processes with the help of various impregnations. They are quite effective, they really prevent the process of wood damage. But unfortunately, impregnated wooden structures can no longer be considered environmentally friendly, and it is for the sake of this indicator that most developers install natural wooden floors.

If the logs are placed over the entire area on concrete, then waterproofing is required between them.

But they can also be fastened with the help of metal squares, which allows you to make a gap between the base and the lag. It must be borne in mind that in this case the bearing characteristics of the floor are somewhat reduced.

This method of fixation has its advantages. Firstly, direct contact of wooden structures with concrete structures is completely excluded. Secondly, logs can also be installed on a black screed. With the help of corners, you can eliminate irregularities of several centimeters, there is no need to make a final screed. This saves a lot of time and money.

The second way of laying on a concrete screed - logs are placed directly on it, material based on modified bitumen is used for insulation.

Laying log on the ground

The method is used for outbuildings, bathhouses, gazebos, verandas, etc. Wood must be treated with antiseptics. The foundation is better columnar, if you want to make a more durable tape, then it is necessary to provide ventilation for natural ventilation in advance.

How is this floor made?

Step 1. Remove the fertile layer of soil. It can be sprinkled with beds or level the area in front of the house.

Step 2. Mark up the columns. The distance between them is selected taking into account the load and the dimensions of the lag. Columns can be made concrete, block or prefabricated. The dimensions of the supports are approximately 40 × 40 cm, the depth of burial is within 30 cm. A layer of sand ≈ 10 cm thick should be poured onto the bottom and compacted.

Step 3 Fill the supports with concrete. For the preparation of concrete, two parts of crushed stone and three parts of sand should be taken per part of cement. Water is added as needed. Formwork can be omitted in the ground; formwork from boards or OSB trimmings is installed above the ground level. During the manufacture of formwork, you need to use a level, all edges must be strictly vertical.

Practical advice. It is much easier to make columns from ready-made blocks. Horizontal alignment must be done along the rope. After the extreme ones are set according to the hydraulic level, a rope is pulled between them. Deviations should not exceed ± 1 cm. This variation is eliminated during the installation of the log.

Step 4 Proceed to fixing the lag, you also need to start work from the extreme ones. Spacers can be used for precise horizontal alignment. It is undesirable to take wood wedges, over time they will dry out and wobble will appear: the floor will begin to creak unpleasantly while walking. Between wooden structures and concrete surfaces, it is imperative to put two layers of roofing material for reliable waterproofing.

Step 5 After the extreme logs are laid, a rope is pulled between them and all the rest are laid under it. Logs are fixed with metal squares on dowels and self-tapping screws. To increase stability, it is recommended to install them on both sides. Floor boards can be laid immediately on the logs or pre-laid with a subfloor. The final choice depends on the characteristics of the operation and purpose of the premises.

Always select logs with a margin of safety, especially in cases where the installation method involves bending loads. It must be remembered that correcting mistakes made during the construction of floor coverings is always much more expensive than the production of work with quality materials and in compliance with the recommended technologies.

Choose your boards carefully. They must be absolutely healthy with no signs of rot. The presence of through cracks and rotten knots is completely prohibited. If there are large healthy through knots, then you need to install the logs in such a way that there is an emphasis under them.

During the fastening of the lag, do not allow the possibility of reeling.

Most lag wobbles cause very unpleasant floor squeaks while walking. To eliminate such phenomena, it will be necessary to remove the floor coverings, which is long and expensive, it is not always possible to keep the dismantled materials in a state suitable for reuse.

Video - Installation of a wooden floor along the logs

The reinforced concrete base of the floors has remarkable strength, is not subject to aging and destruction.

Its thermal expansion characteristics are very small, so any finish coating does not experience significant deformation loads.

The device of floors can be very different - the bearing capacity of concrete is so great that the weight of the structures does not matter.

Layers that make up the construction of floors on reinforced concrete slab bases: possible options

When arranging the floor, its layers can be:

concrete slabs;
heat-insulating material (expanded clay);
screed (solid fiberboard, cement-sand);
waterproofing (polyethylene film with a foil surface, bituminous mastics);
soundproofing;
underlying layer (chipboard, fiberboard);
adhesives (mastic, PVA dispersion, bitumen);
finishing (tile, parquet, other flooring).

A correctly and competently formed floor structure on a reinforced concrete slab also includes adjoining details (skirting boards), seams, etc.

There are a lot of flooring options, they can be changed according to the circumstances. For example, linoleum can be laid on chipboard without gluing, welding only at the seams. However, it is important to remember that full-fledged sound and heat insulation will make life in a home much more comfortable.

Linoleum flooring on concrete floor
Linoleum installation

Laminate screed flooring scheme
Cutting excess linoleum

Linoleum flooring on concrete

When choosing as a linoleum coating, floor systems can be:

reinforced concrete floor;
cement-sand screed (about 20 mm thick). The basis of this solution is materials of grades M-200, M-150;
bituminous mastic, the thickness of the applied layer is 0.5 mm;
bituminous primer 0.3 mm thick;
linoleum.

If you want to insulate the system between the plates and the screed, a layer of expanded clay concrete with a thickness of about 60 mm is arranged. In this case, you can use linoleum on a heat-insulating base, carpet, and also exclude the screed from the design.

Laminate flooring, parquet

According to their design features of floors on a reinforced concrete slab with a fine flooring of laminate, parquet, they differ slightly from the previous version.

The components are:

reinforced concrete floor;
expanded clay concrete with a layer of 40 mm;
screed 20 mm - its solution is prepared from material grades M-150, 200;
mastic: bituminous in 0.5 mm, adhesive - in 0.3 mm;
parquet.

For additional insulation, a layer of expanded clay concrete is mounted in front of the screed device.

Laminate on reinforced concrete screed
How to lay laminate on concrete slab

Ceramic tiles on a concrete base
Laying tiles

Ceramic tiles on a concrete base

The easiest way in such a situation is tiling with mortar. In this case, a screed is applied to the concrete, and then tiles are laid on the mortar. When using adhesives, a bituminous primer is applied, and then the tile is fixed onto the adhesive mastic. If necessary, insulation on the slabs is equipped with an expanded clay concrete layer, which is successively covered with a screed, primer, mastic and a final element - tiles.

How to arrange soundproofing

Good isolation is an opportunity to exclude the penetration of extraneous annoying noises from neighbors, to make your life truly intimate.

For soundproofing, you will need to supplement the structure with additional elements:

cover the leveling layer with lining roofing material in one or two layers;
mount wooden logs;
lay soundproofing material between the lags: mineral wool, glass wool, etc .;
close the logs with a plank covering;
build a leveling layer of fiberboard.

The concrete subfloor is currently perhaps the most widespread both in residential and industrial construction. It is suitable for almost any topcoat or can, after appropriate processing, be used independently. Its main advantages, subject to the pouring technology, are high strength, resistance to destruction, and durability of use. It is not surprising that when conducting private construction or when repairing an apartment, in the vast majority of cases, homeowners stop at just such a technology for arranging the floor.

Is it worth inviting specialist builders, or is a do-it-yourself concrete floor screed a completely affordable process for the average homeowner? This publication is devoted to the answers to these questions.

Types of concrete floor screeds

Concrete floor screeds can have a different design, be performed using slightly different technologies and be designed for different purposes.

So, they can serve exclusively for leveling the floor, performed before installing the finish coating. Powerful couplers serve as the reliable basis in rooms where the increased mechanical loadings are provided. they can also perform the functions of providing the required thermal balance, acting, for example, as powerful heat accumulators in "warm floor" systems. Screeds often close communication systems. Can they used and in order to create a certain slope in those rooms where it is necessary.

Concrete screeds differ in the number of layers:

- They can be single-layer, that is, they can be poured simultaneously to the entire estimated height. This is usually used in industrial, utility or auxiliary non-residential premises, where there are no increased requirements for evenness of the floor.

- Multilayer screeds are poured in several stages. Usually the first layer serves as a rough base, and the top layer creates a level surface for further paving work. This approach is also used in cases where the total thickness of the required screed reaches too large sizes, and it is more expedient to perform it in layers.

Screeds also differ in the degree of adhesion to the base:

- Bonded ties have direct contact with the base. Of course, with this pouring technology, maximum homogeneity of materials and their high adhesion to each other should be ensured. Such coatings are characterized by good strength qualities in terms of withstanding high mechanical loads. However, the state of the surface layer will largely depend on the moisture level of the substrate. Such screeds are mainly performed on dry floor slabs on the floors of buildings.

- In the case when the base does not have sufficient waterproofing, a sleep screed is used on the separating layer. A layer of waterproofing material (roofing material, polymer film, coating composition) becomes an obstacle to the penetration of moisture from below, and the screed itself has no contact with the base. With this technology, the layer of the poured solution cannot be less than 30 mm and, as a rule, needs to be reinforced.

A similar technology is often used when arranging a screed on the ground, for example, in garages, a barn, basements, on the first floors of houses without basements. They also use it in rooms with a high level of humidity.

- Where enhanced thermal insulation of the floor is required or there is a need for sound insulation, floating screeds are used. In this case, the concrete solution is poured over a layer of insulation of one type or another. The screed turns into a completely independent structure - a slab that is not connected either with the base or with the walls of the room. The minimum thickness of the fill in this case is at least 50 mm, and the reinforcement of the screed becomes a prerequisite.

The humidity of such a screed is absolutely independent of the state of the base, a good insulating effect is achieved. Disadvantages - excessively large thickness, and therefore - the load on the floor. Typically, such screeds are used only on the first floors of residential or outbuildings, especially if pouring is carried out on the ground.

Screeds can be made with a homogeneous solution or include certain fillers:

— Addition of cement-sand mortar of expanded polystyrene chips significantly increases the thermal insulation properties of the coating.

Typically, such screeds require a second, reinforcing and leveling layer.

- Where screeds of large thickness or with increased thermal insulation qualities are required, expanded clay is added to the concrete solution.

Expanded clay concrete has sufficient strength, but for the flooring of some coatings, it will also be necessary to fill the front layer from a conventional solution. But ceramic tiles can be laid directly on such a base.

Good performance is shown by micro-reinforced ties fiberglass. This technology allows you to dramatically increase the strength of the coating to mechanical stress, to stretching, bending.

Such screeds usually do not give tons of cracks, are less prone to shrinkage during solidification, they have less dust formation. They are great for underfloor heating systems.

floors can be performed according to the classical, "wet" technology, or semi-dry. Semi-dry screed is a relatively new thing, and not all yet ready to put it to the test. In addition, it requires special professionalism in the preparation of the mortar mixture, in laying out, compacting and leveling the mortar. Most home builders prefer to use the proven "wet" technology, which will be discussed later in the article. However, if you are limited on time, consider inviting semi-dry screed laying experts. When choosing a contractor, pay attention to the technology used - the presence of a mechanized supply of the composition will ensure cleanliness in the apartment. For example, the EUROSTROY 21 VEK company is engaged in laying a semi-dry screed using the latest technology (the company's website www.prestigehouse.ru).

Solutions for pouring concrete screed

It is quite natural that, if necessary, pour a concrete screed, first of all, you will need to decide on the type of solution. There are several options in this matter.

According to the existing canons of SNiP, the minimum strength of an ordinary concrete screed, regardless of the type of its further lining, should be at least M-150 (the coating can withstand a force of 150 kg / cm²). If used self-levelling jellied composition, here the requirements are even higher - from M-200. In accordance with these requirements, the solution should be selected.

1. The "classic" concrete mortar used for pouring a conventional floor screed is a cement-sand mixture in a ratio of 1: 3. This “recipe” is time-tested and fully justifies itself. However, there are several nuances, without which you can easily spoil the future screed:

For the preparation of concrete, you can not use ordinary "washed" river sand that has not undergone special treatment. The hardened surface will not be durable, it will begin to crumble, crumble and crack over time. The fact is that grains of sand have outlines smoothed out from prolonged exposure to water, not providing proper clutch. In this regard, quarry sand is much better, with its faceted grains of irregular shape. True, when choosing, you need to carefully look so that it does not come across a large number of clay inclusions - this will also reduce the strength of the screed.

The presence of a small amount of gravel component of the fine fraction will not affect the strength properties of the screed. However, if a flat surface is required, it will be necessary to sift the sand through a sieve.

A very important condition for the strength and durability of the poured screed is the optimally selected amount of water. It is no secret that some novice home builders, in an effort to make it easier for themselves to pour and level concrete, use excess amounts of water, getting semi-liquid, easy spreading solution . By doing this, they lay a "time bomb" - at the output, the screed will not have the required qualities.

Firstly, an excessively liquid solution will definitely give a strong shrinkage during hardening. A flat surface, in accordance with the set level, in this case should not be expected. And secondly, the violation of the cement-water balance will necessarily reduce the strength properties of the hardened concrete. The surface is loose, unbound, with increased dust formation.

There are, of course, specially the amount of water in the concrete mortar, but they are usually followed by technologists of enterprises for the production of reinforced concrete structures and large mortar units. In home construction, they often rely on their own experience, intuition and common sense. In addition, it is very difficult to accurately calculate the amount of water due to the fact that it largely depends on the moisture content of the filler. Sand can be wet, heavy - and this is also water, which will be involved in the process of preparing the solution.

Ideally, the concrete solution should be dense, but plastic enough, so that when it is poured and leveled, no air voids remain in the thickness of the floor. You can roughly focus on the following ratio - a liter of water per five kilograms of a cement-sand dry mixture.

It is important to choose the right “golden mean” so that the solution is both dense and plastic
It is very difficult to mix the screed mortar by hand, using a shovel. It is better to use a concrete mixer or a construction mixer of sufficiently high power for this. First, dry ingredients are mixed in the desired ratio (it is possible with a little moisture), and then water is added very carefully, in portions.

An important condition for the quality of a future concrete screed is the purity of water. It is forbidden to use process water containing fats, oils, oil residues, etc. Also, dirty, oily containers should not be used to carry water to the place of concrete mixing.

2. A modern range of building materials on sale can significantly simplify the process of pouring the screed. For these purposes, ready-made dry building mixes can be used.

Compared to using the usual cement-sand mixture, this technology has a number of advantages:

In terms of strength and other performance indicators, screeds made from ready-mixed concrete are in no way inferior to ordinary concrete, and can even surpass it in a number of parameters.

To prepare the solution, powerful equipment or heavy manual labor is not needed - a mixer or even a powerful electric drill (perforator) with an appropriate nozzle is enough.

In principle, there are no problems with the dosage of the components - everything is already provided by the manufacturer, and the master can only clearly follow the instructions for preparing the solution.

Many mortars prepared from such mixtures are significantly lighter, which reduces the load on the ceiling, reduces transportation costs and facilitates the lifting of materials to the floors.

It is possible to select the desired composition for specific operating conditions. So, there are solutions for rough or leveling screeds, for the “warm floor” system and for rooms with high humidity. Special plasticizers or microfibers added to their composition not only increase the strength characteristics of the coating, but also reduce the time for complete solidification of the screed, reducing the overall duration of construction work.

What is very important for beginners is that working with such compositions is simple and does not require particularly high skills. The main thing is to follow the recommendations on pouring technology, which are necessarily attached to any batch of material.

All this will be true only if a high-quality dry mix is purchased. Alas, there are a lot of fakes or low-grade mixtures on the building materials market in this segment. It is best to choose compositions from reputable manufacturers, be sure to check the certificate so as not to run into counterfeit products. It is also important to check the shelf life of the material - it is limited, and the expired mixture can significantly lose its quality.

The only drawback of this approach to pouring the screed is that the price for it can turn out to be slightly higher than when making the solution yourself. Well, you have to pay for convenience and quality.

Prices for various types of screeds and self-leveling floors

Screeds and self-leveling floors

Preparing the surface for pouring concrete screed

The surface for pouring the screed is prepared in different ways, based on the conditions:

If the floor will be laid on the ground, for example, in a private house without a basement or basement, then the work is carried out in next sequence:

- The soil is selected to a depth of 500 mm.

A pillow of sand is poured, 100 mm thick, carefully rammed. A gravel layer is poured over it in the same way.

– A rough concrete pour is made with the addition of expanded clay to a height of 150 — 200 mm - for warming the floor surface.

- After the base has solidified, it must waterproofed- roofing material or dense plastic film, to prevent ground moisture from entering from below. The waterproofing material must be on the walls height, slightly greater than the height of the planned screed. If necessary, another layer of insulation can be poured from above, and then a reinforced finishing screed can be poured.

In apartments, first of all, it is necessary to remove the old screed. This is done for several reasons:

- Firstly, the old screed does not guarantee integrity, as it can peel off, crack, and these deformations will be transferred to the newly poured layer.

- Secondly, do not forget about the maximum permissible loads on floor slabs. So, in serial high-rise buildings of the old building, the permissible load is about 400 kg per square meter - static and 150 kg - dynamic. And the weight of one square meter of concrete screed, 50 mm thick, approaches 100 kg. Therefore, all work related to the thickening of the screed will have to be coordinated with design organizations. And it is far from certain that such permission will be obtained.

- And thirdly, the height of the ceilings in the apartments is usually not so significant that you can afford to greatly raise the level of the floor.

The old screed is dismantled with a puncher, but very carefully to prevent destruction or damage to the floor slab. The remains of chipped concrete are removed, and then a thorough cleaning and dedusting of the surface is carried out.

If a connected screed is planned, then it is necessary to carefully clean the existing recesses, cut cracks or crevices to a width of at least 5 mm so that the concrete solution can freely penetrate into them during pouring.

If the screed is floating or on a separating layer, then all flaws must be repaired immediately. You can’t leave voids under the waterproofing layer - condensation can accumulate there, and these areas of high humidity are likely to become a “problem place”.

Defects are sealed with a repair compound, epoxy putty or ordinary concrete mortar. In case of large defects, mounting foam can sometimes be used.

The corners between the walls and the floor are especially carefully checked and repaired - water from the concrete solution when pouring the screed can penetrate deep into the ceiling or even leak to the neighbors below.

Then, in any case, the surface of the overlap should be treated with a penetrating primer. Such a measure will additionally remove dust from the surface of the slab, and improve its adhesion to the poured concrete. In addition, the overlap will not actively absorb moisture from the solution. This is extremely important. The lack of water in the layer of raw concrete adjacent to the base will lead to incomplete maturation of the cement stone, the screed will flake off or break down even with not the most significant loads.

The soil is poured over the surface in strips and evenly distributed with a roller. In hard-to-reach places, for example, in the corners, it is better to use a brush.

An elastic damper tape is glued along the perimeter of the walls. It will become a compensator for the expansion of the concrete screed, which will prevent its deformation or cracking. In addition, under no circumstances should the screed come into contact with vertical structures, be it walls, partitions or columns.

If the screed is on the separating layer, then at first the entire surface of the overlap is covered with a dense polyethylene film, at least 0.2 mm thick. The strips are overlapped, not less than 100 mm. Joints must be glued with waterproof construction tape. You need to try very carefully to lay the film in the corners so that strong jams and folds do not form - air “pockets” may remain there. The edges of the film on the walls should be 5 ÷ 10 mm higher than the planned screed - they will then be easy to cut off.

Schematically - waterproofing film and damper tape for screed on a separating layer
After the polyethylene is laid, the damper tape is glued - just as mentioned above.

Beacon system and reinforcement

In order to achieve the horizontality of the screed and its required height, it is necessary to create a system of beacons, along which the concrete solution will be leveled.

Zero Level Definition

It is very fortunate if the farm has or has the opportunity to take it from friends. In this case, the work will be much simpler - it will be much easier to beat off the horizontal stripes on the walls and control the level of the guides.

If this is not possible, then it is no worse to set beacons with the help of a water and ordinary building level.

The water level consists of two cylindrical transparent vessels with the same scale applied, connected by a long elastic thin hose. According to the physical law of communicating vessels, the liquid level in them is always at the same height from the horizon. Thus, by making one mark at a certain level, it can be transferred with high accuracy to other surfaces within the length of the flexible hose.

Markup begins by determining the zero level of the future screed. To do this, first of all, you need to draw a base horizontal line. This is done as follows:

The estimated highest corner of the room is visually determined. A mark is made on the wall in this corner at an arbitrary height. It is better, of course, to make it so that it is most convenient to work, for example, one and a half meters from the floor.

With the help of a water level, this mark is transferred to all walls of the room. The distance between the risks should allow them to be connected with a line using the existing ruler (you can use a long building level or a clean rule).

The drawn line should pass along the entire perimeter of the room and close at one point - this will indicate the correctness of the measurements.

Measurements are made from the applied baseline to the floor surface. Measurement points are usually every 0, 5 m. be sure to ensure that the measurement is carried out strictly vertically. The obtained values \u200b\u200bmust be written down (on a piece of paper or even on the wall with a pencil).

The point of measurement that will give the minimum height of this distance will correspond to the highest section of the base.

From the value obtained at the highest point, the thickness of the future screed is subtracted (minimum 30 mm). For example, the minimum height is 1420 mm. Subtract the thickness of the screed (30 mm) and get 1390 mm. This is the distance from the plotted reference line to the zero level.

Now it will be easy to draw the entire zero level line around the perimeter of the room - for this you need to measure the value obtained from the base down, mark the points and connect them with a straight line. To simplify the work, you can make a rail - a template and quickly transfer marks from the baseline. After connecting them, you get the main line of the zero level.

It is rare in construction practice, but it still happens when in the center of the room the floor level is slightly higher than near the walls. This must be checked by pulling the cord at zero level between opposite walls and measuring the height from it to the floor. Such a check should be carried out in several places. In the case when it is revealed that there is a hill in the center, it will be necessary to shift the zero level upwards in order to ensure the minimum allowable screed thickness over the entire area of the room.

Marking for the beacon system

It is advisable to make markings for beacons and guides immediately after repulsing the zero level, guided by the following principles:

The orientation of the guides should correspond to the intended direction of the most convenient pouring of the screed. This is usually done along the room, from the far wall to the exit.

It happens that due to the complexity of the configuration of the room, it will be necessary to change the direction of the fill in a certain area. This should also be immediately taken into account when marking the lines of beacons.

The distance between the wall and the parallel guide closest to it is usually kept no more than 250 - 300 mm. If left large, a poorly leveled area or even a dip may form along the wall, which will require additional intervention later.

The distances between adjacent guides are not particularly regulated. The main thing is that the rule for leveling, installed on them, protrudes on both sides by about 200 mm. The guides should not be spaced too much - quite large gaps may appear in the center between them after shrinkage of the hardening concrete.

I distribute the guide lines along the width of the room, usually at the same distance from one another.

How beacons and guides are set at zero level

Previously, for the beacon system, various improvised materials were used as guides, for example, wooden blocks or unnecessary pipes. Today, metal profiles are mainly used for these purposes.

So, galvanized U-shaped profiles from drywall systems show themselves very well. They are resistant to deflection and create a reliable "rail" for rule work.

Plaster profiles are very popular, although they are not without some drawbacks. They have a stiffener, however, in long sections, when working with a rule, they can still bend. Therefore, when using them, the number of support points must be increased.

In some cases, you can do without the use of profiles.

There are many ways to install a beacon, and it is impossible to consider everything. Let's stop only on some of them.

One of the most accurate and simple - using self-tapping screws.

- At the far end of the room at a distance of 250 - 300 mm from the corner between opposite walls, a strong cord (for example, a fishing line or a thick nylon thread) is pulled strictly at zero level. It is important to pull it to the maximum so that there is no sagging in the center.

- At the intersection of the line of the stretched cord with the line closest to the wall, guiding to semi drilled a hole where a plastic dowel is hammered and a self-tapping screw is screwed in. Using a screwdriver, it is screwed in such a way that the upper edge of its cap exactly coincides with the zero level.

- A similar operation is repeated in the opposite, closest to the exit, side of the room.

- Two self-tapping screws that define the guide line are interconnected by a tightly stretched cord, so that it runs along the top of their caps.

- On this segment, mark and drill holes for dowels, distributing them evenly so that an interval of 350 ÷ 400 mm is maintained between them.

- Self-tapping screws are screwed into the dowels until their caps match the stretched cord. Be sure to check with the help of the building level - if necessary, you can make the necessary adjustments.

- In the same way, a line of self-tapping screws is made on the opposite guide, and then on the intermediate ones. In this case, the check should be carried out in all directions - longitudinal, transverse and diagonally.

- After the same zero level has been reached along all lines, the stretched cords are removed. Prepare a thick concrete solution. It is laid out in small slides along the line of screwed screws. Then a U-shaped profile is put on top and pressed into the solution. The transverse flange of the profile should rest against the head of the screw. It is important that the profile “sat down” evenly on both sides, without distortions.

Installation and fixation of metal profiles - guides
- After the solution sets and securely fixes the profiles in the installed position, you can proceed to pouring the screed.

With plaster profiles, it turns out to be somewhat more difficult - it is more difficult to fix them on the heads of self-tapping screws. For these purposes, special fasteners can be used - " eared"Which are put on self-tapping screws, and the side shelves of the profile are crimped with their petals.

Video: setting beacons with self-tapping screws and fasteners - " eared»

Another subtlety - plaster profiles also have their own height, and this must also be taken into account when setting self-tapping screws to the zero level.

In addition, the fixation solution will require much more - the flesh to the point that I resort to laying out even a solid shaft, into which the profile is embedded with an emphasis on the caps of the self-tapping screws.

Some craftsmen are used to doing without metal profiles at all.

— The exposed self-tapping beacons are tied with a thin wire, thereby creating a kind of reinforcing cage. Then, a solution is laid out along the entire line in a slightly excess amount, so that the resulting shaft is slightly above the zero level.

- When the solution begins to set, form a guide plane. Using the rule, the upper edge of this shaft is compared and smoothed to the heads of the screws.

- After solidification, excellent guides will be obtained, along which it is quite possible to work with the rule, and then they will enter the structure of the flooded screed.

If the screed is carried out on the wall, then the method of self-tapping screws becomes inapplicable - it is impossible to break the tightness of the film, and in addition, there should not be a rigid adhesion of the new screed to the base. In this case, you will have to tinker more, laying out the slides of the solution and accurately inserting the guides at the zero level along the stretched cords.

To speed up the readiness of the beacon system, tile glue is often used instead of the usual mortar - its curing time is much shorter. But gypsum compositions are unacceptable. Firstly, they practically do not shrink, unlike cement ones. Secondly, gypsum compositions have completely different indicators of water absorption, adhesion, strength, plasticity, etc. It can be stated with absolute certainty that there will be tons of cracks in the locations of the beacons on the screed.

The nuances of reinforcing the screed

Of course, this measure is useful, especially with thick screeds. Used for this, most often, a metal mesh made of galvanized steel wire with cells from 50 to 100 mm - it can be purchased ready-made in stores. Only here, when placing it, many people make a serious mistake.

If you look at numerous photographs on the Internet, you can see a grid laid directly on a floor slab or on a waterproofing layer. There are many doubts about the usefulness of such reinforcement. Ideally, for the reinforcing belt to play its role, it should be placed in the thickness of the poured mortar, approximately in the middle of the height of the screed.

To do this, you can purchase special polymer coasters. However, it will not be difficult to make wire supports or even lift the mesh onto linings from pieces of broken tiles or fragments of an old concrete screed. Wooden linings should never be used.

Obviously, it is necessary to carry out the installation of a reinforcing lattice before setting up the guides. Most often, the installation of the system of beacons and fittings is carried out in parallel, and the grid can also be fixed on those hills of cementin which metal profiles are embedded.

Filling the screed

Oddly enough, but the process of pouring the screed itself looks like the most uncomplicated in the series of all technological operations. If all the preparatory work is done correctly, then this stage will not present any difficulty.

For normal pouring and hardening of the screed, the optimum temperature is from 15 to 25 degrees. It is allowed to carry out work at lower temperatures (but not lower than +5), but the concrete maturation period will increase significantly. In too hot weather, it is also better to refrain from pouring - \u003d the top layer can dry out quickly and crack. He does not like screed and drafts, although the access to fresh air cannot be completely blocked.

It is best, of course, to work together - one is preparing the concrete solution, and the second is directly pouring and leveling the screed. The technology of mixing the solution has already been described above.

Work is carried out from the far corner of the room, gradually moving towards the exit. It is necessary to try to complete the filling within one working day - so the screed will be as uniform and durable as possible. If for some reason this is not possible, then the floor surface is pre-divided into sections (they are called fill cards) with the installation of jumpers between them.

lays out in excess between the guides, so that its layer is 15 - 20 mm above the zero level. The initial distribution is carried out with a trowel or shovel. It is essential to ensure that there is no empty seats- this often happens under guides, under bars reinforcement or at the corners. It is necessary to achieve maximum compaction of the concrete solution, the release of air bubbles from it. To do this, you can carry out " bayonet" - the solution is pierced with a shovel or trowel before leveling.

Next, on on the governing set rule. With translational and transverse zigzag movements, the solution is leveled to the level of the guides, so that a flat, smooth surface is obtained.

If the sand has not been sifted and large fragments (pebbles or shells) remain in it, then certain difficulties may arise - these inclusions can leave furrows and you will have to suffer a lot, removing them and smoothing out irregularities in order to bring the surface to an ideal state.

Concrete mortar is added as needed, so that the work goes on continuously. Excess mortar at the end of the filling of the room is carefully removed.

Video: a good example of pouring a screed over beacons

After the filling is completed, it is necessary provide for measures, excluding accidental entry into the premises of people or pets during the first 5 to 7 days. In order for the ripening process to proceed effectively, the surface must be moistened daily (starting from the second day) with water, keeping it moist. In case of strong heat, it makes sense to cover it with a film after the initial setting in order to avoid drying out.

If an ordinary sand-cement mortar was used, then the readiness of the screed with the operational one can be said no earlier than after 3 weeks. When using dry building mixes, the terms may be different - they must be indicated in the attached instructions.

After the screed is ready, it is checked for evenness and surface quality. To do this, set the rule on the embedded guides and measure the resulting gap in the center. There is no escape from concrete shrinkage, and if the gap does not exceed 1 - 2 mm, then this will be within the normal range.

Often, a thin-layer composition is poured over the screed to make the surface perfectly smooth. However, this is a topic for separate consideration.

A high-quality floor arrangement on floor slabs implies a comfortable living for people in the room.

Scheme of the device wood-chip floor.

Floor base

Classification of floors is made by types of coatings:

boardwalks;

parquet;

linoleum;

slab.

And by type of structure:

layered;

single layer;

separate hollow;

separate voidless.

Required tool:

Scheme of overlapping over a ventilated underground.

grinder;

plane;

hammer;

trowel;

cord;

rule;

saw;

fasteners;

screwdriver;

roulette.

Layered floor device

Mainly used in . They are made from several layers above colder rooms (basements, garages). A soundproofing layer is laid on top, and a hard floor covering is laid on it - piece parquet or parquet panels. For sound insulation, fiberboard grades 4, 12, 20 are used.

Single layer construction

Such a floor is made directly on the floor slabs. If irregularities are found, a leveling layer must be made. The material for the construction of a single-layer floor can be bio-resistant linoleum, which is not subject to decay processes. In rooms with high humidity (toilet, bath), a single-layer floor can be made of ceramic tiles or rubber-based linoleum.

Installation of a separate hollow core

Diagram of a soundproof floor.

First, a soundproof layer is laid on the floor slabs, then the logs are strengthened, and the clean floor material is laid on them: parquet boards, tongue-and-groove boards or wooden shields. If a solid flooring is made of unplaned boards in the room, then fiberboard boards are laid on top, the thickness of which must be at least 20 mm. Logs for the construction of a separate hollow floor on floor slabs must be planed and treated with an antiseptic. The dimensions of the bars (lag) are 80 * 40 mm. Depending on the thickness of the flooring, the distance between the lags is determined. The thinner the material, the more often the bars are laid.

The device of a separate voidless floor

Scheme of self-laying floorboards.

It is built on the basis of a monolithic screed made on floor slabs. The screed is made from a mixture of concrete and porous aggregate class B12.5 with a density grade D1200, the thickness of the screed should be no more than 40 mm. It cannot be leveled with cement mortar, the irregularities should simply be sanded. A gap of 20-30 mm is made between the monolithic screed and the walls of the room along the perimeter, which is filled with soundproofing material and subsequently closed with a plinth.

The external covering of such a floor can be linoleum, PVC tiles, parquet, laminate parquet, fiberboards or other materials. A layer of waterproofing material is placed on top of the screed. It is overlapped or the joints are coated with bituminous mortar. Then they put a layer of sound insulation from mineral wool grade 125-150 up to 60 mm thick, fiberboard plates up to 50 mm thick, sand or expanded clay.

Parquet flooring

Floor plan.

Beautiful appearance, low thermal insulation and soundproofing make parquet (parquet boards, parquet boards, block parquet) a popular material in the construction of floors on ceilings. The device of such a floor is possible on a solid plank base, fiberboard slabs, cement-sand screeds. The floors made of piece parquet, made with a herringbone pattern with or without friezes, look good.

First you need to mark the rows of the coating so that there is less waste. A layer of glassine is laid on the prepared base, and a beacon "Christmas tree" is laid on it. Focusing on it, a floor covering is made with careful connection and fastening of each parquet plank with forty nails, two driven into the side groove and one into the end groove. With a doboynik deepen the caps into the material.

The device of floors from a piece parquet on couplers is made on a hot or cold solution of bitumen in "christmas tree" without friezes. When laying parquet, if necessary, level it with a special parquet-planing machine or a manual planer; after the guard, skirting boards are installed, the floor is scraped and polished. The floor is slightly moistened before scraping. The laid parquet is rubbed with mastic or varnish.

Linoleum floors

Scheme of insulation of the floor of the first floor.

Linoleum is a material used for flooring. It has such qualities as strength, durability, resistance to chemicals, elasticity; it is easy to clean and wash. For all these qualities, the material is very popular with developers. The disadvantages include susceptibility to deformation - expansion, shrinkage, warping and swelling. To prevent their appearance, linoleum is preliminarily kept in a rolled state for several days to straighten and take the shape of the floor.

The quality of the base for the flooring significantly affects the quality of the linoleum floor. Possessing elasticity, linoleum is able to perceive even the slightest irregularities. Therefore, the ground must be level, clean, dry and solid. The horizontalness of the base must be checked with a special rail. The bases for linoleum can be screeds made of cement-sand mortar, fiberboard boards, chipboard boards, cinder-block, expanded clay concrete and plank floors.

To install a new screed on the floor slabs, a 3: 1 sand-cement mortar is made, which is laid on a hard and durable preparation with a layer of up to 3 cm and leveled with a rule or a trowel along pre-installed guide rails. The surface of the previously made screeds must be clean and even. If necessary, the screed can be leveled by laying a new layer of cement-sand mixture with a ratio of 1: 2. Admissible humidity of the basis — no more than 10%.

The most time-consuming process is considered to be the process of preparing the bases for sticking linoleum on plank floors made on floor slabs.

Scheme of soundproofing floors.

They must be tough enough. The base boards must not sag. Before sticking linoleum, the base of the floor must be well processed: the lumber must be dry, planed, treated with an antiseptic or drying oil. All cracks must be puttied, cleaned and primed.

When constructing a base made of fiberboard or chipboard, it is also necessary to ensure the rigidity of the base under the slabs with the obligatory grouting of the joints between them. The slabs are screwed to the wooden base of the floor with screws, their caps are well recessed in the material, and the slabs are glued to the concrete or cement-sand screed with hot bitumen. The surface of the fixed plates is leveled by cutting off the bumps, sealing the seams with mastic, primer and puttying with oil putty. Then linoleum is laid.

Floors made of ceramic tiles

To install the floor on the floor slabs of ceramic tiles, first make the base - a monolithic cement screed with the addition of sand (approximate composition 3: 1; 4: 1), the installation of which is carried out along the waterproofing layer. When installing a floor on a wooden base, it is necessary to stick waterproofing on the flooring with hot bituminous mastic, then put a reinforced mesh and put a mortar over it. For the screed device, beacon wooden slats should be used, installed in level along the walls of the room. Put the prepared solution between the slats. The horizontality of the screed is checked by the rule, the ends of which must rest on the beacon rails. After the solution has hardened, the slats are removed. The remaining grooves are filled with mortar.

Scheme of overlapping and floor insulation.

Before laying the tiles, they must be sorted by size and color. Make a breakdown of the floor according to the selected pattern of the future coating, after which you should check the squareness of the room with a cord, stretching it diagonally from corner to corner, and then determine the width of the frieze and lay two mutually perpendicular rows according to the pattern dry. The distance between the tiles when laying them should be no more than 2 mm.

If the tiles do not fit completely, they can be cut and laid in a row closer to the wall. According to the marks made on the clean floor, beacon tiles are laid. Then, along the cord and ruler, corner, intermediate and frieze beacons are installed. On the prepared solution, the seal is made and the first row of tiles is laid. After laying the frieze rows, they begin to lay the tiles of the main pattern of the floor covering. In order not to step on already laid tiles, their flooring starts from the far wall.

The mortar used must be of a plastic consistency, and it is advisable to lay it in an even strip on several rows of tiles at once. Having laid the tile on the mortar, it should be slightly precipitated with light blows of a trowel or hammer on the bar laid on top. Checking the horizontality of the laid tiles is carried out by the rule. The seams between them must be free from mortar. Two days after laying the tiles, they are filled with a creamy solution of cement in water, having previously cleaned the surface. The infusion is performed 2-3 times, as the solution shrinks. The remains of the solution are removed from the surface immediately after completion of work by wiping the tiles with moistened sawdust. Fill the laid tiles with moistened sawdust in a layer of 15-20 cm, and, periodically moistening them, achieve good hardening of the solution.

Installation of laminated parquet floors

Modern building material for flooring on floor slabs is laminated parquet. This is an environmentally friendly coating, reminiscent of wooden parquet, which consists of several layers and is very convenient to use. It is made of dense, water-resistant fiberboards, covered with a layer imitating wood. Planks dimensions: length - 1.2-1.7 m, width - up to 18 cm, thickness - from 6 to 14 mm. Laminate planks are top coated with acrylate or melamine resin to protect against mechanical damage.