The technical characteristics of concrete floors must meet the requirements of SNiP 2.03.13-88 and the recommendations of the manual in the development of existing rules and regulations. Unfortunately, not all builders perform their work with high quality; during the laying of the finish coating, you have to deal with the correction of the admitted marriage.
Concrete floors can be leveled with self-levelling mortars, cement mortar screeds or ceramic tile adhesives. Under linoleum and carpet, the leveling of concrete floors is considered a mandatory operation; under ceramic or stone tiles, the decision is made based on the actual state of the supporting base. All floors installed on logs can be laid without prior leveling of concrete bases.
In the article we will consider several examples of leveling using various materials, taking into account the actual condition of the floors.
The composition of modern materials for leveling concrete floors includes several components, along with high mechanical strength of the mixture, they have good spreadability, ease of use, low shrinkage, resistance to various chemical compounds, manufacturability and relatively low cost.
Most of the existing brands meet the requirements of consumers, during the selection, the main attention should be paid to the following factors:
After all the questions have been answered, you can begin work on leveling the concrete floor. To perform the work, you will need a suitable self-leveling floor, a primer, a construction mixer for preparing the mixture, a mortar container, a powerful (preferably industrial) vacuum cleaner, needle and paint rollers, a wide stainless steel spatula, a laser or water level, dowels for beacons, damper tape, tape measure, ordinary bubble level or rule.
Step 1. Count the amount of materials. To do this, first find out the maximum difference in height of the concrete floor. When checking its status, you need to use a long level or rule. Apply tools around the perimeter of the room, in the center and diagonally, keep the level in a horizontal position. The clearance is determined by eye or with a tape measure. The more lines that are tested, the more accurate the final results.
The minimum thickness of the leveling layer should be within 2-3 mm, add the maximum height of the irregularities to this value. The thickness of the liquid screed should be 2–3 mm greater than the height of the maximum irregularities.
Practical advice. In order to save expensive material, it is recommended to cut down the highest ledges. Preliminary mechanical alignment saves 25-30% of the material.
Step 2 Foundation preparation. The branded strength of the material for the leveling layer should not exceed the strength of the concrete base by more than 50 kg/m2. You can check the strength of the base with an ordinary coin. Draw two perpendicular lines on the concrete with the edge of a coin at an angle of about 30 ° to the surface, if the lines are even and without chips, then the base has sufficient strength for leveling work. The presence of a deep furrow, the appearance of chips at the intersection of the lines indicates that the strength of the base does not meet current standards. In this case, it is impossible to simply level the concrete floor, it is necessary to fill in one more layer according to SNiP. If the floor height does not allow this, then the old layer will have to be completely removed. It is very long and expensive.
Why is foundation strength so important? If the leveling layer is much stronger, then during shrinkage it will tear the weak base, the filling will peel off. There is a way out - to do the alignment with a weak solution. But it can only be used under hard topcoats, this option cannot be used for soft ones.
Removing the old screed is the best solution
Step 3 Clean the concrete floor. You need to remove dust, dirt, all loose elements of the concrete floor. Remember that the cleaner the base, the higher the adhesion of the leveling layer.
Step 4 Seal large gaps a day before leveling. Clean them from the remnants of old material, remove dust and moisten a little. Cracks can be sealed with the same mortar that is used to level the concrete. Clog them tightly, do not leave air pockets. You can level with a trowel or a small spatula.
Step 5 Prime the surface. The primer should be for concrete surfaces only. Due to it, not only the adhesion of the two materials improves, but also the indicators of hydroprotection improve, which is very important for floors in residential premises. It is necessary to prime with a roller, in hard-to-reach places use a paint brush. If the primer is absorbed very quickly, then the operation will have to be repeated. The second layer of primer is applied only after the first has completely dried, the time depends on the brand of material, temperature and humidity in the room.
Step 6 Glue foam polyethylene damper tape around the perimeter of walls, columns, interior partitions. It compensates for thermal expansion, prevents swelling and cracking of the leveling layer.
Important. If the room has a large area, then shrinkage seams should be made. They are located at a distance of about three meters, the lines should be parallel, at the intersection the angle is only a straight line. Damper joints can be made in advance using metal profiles or cut through the next day after pouring the solution. Remember that the second option is accompanied by a lot of noise and dust.
Step 7 Find the horizon level on the wall. It is much easier and faster to do this with a laser level, if you don’t have one, then use a water level. Set the laser level in the center of the room, bring a horizontal beam to the walls. Using a tape measure, mark at the desired height from the concrete floor surface.
Step 8 Screw self-tapping screws into the concrete floor to control the height of the leveling layer. Beacons should be in the corners and along the lines of the room, the step between the rows is approximately one meter. First, fix the dowels against the walls, the height is set according to the marks. Then, between the extreme opposites, pull the rope and install all the other dowels along it. If you do not have strict requirements for the horizontal fill, then you can not install beacons.
Step 9 Prepare a solution. The proportions are indicated by the manufacturer on the packaging, follow his recommendations. Water is always poured into the container first, and then the dry mixture is added. It is advisable to pour the mixture with the mixer on, this will help minimize the number of lumps and allow you to constantly control the consistency of the solution. Mix the material thoroughly and leave it for 5-10 minutes. for insistence. During this time, all the smallest lumps of cement are completely saturated with water. At the same time, chemical curing reactions are started. After infusion, stir the mixture again a little.
Important. Do not allow an overdose of water, this significantly reduces the strength indicators. One more thing. Accurately calculate the volume of the solution with your performance, consider the recommended use time. Keep in mind that once the solidification process has begun, it is impossible to stop it, and adding water to the thickened mass only exacerbates the situation. On average, a freshly prepared mixture should be used within half an hour.
Step 10 Start pouring the solution. Start pouring from the far wall of the room and move towards the exit. Pour the solution from a height of 20-30 cm, avoid large splashes. Move the bucket in a zigzag manner, do not leave large gaps. The width of the strip is approximately 40 cm, you should easily level it with a spatula. Each subsequent portion of the material should overlap the previous one by about five centimeters. Constantly monitor the marks on the wall and the markers from the dowels, if necessary, increase the thickness of the mass or disperse the excess over the free area.
Step 11 As the flooded area expands, roll it with a spiked roller. It removes air bubbles and improves the adhesion of the mass to the concrete base. The length of the needles of the roller should be several millimeters greater than the maximum thickness of the application of the solution. Keep this in mind when purchasing the instrument.
Practical advice. To increase the strength of the leveling layer, it is necessary to prevent direct sunlight from entering the room, close windows and doors to prevent drafts. If this is not done, then some areas will lose moisture much faster than is necessary for optimal conditions for chemical reactions to occur. In these places, the strength of the layer becomes significantly lower than expected.
After complete hardening, the floor surface can be covered with any soft coatings or pasted over with ceramic tiles. But it should be borne in mind that leveling with bulk materials according to the technology described above will always have deviations from horizontal within ± 1.5–2 mm. Is it possible to level concrete floors with perfect precision? It is possible, but for this you should use a different technology for the production of work.
self-levelling floor compounds
This method takes a little longer, but guarantees a perfectly horizontal surface. The most difficult thing is the creation of lighthouses. For this process, we will give detailed instructions. For work, only a laser level is needed, ordinary water levels cannot achieve such a result.
From the tools you will need a large rule, wide and narrow spatulas, a trowel and a folding wooden meter. Roulette is not good, it is too soft.
Lighthouses can be made from any cement or gypsum mixtures, but we recommend using Fugenfüller putty. It has high physical strength, excellent adhesion to all mixtures made on the basis of cement with or without the addition of innovative fillers. In addition, the hardening time of the putty is approximately 30 minutes, which is quite enough for the manufacture of lighthouses at an average pace. After the preparation of the last lighthouse is completed, it is already possible to work on the first ones.
Another plus of the leveling beacons offered by us is that they make it possible to save building materials. The height of metal profiles is at least one centimeter, which means that the minimum thickness of the fill will be the same. The minimum height of our beacons is equal to the thickness of plastic crosses and is only a few millimeters. The difference in the volume of filling due to the height for large rooms is significant.
Step 1. Set the laser level, check the condition of the floor, determine the minimum thickness of the leveling layer. Remove construction debris from the surface, vacuum it.
Step 2 Prepare putty. Accurately observe the proportions indicated by the manufacturer, do not experiment, they will not lead to anything good.
Step 3. Start installing beacons against the wall, the rule will be used instead of a tape measure to measure the distances between the beacons. Lay out the first pile of putty at a distance of about 15-20 cm from the wall, trim it a little.
Install a plastic cross for ceramic tiles in the center.
Put a meter on it and, taking into account the location of the laser beam, drown it in the solution. Make sure that the cross is lying horizontally, check its position in several places.
Carefully remove excess putty. You can not clean up near the cross, it will then be cut off with a spatula. If you touch the unhardened putty, then you can violate the position of the cross, you will have to redo everything again.
Step 4 Lay a rule on the floor, the distance between the beacons should be 15–20 cm shorter than the length of the rule. In the same way, the width between the lines of beacons will be determined. Install all beacons in the room.
Step 5 After the point beacons have hardened, clean the surface of the crosses from putty, pay attention that it is even. Put the rule on two adjacent points on top, put the solution with a spatula into the gap formed between it and the concrete floor. From the first time it is difficult to guess the thickness, in the future practical experience will appear and the work will go much faster.
Step 6 Rule carefully align the surface of the shaft made. If there are unfilled places, then add a little putty to them and again level the surface with the rule. Remove excess mass immediately in a container, mix the mass periodically.
It is possible to level the floor only after the beacons have completely solidified. It is allowed to use a self-leveling floor mortar, a cement-sand mixture or an adhesive for ceramic tiles. Decide for yourself which one, but there are general recommendations.
As for time, there is almost no difference. It is not necessary to believe that bulk materials can significantly reduce the time for leveling the floor. An experienced builder will make exactly the same footage with the help of beacons and rules.
Step 7 Pour the mass between the beacons, align it as a rule. The tool must be pulled towards you and at the same time perform small movements to the left and right in amplitude. There are gaps - add the solution and repeat the leveling.
Practical advice. For inexperienced builders, after leveling the rule, small waves may remain on the floor surface. This is not a problem, do not scrape off the frozen mass. It is much better, easier and faster to repeat the leveling of the floor in a direction perpendicular to the first one. No more beacons. Just pour a thin layer of the solution on the floor and, as a rule, pull off the excess, make the mass a little thinner. It will fill all the waves and perfectly level the floor.
This method is great for ceramic tiles, the time of work is significantly reduced, and the quality completely satisfies the tilers. It is rather difficult to level the floor during tiling by changing the thickness of the adhesive; only highly professional tilers can do this. And even then, most of them prefer to level the concrete base on their own and lay tiles on the finished surface, especially if the height difference is 1 cm or more. The end result is time savings.
Step 1. Cut down large mounds, clean the surface from construction dust and debris. If the concrete is very dry, it is recommended to moisten it with plenty of water. Water should not be immediately drawn out of the adhesive, it is needed for the optimal flow of chemical reactions. The lack of the required amount of liquid critically reduces the strength of the adhesive leveling layer.
Step 2 Prepare the tile adhesive. There is a caveat here, the glue should be a little thinner than the manufacturer recommends. It will be difficult to work with thick, in addition, in places with a small thickness, water is quickly absorbed by concrete, which causes a decrease in physical strength indicators. We have already mentioned this. The consistency of the solution should resemble ordinary sour cream or heavy cream and spread a little over the surface.
Step 3 Pour the adhesive in portions onto the floor surface and, as a rule, pull off the excess. The towering sections of concrete serve as beacons, the glue fills only the depressions.
Important. Before starting work, you need to determine in which direction to pull the tool. This can be done after a careful inspection of the concrete floor. You should find the beacons by which it flooded. Then use a bubble level or rule to find out the location of the recesses.
Professional builders during this alignment after the first screed make a few more additional diagonal or circular movements as a rule. At the same time, the pressing force is minimal, the quality of alignment largely depends on practical experience.
If after the first pass the height differences are still large, then draw the rule in a perpendicular direction to the first pass. Once again we warn you, on the second pass, reduce the pressing force. You do not need to achieve ideal performance, differences in height within ± 5 mm for laying tiles are not a problem.
In order to improve the adhesion of the adhesive to concrete, after pouring, it is recommended to carefully rub it into the floor with a spatula or trowel. The recesses found after stretching the rule must be immediately covered with glue and re-leveled. The work does not take much time, the only drawback is that tiles can only be laid the next day. But a professional builder does not waste time, there is always a small amount of previously deferred or preparatory work at the facility.
Carrying out a major overhaul often forces the owners to resort to leveling the existing surfaces, and this applies not only to vertical, but also to horizontal areas. Proper preparation of the base has a direct impact on the durability and attractiveness of finishing materials, so this issue must be approached with all responsibility. Today we will talk about how to properly level the floor and what tools are best suited for this.
If you want your home to look aesthetically pleasing and not be ashamed to show it to guests, then it is necessary to think through and refine all the details in it. This applies not only to the color of the finish or furniture design, but also to the neat and even appearance of the surfaces. It's no secret that "wave-like" ceilings or floors are most often striking. Such defects can spoil even the most stylish and original interior with their unpresentability.
To avoid such troubles, it is worth leveling the surfaces that need it. It is necessary to carry out such work before you decide on the floor finish. It can be good old linoleum, laminate, parquet board, expensive massive board, soft carpet or tile. All of these coatings require a perfectly flat subfloor. If you lay them on an uneven rough base, they will look sloppy and will not last very long.
Leveling the floor can be done by hand. In this case, you need to be as careful as possible. In no case do not start work without reading the instructions for the selected material. Incorrect actions can lead to noticeable deformations of the base, which will not be so easy to get rid of.
It is worth noting that floor leveling must be addressed not only in the process of repairing a city apartment, but also in a private house. Modern manufacturers produce many varieties of leveling compounds, the drying of which does not have to wait too long.
In addition, thanks to a wide range, there are different ways of laying the leveler on the floor base, so each consumer can choose the best option for himself.
Do not think that only dry mixes are sold for leveling the floor, which must be diluted with water. In fact, other practical materials that are easy and convenient to work with are also great for such purposes. Let's consider them in more detail.
This material is the most practical in matters of dry leveling. Floor screed using such parts is less expensive, especially when compared with the use of special expensive mixtures.
If you are going to renovate a room in which there is high humidity, then it is worth turning to moisture-resistant raw materials. In addition to the good old plywood, you can use GVLV, MDF, OSB, chipboard or chipboard.
The choice of plywood base should be approached quite seriously. Depending on the height of the floor differences, sheets of the appropriate thickness should be selected. Also, the type of finish you choose and the method of laying it affect the purchase of leveling plywood. So, for soft carpet or elastic linoleum, it is permissible to install plywood sheets of small thickness. This choice is due to the fact that these finishing products do not require a perfectly flat base.
If we are talking about such popular coatings as laminate or parquet board, then it is worth buying plywood, the thickness of which is at least 12 mm. It should be thicker, as the above floor coverings require the most even surface for installation.
There are no phenols and other similar compounds in the composition of FC sheets. Such materials are absolutely safe for human health even at high temperatures. In addition, FC specimens have an average moisture resistance and resistance to mechanical damage.
If the space holds high humidity, then you should contact to plywood brand FSF. This material is more durable and wear-resistant. He is not afraid of temperature changes. However, plywood acquires such good performance characteristics of PSF due to the use of harmful formaldehyde resins in the production process. These substances are toxic and hazardous to human health.
In accordance with GOST, plywood sheets of the following grades are produced:
Most experienced craftsmen advise turning to grade 2 plywood.
Among other things, this leveling material is sanded and unpolished. This parameter is indicated by the letter "Ш":
On sanded plywood sheets, you can find designations of the free formaldehyde emission class (as is the case with laminated chipboard):
Currently, there are many different materials that are most often used in leveling the floor before finishing. However, there are cases when there is nothing better than the preparation of the base with expanded clay. This old and well-known material is indispensable in the following cases:
The main advantages of expanded clay include the following distinctive characteristics:
Experts say with confidence that such material is considered an excellent solution for leveling hopeless foundations. It is often used to tidy up foundations with pits and a slope exceeding 10 cm.
In addition, with the help of expanded clay, you will not only make the floor even, but also provide it with additional noise and heat insulation.
Drywall sheets can also be used to level the subfloor. It is laid on the subfloor only after it has been completely cleaned of the previous finish and debris / dust. In addition, to finish the base with drywall, it must be sprinkled with sand. It must completely cover all cracks and irregularities that are visible in the base.
The sand on the floor must be properly loosened and leveled with high quality so that its layer becomes as even as possible and is located over the entire area of the room. It is worth considering that the sand layer should not be thicker than 2-3 cm.
If there are small depressions at the base, then they must be eliminated using a cement-sand composition.
Only after that drywall can be laid out on the floor. Between its plates you need to leave small gaps of 5 mm. In this gap, it will be necessary to fill in a sealant with special protective properties. The ideal option would be a special composition designed for ceramic plates. It can be found in almost any hardware store.
Immediately after the drywall sheets are laid out on the sandy base layer, the resulting coating must be treated with a special primer. It must be different deep penetration. After all the actions taken, it is quite possible to proceed to the installation of the finishing floor material. For example, beautiful self-leveling floors are very popular today, under which a plasterboard leveling base is often mounted. From above they can be supplemented with laminate or parquet board.
This is another common material used in floor leveling. Today, many consumers turn to fiberboard, as it is inexpensive and its installation is quite straightforward. For the manufacture of such coatings, the remains of wood production (shavings, sawdust) are used. The characteristics and properties of particle board largely depend on the level of its density, which, as a rule, varies from 150 to 950 kg / sq m.
It is worth noting that high-quality fiberboard has good thermal insulation properties, so it is often chosen as a leveling coating. Often, such canvases are laid on top of a cement screed. Also, many consumers opt for fiberboard sheets because of their environmental friendliness. In their composition, to a greater extent there are wastes of natural wood.
Such coatings are installed quite easily and quickly. Even a person who is far from repair work can easily cope with this work.
If you install fiberboard boards correctly and accurately, they will last for many years and will not cause any trouble to the household.
To level the floor, not only various hard and dry bases are used, but also appropriate building mixtures. They differ from each other in composition, drying speed and other performance characteristics. Let's take a closer look at the most common products that are popular with modern buyers.
These mixtures are among the most popular. They are classified as universal, since there are many of their modifications. Thanks to a wide range of cement and cement-sand compositions, you can choose for any room and any operating conditions.
Currently, in stores you can find high-quality options for leveling the base, having a different structure, a different number of influxes and recesses. Most quality cement compositions do not shrink.
You can increase the strength characteristics of this leveler using ordinary PVA glue. It shouldn't be too much.
But it should be borne in mind that the hardening of the composition with the adhesive will take a little less time, which means that all work will have to be done even faster. To do this, you can pour it in small portions on different parts of the available area in the room. It is also worth noting that cleaning putty with PVA glue is more laborious. Some people are turning to a stronger tile adhesive. It will be even more difficult to work with him.
Gypsum equalizers are recommended to be used only in rooms with a low percentage of humidity. Also, they are not advised to be installed in rooms subject to regular jumps in temperature values. These recommendations are explained by the fact that gypsum mixtures are able to absorb moisture. This can lead to swelling of the base and loss of its useful characteristics. Such defects are unlikely to have a positive effect on finishing floor coverings.
A distinctive characteristic of gypsum bases is their vapor permeability and lack of shrinkage. Often, such a mixture is addressed in the case of not the most reliable sexual base. In addition, all factory mixtures are divided according to their main purpose and application technology.
Such compositions are necessary for the primary finishing of the rough surface, which has many defects and irregularities. With the help of such tools, very strong and reliable foundations up to 50 mm are created. As a rule, these types of equalizers are applied by hand. The material is used exclusively as a special layer. This is due to the fact that large sand particles are present in the leveling agents, which do not allow the formation of perfectly smooth and regular coatings.
Similar mixtures are used for the implementation of the finish coating. Its thickness can be from 2 to 10 mm. As a rule, such self-leveling has a viscous consistency. It contains small finely dispersed particles, which are evenly distributed over the required area by means of self-spreading.
There are special self-leveling quick-drying mixtures. To fill such a tool, one filling material is enough. Often, a small work team copes with the application of quick-setting agents, in which one or another function is assigned to each of the workers. For example, it can be the direct preparation of the required amount of the mixture, pouring the mortar onto the floor base, spreading it over the surface of the base using a special tool, as well as the necessary removal of air bubbles with a roller.
Some work crews use a rotband to level the floor. However, according to user feedback, this composition is not distinguished by durability and strength, therefore, its use is generally abandoned in favor of more reliable formulations.
The floor level can be determined in different ways. You can use the following tools for this:
Before direct alignment of the sexual base, it is necessary to properly prepare it. You should not neglect this process if you want the floor covering to serve you for a long time and without problems.
First you need to carefully measure the room in which you plan to level the floor. Then you can proceed to the selection of suitable materials and methods of their installation. During the preparatory work, various problems associated with the flooring are often identified. At the same stage, the level of the existing foundation should be studied. For this, various levels are used, both liquid and laser (their list is indicated above).
Maximum leveling efficiency is ensured by the use of a material that would fit the unevenness on the surface of the base. For a floor that is in almost perfect condition, it is recommended to use high-quality leveling agents or self-leveling of well-known brands.
If there are noticeable differences on the base, then it is better to turn to sheet levelers or apply cement-sand screeds.
Absolutely any floor can lose its attractive appearance over time and imperceptibly deform. This trouble has not bypassed high-quality wooden coatings. Over time, old and dry floors can warp and sag, irrevocably losing their ideal evenness. Ugly gaps often appear between individual boards. On such bases it will not be possible to correctly and accurately lay out finishing decorative materials, therefore in this case, it is impossible to do without leveling the existing system.
You can give the plank base a flat surface with your own hands using the following methods:
Most often, people choose to align such structures with plywood, since the differences between the wooden floor boards often become very impressive. For such work, it is recommended to use a sheet of plywood of standard dimensions. It is cut into 4 parts. The cut should be made very carefully so that delamination does not appear on the edges of the sheets.
After these steps, it is quite possible to proceed to laying levelers on the base. The joints between the laid coatings should be above the joists. In areas where communications are located and in other necessary places, plywood must be cut (just as carefully to prevent delamination). After that, the sheets are attached to the base on self-tapping screws with hidden heads. This leveling method is not the most aesthetic, but for the finishing layer it is an excellent solution that will perfectly hide all the irregularities of the wooden base.
Quite often it is necessary to make leveling in rooms with a concrete floor base. In this case, there is a simple step-by-step instruction that will help you carry out all the steps to update the surface quickly and correctly.
If the concrete base has not too sharp and noticeable drops, then it is best to use modern self-leveling mixtures, which are sold in every hardware store. As a rule, the main component in them is cement. To perform work with such a tool you need:
The self-leveling mortar must fill absolutely all the cracks and cavities present in the concrete base, forming a neat and smooth surface. These mixtures dry out fairly quickly. You can walk on them after 3-4 hours, and after a day it is permissible to start laying a decorative coating, for example, tiles.
If the irregularities on the concrete floor are more impressive and noticeable, then It is worth turning to a high-quality and reliable concrete screed. This alignment method is one of the cheapest and most popular. The technology for mounting a concrete screed is primarily based on the installation of special beacons. They are installed on the floor (the distance between the beacons should be 500-800 mm), leveling in one plane using a level.
After that, it is necessary to knead the solution of the required consistency and add special plasticizers to it. Then you can start laying out the resulting mixture on the concrete base of the floor. When the screed "grabs", all guides will have to be removed, and the remaining grooves should be filled with mortar. The surface of the concrete screed must be grouted, however You can start this work only after 4 weeks.
It will also need to be strengthened by processing with a high-quality primer.
Before proceeding with self-leveling the floor, you should familiarize yourself with some simple tips to avoid serious mistakes in the process:
Starting to process the sexual base, you need to stock up on all the necessary tools, materials and, of course, patience.
Agree, it is difficult to imagine a beautiful and comfortable house without a flat floor, because this is the basis of all the foundations. When moving into a new house or apartment, each owner seeks to first of all deal with the arrangement of the floor. And modern building materials and the latest technologies allow you to make the floor beautiful and even with your own hands, even for a person who does not have enough experience.
In the vast majority of cases, building slabs serve as the base of the floor covering, which often have a far from the most even surface, which inevitably entails differences in floor level. Of course, it is impossible to put a new coating on such a surface. The floor must be leveled, in other words, a cement screed is required.
It should be noted that self-leveling the floor with a concrete screed is a rather long and very dirty process, but even a beginner can do it.
The video describes how to take measurements to level the floor in all rooms of the apartment to the same level.
Before starting work, the surface to be leveled must be carefully prepared - cleaned of dust, paint, loose parts of concrete, oil stains. All cracks are sealed at the base, as they lead to material leakage.
Professional builders in the process of laying electrical wiring in the cavity of the slabs to illuminate the center of the room often do not drill one side of the slab from the ceiling side, but make a “high-tech hole” with a sledgehammer and a crowbar, punching the slab to its entire depth from a higher floor. This, of course, will save the builders some time, but it will give you decibels of noise and "flavors" from the apartment below.
Surface preparation for screed
If you are a victim of “high domestic building technologies”, then carefully and carefully close up all the holes, otherwise you will have to get to know your neighbors later under other circumstances.
When the surface is well cleaned, you can begin to mark the level of the future coating. For this, a building hydraulic level is used, made up of a pair of flasks with marks connected to each other by a long hose. The operation of this instrument is based on the principle of connected vessels - the liquid in vertically arranged flasks will be located at the same level.
Marking with a hydraulic level
Marking should be carried out by two people: one will install the first flask in the corner of the room, marking the initial strip on the wall, and the other should move with the second flask, making marks around the entire perimeter of the room at the same level. Further, by means of measurements from the floor to the marks, the level of the future floor is determined directly.
Important point: for greater strength, it is not recommended to make a coating less than 30 millimeters thick.
The primer makes it possible to increase the adhesion (adhesion) of the screed to your surface, and in addition, it helps to waterproof the base. And this operation cannot be neglected, since savings can lead to the fact that the floor will subsequently crack.
Primer for concrete screed
If you are leveling the floors in the kitchen or, then use specialized waterproofing primers. Choose a primer marked "for concrete". For the primary treatment of bases, priming compositions are usually called "primer primers".
Cement screed for leveling floors is best done using dry building mixes. The binder components in them are non-shrink types of cement. In the form of a filling material, fine-grained sand is taken. After mixing with water, such a composition forms an emulsion that spreads well over the surface and fills all irregularities well.
Dry mixes
When compared with conventional cement-sand mixtures, dry mixtures have a number of advantages. First of all, we are talking about a short drying time for the coating - you can walk on the floor in a day. And secondly, the high strength of the coating, which is ensured by the use of filler materials of small sizes.
Groups of building mixtures:
After the primer has been carried out, it is necessary to mount beacon profiles on the floor surface - they will be a kind of levels for setting the thickness of the screed being performed. In cross section, such profiles resemble the letter "T".
Guide profiles are fixed with mortar
The slats must be mounted on the floor parallel to each other - so that the top is at the same level as the marks on the wall. This can be done, for example, using a stretched cord or a conventional building level.
To the base, the slats are fixed at several points along the entire length of the walls with gypsum or mortar. Keep a distance between the fixing points - 1-1.5 meters, based on considerations of the length of the leveling tool. In particular, if it is a 1.5-meter instrument, the distance should be 120-130 centimeters. If a three-meter rule is used, the slats can be spaced 2-2.5 meters apart.
Reiki are fixed at several points along the entire length
Highly professional specialists do not install these profiles, since they are able to create horizontal surfaces even without them.
But if you are not confident in your abilities, it is better to install them, as slats really improve the quality of work.
Concrete pavement is the modern basis of the floor in the current housing construction. It is strong, stable and reliable. In the apartment, laminate, carpet, ceramic tiles and much more are laid on it.
Level the floor, walls or other surfaces - these works do not aim to create an aesthetic appearance of housing, but they play a huge role in creating aesthetics. In addition, when the surface is uneven, premature wear of the coating may occur. Tiles or linoleum can break or wear off, gaps, cracks can form on the floor. For the same reasons, you should not lay a coating on a screed that is poorly made.
Aligning the concrete base for the future coating is not as easy as it might seem at first glance. The disadvantage of a concrete floor is that over time, despite the strength of the stone, flaws (potholes, chips) may appear on the surface. Floor leveling can be done without a specialized education, the main thing is to know all the features of the process.
A change in the structure of such a floor can occur for the following reasons:
If you are looking for a specialist who can level the surface for laying laminate, ceramic tiles or other flooring material, contact the service.
What is required to clean the floor? You can get a flat and smooth base for laying laminate flooring using either screed or self-leveling compounds.
To level a concrete floor (or other) you will need:
For any floor, leveling is a key step in preparing for repairs, the foundation.
Among several ways to do this, and to lead to an ideal state, different means can be used - it all depends on the conditions at hand.
Can be used:
Thus, craftsmen use either a mixture with water or a dry composition.
It is very important to mix the solution in the right proportions. If you make even a slight mistake, then after hardening the floor may crack. Gypsum or metal products can be used as building "beacons". Quite often, special tension threads are used. Install them at a distance of 1 to 3 meters.
This option is ideal for those cases where the difference in the level of the base exceeds five millimeters. Although the technology of such a screed is laborious, nevertheless, it is this method that has an excellent result. The surface will be even, so there will be no problems with laying the laminate.
Stages of a wet screed:
So that the solution does not dry out quickly, it should be moistened for several days. Moisture will not allow the solution to crack.
The use of a cement-sand screed is one of the most popular methods of working with a floor in a room. But this method is best applied to durable floors, the structures of which are able to withstand heavy loads. It is very important in preparing the basis for the future coating with a cement-sand screed to mark its level. Its masters indicate with the help of a laser level - you need to find the point to which you will need to raise the floor. Do not forget about the minimum height, which is 3 centimeters. The laser level will set the necessary point, which must be marked with a simple pencil on the walls of the apartment. The laser allows you to make accurate marks on the walls without using a chalk line, which takes less time and greatly simplifies the process.
How to level the floor for tiles or laminate using a dry screed? During this procedure, gypsum-fiber sheets are used, which are laid on expanded clay.
Step by step workflow:
The polyethylene coating will perform waterproofing functions, and the leveling mixture will perform thermal insulation. This method of screed is great for installing laminate in an apartment or for reinforced concrete flooring.
Advantages of dry screed:
Due to the fact that such a screed is simple, and the work on the implementation is not burdensome, you can do it yourself.
There are such advantages of a dry floor screed in comparison, for example, with concrete or cement:
If the level difference in the apartment does not reach 3 millimeters, self-leveling mixtures can be used. The main purpose of this method is to prepare the floor for laying laminate, linoleum, ceramic tiles or carpet. The solution spreads easily and forms a perfectly smooth surface.
Features of adjusting the concrete base with a self-leveling mixture:
If the cracks in the floor exceed the specified limit, they should be filled with a special solution in advance. The low thickness of the coating makes this method ideal for apartments with low ceilings. Even after laying the laminate, most of the free space is retained.
Seamless floors most often just serve as the basis for the subsequent coating - that is why it is very important to carefully and professionally approach the creation of the base. First of all, make it even.
In order to visualize how such work is done, you can watch the videos
To date, there are several techniques that talk about how you can level the floor, even if it has huge irregularities. They are all field tested. What are the most commonly used methods?
These include bulk floors using self-leveling mixtures, a classic screed using a cement-sand mortar. The choice of one or another method of leveling the floor depends on the unevenness of the surface, height differences, its slope.
For example if there are height differences of about 50 mm or more on the floor, it is advisable to use a screed. It allows you to make the floor even, even with very strong irregularities.
If you need a “dry” base, raised floors made of plywood sheets on logs or chipboards are suitable. This method has an advantage. It lies in the fact that there is no need to wait for the floors to dry completely, and only then proceed to the fine finish, namely the laying of the substrate and the laminate itself.
In other words, this method is the most suitable and clean among all those associated with floor leveling.
Naturally, each type of mixture has its own characteristics, they should be taken into account when studying their properties. If you are planning to level a floor that has a wooden base, you will need mixtures that contain fiberglass.
Helpful advice! In the case of a concrete base, it is better to buy quick-drying mixtures that include various additives.
A separate case is made up of mixtures with the help of which small defects in the base are eliminated. They allow you to smooth out small irregularities, but it also happens that you have to fill cracks and recesses, the depth of which reaches 20-30 mm.
Be that as it may, the advantage of self-leveling compounds is that they quickly harden. If the area of \u200b\u200bthe room whose floors you will level is higher than 8 m 2, you will have to buy limiters and divide the area into sectors with them. This will make it easier to pour the mixture.
How can I level a wood floor before laying laminate flooring? This method is called "dry", in this case a floor screed is not required.
The base is cleaned of putty, paint and dust that could accidentally get on it. Having purchased an unplanned board, build logs on the base. The board should have a size of 100 * 40 mm. Logs are fastened with anchors with an interval of 300 mm.
Helpful advice! As often as possible, measure the surface with a level in a horizontal plane to determine how flat it is. If you notice a drop or slope, it can be removed by placing wooden wedges under the boards.
You can start creating the crate: the logs must have crossbars, which are fastened with self-tapping screws. The spacing is equal to the sheet sizes. Sheets of chipboard or plywood, previously treated with an antiseptic, are laid on the logs. Seal the seams with sealant.
« Wet", or self-leveling floor
It is advisable to use it if the height differences are insignificant (up to approximately 30 mm). In the same way, you can level the self-leveling mixture. The mixture is sold as a dry powder packaged in 25 kg bags.
It is designed to be diluted with water in a certain proportion. Each manufacturer indicates on the bag the proportions that are important not to “overdo it” and not pour more water than required. The “pot life” of the solution is a maximum of 10 minutes.
Important! First of all, clean the surface of dust and other elements, apply a primer layer. If you see cracks, bumps and flaws, cover them.
When the floor preparation is completed, you can start mixing the self-leveling mortar, which is then poured onto the surface in parts and leveled using a rule. These actions must be carried out at the same time, so make sure that someone will help you.
The self-leveling floor dries for about a day, but this time may be less. The main thing is to monitor the level of temperature and humidity in the room in which you made the self-leveling floor.
If you are thinking about how to level the floor with a leveler, consider the working conditions in which it can be applied. For example, the presence of a draft and a change in temperature in the room are unacceptable, otherwise the floor may crack.
We suggest considering the method of leveling the floors on which the laminate or linoleum will be laid without removing the board. If there are no gaps on the floor, there is no extraneous sound in the form of a creak when walking, and it is durable, only the boards are peeling off, it is easy to repair.
The main thing is to understand the quality of your flooring and lags.
So, the repair itself is as follows:
Only one job can be done- putty the floor surface with acrylic sealant, which has good ductility. But before you do this, prime the surface.
If after leveling work you want to lay linoleum or carpets on the floor, it is best to sand the putty surface.
Not in every case, acrylic putty is used. Sometimes you will have to apply a layer of putty, which includes PVA glue. In truth, there is one drawback, expressed by the strong adhesion of the putty, which will make it difficult to apply an even layer.
Remember The more putty you applied, the longer it will take to dry.
Then, a sheet of plywood with a thickness of up to 20 mm (GVL is possible) is laid on the prepared floor surface. If GVL is used, the top of the profile will act as lags for the floor. If the width of the board is about 200 mm and the profile is evenly distributed, plywood 8-10 mm thick will suffice.
If the floor height difference of 2 mm does not please you, you will need to build a support under the new base, which will have one level. You can do this in the following way:
At the last stage, a screed is constructed, it is made on the basis of a wooden floor. Often, many use the well-known cement-sand screed, it is used only in cases where the wooden floor has a reinforced concrete floor.
In other cases, it is better to use a dry self-leveling mixture, which includes special additives - plasticizers. They will make your screed plastic and elastic. These types of screeds should be applied in a thickness of about 1 cm.
Important! The surface you will work with must be pre-reinforced and primed. It should also have a layer of waterproofing material on it.
You are now ready to start laying or laying the finish coat. Do not forget about such a moment as underground ventilation. If there is a ventilation grill, even though it is old, do not cover it with wallpaper or cover it with wallpaper. She'll come in handy. What is it, you ask?
It's simple, it will allow the floor under the finish to be ventilated, therefore, it will not rot.
There are several ways to level the floor for laying laminate - they are all similar, the principle is the same. To begin with, the floor height difference is determined, the base surface is prepared for leveling, all irregularities are polished and removed (cracks and depressions are repaired, the surface is polished).
It may be that the surface distortion is insignificant (about 20 mm), in which case the leveling mixture is poured.
Helpful information! If the floor in your apartment has significant height differences, you will need to make more efforts: remove the old floor covering, clean the base from dirt, prime it. Only after priming and drying of the soil, proceed to pouring the self-leveling mixture.
After taking measurements and getting disappointing results, which indicate that you will have to carry out a good leveling of the floor for the laminate, set the beacons to the level required to create a flat floor (drywall guides are not a bad option, since they are initially even).
Beacons are installed in such a way that they coincide with the mark along the perimeter of the room, and the interval should be 600-800 mm. It is best to fasten the beacons with self-tapping screws. You can fill.
The building mixture is poured between the beacons, if necessary, level it. After the screed has dried, proceed to the finishing work.
I want to note that not in all cases it is necessary to use a screed to level the floor. In some, you can use a method such as leveling the floor under a laminate or linoleum using cement-bonded particle boards, they are also DSPs.
The base is prepared according to the same principle as in the case of a screed. Only instead of using lighthouses, building boards serve as the basis for the future floor. They are aligned on the plane with a building level and attached to the base of the floor. And already sheets of DSP are laid on them, fastened with self-tapping screws.
The gaps between them are filled with sealant. At each stage, measure the surface with a building level. Everything, surface leveling is completed and you can start laying the laminate. Leveling for laying linoleum
Not in all cases it is required to level the floor in a “wet” way, that is, using a cement screed. In some cases, it is enough to apply the alignment method, which is called "dry".
The basis of this method is plywood sheets, the thickness of which is from 12 mm. They have sufficient strength and moisture-resistant properties - this option is more acceptable if the base of your floors consists of a wooden structure.
Plywood offers excellent resistance to deflection and bending that can occur when walking on the floor, installing furniture and creating a general interior.
And the price of this material is less than others. Plywood sheets have proven themselves as a material for leveling uneven boards.
