How to make a floor repair in an apartment with your own hands in stages. Floors in the apartment: what to make, types of flooring, design features and do-it-yourself installation How to properly replace the floors in the apartment

From the author: hello dear reader. Surely you have heard many caustic jokes about the strained relationship between the son-in-law and the mother-in-law. So, this is not about me! My mother-in-law loves and respects me very much, and even entrusted me with the overhaul of her apartment. True, at my expense. So, today I want to tell you about how to repair the floor in the apartment with your own hands. This is how you can save both on materials and on attracting specialists. I guarantee that this knowledge will come in handy more than once in your life.

In old houses, as in my case, the floors are made according to the standard scheme: the floor slabs are covered with expanded clay, and on top they are filled with a layer on which thermal insulation is laid. In many old houses, as a rule, it has long fallen into disrepair or is completely absent. After thermal insulation comes, on which the floor covering is laid.

If this floor is laid according to all the rules, then it can serve for a very long time. If the floorboards are deformed from old age, and gaps appear between them, this is a clear sign that the floors should be changed. There is no need to simply replace the flooring. A worn out wood floor will quickly ruin your new linoleum or laminate flooring. To prevent this, you will have to carry out a complete renovation of the old floor using one of the following methods:

• replacement and repair;

Method 1. Repairing an old wooden floor

This option is suitable for you if you just need to replace worn floorboards and strengthen loose ones. In my case, it also turned out to be acceptable. Here is a scheme for the overhaul of the old wooden coating:

• clean the floorboards from old paint or varnish. For this, it is best to use a grinder;
• replace old, worn-out boards with more reliable ones;
• check the method of fixing the boards to the joists. In most cases, they are nailed, but for a more secure fixation, use self-tapping screws;
• cover cracks, pits and recesses with putty on wood and wipe these places with sandpaper;
• remove small debris with a vacuum cleaner and then with a damp cloth;
• apply paint / varnish to the repaired floor;
• lay flooring.

If most of the floorboards have become unusable, a reasonable solution would be to replace the entire floor. Modern technologies make it possible to create a truly reliable, environmentally friendly and durable design.

Thanks to the tongue and groove, the boards are tightly connected to each other. You can even reinforce the joint with glue. After laying, you just have to choose and lay the cover. We will talk about the advantages and disadvantages of each type of flooring later. And now consider the method of pouring the concrete floor.

Method 2. Pouring a concrete floor

If your old wood floor is in critical condition, simply replacing the boards and puttying is not enough. In this case, you can fill the concrete screed yourself. The most important thing in this option is to achieve a perfectly flat surface, because unevenness can lead to undesirable consequences, such as deformation and damage to the flooring.

Here is the scheme of preparatory work:

• dismantle the old wooden floor. Completely remove the floorboards and logs;
• remove debris from the underground space by cleaning the old screed or ceiling;
• install waterproofing. For this, a plastic film is usually used;
• stick damper tape along the walls. Sometimes they do without it, but this reduces the reliability and durability of the concrete floor;
• since you repair the concrete pavement yourself, be sure to use guide beacons;
• fill the base with expanded clay. This material has a relatively low weight and good thermal insulation properties. In principle, you can do without it, but with large differences in height or when using gypsum-fiber sheets, expanded clay is necessary;
• perform reinforcement. As a rule, reinforcement is used when pouring the foundation and the floors themselves. But to strengthen the concrete floor, reinforcement will certainly not be superfluous.

There are several ways to fill the floor:

• pouring cement-sand mixture. The pouring process itself is quite hard work, and the solution will solidify within a month. But you will be pleased with the low price of the issue. In addition, this method has been used in construction for a very long time, therefore it is considered reliable and proven;
• pouring with dry cement mixture. If you choose this method, then the work will not be so hard. And the hardening process will not be so long - up to 10 days. The process of leveling the surface with this method of pouring is much easier. But be prepared for the fact that the price of the issue will increase proportionally;
• laying gypsum-fiber sheets or GVL. In construction, the name "dry screed" is also found. When using GVL, you will find an almost perfect result with minimal labor. The only negative of this option is the high price, but it is fully justified.

Now for the flooring

Hardware stores offer us a wide selection of floor coverings, which differ in their characteristics and price. This is parquet, and laminate, and linoleum, and carpet, and the newfangled Art Vinyl coating (art vinyl), and various types of floor tiles. Let's talk about the properties of each of the listed floor coverings:

• parquet board. The flooring is made of natural wood, thanks to which your floor will be aesthetically attractive and environmentally friendly. If necessary, the parquet board can be easily dismantled and then laid again. In order for parquet to retain its original appearance, it requires special care. In addition, it is sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity. Lay the parquet board in dry, ventilated areas. Therefore, for a kitchen, hallway or bathroom, this is not the best solution;
• laminate. Unlike parquet, a laminate board consists of four layers: stabilizing, bearing (the lock is built into it), decorative (wood pattern), top protective. Laminate is more unpretentious and does not require special care, like parquet, but at the same time it is afraid of moisture. For home use, the best solution would be a class 31-32 laminate. Suitable for laying in almost any room, except for the bathroom;
• linoleum. Universal flooring. Can be on a foam or felt base. The foam base is not sensitive to moisture and is suitable for any room. Felt provides additional heat and sound insulation, but is not suitable for rooms with high humidity. But for a living room or bedroom, linoleum on a felt base would be the best solution. For home use, household and semi-commercial linoleum is suitable. For rooms with low traffic, for example, a bedroom, 0.1-0.2 mm of the protective layer will be enough. For the living room, a protective layer of 0.3 mm is suitable, and for the hallway and kitchen - from 0.4 to 0.6. The thicker the protective layer, the more durable the floor covering. For more reliable fixation, linoleum should be glued to the surface;
• carpet. Consists of four layers: secondary base, fixing layer, primary base, pile. It has good heat and sound insulation. Sensitive to moisture, therefore suitable for laying only in dry rooms with low traffic. In the kitchen and hallway, the carpet will wear out quickly and lose its aesthetic properties;
• art vinyl. Newfangled flooring that allows you to implement almost any design solution. Externally, art vinyl can be stylized as wood, stone or other natural material. According to the manufacturers, it combines the aesthetic qualities of parquet, the practicality of linoleum (it is not afraid of moisture) and the modularity of floor tiles. For installation, simply glue the art vinyl tiles to a clean, flat and dry surface. You will have to pay extra for such versatility - the cost of the material exceeds the price of linoleum and laminate;
• floor tiles. Ideal for wet rooms, easy to clean, so it will be the best solution for the bathroom or kitchen.

The basic interior issues include deciding how to make the floors in the apartment, which determines the overall style of each of the rooms.

Not only the artistic part is important, but also resistance to wear, ease of cleaning, environmental component and just a feeling of comfort underfoot.

The desired effect will be achieved by choosing a material that is appropriate in its characteristics and observing the technology of its installation.

Main elements of the device

Repair the concrete base before finishing the floor

Regardless of the decision on how to cover the floor in the apartment, whether new floors are being laid or the floor is being replaced in the apartment with one's own hands, work starts from the concrete base.

The slab may already have a high-quality screed, otherwise you will have to do it - concrete large drops and fill it with a self-leveling compound. The horizontal plane will give sure support to all sections and layers of future beautiful floors.

If the floors are not insulated, it is necessary to lay insulation

The structure of the floor for the apartment is a sequential alternation of the following levels:

• concrete floor slab;
• waterproofing (for bathroom, kitchen, toilet);
• thermal insulation (simultaneously performing the task of sound insulation);
• flooring (includes additional technological accessories - plinth, ventilation grilles for a wooden floor on logs).

It is necessary to determine which floor in the room is better to make (PVC tiles or parquet) for each room separately, depending on its purpose. A children's room, a bedroom, a corner for sports activities differ in terms of loads and intensity of impact on the entire structure to the very foundation.

Protective level

A crucial step in the work is to calculate what to put on the screed under the selected floor, which material is better to use as a heater.

Each type has certain characteristics, including the minimum thickness at which they appear in standard values ​​and determine which floors are best done in an apartment.

It is necessary to consider the brand and type of insulation for various options for finishing the floor according to the following characteristics:

• thermal conductivity (an important indicator for the first floors, cottages with non-residential basement levels with low air temperature);
• recommended thickness;
• noise absorption;
• water absorption coefficient, vapor permeability;
• fire resistance;
• weight, ability to withstand load (density);
• application technology, consumption per 1 m², amount of waste;
• health safety.

The difference in floor levels between rooms is not desirable (not safe), with the exception of sanitary and hygienic premises, in which it is provided for by building codes in case of accidents with water spills.

Material

Foamed polyethylene combine with other materials

Before you make the floor in the apartment with your own hands, you need to calculate the expected effect in comparison with the budget and the availability of harvesting the selected material for various types of finishes:

In rooms where it is planned to lay ceramic tiles, it is advisable to use the "warm floor" technology.

Surface layer

In all the variety of coatings, you need to figure out which floors are best made for each specific situation (concrete floor or parquet).

So, what to use to cover the floor, which room the material will correspond to, is chosen from the following main positions:

• wooden board;
• parquet;
• ceramic or polymer tiles;
• laminate;
• linoleum;
• carpet;
• cork sheet.

A visual comparison in terms of performance can be seen from the table:

The presented flooring materials can cover a concrete, wooden base, lined with sheets of plywood or moisture-resistant drywall. Manufacturers produce products for finishing the floor in an apartment, having a variety of colors, textures, patterns and entire compositions, panels.

Linoleum

A modern manufacturer offers a wide selection of colors and properties of this finishing material.

It is one of the most popular coatings today. Easy to fit, waterproof, reasonably priced, with a wide variety of colors and patterns. It can be insulated with fibrous underlays, made on a foamed bottom layer, to be immediately laid on the concrete floor in the apartment.

The material is quite soft, subject to residual deformation from heavy objects, and needs to be treated with care. Of all the options with which you can cover the finished base, the fastest.

Linoleum is made using a natural or polymer base. According to its purpose, it is divided into 2 types: commercial (intense loads in office, industrial buildings) and domestic (non-commercial).

In comparison, which flooring to choose, the first type wins in terms of wear resistance, but you need to pay attention to the fact that it was not originally designed for small rooms and poor ventilation.

The commercial type has a higher content of harmful components, so it is not recommended to use it in residential premises.

Laminate flooring

Laminate boards imitate any textures and colors

Natural wood has been replaced by floor finishing with multi-layer types of artificial boards with increased performance. The invoice and drawing successfully imitate a parquet, a stone, valuable breeds of wood and many other things.

At the same time, laminate is much more affordable and easier to install than parquet. The standard size is 0.25 × 1.5 m, the design is prudently equipped with locks that connect the lamellas into a beautiful floor.

For rooms for different purposes, when asked which floor to choose, use the material of the appropriate strength class (marked with a two-digit number starting from 2 for domestic needs or 3 for commercial).

carpet

It is a common decision when choosing which floor is best done in a recreation area, a children's (play) room. The cloth is made of synthetic, natural threads.

The pile can be long or absent, like a carpet. The basis is rubber, felt or jute.

The carpet structure can be wrinkled under load, clogged with dirt, absorb liquids. Carpeting requires careful handling, careful maintenance, and cleaning. Therefore, you should not start them in the hallway, use them in the kitchen, but rather lay them in the living room or bedroom.

Cork

Available in 2 types: decorative and technical (for the substrate). It is available in rolls and slabs. About the pros and cons of cork flooring, see this video:

Cork has a full set of desired qualities in all respects, except for the price. The material is environmentally friendly, has excellent thermal resistance, low sound conductivity, mechanical strength at a small thickness.

The roll is unfolded, cut to size, laid on a base prepared with an adhesive. The plate is laid end to end. When laying directly on a concrete floor, a softening substrate is needed so as not to push through small particles.

Not only the aesthetic side of the interior, but also the ecological and sanitary conditions depend on which floors will be chosen for residential premises. To know which floors are best for an apartment, you need to consider their basic technical and operational characteristics. Each of the rooms requires a different approach to the choice of flooring, and this should be taken seriously, as the material laid on the floors can positively or negatively affect the health of family members.

As a rule, the floors in the apartment have a concrete, fairly even base, and this fact is already a help for the installation of any of the existing types of coatings. Depending on what effect you want to get from the floor being arranged, its desired type and the material necessary for it are selected.

Concrete floors are strong and durable, but they have two significant drawbacks that all owners of modern apartments are trying to deal with - these are cold and high sound conductivity. To eradicate these shortcomings, you can resort to one of several methods of insulation and soundproofing. Since floor slabs are designed for a certain maximum weight, heavy loads on them are prohibited, and therefore light material should be chosen for these purposes.

Ways of heat and sound insulation

There are several ways to make heat and sound insulation in an apartment using the following materials:

1. The first, most well-known and used method is the laying of thin polyethylene foam under the decorative coating. But this method will not fully give the desired effect, it will only drown out the noise from below a little and make the floor a little warmer. Therefore, it is better to use polyethylene in combination with other materials that have the characteristics necessary to create comfort in an apartment.

2. Another, more effective way - with fixing wooden logs on a thin polyethylene bed, between which foam plastic 50 ÷ 100 mm thick, expanded clay or mineral wool can be laid. Then, such a heat and sound insulating "fur coat" is closed from above with a floorboard or plywood, which, in turn, is covered with one of the decorative coatings.

3. The third way can be called a floor made from a dry screed. This type of thermal and sound insulation will perform well the tasks assigned to it. It is easy to install and perfectly protects the room from noise and cold.

4. Pleasant and light materials have recently been considered a little-known, but very effective insulation method - ecowool, made on the basis of cellulose, and noise plastic, consisting of polystyrene foam, rubber and acrylic additives.

Video: sound and thermal insulation with noise plastic

5. A fairly well-known and simple way to achieve silence and warmth in an apartment is to lay extruded foam immediately on concrete. If necessary and the ceiling height is sufficient, the material can be laid in several layers, and a hard decorative coating, such as parquet or laminate, is laid on top of it.

Flooring

Having decided on insulation or making a risky decision to leave the floor cold, you can move on to the next step - choosing and laying the finish flooring. It must be remembered that for each room it is necessary to choose its own material that will meet the requirements of staying in this room. In addition, much will depend on the base of the floor, which will be covered or filled with a decorative coating.

In building stores today there is a huge selection of flooring, from which you can choose the right option for a particular room.

So, you can choose from the following list:

• ceramic tile;
• laminate;
• carpet;
• linoleum;
• cork coating;
• batten.

Ceramic tile

This material can be laid on a concrete or wooden floor lined with plywood or moisture resistant drywall. The tile is intended mainly for flooring in bathrooms, hallways, kitchens or corridors, but if a warm floor is installed in the rooms, then it is suitable for any of them.

Ceramic tiles are available in various shades and patterns. So, for example, you can choose:

1. For a large room with a heated floor, an elegant floor panel will come in handy, which will give the room the look of a palace hall.
2. For the hallway and corridor, rich dark tones of the material are suitable, which can hide the dirt and dust brought from the street. In these rooms, it is better to lay unglazed tiles with a corrugated surface, in order to avoid the possibility of slipping and injury.
3. The floor in the bathroom and bathroom also needs to be laid out with corrugated or matte tiles, for better adhesion of bare feet to it when exiting from the shower. The color scheme can be chosen for every taste, and with its selection to the wall decoration.
4. Tiles are also the best flooring in the kitchen, as they are easy to clean and won't absorb grease and oil that accidentally gets on the surface. The material is strong and durable, which is very important for flooring in the kitchen.
5. If the balcony is not insulated and is used only in the summer, the tile will be an excellent protection for the concrete pavement from moisture. In this case, when choosing a tile, you need to pay attention to the frost resistance of the material.

Linoleum

Linoleum is one of the most popular coatings today, and largely due to the fact that it has an affordable price, is easy to install and is diverse in color and pattern.

1. This material can be made from natural materials and polymers. The first of them is used very rarely, since it has a rather high cost, and the second coating option is mainly purchased.

2. In addition to the first criterion, linoleum is divided into commercial and non-commercial types.

• the first of them is more durable, and is laid in public buildings with a high intensity of human flow, but it is categorically not suitable for residential premises, as it has harmful impurities;
• for an apartment, you need to choose only a non-commercial type of flooring. Its strength for home conditions is quite enough, and it will last for many years, subject to proper installation and careful operation.

3. Linoleum is produced without a base or on a warm and thick substrate, as well as on a medium-thick foam base.

The disadvantages of linoleum include the following points: unnaturalness, deformation during temperature changes and when heavy objects are installed on it.

Linoleum is laid on a concrete, plywood coating, most often using a polyethylene foam substrate. It is suitable for flooring in any of the rooms. The only place where it is not recommended to lay it is the bathroom, due to the fact that this room has high humidity, and ceramic tiles are more suitable for it.

The choice of linoleum design in color and pattern depends entirely on the tastes and preferences of the apartment owners.

Cork

Cork flooring is quite expensive, but it's worth it if you look at its characteristics. Cork is an environmentally friendly material, an excellent heat and sound insulator, has elasticity and resilience, is pleasant to walk in, and has the ability to create a cozy, favorable atmosphere in the room.

Cork is suitable for any of the rooms, except for the bathroom - because of its humidity. It can only be laid on a flat and hard surface, such as plywood. If it is planned to lay directly on concrete, then it is necessary to lay a substrate under it, otherwise, even small solid fragments can damage the material.

Cork flooring is available in three types:

1. Floor decorative option, which is produced in the form of rolls and slabs. Such material has a special impregnation of the top layer, which protects it from moderate moisture. In addition, often such a tile has an adhesive applied, which makes it easy to arrange it on the floor.
2. For a substrate under another floor covering, for example, linoleum or laminate, a technical version of the coating is used, which is of lower quality. It is used for thermal insulation and sound insulation of the floor. The substrate is produced in the form of rolled and tiled material.
3. In addition, MDF is covered with cork, which serves as the basis for it. Such a coating is produced in the form of panels measuring 18.5 × 90.0 cm, which have special locks for assembly into a common coating.

The material almost does not deform from temperature changes, withstands heavy loads, does not squeeze when heavy pieces of furniture are installed on it.

Laminate

In recent years, flooring, called laminate, has increasingly appeared in apartments and houses. It successfully imitates a parquet or natural board, but is much more affordable. Laminated panels are produced in standard sizes, most often - 25 × 150 cm, at the edges they have locks of various designs, with the help of which they are connected into a common plane.

Structurally, the laminate consists of four layers, each of which plays its role, and in the complex, a fairly reliable, durable and aesthetic material is obtained.

1. The upper transparent layer not only emphasizes the decorative effect of the laminate, but also plays a protective role for the underlying ones, guaranteeing them moisture resistance and protecting them from mechanical damage and abrasion. This part of the laminate is made of acrylic or melamine resins, which contribute to the protective functions.
2. The second layer is precisely the decorative layer that imitates a particular pattern - it can be not only the texture of wood, but even various types of stone or sand.
3. Pressed wood fiber makes up the third layer, which is the basis of the entire panel, as it has the largest thickness - from 4 to 8 mm. It is at the level of this layer that the locking elements that fasten the panels together are located - a spike and a groove.
4. The bottom layer consists of a special resin-impregnated paper, which is designed to protect the material from moisture that can damage the material from below. Some types of laminate are also equipped with a heat and sound insulating waterproof underlay.

This flooring is divided into operational classes, and for laying in residential premises, 21-23 laminate classes are mainly used.

Laminate cannot be called an environmentally friendly material at 100%, since phenol-formaldehyde resins are used in its production. But each manufacturer can use them in different proportions, and it is considered the norm when the formaldehyde content does not exceed 0.01 mg, and phenol 0.003 mg - these data can be found on the packaging of the flooring.

Laminate is well suited for laying in the living room, hallway and kitchen, but it is better to refuse from the flooring of its children's room or bedroom for the reasons described above.

carpet

Carpet is a floor covering made of synthetic or natural fibres. It can be long-haired or even not have a pile at all. This coating is made on a rubber, felt or jute basis.

Carpet is good only when it is new, but it gets old very quickly.

1. The material is pleasant to walk on and aesthetically pleasing, but only when he's new. Quite quickly, he loses these attractive qualities of his - the pile is crumpled in places and becomes not so soft and beautiful. In addition, a lot of dust collects in the carpet, so when buying this coating, you immediately need to purchase a powerful vacuum cleaner.
2. It is tempting to lay carpet in the bedroom or nursery, especially since the range of such options is rich. But you need to remember that in addition to heat and sound insulation, this coating can also bring allergies, which will be difficult to get rid of. Therefore, in these rooms it is better to choose a coating that can be subjected to regular wet cleaning.
3. It is not recommended to lay carpet in the hallway and corridor, as it will look beautiful for a very short time and will quickly become clogged with street dust brought on shoes.
4. If there is a great desire to have carpet in at least one of the rooms, then the living room is best suited for it. But you need to remember - you will have to clean it very often.

Wooden floor

The wooden floor will be the most comfortable of all the presented coatings if it is laid on logs and insulated with mineral or eco cotton. Due to its structure, wood is a warm material, and when laid in combination with insulation, it will make the floors absolutely comfortable.

Video - Wooden flooring with insulation

Video - Wooden flooring. step by step

The environmental friendliness of such a coating allows you to lay it in the nursery and bedroom. Its soundproofing properties will make the rooms calm and conducive to relaxation.

Wooden floors should not be laid in the kitchen, bathroom and hallway.

1. A lot of smells “hover” in the kitchen, which tend to be absorbed into the floor and wall coverings, and the tree is predisposed to the perception of various aromas. But their mixture over time can lead to the fact that the smell will be very unpleasant and indestructible. Therefore, in the kitchen, it is best to use a neutral material for the floor - ceramic tiles, laminate or epoxy self-leveling floors.
2. Due to high humidity, it is not necessary to arrange floors from boards and plywood in bathrooms. The tree absorbs well not only odors, but also moisture, from which it swells and deforms, so it is better to refuse this idea.
3. The floors in the hallway are on the same level as the floors in the entryway. If you install logs and a floorboard, then they will rise at least five centimeters, and you get an uncomfortable step, and if the door opens inward, then it will have to be reinstalled or replaced. Therefore, the best option would be to cover the hallway with laminate, tile or linoleum.

In addition to the floor coverings described above, there are others, such as epoxy 3D floors, parquet boards, polymer tiles and, of course, the well-known parquet.

For more information on how to make self-leveling floors with a 3d effect, read the publication.

Video: unfamiliar to many quartz-vinyl flooring

The material from which the floor is made depends on how warm it will be in the rooms. In addition, the flooring has a special influence on the design of its entire interior. Therefore, it is very important to approach this issue with all seriousness, to calculate all the pros and cons so that the floor covering lasts a long time, and also does not harm the residents of the apartment.

The floor in the apartment is the basis, what the whole space of the dwelling “holds on”. And if it is of poor quality, then everything around will be the same. Therefore, high-quality repair of the floor in the apartment is so important. It is within the power of a person who has encountered repair and construction work to complete it. The process of transforming the floor, especially capital, is quite laborious, energy- and financially costly. But the result is worth it.

Process features

In many apartments, the floors leave much to be desired, especially in "Khrushchev", in old panel buildings or wooden houses. They creak, and the decorative coating itself does not fulfill its design and practical functions. And if the apartment owners have already decided on large-scale work (and there is a lot of work to do), then you need to take into account some features of dismantling and laying a new floor.

Floor repairs can be minor and consist only in the elimination of minor defects., for example, squeaking, by reinforcing wooden structures with screws or adding wedges between boards. It is also possible to simply re-lay the upper floor covering. But if the house is old, then the problems that are hidden under the finish coating can be very significant, and simple primitive measures are indispensable. It is necessary to completely lift the old floor covering and act.

But the very first step in repairing the floor with your own hands will be the complete liberation of space from things and furniture.

Then try to protect the rest of the premises from dirt, debris and dust. You will need to hang a damp cloth or oilcloth on the doorway, put a soft roller between the aisles. If the floor changes throughout the apartment, then such precautions will not be needed.

Skirting boards are carefully separated from the walls, especially if they are planned to be used in the future. After that, you can lift the old flooring. When the top layer of the floor is removed, it will be possible to find out what needs to be done. After all, there are a lot of options here: maybe the old logs in a wooden house are rotten, or maybe there are cracks and defects in the screed. In addition, thanks to the repair, you can raise or slightly lower the level of the room, replace heat and sound insulation. The main thing here is not to panic, but to do all the work in stages.

If the base of the floor is strong, there are no defects in it - the screed is still the same smooth, the logs are not loosened and do not collapse before our eyes, there are no cement crumbs and pits in concrete, then You can get away with a purely cosmetic repair:

• Simply cover the base with new flooring or remove the old one and put on the new one.
• Fix squeaks in wood floors with wood screws (or long nails). Determine the place where the sound comes from, and drive nails there. This will strengthen the floor structure for a while.
• You can temporarily eliminate the creak of the floorboards with talc or graphite powder. You need to fill them up between the boards.

• If gaps have formed in the boards, then wedges (plastic or just small chips) can be inserted between them.
• Make a kind of grout, for example, using glue and sawdust left after sanding or sanding. Instead of sawdust, you can also use small pieces of newspaper and putty defects with this mixture. You can seal the gaps with seam sealant.
• If bubbles have formed on the linoleum or it has begun to move away, then you can inject glue into the place of the defect with a syringe, put a load there to act for a while.
• If there is damage to the top coating (linoleum, carpet, parquet, laminate), then you can make a small patch by removing the bad fragment and replacing it with a new one.

Floors in typical Soviet buildings and wooden houses, of course, differ from each other., as well as technologies for building houses. Conventionally, the floors in need of restoration can be divided into two types: with a concrete base, which may also include layers with expanded clay insulation poured over the screed, and wooden floors on logs, which, in turn, can be covered with a wooden base or lined with chipboard, OSB boards.

In terms of their structure, concrete floors resemble a “pie”, where there is a floor covering on top, below - a screed layer, including a rough one, there can also be an expanded clay layer, which takes on the functions of heat and sound insulation, and, directly, the floor slab itself . If the screed is damaged, then it can give itself out as a sandy rustle, deflections. Minor damage can be repaired using special screed repair compounds.

In case of damage to the concrete base, it is also necessary to patch it up with a cement mixture, and then cover it with a screed.

Having previously cleaned the damage or removed the layer of the old screed completely (in case the “patches” do not save the situation), repairs can be carried out in one of the following ways:

• Pour everything with a specially created cement mixture. This is a classic and proven method of restoration. He has only one minus - the need for careful leveling, leveling with the help of beacons and a long wait for the mixture to dry (up to a month).
• The use of special dry compositions intended for these purposes instead of a cement-concrete mixture. They just need to be diluted with water in the proportions indicated on the package. Such mixtures can significantly save waiting time, but do not eliminate the need for a strictly verified level construction.
• The use of a so-called self-leveling self-leveling floor as a screed eliminates the long wait for drying and the need to build a level. However, these compositions have a rather high price.
• There is also the so-called dry screed. The composition is applied to the waterproofing layer, leveled and laid, for example, GVL.

When the screed layer is laid and dried out, you can proceed to further work - put a finish coating or build a log structure on it. It will allow in the future to make the floor warmer, because additional sound, hydro and thermal insulation can be put between the base bars. And besides, the floor on the logs "breathes", there is a certain air circulation in it.

Repair of a lag wooden floor is also carried out with the removal of the old coating (if it is applied over boards or plywood). If the boards are laid, they should be removed as carefully as possible, simultaneously sorting them into suitable and unsuitable for reuse. Suitable material will need to be further processed.

When parsing a wooden floor, logs are also inspected, transverse wooden bars of the base. They also could be damaged over time, therefore, they also need to be replaced. The layer of insulation and sound insulation is also subject to replacement. Most likely, he has already served his term. After you need to check the logs for a level, it may be necessary to raise somewhere, and somewhere to add additional bars for greater stability and avoid further floor deflection. Then you can put the boards back or cover the room with layers of chipboard, GVL or OSB. Using the latter allows you to achieve a good level without unnecessary drops.

Which is better?

After a major restoration of the subfloor, you can re-lay or change the finishing floor covering. You can also do this on your own. The main thing is to follow the sequence at all stages and wait until the compositions (if any) have completely solidified, especially if the apartment is located on the ground floor, where the proximity to the basements is quite close. When it becomes necessary to change the floor in rooms of this type, it is imperative to think over and implement waterproofing.

If the apartment is higher, you need to be extremely careful with the lags, as they can be load-bearing elements, and damage to them can damage the walls and the entire structure of the house.

When the repair affects the concrete floor, there may be “consequences” for the neighbors below. Then you have to repair not only the floor, but also the ceiling.

When the restoration work is over, you can proceed with the installation of the flooring.

Conditionally finishing material can be divided into:

• Roll coverings - linoleum, carpet;
• Plank and lamella - parquet, board, laminate;
• Ceramic - tiles, stone.

Each of the coatings has its own advantages and disadvantages that must be considered, in addition to taste preferences and financial capabilities.

Linoleum, especially its insulated versions, is a fairly economical and practical material. It is easy to install and has excellent wear resistance. However, it is not entirely environmentally friendly.

Carpet - warm and soft, but completely impractical. Over time, it becomes very difficult to clean, the fibers wear out, the color, even black, burns out.

Parquet is expensive and afraid of water, but very attractive. Laminate perfectly imitates boards or stone, but is not particularly “friendly” with water. In this matter, you need to study its characteristics very carefully.

Ceramics will not be erased and will not lose its appearance, but it is very cold. Vinyl tile is a kind of hybrid of linoleum and laminate, but it can scare away at its price.

Boards are the most environmentally friendly and warm material that requires mandatory processing, otherwise water, rot and insects will do their job and ruin the coating.

In general, each material has something to brag about. And therefore, some enterprising owners go for a tricky trick - they combine several types of flooring in a room. For example, tiles are laid in the hallway near the entrance area, and linoleum or laminate is laid in the living rooms.

Work technology

Self-repair of the floor is carried out in stages, especially if it is major. Often, the preliminary stage is the complete liberation of the room from things and people that will only interfere.

There is an option when the floor is re-tiled, but the furniture remains in place, it moves from one end of the room to the other. But such repairs will not affect the deep layers of the subfloor and will only be external. With a major overhaul, you still need free space in the room. And only then you can proceed to the stage of dismantling the old flooring.

Removing the old coating

Roll materials, such as linoleum, are usually cut into small strips for convenience and then rolled into rolls and taken out of the room. If the linoleum was planted on glue, then removing it is not so easy. Its fragments may remain on the screed. You can remove them with a spatula and a building hair dryer, which will separate them from the base. You can also try removing stubborn glue with a floor cleaning solution. Or you can try to carefully “hollow out” the elements with special tools. Unfortunately, with this approach, the screed will suffer.

To remove the tiles, you will need a chisel and a hammer or a puncher with a special nozzle - a chisel-shovel. Each tile will be dismantled individually.

To remove parquet that will not be reused, especially if it was attached to bitumen or mastic, use the same scrapers and a chisel, a building hair dryer. If the parquet is not glued and its quality is suitable for reuse, then its boards are carefully removed and taken out.

When dismantling boards or laminate, the main thing is to remove the first element. Then the rest of the details will lend themselves well. When removing boards, you will need a nail puller, a hammer, pliers, and possibly a crowbar. If the fastening of the old coating is screwed, then it is logical to use a screwdriver. To remove the first board, you will need to support it with a crowbar or nail puller, then remove it.

Regardless of what material was laid, after its dismantling, it will be necessary to thoroughly clean construction debris and dust. These actions will be a transitional step to the next stage of repair.

Surface preparation

For further work, the subfloor is inspected for visible flaws. The screed is checked for cracks. They are expanded to 1.5 cm, so that you can then putty. The coating is tapped for the presence of cavities, and if any are found, then the old screed is broken to expose and release these voids. Naturally, after such actions, all debris is removed with a construction vacuum cleaner. The surface is treated with a primer for concrete (preferably several times), holes and pits are patched, cracks are puttied.

After the base has dried, you can proceed to laying the screed or, if necessary, take care of additional thermal insulation or the construction of a log structure.

In the case of a wooden floor, the distance between the beams is checked. It should correspond to a step of 60 cm. Otherwise, the floor will be crooked and begin to fail. All structural elements are examined. Each lag is checked under pressure, while there should be no chatter, squeaks and deflections. Good wooden bars are treated with special solutions from mold and fungus, insects and moisture changes. Bad logs are removed and replaced with new ones, which are also treated with protective compounds.

If the floor sways, then a new level is rebuilt for it with the help of beacons. Bent bars are lifted with polymer wedges or by laying pieces of plywood, wood or special adjustable bolts - the so-called adjustable floor system.

Layers of thermal insulation and sound insulation are removed and replaced with new materials. It can be expanded clay, mineral wool or some other. Also at this stage, waterproofing is installed. It is simply necessary if the floors are changed on the ground floor, in the toilet or bathroom.

Screed

Theoretically, a screed can be made on any floor, including lag. High-quality alteration of the floor is impossible without sealing and erecting a screed. It is thanks to her that you can remove level transitions, even invisible to the eye. It will also take on some of the vibrations that arise from time to time.

There are several ways to create a screed:

• based on cement-sand compositions, where cement, sand and water are usually used;
• there are also ready-to-use formulations that just need to be properly diluted with water;
• bulk floor;
• dry screed - a mixture that does not require the addition of liquids.

Each type of coverage has its own advantages and disadvantages. But to say that some way of laying the screed is the best is impossible. In some cases, several types of screed can be used and combined. For example, when the area of ​​​​the room is too large, a dry screed can shrink, and then you cannot do without a self-leveling floor system.

The first step is to build a new level with beacons. The technology for manufacturing screeds based on cement mixtures has been known for a long time. It is usually made on site in the following proportions: 3 parts of sand to one part of cement. When using ready-made mixtures, you must strictly follow the instructions, adding exactly as much water as indicated on the package. Also, according to the information on the packaging, it will be possible to calculate the consumption rate of the mixture.

Depending on what material was used to create the floor, the repair option will also change. Consider the most popular and common types of coatings:

1. Self-leveling floors. Many choose this design due to the affordable price and long-term use. Working with such a surface will require certain skills and knowledge; only highly qualified specialists should carry it out.
2. Wooden floor. It depends on the age of the material, as well as the quality of its installation. Transformation is possible in two ways - when laying plywood on the plane itself, and after using laminate / linoleum, or by replacing the boards themselves.
3. Working with concrete floors. Most often carried out in the bathroom. Such a coating will hide all the irregularities on the surface. With age, cracks appear on it, which will need to be repaired. The choice of materials used in the repair depends on what result you want to get in the end.
4. Repair of floors in "Stalinka" or "Khrushchev". In this case, noticeable changes occur, and the annoying squeaky boards are replaced with new material. The process is quite complex and time-consuming, it must involve real experts in their field. If you have a need for repairs in the "Khrushchev", the best option is to lay the floor on the logs.