Do-it-yourself floors in a summer house. What is better to cover the floors in the country? concrete solution

If in the city, and especially in high-rise apartments, it doesn’t matter what the floor is made of in the premises, then in private houses, including summer cottages, the material used to make the floor is of great importance. In this article, together with the website, we will deal in detail with two options for resolving the issue of how to make a floor in a country house with our own hands - we will study the principle of manufacturing a wooden and concrete floor, compare these bases with each other and decide which one is better?

How to make floors in the country with your own hands photo

How to make floors in the country with your own hands: which is better, wood or concrete

As they say, everything is known in comparison, and the advantages of a wooden and concrete floor are visible only relative to each other and in relation to different operating conditions. It is this analysis that we will conduct by comparing the advantages and disadvantages of concrete and wooden floors in the country.

And this is not purely my individual opinion - practice shows all this, and she is the most useful adviser who points specifically to the concrete floor, which is the answer to the question, which floor is better in the country? It is with the technology of its manufacture that we will begin to study the device of the floor in the country.

How to make the right floor screed in the country, you can see in this video.

What to make the floor in the country: the intricacies of making a concrete base

By and large, the construction of a concrete floor in a country house is not much different from a similar floor base poured in houses located in the city. The technology is the same, with a few exceptions. In particular, they are dictated by the fact that in country houses concrete is poured directly on the ground, and not on floor slabs. To make it easier to understand the whole process of manufacturing such a floor, we will consider this technology point by point. It can be presented in the form of the following sequence of works.

In principle, you can do without all these difficulties, but then you will not be able to make a high-quality and durable floor. After a couple of years, cracks will begin to appear on it, and this will lead to dampness and the appearance of all kinds of living creatures in the house.

How to lay the floor in the country: features of a wooden floor device

There is not much to say here, since the flooring of a wooden floor in a country house is no different from any other material. Only one point can be called an exception - laying boards immediately on the ground, even if you raise them to a decent height, would be wrong. Such a floor will not last long, and after five years it will have to be changed or overhauled.

The ideal option would be to perform concrete preparation under it in the manner described in the previous version and, after drying, cover it with a high-quality waterproofing layer from above. Only after that it will be possible to make a standard wooden flooring, and fill the space under it with mineral insulation (it is better to refuse foam plastic in the case of a wooden floor).

Which floor is better in the country photo

Another point that cannot be missed when installing a floor in a country house is wood processing - at least antiseptic impregnations will be needed. In addition to them, it is also desirable to impregnate wood with moisture-repellent compounds. And that's not all - you will additionally have to take care of high-quality ventilation of the underground. In most cases, holes are made in the floor - a pair in each room, in the most inconspicuous corners. So that nothing crawls into the house from these holes and, conversely, all sorts of bugs and spiders do not penetrate the underground, the holes can be closed with decorative gratings with a fine mesh.

The better to cover the floors in the country: finishing options

In principle, any of the modern floor coverings is suitable for giving, but some features of summer cottages should be taken into account.

Not so many floor coverings fall completely under these requirements, so the question of how it is better to cover a wooden or concrete floor in a country house is solved quite simply. Ideally, it is better to lay tiles on a concrete base; linoleum is also suitable. He, at least, is not so sorry because of the inexpensive cost. If we talk about wooden flooring, on which it is somewhat problematic to lay tiles, then, undoubtedly, linoleum would be the best option for it.

In general, if we sum up all of the above, then only one thing can be said - if everything is done correctly and the question of how to make the floors in the country house with your own hands is solved without deviations from the technological process, then any coating can be used as a finishing flooring. Laminate is no exception - if you follow it and do not kill it with dirt, then it will serve faithfully for many years.

To determine how to make a floor in the country the most optimal and in an inexpensive way, you need to know some of the nuances. After all, the dacha is different, and there are also many options for the sexes:

1. For a small house, which is used only in the summer to relax after working in the beds, an ordinary one without insulation is suitable. In this case, it is enough to fill a thin layer of expanded clay into the subfloor and close up the cracks in the floor well.

2. For a house that is used all year round, but occasionally coming to rest on weekends, you will have to make a more reliable floor with insulation. This is necessary so that in winter the heat from the house is not blown out through the uninsulated floor.

3. The third option is a dacha where they live all year long without leaving. In this case, you will need to make a two-layer warm floor with thick boards. You can, of course, arrange a concrete screed and lay insulation on top, but this is a more time-consuming process, although its result will not deceive expectations - the house will be warm, dry and not dusty, since the ground will be covered with a screed.

4. A large country mansion, which serves not only as a summer residence, but also as permanent housing, requires a solid floor, Not only insulated with appropriate materials, but possibly with the installation of electric or water heating.

So, it is necessary to consider different types of floors that can be arranged in a country house, based on its intended purpose.

It’s not difficult to make an ordinary plank floor on logs, the main thing is to purchase high-quality material. Depending on the overall design of the foundation, the choice of supports for the board deck will be determined.

• If the rooms in the house have a small area, and the house is installed on a strip foundation, then the floor logs can be built into the basement, after wrapping them with waterproofing material, for example, roofing material. In this case, it is not worth saving on the thickness of the log - they can serve as logs of medium thickness, hewn on one side in the right way.
• If the rooms are large, then for the lag device, one way or another, it will be necessary to install retaining pillars.

Whether the floors are single or double, it is recommended to cover the underground with a 15-20 cm layer of expanded clay. This material will not allow cold and moisture to penetrate from the ground to the floors, which means it can serve as an additional natural insulation. In addition, there will be much less dust in the house, as it will be nailed with expanded clay.

There are a lot of advantages of wooden flooring, but the main one is its environmental friendliness. In addition, it will perfectly fit into the interior of a country house.

The material for the floors must be of high quality, having the necessary moisture, since the wood should not be either overdried or damp. Floor boards should not have damage and cracks or a large number of knots. The material, before its flooring, needs to be prepared, covered with antiseptic agents that will protect against insect damage, mold, and from dampness and decay.

Preparing for installation

If the floors are to be made in an already built house, instead of the old ones, then first of all, it is necessary to dismantle the existing coating.

Having lifted the old boards and found that the logs are lying on the ground, the owner will be forced to correct this, since the tree, which cannot be ventilated from below, quickly deteriorates and rot appears on it.

In order for the logs to serve for a long time, it is necessary that they be located at a height of 15-20 centimeters above the ground.

If the height of the ceiling allows, then new logs can be raised above the surface of the underground by installing them on brick posts. To do this, at a distance of a meter or one and a half from each other, pits are arranged, which will serve as foundation pits for the foundation of the columns. The depth of the pits should be at least 40-50 centimeters.

The bottom is rammed and a ten-meter sand cushion is poured on it, which is also compacted. Then, on top of the sand, crushed stone of the middle fraction is also laid out, also 10 cm thick, and it also needs to be compacted.

The next stage of work can be built in different ways:

In the pit, waterproofing is laid from a thick polyethylene film and a wooden formwork is installed - a kind of box.

Reinforcement is installed on the prepared waterproofing material, drowning it in the ground, it should rise to the height of the pit, to its upper edge. A rough concrete mortar of gravel and cement at the very top is poured into the formwork. The concrete is leveled and left to dry - this will become the foundation for the brick columns. When the base is ready, a piece of roofing material is laid on it - this is an additional waterproofing for brickwork.

Foundation "patch" for columns

A column of the desired height is laid out on top of the finished concrete "patch". The top edge of all columns should be at the same height, so they are adjusted according to the level.

Another option would be a post made entirely of concrete. In this case, the bottom of the pit is rammed in the same way as in the first case, but the reinforcement is placed to the full height of the column. When the concrete hardens in the formwork installed in the pit, it is raised above the ground to the full height of the future support. So that concrete does not flow out through the gaps between the boards, they can be sealed with clay or fixed inside the box plastic wrap. Next, concrete is poured into the box and left until fully ripened. Before laying the log on the posts, you will need to lay pieces of roofing material.

In the case when the ceiling is low, and it is undesirable to raise the floors, the following work will have to be done:

It is necessary to loosen and select the soil to a depth of 30-40 centimeters, and only then pits for posts are dug in this pit to bring their height to the previous floor level.

When the columns are ready, it is recommended to completely cover the underground with roofing felt waterproofing, and it is better to lay the sheets with an overlap of 10-15 centimeters and glue them together using tar or sealant. The roofing material should go onto the walls by 15-20 centimeters, and it must also be hermetically fastened in the corners.

Expanded clay can be poured onto this base, which will create an insulating pillow.

Floor device

Lag mounts are installed on the posts, then the guides themselves are laid. If they are made of massive bars, then they can only be fixed to the walls, because due to their gravity, they are unlikely to be able to budge.

If a single floor is laid, then most often they arrange a counter-lattice on the logs, and only then do the flooring from the boards.

If the coating is planned to be insulated and made double, then settles down first draft floor.

To do this, bars of 5 × 5 cm in size are attached to the bottom of the side surfaces of the log, on which the black floor boards will be laid.

Also, the boards can be fixed to the lower edge of the lag, but this is far from always convenient simply for reasons of tightness of the subfloor.

If there is a desire to make the floor warm and reliable, then it is better to nail the board solid, as shown in the photo. All cracks are recommended to be sealed with clay mortar.

You can do it differently - fix the boards at a distance of 20-30 centimeters from each other, and lay on top with sheets of vapor barrier material, which is fixed to the logs with brackets using a construction stapler.

• Insulation is laid on the vapor barrier material between the logs. Most often, mineral wool, expanded clay, slag, shavings, ecowool and other materials are used for a wooden floor.
• Another layer of vapor barrier is fixed on top of the insulation material.

• On top of it, 5 × 3 cm bars are attached to the logs, on which the floorboards will be mounted.
• It is very important when laying the floorboard to retreat from the walls by 5-7 millimeters for air circulation. When the board is laid, a plinth is installed around the perimeter.

Concrete floor

Another option for flooring in the country can be a concrete screed. Concrete is a cold material, so the floor will require mandatory insulation if you plan to use the country house all year round.

A concrete screed can have several schemes according to which this work is done. The figure shows a more complex scheme, which is used mainly for devices in country houses, where living is carried out all year round. In this case, a rough screed is provided, which can be dispensed with if the house is used only in summer. But it is worth considering both options for flooring.

Preparation for laying a concrete floor is carried out in the same way:

Leveling and compacting the soil underground;

The device and tamping of a sand cushion, a layer of 10 centimeters.

Concrete floor with rough screed

A rough screed is laid on the sandy layer, the solution for which is made from a gravel mixture and cement. The screed should not have a perfectly smooth surface structure, but it should be well leveled in terms of level.

Next, the screed should dry very well. Since the rough screed is laid with a thickness of 12-15 centimeters, it will take up to fifteen days for its preliminary maturation - this period will depend on temperature and humidity.

A vapor barrier film is laid on the finished rough screed.

Insulation is poured or laid on a vapor barrier. For these purposes, it is best to choose extruded polystyrene foam, as it has a fairly solid base. Natural materials can also be used for insulation - this is expanded clay of the middle fraction or slag.

If loose insulation is used, it is desirable to compact it as tightly as possible.

A polyethylene film is laid on top of the insulation, which will act as a waterproofing for the upper, final screed. The film must be glued with waterproof tape and lifted onto the walls by 15-20 centimeters.

On the lower part of the wall, around the entire perimeter of the room, a damper tape is glued, which keeps the screed from destruction when the temperature changes.

A metal mesh is laid on the film to reinforce the screed, and beacons are installed - from reinforcement or a galvanized metal profile. They are leveled to the ideal, since they will determine how even the floor will be.

A semi-dry mixture or liquid concrete solution is laid out on the prepared surface. The volume of the solution should be such that it is slightly higher in thickness than the installed beacons.

Then, using the rule, the laid cement mixture is leveled.

After leveling and drying the screed, carrying out, if necessary, hardening and dedusting the surface with impregnating compounds, it is possible to lay a decorative coating or logs for mounting a wooden floor. In the case when raising the floor with lags is unacceptable, but it is necessary to insulate the floor, then you can use electric infrared film heaters that will heat up the rooms very quickly after the owners arrive at the dacha.

Simplified version of the tie

• As mentioned above, the first two preparatory stages - tamping the soil and laying the sand and gravel pad, are the same for both cases. Further, in a simplified version of the screed, expanded clay is poured onto the compacted base and well leveled

• From above it is spread waterproofing from a thick polyethylene film. It is arranged with an overlap of 15-20 cm and glued with special adhesive tape. The waterproofing should also extend at least 15-20 cm onto the walls. In the corners, the film must be glued with waterproof tape so that there are no cavities in which moisture can accumulate.
• Further, pouring the screed differs little from the method described above - the same principle of reinforcement, sizing the damper tape, placing beacons, laying out and leveling the concrete solution.

• The finished floor, which has gained the necessary strength, can be additionally leveled with self-levelling bulk composition.

On top of a concrete base, it is often the most beneficial to arrange a wooden flooring.

Wooden flooring on a concrete base

There are two options for fixing the logs to the concrete pavement: by fixing them directly to the concrete, or by raising them 10-15 centimeters above the base.

The ability to raise the logs above the surface of the concrete pavement will depend on the height of the ceiling and on the height at which the heating radiators are located, if they are installed in the country.

• In the case of laying the log directly on concrete, a polyethylene film is first spread for waterproofing and for protection against cement dust.

Then the logs are fixed in place (to the walls, or with anchors - directly to the base) with a distance of 60 cm (standard insulation width) from each other, and at a distance of the thickness of the insulation - from the walls.

Along the perimeter, between the wall and the joists, strips cut from mineral wool or polystyrene are laid - they must be higher than the lag by the thickness of the board or plywood.

On top of the vapor barrier, you can lay a massive floorboard or thick plywood. Plywood is quicker to install, but usually requires an additional decorative finish, such as linoleum or laminate. Floors made of solid wood can simply be covered with tinted varnish, while maintaining the textured pattern.

• If, however, it is decided to raise the logs above the concrete floor by a few centimeters, then you will have to additionally try and set the logs according to the level - this can be done using bars or special stands adjustable by threaded connection.

To align the bars with them, you just need to twist the legs, pre-installed on the logs, in certain places, based on the level readings. The advantage of this option is that a thicker insulation can be laid under the wooden covering without spending money on massive lumber. In addition, this approach eliminates the need to deal with the alignment of the screed curve. The legs of the stands have special holes through which they can be fixed to the concrete surface.

Video: a good practical guide to the floors in the country

Since there are several ways to arrange floors in a country house or mansion, and you can choose the one that is more suitable for a particular house and does not weigh down the pocket of the owner of the home.

When a decision is made to make a country floor with your own hands without the involvement of specialists, it is necessary to show maximum attention to the process.

Option Selection Criteria

Before choosing a method of carrying out work, you need to decide on some criteria:

• First of all, it is worth saying that the work on making the floor in the country should be as simple as possible. Not everyone has a construction education and experience, and there may not be purely professional tools at hand.
• The materials used to carry out the work should be widely available and inexpensive.
• Works should not imply the involvement of a large number of people.

One of the possible options is the installation of a wooden floor on logs.

Stages of work

Work on the installation of the floor on the logs, like most others, should be carried out in stages. So the percentage of the probability of making an error is reduced, and in the case of a separate study of each step, the task is greatly simplified.

Training

At the initial stage, it is necessary to prepare for the main work. You need to prepare all the necessary tools and materials. In addition, the old coating should be dismantled. At the same stage, it is necessary to assess the quality of the base under the floor and, if necessary, repair it.

Screed

Reinforced concrete screed can be called as the most optimal option for the base for a summer cottage. If the base is earthen under the floor, and most often, especially in old buildings, it is, then you can make a floor screed with expanded clay. Thus, the base under the screed is not only leveled, but also thermally insulated.

Note! A waterproofing layer must be laid under the expanded clay. This must be done without fail, since expanded clay, when wet, loses its operational properties.

On top of the expanded clay, a reinforced screed is made along the beacons. The layer thickness must be at least 5 cm.

Installation lag

After the screed has acquired its performance characteristics, you can proceed with the installation of load-bearing elements - a log. For these purposes, you can use a wooden beam with a section of 5 × 5 cm. Lags are installed parallel to each other at a distance of about 50–70 cm, depending on the chosen flooring. Anchor bolts are used to install the lag. It is necessary to carefully control the horizontal position of the lag. To do this, it is convenient to use the building level.

Note! All wooden elements must be treated with antiseptic and waterproofing solutions.

Insulation laying

After making the base on the logs, it is necessary to lay a layer of insulation. For specific purposes, foam is most suitable. The material is affordable, easy to work with, and performs well in all respects. Slabs of material are laid between the lags.

base for coating

A base is laid on top of the log for further flooring. For example, a good option is a plywood floor laid on logs. The material is widespread and affordable.

Note! The use of plywood allows, to some extent, to level the unevenness of the log.

The material is laid on the surface and attracted by self-tapping screws.

Finish coat

The final stage of work is the laying of the finishing floor covering. Which one to choose, it is worth deciding in each case individually, but linoleum can be considered the simplest and most affordable. This roll material is easy to work with and has good performance characteristics. In addition, it should be noted that the material has the property of thermal insulation, which in the conditions of a summer residence is an additional argument in favor of its use.

This is just one of the possible options for making a floor in the country.

Video

See how to make a black floor in the country:

Regardless of whether you live in the country all year round or visit only in the warm season, high-quality thermal insulation will not be superfluous. Warming gives not only comfort from staying in the house, but also protects the building from dampness, external influences, and destruction.

You need to start from the base - if the floors in the house are cold, heating will take a lot of time and energy. So, let's consider how to insulate the floor in the country house on our own and with the greatest efficiency.

The choice of insulation is determined by several criteria:

• material resources of the dacha owners;
• complexity of installation;
• durability;
• resistance to moisture and rodents.

The last point is especially important, because if the owners live in the dacha only periodically, dampness and mice are the main cause of floor destruction.

The range of heaters is wide, and along with modern ones, many summer residents willingly use already familiar, time-tested materials. With a limited budget, there are several acceptable options.

Expanded clay- light porous granules perfectly retain heat, mice and insects do not get into them, the material does not emit harmful fumes. For effective thermal insulation, it is necessary to provide reliable protection against dampness and pour expanded clay in a thick layer - up to 30 cm.

Wood shavings and sawdust- cheap and environmentally friendly material that can be purchased at any woodworking enterprise. The shavings perfectly retain heat, but are afraid of moisture, so they also need high-quality protection. In addition, insects and rodents can start in it.

Slag- an affordable and practical way of warming on the ground. He also needs waterproofing, but it is durable, non-flammable and mice do not start in it.

- affordable, perfectly retains heat and muffles sounds, is not damaged by insects or rodents. The disadvantages include the tendency to shrink and the need to use protective agents during installation, since thin fibers are very brittle, easily penetrate the respiratory tract, and irritate the skin.

Styrofoam- easy to install, moisture resistant. It has a long service life, but provided there are no mice, since these rodents destroy it very actively.

The use of modern materials gives an incomparably better result: laying is carried out with minimal labor costs, the efficiency of insulation increases significantly, you can forget about re-repair for at least 20 years. The only negative is the high price, but financial investments fully pay off in a few years, thanks to significant savings on home heating.

Rockwool mineral wool prices

rockwool mineral wool

As a bulk insulation, many use expanded vermiculite - a granular material with a scaly structure. It is lighter than expanded clay and retains heat better, serves as excellent sound insulation. Unlike XPS and mineral wool, vermiculite is completely environmentally friendly, but it is not affected by fungi, putrefactive bacteria, insects and mice do not live in it. Well, the disadvantages include only the high cost, which is why vermiculite is inferior in popularity to cotton wool insulation and polystyrene.

Thermal insulation methods

There are two ways to insulate the floors in a country house - along the logs and along the rough foundation. The first option is used for both concrete and wooden surfaces, and any of the above materials can act as a heater. The entire load goes directly to the logs, so the density of the material, its resistance to mechanical stress, do not play a role. When choosing this method, it must be taken into account that the floor will rise by 10-15 cm, depending on the total thickness of the beams, flooring and finish.

Laying insulation on a rough base requires a certain rigidity from the material in order to prevent shrinkage under the influence of mechanical loads. The rough base can be compacted soil, concrete or semi-dry screed, as well as wooden flooring. The thermal insulation layer can be laid directly under the coating or filled with a reinforced screed, which is a more reliable and durable option.

Warming along the lags

It is possible to perform insulation along the lags both at the construction stage and during the operation of the cottage. For example, consider thermal insulation with mineral wool in slabs. According to building codes, floor insulation above a cold basement requires a layer of material 50-100 mm thick; above warm rooms, this figure can be reduced to 30 mm. In the northern regions, the layer thickness should be about 150-200 mm. Depending on this, it is necessary to immediately determine whether the plates will be laid in one or two layers in order to accurately calculate the amount of material.

In addition to mineral plates, you will need a film for hydro and vapor barrier, as well as a standard set of tools:

• level;
• drill;
• roulette;
• construction stapler;
• mounting knife;
• jigsaw.

For logs, a dry and strong timber with a section of 100x150 mm or boards of 100x50 mm is used.

Step 1. Prepare the base: sweep out dust and debris, inspect the concrete base for damage and irregularities.

Step 2 The surface is lined with strips of dense polyethylene film, overlapping the edges by 15 cm. It is advisable to glue the joints with adhesive tape to eliminate the slightest risk of moisture penetration. When insulating the floor of the first floor, roofing material can be used instead of a film.

Step 3 The beam is cut to size and treated on all sides with soil with antiseptic properties. In order to save money, you can use drying oil or used engine oil. Lay the tree out to dry.

Step 4 The dried logs are laid on top of the waterproofing layer in increments of 58-59 cm. This distance will allow the insulation boards to be tightly laid without cutting on the sides. Each lag is leveled, wooden linings are used for adjustment. If large loads on the floor are not expected, the logs can not be screwed to the base. Otherwise, fix them with anchors.

Step 5 Mineral wool slabs are carefully laid between the bars, carefully spreading in the corners. The insulation is tightly joined to each other, and the second layer is laid so as to completely overlap the joints of the lower layer by at least 10 cm.

The cutting of the insulation is carried out with a sharp knife according to the marking

Step 6 Having laid the thermal insulation, a vapor barrier membrane is rolled out over the mineral wool. It also overlaps by 10-15 cm, the joints are fixed with adhesive tape.

Step 7 Now proceed to the installation of the flooring. The plates are laid with the long side across the log and screwed with self-tapping screws. Rows of plates should be located with offset joints, while joining the short sides is carried out exclusively along the logs.

After that, it remains to lay the finish coat and enjoy the comfort in the house. If you need to insulate old floors, first carefully dismantle the baseboards and flooring, make an audit of the base, boards and logs, and discard badly damaged elements. Everything that can be reused must be dried in the sun and treated with protective compounds. Further actions are carried out as described above, and in the end, boards are stuffed over the vapor barrier.

Advice. In order not to have to adjust the floor boards again, it is recommended to number each of them with chalk on the reverse side when dismantling.

In a similar way, insulation is carried out with bulk materials - expanded clay, vermiculite, shavings. When filling the insulation, the logs should protrude by 20-30 mm so that there is a gap between the flooring and the heat-insulating layer for ventilation.

Insulation on a concrete screed

Concrete floors are most often insulated by laying foam under the screed. This method is quite simple, although time-consuming, the result is reliable and durable. In order for the insulation to lay down in an even layer, the concrete base should not have height differences of more than 5 mm. Also, it should not have cracks through which moisture can penetrate.

For work you will need:

• foam insulation;
• film for waterproofing;
• damper tape;
• reinforcing metal mesh with a cell of 100x100 mm;
• profiles for lighthouses;
• building plaster;
• cement and sand;
• instruments.

Step 1. The surface is primed in 1 or 2 layers, depending on the porosity of the base.

Step 2 After the primer has dried, at the junction of the walls and the floor, a damper tape is glued around the entire perimeter of the room.

Step 3 Line the base with strips of overlapping film and secure its edges with adhesive tape. The width of the overlap should not be less than 10 cm. The edges of the film around the perimeter lead to the wall, also to a height of 10-12 cm.

Step 4 Mount the thermal insulation layer. Only glue can be used to fix the plates, but many craftsmen additionally fix the thermal insulation plates with mushroom dowels, one in the center of each plate. At the joints, the insulation is tightly connected using a groove-comb system. In cold regions, the laying of foam plastic should be carried out in 2 layers, with the obligatory displacement of the upper plates relative to the lower ones. If suddenly there are gaps between the insulation, they must be blown out with foam so that the solution does not get there when pouring.

Step 5 A gypsum or cement-sand mortar is kneaded and installed on top of the beacons. The distance between the beacons is about a meter, each profile is strictly aligned horizontally. If the beacons are not located in the same plane, the screed will turn out to be uneven, which will further complicate the installation of the floor covering.

Step 6 Prepare a mortar for screed in the proportion of 1 part of cement to 3 parts of sand. The floor is poured in parts, starting from the far corner of the room. Pour the solution between the beacons, then stretch it with the rule. If voids form during the leveling process, the missing solution is thrown with a trowel and leveled again.

Step 7 After a couple of days, the profiles can be carefully removed so as not to damage the surface of the screed, and the resulting grooves are filled with fresh mortar. If desired, the beacons can be left in the screed, this will not affect its strength.

After 28 days, you can lay the finish coat. All the time while the screed dries, it should be protected from drafts and sunlight. From time to time the surface must be moistened, especially in hot weather, as rapid drying promotes cracking.

Video - How to insulate a wooden floor in the country

The floor in the country house is usually wooden, laid without the use of a concrete screed. This choice of flooring technology is dictated by several factors:

There are no special differences in the arrangement of the floor in the country house and in any other individual building. As an exception - the flooring of boards in one layer in the simplest summer house, where there is no need for insulation. After all, the requirements that apply to the floor remain the same. It must be durable and warm.

In a country house, when installing a floor covering, it is worth additionally providing enhanced protection against the penetration of rodents through cracks and treating all wood materials from decay.

Floor in the country house

Parquet, parquet board, porcelain stoneware and tiles are practically not used in summer cottages, unless we are talking about a full-fledged country mansion. This means that the horizontal height difference of the country floor is allowed in a wider range.

The basic principles of flooring in the country

As a rule, the floor in the country house is insulated. This involves having two layers of underlayment with an insulating pad in between.

The basis of the floor, its solid frame - logs. The draft floor is fixed to the lags from below. An insulating layer is laid on it. Another layer of material intended for vapor barrier is attached to the insulation, and the laying of the finishing floor completes the construction. In order for the floor not to deform and serve for a long time, it is necessary to provide:

• a sufficient number of supporting supports for each log;
• the presence of space in the floor for ventilation;
• fixing floor boards with gaps at the walls.

Video - The device of the floor on the logs. Subfloor installation

Floor device diagram

Methods for installing a country floor

Structurally, you can choose one of two ways to install the floor.

Ways to protect the floor in the country from moisture

The problem with arranging the floor in the country house on strip foundation often becomes his protection from dampness coming from the earth. The durability of the floor largely depends on the good ventilation of the subfloor. Therefore, taking care of it begins with a project that necessarily provides for the arrangement of products in the strip foundation. Produkh - holes located opposite. They are opened in the warm season and closed for the winter, if the winter use of the country house is expected.

In areas where the water table is high, simple ventilation of the subfloor may not be enough. Vapors rising from the ground impregnate the logs and cause them to rot. Polyethylene film will help to correct the situation. It must be spread under the entire area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe house and covered with a layer of ordinary sand. By following these precautions, the durability of the entire floor structure can be greatly improved.

A columnar or screw foundation, by definition, allows free passage of air. Logs on such a foundation will never rot, but the lack of strapping and a warm mound around the entire perimeter leads to the need for more serious floor insulation.

Logs - bars of rectangular section, laid parallel to each other as the basis of the floor. Hardwood, coniferous wood is used. The main selection criterion is strength. Do not use material with signs of rotting that has begun. The presence of a large number of knots is not scary. For a lag of a country house, a beam with a size of 50x150, 100x150 mm is suitable. The larger the room, the greater the requirements for the strength of the base. Sometimes it is enough to lay paired boards on the edge.

The location and height of the lag is selected.

The height of the log should provide a ventilation gap between the insulation and the finished floor. The dimensions of the lumber selected as the floor frame and the thickness of the insulation must match. For example, with a log height of 150 mm, it is not always possible to lay a heater 100 mm high. It should be noted that a few centimeters will go under the subfloor board and the cranial bar. The lag can be increased in height with an additional rail.

Between the lags and concrete must necessarily lie waterproofing material. As a rule, roofing material is laid in 1-3 layers. There are hydrophobic mastics that have the desired properties, but their use is not common.

Before laying the log, it is worth considering the desired location of the finishing floor boards. If you want the boards to lie along the length of the side of the room, then the logs should be laid across. The logs must lie strictly horizontally and in the same plane. The evenness of the finished floor depends on compliance with the latter condition. The adjustment is carried out with linings of various thicknesses, which are placed between the lag and the support. You can check the correct laying of the log using the building level, the maximum length rule or a laser device. Some masters suggest checking the plane with a stretched thread, but this method does not provide sufficient accuracy due to its sagging under its own weight.

Laying lag on posts

The ends of the lag rest on the foundation (or mortgage crown), and the middle part - on the posts. They are needed so that the floor does not sag over time. The choice of the distance between the posts depends on the strength of the wood used and the section of the log. The thicker the timber, the fewer columns needed. The space between the lags, as a rule, corresponds to the width of the insulation.

If a bar 50x150 is chosen for the base of the floor, then it must be laid with a gap of just less than 60 cm, so that the mineral insulation, cut in half, fits well and tightly between adjacent lags. If the beam is larger, for example 100x150, this distance can be increased to 90 cm. It is undesirable to leave more than 90 cm in any case, because the boards between the lags will inevitably sag and the floor will begin to creak. Which logs to buy, at what distance to install them, the owner chooses based on the budget allocated for construction. But saving at this stage is inappropriate.

The purpose of the subfloor is to serve as a support for the insulation. Therefore, the requirements for its appearance, packing density and thickness of the boards are low. You can use an unedged board, and even a business slab. This also applies to laying the floor on the second floor, since the ceiling is usually sheathed. The subfloor is also made from sheet materials - thin plywood or OSB boards.

The draft floor is laid on the so-called cranial beam specially attached to the log. This is a bar of a small section, for example, 30x40, which is nailed either to the bottom of the log along the entire length and provides support for a board or piece of plywood. Boards are placed close to each other. Small gaps between them do not lead to a deterioration in the thermal properties of the floor, but mice can enter the house through large gaps.

At this stage of work, it is worth thinking about protecting the tree from decay, the effects of living organisms, and fire. It is best to process the log, cranial timber, subfloor boards with special compounds that are commercially available. It is not recommended to use a common method of processing with used engine oil for environmental reasons.

Impregnation is best done while the subfloor has not yet been laid.

The finished draft floor is processed in a different way. It is whitened, covered with a thick layer of slaked lime. This gives the floor excellent bio- and flame retardant properties.

The choice of insulation for the country floor is sometimes difficult. After all, he must:

• be easy;
• retain heat well;
• do not absorb moisture;
• mice don't like it.

The insulation is laid close to the lags.

Common options are foam and mineral wool, do not fully meet these requirements. The first serves as a home for mice and is not entirely harmless. The second tends to accumulate moisture, which spoils the wooden elements of the floor. There is an alternative to these materials. This is expanded clay, glass wool, wood concrete- here it is a rather loose wet mixture of cement and old sawdust.

But no matter what insulation is laid on the floor, the principle remains the same. A "pie" is formed, each layer of which serves a specific purpose.

If everything is done in this way, the insulation will be carried out properly. The bottom membrane layer cannot be replaced by a fully waterproofing film layer. If you do this, moisture will gradually be absorbed into the insulation. It is especially dangerous to spill something on the floor, because the liquid will have nowhere to go. The only thing that can replace the lower vapor barrier is cardboard or paper.

This is the final stage of work. Before laying the top layer of the country floor, you need to decide on the choice of topcoat. Sometimes they serve as an ordinary edged board. Increasingly, the finished floor is made of plywood or fiberboard and covered with linoleum. In order for it to lie well and not warp, you need to follow certain styling rules.

Sheet materials can serve as a finishing floor.

1. A small gap, 1.5-2 cm, is left around the entire perimeter so that the natural wood-based material can expand freely with increasing humidity. At the last stage of working with the floor, these slots are closed with a plinth.
2. Before laying, boards are sorted, sheets are cut to size. Make sure that the joint of several seams does not fall at one point.
3. Attach the floor to the joists with self-tapping screws. The floor is completed by laying the finish coating or painting.

Summer houses that are not intended for permanent residence may have uninsulated floors. For its device, you will definitely need laying a log. But neither the subfloor nor the insulation layer is used. It is important to lay the logs through the waterproofing layer. Boards of such a floor should fit very tightly to each other. For their best combination, a wooden wedge is used. A bracket is hammered into the lag, or a bar is nailed to it, thereby providing emphasis. By hammering a wedge between the extreme board and the stop, they achieve a better abutment.

Scheme of the device of the concrete floor

Sometimes the owners decide to pour a concrete floor in the country. Then a sand cushion is applied to a site carefully leveled and freed from vegetation, which is carefully rammed, preferably with the help of technology. A layer of waterproofing is laid on the sand. It can be a dense film or roofing material overlapped. A masonry mesh is spread on this layer and a rough screed is carried out with a layer of no more than 10 cm. This stage of pouring the floor is mandatory.

To prevent the floor from remaining cold, insulation and waterproofing are laid on top of the rough screed. A layer of the finishing floor is poured above, usually a cement-sand mixture. Such a coating can be equipped with a "warm floor" heating system.

The device of the floor in the country requires accuracy and strict adherence to building technologies. The video on this page will help you better understand the basic principles of its installation.