Floor leveling. How to level the floor under the laminate. Arrangement of cement-sand screeds

To choose a method for leveling a concrete floor, you need to know the maximum difference in height. There are three ways. Faster and easier - with a laser level (plane builder), harder and longer - with a water level. The third method is using a building level 2 meters long and a measuring wedge. The latter method gives only the magnitude of the differences on the concrete base. With it, by the way, you can check the result of leveling the floor. But it does not provide a "reference point" like the previous two. That is, it is applicable only if you know that in general your floor is made "in the horizon" and there are no slopes to one side or the other.

If you have at least some kind of laser level, it is easier to work with it. If not, better buy or rent. It will definitely come in handy in the repair. It is better to take a self-leveling one, which can turn horizontal planes in a circle. This is the ideal option. It will work with a narrower beam, but there will be more permutations.

With laser level (level)

At some height, we set the level, turn on the horizontal plane. Most conveniently - at a height of about 12-150 mm. A line is beaten off on the walls, we draw it with a pencil. You will need the line later - when you level the floor coverings, and during other works too. We take a 2-meter ruler (you can attach a centimeter tape to the bar). Visually find the highest and lowest points, pass with a ruler, measure the height. Be sure to check the corners. Often they are at different heights. According to the measurements, we see where it is more than 150 mm, where it is less. The difference between the largest and smallest value will be the height difference of the floor.

If you need to display the general level of the floor in the entire apartment or house, draw a strip where the beam reaches in other rooms. In the hallway, another room. Depends on the layout. We have a mark on the wall in another room, transfer the level there, set it so that the beam coincides with the mark, again draw a line on the walls. So we go through all the rooms. And then we derive the floor difference in the entire apartment.

With water level

The water level works on the principle of communicating vessels. This is a long transparent hose with transparent flasks at the ends. The hose is filled with water so that the water in the flasks is visible. On the flasks, divisions are applied, by which you can navigate. When the flasks are raised to the same height, the water in them is set at the same level.

How do they usually work with the hydraulic level? Apply on the wall current. Expose one flask at this mark. It can be held by a partner or it can be fixed in some way. The second point is placed at a certain distance - 1-1.5 meters. Depends on how long a ruler or bar you have to connect those dots. To transfer the set point, it is necessary to set the second end of the water level so that the first water level coincides with the mark. So, step by step we go around the room, transferring the mark and building a horizontal line.

Next, to determine how large your floor drops are, tie the other end of the level to the bar. At what height? The bar should rest against the floor, the water level in the flasks should match. As a guide, you can use a point previously marked on the wall. On the bar opposite the “correct” water level, put a mark (red line, for example). Regarding it, we will look.

Now walk around the room, rest the bar on the floor, wait until the water in the flasks “settles down” and see if the level matches the reference level (red line) or not. And if not, then by how much. For this you need a ruler. Metal is more convenient, it is easier to determine even small deviations from it. If the memory is good - remember, if not - write it down. Just do not forget to write down in which direction the deviation. If the water level is lower, put a minus, if it is higher, put a plus. Now, to determine the maximum difference, add the maximum value with a plus to the maximum minus value.

With the help of a rule (building level) and a measuring wedge

Everyone knows what the rule and the building level are. What matters to us is that they are equal. A measuring wedge is a metal triangle with marked divisions. The essence of the method is that the bar is moved along the floor, looking for a gap. More precisely, the presence of a gap can be determined by inserting a sheet of paper between the floor and the level. If he moves, there is a gap. In those places where the sheet rests (that is, the bar lies tightly on the concrete, without a gap), we put marks. We measure the distance between these points.

Next, take a measuring wedge and determine the height of the gap. We drive it under the bar and look at the number on the scale. This will be the magnitude of the deviation in this place. So we check the entire concrete floor, we find the maximum deviation.

Determine the method of leveling the concrete floor

After you have decided on the maximum floor height difference, you need to analyze what can be improved with a little blood. Take a close look at your gender. It often happens that there is some kind of hump, which creates a big difference. sawing concrete is still a pleasure, but if it helps to reduce costs or reduce repair time, then you can do it. When everything that could have already been corrected, you will again have to determine the height difference. Next, you can choose how and with what to level the concrete floor.

For small differences up to 5 mm

If you have differences of 1-1.5 mm per two meters of length, this is generally an almost perfect floor and you don’t need to level it. You can put any coating. If the situation is slightly worse, but the difference in the height of the concrete floor is up to 5 mm, such deviations are considered small. Leveling a concrete floor can be done in several ways:

When choosing a composition for leveling a concrete floor, pay attention to strength. The strength of the leveling layer must be the same as the base. A difference of 50 units is acceptable, no more. For example, if you have an M150 screed, then the leveling layer cannot have a strength higher than M200. Why? Because if stresses arise in it (and they arise), it will simply tear the bottom layer. And cracks in the floor are not good at all.

Drops up to 3 cm

Leveling a concrete floor with height differences of up to 3 cm is the most inconvenient task to implement. Laying a concrete screed with a thickness of less than 3 cm is problematic, since for guaranteed long-term operation, the layer must be from 3 cm or more. If you can raise the floor level a little, then you can use:

If raising the floor level is not included in your plans, you can use levelers. You will need a rough or medium composition. Look at the thickness of the layer. Three centimeters - most likely, you will find only in the starting lineups, and smaller ones (up to 15 mm for sure) can be in the middle ones. Be prepared for the fact that when using the starting leveler, one more layer may be required - the finishing one.

How to level a concrete floor with differences of more than 3 cm

Leveling a concrete floor in an apartment with a height difference of more than 3 cm is traditionally done by laying a screed from a DSP. If you need to level the floor cheaply, DSP is your budget option. But the cement-sand screed for leveling has a serious drawback - it "ripens" for 28 days. And at least the first week it is necessary to maintain high humidity. Then wait until it dries. In order for concrete to be durable, not crumble or crack, it is impossible to artificially speed up the drying process. And on a wet base, you can only lay tiles. Other floor coverings have fairly stringent requirements for substrate moisture.

If you don't want to mess with "wet" processes or the overlap does not allow you to add a large load, leveling the concrete floor with a dry screed will help. There are two options - bulk and lags. The second option is when one of the sheet materials is placed on the logs - plywood, fiberboard,. We get a flat surface with minimal differences. But this method will lead to the fact that the floor level will rise by at least 7-8 cm.

A bulk way to make a dry screed is to pour granules (usually expanded clay) on the floor, level and lay the same sheet material on it. It is easier and faster to do, but there are some peculiarities. If you use the wrong backfill, it is bad to align it, during operation, distortions, pits, and failures can result. But, leveling the concrete floor in this way, in compliance with the technology, gives very, very good results. The "carrying capacity" of such a floor is up to 10 tons per square meter. So more than enough.

What to do if the concrete is covered with bituminous mastic

Sometimes, after removing the old flooring, it is found that it was lying on bitumen. This situation is often found in the old housing stock. If the leveling of the concrete floor is planned with a screed along the beacons, all that is needed is to inspect for cracks and delaminations. The delaminations must be removed, the “bald spots” covered with a new layer of bitumen. Repair cracks as much as possible. Fill with polyurethane glue or epoxy, pour bitumen on top too.

If the damage is too extensive, if possible, remove the old bitumen completely. If it is impossible to remove completely, remove only the damaged areas, fill in the cracks. From above, coat everything with a new layer - there will be excellent waterproofing.

If you plan to level the concrete floor with "pouring" (levelers), it is advisable to remove the bitumen. It has a too smooth surface, which has a bad effect on the level of grip. A “blade” nozzle is installed on the perforator and beaten off. Then they remove debris, dust, prepare the surface for a primer.

If the bitumen cannot be removed, it is possible to walk under the leveling mixtures several times with soil for complex bases. Adhesion will be sufficient, but the cost of such a primer is high. When the soil is dry, you can fill the levelers.

How to Level a Concrete Floor and Improve Sound and/or Thermal Insulation

If your apartment is not on the ground floor, there is a heated room below you, you should not be worried about thermal insulation. Your floor will be at room temperature. If you want to make a warm floor, that's another story, and electric or water heating will be required. Under it, you will also have to level the base, and it is also desirable to insulate it - in order not to heat up the neighboring ceiling. So, how can you level a concrete floor to improve heat and sound insulation?

• Floating screed, under which insulating mats are laid, expanded polystyrene. The thickness of the layer in this case depends on how much you want to improve the performance, but definitely not less than 6 cm.
• Lay the plywood, along the logs, filling the gaps between the logs with materials with the required properties.

If at the same time you also need waterproofing, it can be implemented in both cases, and it can be any. It can be a PVC film spread on concrete, welded or coating waterproofing.

Flat floors are considered not only the finishing touch of the interior, but also an indicator that the repair in the house was done with high quality. Ideally, the floor should have one level without drops and steps, because in the future, the functioning of doors and furniture will depend on the correct installation of the decorative coating. In addition, a curved floor in residential areas is often the cause of problems with appliances, because of its unevenness it is difficult to install a refrigerator or stove.

To date, there are many ways of leveling, thanks to which the surface is smooth and in the future serves as an excellent basis for mounting any type of floor covering.

Peculiarities

During repairs in the house, sometimes it is necessary to replace the floors if they have lost their original appearance or simply do not fit into the modern design of housing. Before proceeding with the laying of new material, it is necessary not only to dismantle, but also to level the old floor in the apartment.

Each type of coating has its own characteristics of surface preparation:

• Ceramic tile. Installation of this product is carried out on various types of screed with mandatory waterproofing and cleaning of the base from dirt and dust. Due to the fact that the tile is laid on a thick layer of glue, slight irregularities are allowed for its installation in the floor, but in this case the glue consumption will be large.

• Linoleum. The basis for the flooring of such a coating requires a flat surface without defects and cracks. Therefore, the screed should be made from high-quality mixtures that will not only preserve the old floor layer, but also eliminate all its flaws.

• Laminate. If its boards are placed on a curved surface, then over time they will be able to undergo deformation and will constantly “creak”. As a result, the floor covering will not last long, and you will have to carry out repairs again. To avoid this, it is recommended to install the laminate on a perfectly flat base.

• Carpet. For its flooring, a well-prepared surface is required, which must be leveled, cleaned and primed. For this, chipboard sheets are most often used. After their laying, the joints are puttied and primed. You can also fill old wooden floors with self-leveling mortar.

To make the base ideal for covering, first of all, it is necessary to comprehensively inspect the room and determine in which places there are differences, then find the lowest and highest points of the floor. After that, it will be possible to choose a suitable method for leveling the surface and eliminate all flaws. To do this, as a rule, use a laser level.

Such measurements are carried out as follows: a beep is made along the perimeter of the room and, using tools on the surface, they find the desired point at which all lines from the perimeter are collected. It will serve as the basis for determining the height of the floor.

In the case when there is no professional level at hand, you just need to select any point on the wall and draw parallels to the ground from it and draw lines using a regular board.

This procedure must be repeated until a closed loop is formed. The floor should be level from lowest to highest point.

Why is this needed?

There are many reasons for the floor to be even. The further fate and operation of not only flooring, but also equipment and furniture will depend on the state of its surface. In addition to all this, the presence of bumps and recesses on the base will spoil the appearance of the room.

Most of the materials when laying do not tolerate defects in the “rough” layer, for example, a laminate or parquet installed on a curved floor, already six months after operation, will begin to loosen and crack. And an uneven surface in the bathroom and toilet will serve as a serious problem with plumbing, the drain system will be broken and the water will not leave well.

Floor leveling is important in both residential and non-residential premises.

If you lay ceramic tiles in the bathroom on bumps, then its strength and adhesion properties will be lost, and the product may also “float”, and this will provoke the appearance of voids and dampness: later mold and fungus will appear in such rooms, which will be difficult to remove.

It is worth noting that an uneven surface is found both in old houses and in new buildings, where slopes often exceed acceptable standards. Therefore, starting the repair of the floor, it is necessary to eliminate differences in all rooms of the apartment and make a screed, which will correct surface defects and simplify the laying of new coatings.

Ways

Floor repair can be done both by yourself and using the services of hired workers. Of course, in this case it is best to trust professionals, but recently most homeowners prefer to save money and level the flooring with their own hands. In fact, there is nothing complicated in this, you just need to choose the right material and technology for performing work. First, the old base is dismantled, large cracks are rubbed and waterproofing is applied.

After preparing the surface, the level of the future floor is determined and the leveling process begins, which can be done in several ways.

With a solution

This is considered the most affordable and easiest option for eliminating surface defects. The mixture is prepared from cement, water and sand. The solution turns out to be liquid and spreads evenly over the base, creating a smooth surface.

The stage of work is as follows: a primer is applied to the preliminary surface, and then the solution is prepared and the floor is covered with it.

In addition, during the preparation of the solution, the “recipe” and the ratio of water to sand and cement must be strictly observed, all the constituent ingredients are thoroughly mixed with a drill with a nozzle. The finished mixture is poured onto the surface and distributed evenly around the entire perimeter, while removing air bubbles with a spiked roller. Such a floor dries completely on the third day and is ready for further finishing.

Concrete screed

This technology involves leveling the floor with concrete. The result is a durable monolithic and even surface. Such a screed is used when the bulk mixture cannot be used.

Although concrete is considered a heavy material, it provides the base with a long service life and allows you to perfectly level the floor. First, prepare the surface, perform waterproofing and find the zero level. Then, beacons are placed around the perimeter of the room and rails or metal profiles are attached, retreating from the walls 30 cm.

Lighthouses must be set strictly according to the level, so at the end of the work horizontal guides should be obtained. After the solution dries, you can proceed to the screed itself. The main point in this alignment is the correct preparation of the mixture, the slightest inaccuracies can further spoil the coating.

Concrete is laid out in strips, performing shaking movements, this will help get rid of air bubbles, after installation, the surface of the solution is moistened with water, covered with a film and left to dry for two weeks. This method is often used both in a panel house and in a “new building”.

bulk screed

Expanded clay is also used to obtain a flat floor. It is a lightweight material that is easy to install and allows you to overcome strong slopes with deep holes.

As a rule, expanded clay is chosen when it is necessary to raise the level and level the floor in the "Stalin" on their own. It will not create heavy loads on the floors and ideally eliminate all defects.

In this case, the zero level is chosen as the highest, since the thickness of the floor will increase by backfilling the material by 4 cm. After preparing the base, beacons are set up and expanded clay is prepared, for this, fine and medium fractions are well mixed together.

When expanded clay is filled up, sheets of chipboard or fiberboard are laid on it. It is important to ensure that the seams of the sheets match; self-tapping screws are used to fasten them.

Then a “light” cement mortar is poured and a waterproofing film is covered; for greater reliability, it is recommended to complete this leveling with a concrete screed.

Lag Alignment

This technology is suitable for wooden bases and is a lag installation on old boards. At the end of the work, the slopes are removed and small irregularities are hidden. To determine the zero level in this case, the thickness of the bars is added to the highest point in the room.

Compared to previous leveling methods, this method is characterized by speed and cleanliness.

Most often, logs are used in private houses and apartments on the ground floor. In addition, when performing such an alignment, it becomes possible to lay additional communications and thermal insulation.

The floor base is prepared, primed and logs are applied. At the same time, you can buy both ready-made material with adjustment, and ordinary bars with a section of 40 * 100 mm. Logs must be laid out strictly according to the level at a distance of 50 cm.

If necessary, you can additionally place a plastic gasket or plywood board under the bars.

The logs are fixed to the floor with the help of plates or anchors, and the cells formed between them are filled with insulation.

Coating installation

For such leveling, ordinary sheets of plywood or chipboard are used. They are laid in two layers and fixed with self-tapping screws, and the resulting joints are puttied.

What to choose?

When it comes to floor leveling, everyone wants to find cheap options for this. Recently, in the interior of houses, they prefer to make floors from laminate, linoleum or tiles. If you choose a bulk mortar or screed for their installation, you will not only have to wait a long time for drying, but additional material costs will also be required. Therefore, it is best to give preference to a wooden floor, it is installed in one day and allows you to immediately continue finishing.

An economical option is also considered a cement mortar screed.

Unlike natural wood, cement and sand are much cheaper, and such alignment is characterized by strength and durability.

How to make a flat floor?

The result of any repair is the floor finish, but before that it is necessary to make a rough screed and level the surface. In order for the floor preparation to proceed correctly, it is necessary to follow all the work technologies and use high-quality material.

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, the mixtures 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:

• which floor should be leveled. There are options for in-situ concrete, industrial reinforced concrete slab, base cement screed, self-leveling floor, underfloor heating system, etc.;
• fill thickness. Depends on the maximum roughness values ​​and the type of alignment. Alignment can be preliminary or final. There are no strict requirements for the horizontal surface to the preliminary, it is used for finishing floor coverings along the logs. During installation, the position of the lag is controlled, if necessary, with the help of wedges or other linings, they are aligned;
• floor finish type. The softer the flooring, the more accurate and stronger the alignment should be, the better the material should be purchased.

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 container for mortar, a powerful (preferably industrial) vacuum cleaner, needle and paint rollers, a wide stainless steel spatula, a laser or water level, dowels for lighthouses, 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.

Prices for self-leveling floor compounds

self-levelling floor compounds

Alignment of the concrete floor on the lighthouses

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.

1. The cost is the cheapest cement-sand mortar. If you have large areas or a significant thickness of floor leveling, then it is better to use this material. Per cubic meter of solution, significant financial savings are obtained.
2. In terms of physical strength, tile adhesive is in first place. But it is difficult to work with him, you need to have practical experience.
3. Self-leveling floors serve as additional waterproofing, in some cases this property allows you to speed up construction work.

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.

Leveling a concrete floor with tile adhesive according to a simplified scheme

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.

Video - Leveling the concrete floor with bulk mixtures