Interfloor wooden beams. Wooden floors as a worthy alternative to reinforced concrete slabs Floors on wooden beams 2 floors

One of the elements that can withstand the entire load of the floor is the beam. The integrity and durability of the floor between floors will depend on how correctly it was installed and the bearing capacity was calculated.

A beam made of wood remains popular when equipping floors between floors. But they, like any building material, are endowed with their positive and negative qualities. Consider the characteristics.

The positive characteristics of wooden beams include the following:

1. Floor beams made of wood are easy to use. Easily and quickly installed.
2. They have a relatively small weight, which entails a reduction in the total load on the base of the building.
3. They are less expensive than other materials.
4. Material for manufacturing is in sufficient quantity.
5. Can, if necessary, be quickly replaced.
6. Well suited for the construction of small private and cottages that have small spans.
7. Wood is an environmentally friendly material.

The disadvantages of this building product include the following:

1. They require treatment with special fluids that have fire-fighting characteristics and do not allow the material to rot.
2. They have a limited load.
3. The inability to install them in rooms with large spans.

Requirements for floors made of wooden beams

When installing wooden beams, a number of requirements must be met. Violation or failure to comply with these requirements may lead to negative consequences. The requirements state that:

• it is forbidden to use deciduous trees for the manufacture of beams. Production should be carried out only from conifers. Such wood has a significant margin of safety;
• the wood from which the beams are to be made must have a moisture content of no more than 14 percent. If the specified value is exceeded, the beam span may have a significant deflection;
• wood must be cleaned of bark, treated with a fire-resistant liquid, a solution against pests and fungal diseases. It is forbidden to use wood material that has diseases or defects;
• before the manufacture of beams, it is necessary to provide for a construction lift. During operation, it will level out, the floor and ceiling will remain flat;
• the alignment of the beams must be carried out by installing sawn timber soaked in resin under their ends. Hemming the ends of structures is not recommended;
• in addition to rectangular beams with a calculated section, you can use a solid log. It must be hewn and have a certain diameter. It is much cheaper than using lumber. But, such logs before installation should be stored in a dry place for at least a year.

Calculation of beams made of wood

When planning to mount a wooden floor, you need to calculate the required number of beams and their dimensions.

For this you need:

• know the distance between the walls on which they will be mounted;
• calculate the expected load on the beams after they are installed;
• knowing the indicated values, calculate the size of the section and the step of their installation.

Determining the size of beams

The size of the beam is the sum of the total values. These quantities include:

• distance between walls;
• the length of the beam that will be built into the depth of the wall.

The span is determined using measuring accessories, such as a tape measure. Depending on the material from which the wall is made (wood, concrete, brick, etc.), the depth of laying the beams will depend.

If the building is brick, then the margin for wooden beams should be more than 10 cm. If the building is built of wood, then specific grooves are made under the beam span for the second floor, which have a depth of 6-10 cm. In the case when wooden structures are intended to become the basis for truss system, they should be 5-7 cm longer than the span of the building.

Important!

The overlap with wooden beams should be between 2.5 and 4 m. The maximum span should not exceed six meters. If the overlap exceeds this value, then glued beam structures are installed.

Calculation of the load on a wooden beam

The load, like the size of the beams, consists of the sum of several elements. This is the total mass of span elements and interior details that will be located in the upper floor room. The elements that are included in the ceiling between floors include wooden beams, logs, insulation, floor and ceiling coverings, vapor and waterproofing. Interior elements include furniture, household appliances. This also includes the possible number of residents who will constantly use the floor. Often, the calculation of loads is carried out by special institutions.

For self-calculation of the bearing capacity, the following scheme is used:

1. Overlapping of an attic room with filing. If mineral wool is used as a heater, then its own load lies within 50 kilograms per square meter. SNiP standards indicate the normative load for overlapping within 70 kilograms per square meter and a margin of safety for it with a factor of 1.3. The total load is calculated simply: 70 kg x 1.3 + 50 kg \u003d 130 kilograms per square meter.
2. The insulation is not mineral wool, but a material with a lot of weight. Or thick boards were used for filing. In this case, the standard load increases to 150 kilograms per square meter. Accordingly, the total load will change: 150 kg x 1.3 + 50 kg = 245 kilograms per square meter.
3. For the attic, the standard load will be 350 kg per square meter.
4. For beams that perform the function of overlapping between the first floor and the second, the standard is 400 kg per square meter.

Calculation of the size of the section and the installation step of the beams

Having decided on the magnitude of the load that will fall on the beam and, having calculated its length, you can calculate the installation step and the size of the section (or diameter). These quantities are related relative to each other and are designated according to established standards:

1. The cross section of the beams is in the ratio of width and height, as 1 to 1.4. Depending on the load, the beam should have a width of 5 to 20 cm and a height of 10 to 30 cm. If a log is used for overlapping, then the section diameter should be in the range of 10 to 30 cm. In addition, there are special tables that give the exact dimensions of the section depending on the length and expected loads.
2. When calculating the section, it must be taken into account that the maximum deflection of the floor beams between the floor and the attic should not exceed 1/200, and between the lower and second floors should not exceed 1/350.
3. The installation of beams is carried out with a step that lies in the range from 30 to 120 cm. Basically, a floor laying step is used every 60, 80, 100 cm. Often, the step is chosen according to the size of the insulation material. If the building is frame, then the step is carried out taking into account the location of the frames.

What are lags and the benefits of using them

Regardless of the material from which the flooring will be made, logs must be installed in the inter-beam space. What is it and what are they for? They can be called cross beams. Logs are installed perpendicular to the main beam ceilings. Serve to increase the rigidity of the overlap between floors and reduce the load. Ceiling and floor coverings are attached to them.

The advantages of using lag are obvious:

• simplicity and speed of installation;
• saving building materials;
• the finished structure is immediately operated;
• have excellent heat-insulating and sound-reducing characteristics;
• allow you to adjust the height of the floor covering;
• suitable for the installation of communication lines;
• serve as a good ventilation element;
• distribute the load over the entire surface among the beams;
• relatively low cost;
• the possibility of quick and high-quality repair or replacement of individual parts.

Do-it-yourself lags

The production of logs is carried out from wooden beams with a rectangular section. The cross section of the lag is in the ratio of width and height, like 2 to 3 or 1 to 2. In other words, the height of the lag should exceed its width by 1.5-2 times. For the production of logs, cheap coniferous wood is often used. For example, a pine tree or a Christmas tree. The bar is cut to the required length and a lag is obtained.

Important!

Wood for logs must be dried, without defects, treated with a special refractory solution, liquid from pests and fungal diseases.

Laying the lags correctly

The installation of the lag must be carried out in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the floor covering will be laid. It is important to correctly calculate the installation step of the lag. If the step is chosen correctly, then the strength of the flooring will be quite high. But, with a smaller step, the performance of work and the cost of the material will be more expensive. If the laying step is large, then the floor will sag and creak. To choose the right option, you must first take into account how thick the flooring will be. The thinner the coating, the closer to each other the installation of the log should be carried out. If the thickness of the floor covering (boards) is about 2-2.5 cm, then the installation step of the log should be within 30-40 cm. With an increase in the thickness of the coating to 5 cm, the step can be increased to 1 m.

lag mount

Logs are attached directly to the beam, to its side. This makes it possible to carry out their adjustment without using additional linings. Their slope is checked by a special level. Having achieved the required position, the logs are attached to the beams with nails or screws.

In addition, the fastening of logs and beams to each other can be carried out using iron corners. One part of the corner is mounted on the beam with screws, logs are attached to the second parts of the corners. In addition to the corners, brackets in the form of the letter P, which are commercially available, can be used for mounting the log.

Output

When building your own house or cottage, wooden beam floors will be a good substitute for concrete floors. Work on their installation can be performed independently, without the involvement of special equipment. The presence of a lag in the interfloor overlap will increase the rigidity of the floor. Their presence will give the reliability of the entire structure. If everything is calculated and executed correctly, then the interfloor overlap on wooden beams will last a long time.

Interfloor ceiling in aerated concrete house

Wooden floors in a house made of timber: how not to do it

An obligatory detail of any structure is the ceiling, which is erected between floors. It divides the room in height, forming floors. Depending on the structure being built and the materials used, the type of flooring is selected. This is a very important step. The cost of flooring is up to 20% of the funds used in the construction of the building, so it is very important to know how to make the floor between floors correctly.

Floor options

Overlappings are divided according to design features and functional purposes. These include interfloor, basement, attic floors. They are beam, prefabricated and solid. When choosing a floor design, consider the differences in installation technologies for its different options.

1. The construction of beam ceilings is carried out using metal, reinforced concrete or wooden beams. They must have a large margin of safety.
2. The distance between the supporting beams should be 70-80 cm. The wooden supporting beam should not be more than 5 m long for floors between floors and more than 6 m between the attic and the lower room.
3. The span width for reinforced concrete or metal load-bearing beams can be any.
4. Hollow and monolithic slabs are used to create continuous floors. To prevent the plates from moving, they must be fixed with cement mortar. When installing the plates, you will have to use special lifting equipment.

Advantage and disadvantages

Each type of overlap has certain advantages and disadvantages. Wooden floors can be erected in any architectural place of complexity. The wooden beams are not too heavy and you don't need lifting equipment. For the construction of a wooden floor, you will need serious financial investments.

Note! The main disadvantage of a wooden floor is the increased fire hazard of the building.

Metal beams are durable and highly reliable. They don't burn, they don't rot. But even despite all these advantages, metal beams are used less and less. In a humid atmosphere, they are prone to corrosion, and they also do not have good heat and sound insulation.

Reinforced concrete beams are durable, do not burn, they can lay spans up to 7.5 meters, but their laying requires special lifting equipment.

Wooden floors

Beams made of coniferous wood are the main part of the wooden floor. It consists of the beams themselves, floor, rolling and insulation. If the thickness of the floor boards is not more than 30 mm, then the gap between the beams should not exceed 50 cm.

Note! Before installation, wooden beams must be treated with an antiseptic, and the ends that will be laid on the wall should be wrapped in several layers of roofing material. Leave the end of the beam open so that the tree can breathe.

Anchor bolts secure wooden beams. Attach cranial bars to their side faces. Roll up from boards or shields, which are fastened with screws to the cranial bars. According to the established reel, you make the ceiling.

Then you lay the insulation, most often mineral wool, polystyrene are used for this.

Ceilings with metal and reinforced concrete beams

You can take a rolling profile as iron beams. Between the beams lay nine-centimeter reinforced concrete slabs. Pour slag on them and fix everything with a reinforced concrete screed.

Reinforced concrete beams must be laid at a distance of 60-100 cm from each other. Between the beams, place lightweight concrete slabs. Then the overlap is sound and heat insulated.

Beamless

Such floors are a monolithic slab or panels laid closely. Beamless ceiling can be prefabricated, combined or monolithic. In brick houses, prefabricated reinforced concrete floors are usually used. They consist of solid and multi-hollow panels. Beamless flooring is characterized by high strength and long service life: it does not burn, does not rot, it is designed for a load of 200 kg per 1 square meter.

During installation, the slabs are laid on a flat surface, on a layer of cement mortar. The walls of the building must be at least 250 mm thick. After you finish the installation, you need to fasten the plates with reinforcing bars and fix them in the walls with anchors.

From a monolithic slab

Such an overlap consists of a monolithic slab, which is made on site and rests on the walls. Reinforcing mesh and concrete are used for manufacturing.

Overlapping from a monolithic slab is distinguished by high surface quality, it can be made of any form of complexity.

Note! The disadvantage of manufacturing a ceiling from a monolith is the mandatory installation of formwork.

If you choose the right flooring option for your house and do all the installation and concrete work with high quality, you will get a durable and reliable flooring.

Video

Video on the technology of pouring a ribbed monolithic floor, see below:

Wooden floors between floors are suitable for almost all types of buildings. They are compatible with wood, brick and concrete buildings. Structures are mounted not only between floors, but also in attics and basements. In these rooms you can’t do without them, but the arrangement of wooden floors between floors differs from basement structures.

Features of wooden floors

The flooring device includes, for the most part, only wooden elements. However, absolutely any materials are used to finish the ceiling and floor. The main thing is to correctly install the structure itself.

One of the most important functions of the floor is soundproofing. It is very easy to attach any insulating materials to a tree, including slabs. On top, you can easily mount any modern finish.

A very important advantage of a wooden structure is its low weight. Wooden floor elements do not exert significant pressure on the base of the building. Therefore, they are often used in houses with a light foundation.

Installation, carried out according to the rules, contributes to the natural air exchange of the room. At the same time, the heat and sound insulation of the rooms is not disturbed.

In general, wooden structures are very durable. They allow you to create light and durable floors in a short time.

Technical requirements for floors

Interfloor structures consist of the following elements:

• beams;
• bars;
• board layer;
• heat and sound insulating layer;
• waterproofing film;
• finishing board;
• ventilation slot;
• plinth.

Note! Wood belongs to the class of flammable materials. In addition, it is prone to putrefaction, fungi and various bacteria. Therefore, floor materials must be processed before installation. The minimum set of impregnations consists of flame retardants and antiseptics.

Installation and processing

To make the right wooden floor between floors with your own hands, you need to deal with the device of its design. It consists of a beam frame and sheathing made of board or sheet chip materials.

The role of the heat-insulating and sound-proofing layer is performed by the rolled material. Most often, glass wool, mineral wool or similar insulators are used for this. Sometimes expanded clay or polystyrene is used. However, the first makes the structure very heavy, and the second is highly flammable.

For wooden floors between floors in saunas and baths, it is very important to properly arrange waterproofing. In this case, vapor-tight films that allow moisture to pass in only one direction are optimal. The material consists of expanding cones that absorb moisture only from the porous side. No moisture is released from the reverse side of the cover.

Important! Vapor-proof coatings are laid with the porous side to the insulation, "face" to the room. And for the room above, the film is mounted vice versa.

floor beams

To figure out how to make a wooden floor between floors, you need to know the features of the structure frame. Its basis is wooden beams. Most often, elements of 15-25 cm in height and 5-15 in thickness are used. A distance of up to 1 m is made between the beams, depending on the section of the elements.

Note! The greater the load on the floor, the greater the cross section of the beams should be.

The supporting ends are made from 150 mm in length, they are laid in a "beacon" way. First, the installation of the extreme beams is carried out, and intermediate ones are laid between them. Evenness of laying is checked with a level. The middle beams are laid according to the template. For leveling, you can use various resin linings from scraps.

Important! It is impossible to use hewn, pointed chips to level the beams.

The bars are laid with the same step around the entire perimeter, strictly parallel. Before laying, they are treated with antiseptic impregnations and wrapped in 2-3 layers with roofing material. For brick and block buildings, floor beams are coated with bitumen from the ends. This technique protects the wood from moisture. For walls with a thickness of 2.5 bricks, air vents are left for ventilation. And at the junction of wood with walls, roofing material is laid under the beams.

Installation of rolling

To cover the floor between floors, various wood materials are used, including boards, plywood and particle boards.

The bottom flooring acts as a draft floor in the ceiling, it is on it that the heat-insulating material is laid. It can also be mounted directly on the beams from below. In this case, it performs the function of a draft ceiling, on which you can immediately mount the finishing material. A floor made using a second-rate board will cost several times less.

The distance from the beams or logs is determined by the thickness of the boards that cover the rough coating. They bear the brunt of the burden. So, if boards of 2 and a half centimeters are used indoors, for attic spaces a step of 50 cm is needed, and for residential - 40 cm. Therefore, it is recommended to use a thick board of 4-5 cm for flooring.

Ways of laying the basement

For the wooden construction of the base, a cranial bar is required. It will insulate the floor. After all, it is on it that panels or a board covering the insulation are mounted.

A more popular option is a draft layer of rolling or unedged boards. The material is mounted on a wooden block with a square section and a side of 5 or 4 cm. It is best to attach the cranial beam to the logs with self-tapping screws, but you can also use nails.

Advice! You can mount the board not on the cranial bar, but in the groove (quarter). It must be cut with chisels or power tools. It will take longer.

The draft floor of the basement is insulated with bulk materials, including sand. Often, sawdust impregnated with an antiseptic or mineral wool from 10 cm in thickness is used. To protect wood structures, a waterproofing layer is covered from below. The most practical option is bituminous roll materials. For rooms in contact with moisture, waterproofing is also mounted from above.

Warming and soundproofing

The heat-insulating layer is very important in the floor structure: it performs the function of sound insulation. Therefore, modern synthetic and mineral heaters are used for its arrangement. They are not affected by bacteria and fungi, so they have a longer service life.

Mineral wool is very popular. However, for baths and saunas, some rolled materials are contraindicated. In such rooms it is not recommended to use slag wool, as it contains metal suspensions. These particles rust from moisture, and the cotton wool sags, losing its properties.

Most often, in rooms with normal humidity, roofing material is used for waterproofing. Bituminous materials have low cost and excellent performance characteristics. Dense polyethylene is laid on top of the roofing material.

A heat-insulating material is mounted on top of the film. It is very important that there are no gaps between the layers of wool or foam, otherwise there will be low heat and sound insulation in the room. If foam-based plate heaters are used, the gaps are sealed with mounting foam.

By mounting the floor of the second and first floors on wooden beams, you can save a lot. Such structures will cost several times cheaper than concrete, besides, you can handle the installation yourself.

During work, certain rules must be observed. For example, it is necessary to use beams of a certain section, and the step should be adjusted taking into account the floor area.

It is possible to independently perform the installation of a wooden floor between floors, subject to significant experience in carpentry and general construction work. Interfloor floors made of wood are critical structures in residential buildings and require careful observance of installation instructions.

Do-it-yourself wooden flooring - advantages and disadvantages

Any overlap between floors, including wood, must meet the following characteristics:

• Static and dynamic strength. The design must withstand the weight of the expected load with a large margin;
• Rigidity sufficient for a high-quality basis for the arrangement of floors (upper floor) and ceilings (lower floor);
• Durability comparable to the life of the entire structure. Replacing interfloor floors in an old building is a complex and expensive repair procedure; at the stage of capital construction, it is much easier to make floors between floors from durable wooden beams;
• A good floor must have decent heat and sound insulation.

Floors made of wood satisfy all the listed qualities and are distinguished by additional advantages. They are easily mounted by two people and do not require the involvement of heavy construction equipment. A span of up to 100 m 2 can be laid in one day, if we talk about load-bearing structures, and not their finishing. Wooden beams are many times cheaper than reinforced concrete slabs or steel floors - and their service life is tens (or even hundreds) of years.

The potential dangers of using wood as a load-bearing interfloor structure include the danger of its decay and ignition in case of fire. These factors are minimized by appropriate processing of the beams prior to installation. Equally important is the consideration of the minimum allowable deflection. Coniferous wood is used for interfloor beams due to durability and resistance. But it is quite plastic - therefore, the maximum the size of the beam span made of wood is limited to a size of 5 meters. If it is necessary to block a large room, additional supports (columns, crossbars, etc.)

Overlapping of the second floor on wooden beams - design calculation

From the correct calculation and competent general construction preparation, it largely depends on how high-quality the device of the wooden floor between the floors will turn out. According to convenient seats with the help of optimally prepared beams, interfloor openings are covered quickly and easily. First of all, the direction of installation of floors is always chosen according to the short size of the room. The installation step is interdependent on the cross-section of the base of the floor, but is usually equal to 1 meter, since a smaller step will lead to greater labor intensity when arranging seats. It is wiser to buy wood of a larger section than to spend money on a palisade of weak floors.

For an installation step of 1 meter, subject to the habitability of the second floor, it is necessary to acquire such load-bearing bars that can withstand a load of at least 400 kg / m 2:

• With a span of up to 2.2 meters - 75x150 mm;
• With a span of up to 3.2 meters - 100x175 mm;
• With a span of up to 3.2 meters - 125x200 mm;
• With a span of up to 5 meters - 150x225 mm.

Overlapping of uninhabited attics is carried out with the same step, but with a material of a smaller section. For example, for half the load (that is, 400 kg / m 2), bars 50x160, 50x180, 70x180 and 70x200, respectively, will be enough. Just keep in mind that you will then have to crawl in the attic with such an overlap, and not walk ... As you can see from the calculations, load-bearing beams with a ratio of 1.5: 1 height to width are considered optimal. For attic spaces, on the contrary, a narrow tree of an elongated profile is used due to a small load in the future.

Overlapping between floors - preparing for installation at the construction stage

When erecting walls made of bricks, silicate blocks, aerated concrete, they provide openings for floor elements. The step of these openings is 1 meter, the depth is at least 30 (and preferably 40) centimeters, the width is the same. The beam must enter the wall by at least 20 cm, plus free space will be required for its ends. The end part of the ceilings is not filled with any building mixtures for the purpose of natural ventilation and to prevent decay.

The more accurately the seats in the walls of the house are displayed in height, the easier it will be to lay the beam structure. In houses made of wood, it is possible to embed beam structures directly into the walls, here the implementation of the future overlap preparation at the stage of wall construction is not required. It is important to take into account the inadmissibility of installing load-bearing bars close to a parallel wall, no closer than 10 cm, and it is imperative to maintain a strict constancy of the installation step - the allowable “run-up” from the nominal value of 1 meter should not exceed ± 5 cm.

Overlapping of the second floor on wooden beams - installation stages

The walls with landing nests are ready, the wood and auxiliary materials are purchased, the tools are ready - we begin the installation of floors:

• One day before installation, the tree is smeared with antiseptic mixtures and fire-resistant compounds - with the exception of the ends, no “chemistry” can be applied to them. The choice of such compositions is now very large, you can name brands Finesta, Seine well, Neomid, Pinotex and others with a wide selection of antiseptics and flame retardants. All primer should dry well;
• We measure the beams and saw off with a sharp wood saw with a margin of 35-45 centimeters from the size of the room for reliable support on the walls. The cut should be at an angle of 60˚, so that when viewed from the side, the overlap element looks like a trapezoid with a wide lower part. The ends recessed into the walls are coated with resin and wrapped with roofing paper after it dries;
• Installing the end beams. We work from a high, wide and reliable "goat", it will not be possible to manage with ladders alone. Carefully set them in level and on the horizon. As linings, wide sections from the same floors are used, and in advance with antiseptic and fire-fighting compounds. Make sure that the ends of the beams do not rest against the walls, there should be a gap for ventilation of at least 3-5 cm in depth;
• When there is no doubt about the accuracy of the installation of the side beams, they are fixed with dry gravel in the landing nests. Lines are pulled tightly between the extreme beams. On these auxiliary fishing lines, other elements of the beam frame of the floor are installed;
• The installed beams are once again carefully measured and adjusted, after which the landing nests are concreted with a solution of cement and crushed stone.

If we consider the question of how to make a floor on the second floor, you must first decide what functions it will perform? If this attic space will be used only for storing various things, then in this case the difference is only in the coating - it is enough to use draft boards as flooring. The cross section of the beams can also be reduced, since the loads in the attic will be much less than in the room that is used as a living space. Such a floor will be much cheaper and will allow you to move safely. As for other insulation, steam and moisture protection operations, they must be performed regardless of the operating conditions of the floor.

Types of floors

Interfloor overlapping in the house, as a rule, is wooden or concrete. In both cases, the work is quite complex and requires the necessary knowledge. It should be remembered that haste or an attempt to save on this design can lead to sad consequences and costly rework. For this reason, if the overlap of the second floor is supposed to be done independently, it is necessary to draw up a detailed work plan, determine the materials and their quantity.

When choosing a material, you should take into account the main technical characteristics that the floor should have.

First of all:

• must be strong enough and safe in operation;

• meet all technical requirements;

• have protection against decay and fire;

• provide heat retention and sound insulation.

Of course, you should not overload the floor with unnecessary structures, but at the same time it must meet all operational requirements.

Wooden floors

Regardless of the initial plans during the construction of the house, in any case, ceiling beams are present and, as a rule, they should be strong enough if the house is assembled according to all the rules.

The device of the floor of the second floor should begin with these beams. If the house is under construction and the project plans to use the second floor, it should be remembered that the size of the beams depends on the size of the span.

For example:

• beam section 75 × 100 mm with a span of 2200 mm;

• 100×175 mm or 125×200 mm with a span of 3200 mm

Sometimes boards are used that are stitched together, forming an imitation of a beam. But, as practice shows, in most cases beams of sizes 150 × 150 mm or 200 × 200 mm are used. The direction of laying the beams is chosen in the direction of the smallest distance between the walls. The beam with its ends must rest on the wall at least 90 mm. It is recommended to use beams from pine, as materials from this type of wood are light enough, but at the same time withstand heavy loads. In this case, the tree must be completely dry and of good quality.

The installation of the timber is carried out in pre-prepared recesses in the brickwork or also in the timber. It should be remembered that the beams must be treated with appropriate protective compounds before installation. If the part will rest on a brick wall, waterproofing materials must be laid at the points of contact between wood and brick. If the house is wooden, in the recess in the wall where the beam will be installed, it is recommended to lay tow or other material with the same properties.

Next, a draft floor is nailed to the beams, which also serves as a draft ceiling. If for some reason the details are laid at a short distance, there are attempts to save on a draft board, and a finishing ceiling is immediately nailed to the beams. This should not be done, since the material used for the final filing is not always able to withstand the loads that occur after laying the insulation and protective components.

There is another option for installing a subfloor. To the beams on both sides along the entire length, a bar of 40 × 50 mm or 50 × 50 mm is attached, and already on these bars a draft floor is mounted in a size corresponding to the width between the beams.

A less common way is to make grooves in the beams into which subfloor boards are installed. With this option, the size of the beam must be selected taking into account the size of these grooves.

After laying the draft board, a thermal protective film should be laid (any type of this material is used). The film is laid between the beams so that its edges overlap the part itself. It is advisable to fix the film with a stapler. It should be remembered that the film is laid with the smooth side up, and the rough side down. Otherwise, it will not be able to perform its functions. As cheap materials in this case, you can use roofing felt or just rasters of clay and sand.

After the film is laid, the insulation is laid. As it can be used various materials. The most common is mineral wool. As for this product, regardless of advertising promises and advice from knowledgeable experts, it must be remembered that it is made on the basis of fiberglass, the binding element is phenolic resins. In any case, fumes will be present, and microscopic dust as well. In some cases, the space between the beams is covered with expanded clay, slag, sawdust, or foam is laid. If it is necessary to provide increased sound insulation, it is advisable to use penofol and sand. A layer of penofol is laid in the space between the beams and covered with a layer of sand about 5 cm.

By the way, in the old days, a mixture of earth with oak leaves was also used as soundproofing - this is the cheapest way. In any case, it should be borne in mind that the insulation layer must be at least 50 mm, otherwise it will not perform its functions. If the premises of the second floor will be constantly heated and used as residential, the insulation in the interfloor ceiling can be excluded (it is enough to provide good sound insulation).

The next step will be laying another layer of film that acts as a vapor barrier. It can be laid directly on the insulation, but it is better if there is a small space between the insulation and the film. Therefore, the film is attached directly to the beams.

After all operations, laying the floor on the second floor begins. For installation, use an edged board without a groove if the floor is supposed to be further covered with chipboard or other plates. Ideally, use floorboards with a groove. In this case, they fit tightly, without any gaps.

In order to save material, in some cases the boards are laid directly on the beams. But ideally, bars with a section of 50 × 50 mm should be laid on the beams at a distance equal to the distance of the beams, and the floor should be laid on them.

Concrete floor

Another construction of the second floor is the installation of the floor on concrete. If the ceiling is already mounted, alignment must be done. Those. a liquid solution is used to screed the base, while fiber is added to the solution to give strength.

When the screed is ready, proceed to the installation of the floor itself. Compared to hardwood flooring, concrete monolithic slab is a stronger and more durable option.

Installation should begin with markings, having previously determined what the height of the floors of the second floor will be in order to install the formwork. Direct installation of formwork is a rather laborious and crucial moment. It must be completely horizontal. The vertical posts that will hold the entire structure must be strong enough to support the weight of the concrete while it cures.

After the formwork is installed in accordance with all calculations, reinforcement begins to be performed. For these purposes, reinforcement bars with a cross section of 12 mm are used. They must be linked together in such a way that squares are obtained. It is desirable that the size of the square be about 20 cm.

It is better to fill the ceiling with concrete in one step: this will ensure the uniformity of the structure and higher performance. For the preparation of concrete, it will be enough to use cement of the M400 brand, which is mixed with sand and fine gravel in a ratio of 1: 3. After pouring, air is removed from the concrete (a construction vibrator is suitable for this operation).

With a perfectly even screed, you can install the finished flooring directly on the concrete, after laying the waterproofing material and the leveling base, which will also serve as a shock-absorbing pad. In some cases, logs are laid between the concrete screed and the boards to create either additional insulation or sound insulation. In this case, it is necessary to set the logs according to the level and provide good waterproofing between them and the concrete base. Further laying of floorboards is carried out in the usual way. Those. a board is attached to the lags, and, if necessary, other coatings on it, depending on the interior.

How about a bathroom?

If it is planned to equip a bathroom and a toilet on the second floor, it is necessary to provide places for communications, in particular a sewer drain and pipes for water, before pouring the concrete floor. If the floor covering of the second floor is wooden, it is necessary to take into account the loads that will act at the location of the bathroom.

The bathtub weighs about 200 kg, and the weight will double when filled with water. Accordingly, the usual load acting on wooden floors must be doubled. One way out is to increase the size of the section of the beams, and reduce the distance between them in the place of the proposed bathroom. Particular attention should be paid to moisture removal and additional protection of wood in order to prevent the formation of mold and, as a result, rotting of wooden structures.

It is better to use a board on the floor from larch, elm or alder, since these types of wood, being in a humid environment, are only made stronger and more durable. If the bathroom has a shower, it will be necessary to drain the water, as a rule, in this case, a drain with a dry locking element is used. Installation must be carried out in such a way that all the water that falls on the floor of the shower room leaves through the drain. Waterproofing materials must have high adhesion and have sufficient elasticity.

Additional work during installation

A common problem is the creaking of wooden floors. As a rule, this happens because the boards are attached to nails, and they loosen over time, thereby forming gaps between the boards and the joists, which is the cause of the squeak. To avoid this in the future, it is recommended to use screws instead of nails when laying the flooring.

Also, the creak can be on a concrete base. In this case, the gaps between the lags and the concrete base may be the cause. Do not rush or be lazy, you need to install the logs in such a way that they fit tightly on the concrete. If you ignore the recommendations, in the future a complex revision of the floor will be required, which is not always possible.

Another nuance that must be considered during installation is the stairway to the second floor. In this case, it all depends on how the premises of the second floor will be used. If it is just an attic, a small hatch is enough. If the room is residential, the stairway should be large, and the parameters depend on the interior and the type of the staircase itself. But in both cases, the size should be convenient for use, regardless of how often it will be used or not.

Another of the openings that must be provided for when installing an interfloor ceiling is an opening for a chimney. If the ceiling is concrete, it will be enough to mount an opening to fit the size of the chimney. With a wooden floor, there are some nuances. The stove and, accordingly, the chimney is a source of possible ignition, and for this reason it is necessary to take care of fire safety. The opening in this case should be larger than the size of the chimney itself.

So, as it is clear in the end, in any case, the exact observance of all technical recommendations will make it possible to make a high-quality and durable floor on the second floor.