A floor screed in an apartment is necessary when it is required to make the coating even, without drops and slopes. This approach will increase the strength of the surface. The possibility of finishing doorways, installing windows depends on the quality of work - all components must be on the same level.
Why else do you need a floor screed? With the help of such events, it is easy to insulate the room, reduce the impact of noise, and provide waterproofing. Correct design let disguise engineering Communication: cable, pipes or other elements.
The difference in the height of the interior space may turn out to be insignificant - up to 1 cm, or it can be a very unpleasant surprise: some newcomers on the forums say that the difference in values over the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe premises reaches 10 cm.
In order for the floor coverings to please for a long time, and the furniture to be installed without distortions, it is necessary to form the most even bottom. Experts say: before starting finishing events it is reasonable to watch videos, get profile information from articles or chat on the Web with like-minded people who will tell you how to properly make a floor screed in different rooms apartments, under specific circumstances, which is better, on which the final choice depends.
For large-scale spaces, it is reasonable to invite professionals or, using the advice of experienced ones, do the finishing yourself. The screed for the floor of the apartment is performed according to the general algorithm. There may be nuances when choosing different materials.
Masters offer to combine several techniques, which is justified with a significant curvature of the base. Any composition needs to be completely dried before laying the final coating.
Types of floor screed
Today, the following types of floor screeds are relevant:
- Wet. The solution is mixed with in large numbers water, takes a long time to dry. Reinforcement is often used, so this type of screed is suitable if an increased load is expected.
- Semi-dry. This variety remains the most popular. A small amount of moisture and the presence of a hardener speed up the drying process. The composition is quite suitable for a moderate load of the residential sector.
- Dry. Universal way for an apartment. Initial alignment is done different types bulk eco-friendly mixtures. The floor is formed from drywall, plywood.
- Self-leveling or self-leveling, which is distributed evenly over the surface.
Each of the modifications has pros and cons: the wet method remains the most durable, but laborious. Semi-dry look - easier to perform, will allow you to complete finishing activities faster.
Plywood or GVL are quickly mounted, but are suitable for ordinary housing, and with great traffic they will be unstable. Self-levelling compounds are ideal for rooms with minor surface imperfections.
Any of the named varieties for the floor in the apartment is suitable for installation with different initial data. For example, for a common corridor, if the family is numerous, you can use a semi-dry option, and in the bedroom you can limit yourself to a practical bulk one.
Cement strainer
Cement-based mixtures may have various properties, since the proportions of the components can be varied. Concrete floor screed in the apartment can be prepared independently. Experts recommend adhering to the following compound formulation:
- Project mortar 100, and cement "300"? Then you need a part of cement and three - sand.
- "Dvuhsotka" - respectively 2 to 1.
Calculating the total is easy. With 5 cm in height and 20 m 2 of the area of \u200b\u200bthe room you will need: 0.5 * 20 \u003d 10 m 3 of the finished concrete mix. A plasticizer (you can take liquid soap) will add viscosity to the filling.
Nuance: in the process of kneading, the volume decreases. From 1 m 3 of dry raw materials, no more than 0.75 m 3 of solution will be obtained.
For apartment repairs, only fine aggregate is used: sifted sand. A reasonable step is to make a floor screed with expanded clay. Concrete is mixed with light practical material. This method is rational when it is worth raising the surface to a considerable height. This finish is useful when it is necessary to reduce the weight of traditional cement or concrete.
Dry floor screed
A semi-dry floor screed in an apartment is used as a simple main surface or for arranging warm communications. The use of such a solution allows you to start further work 2-4 days after installation. The addition of fiber will enhance insulating properties coating will make it more stable.
Doubt what kind of screed is needed, dry or wet? If an average load is expected and the repair time is short, then the option using an almost dry solution will be more attractive.
A dry screed can be done in one day and the top coat is easy to install with no time loss. The base slab is covered with a dry mixture, aligned with the beacons. Then the profile guides are set, on which the cut sheets of drywall (plywood) are attached. The gap between the wall and the floor is filled with mounting foam.
Stages of work
The process of leveling the floor and forming the screed is divided into standard steps. They differ depending on the method used, but the schematic outline remains the same:
- First, the initial preparation of the rough surface is done.
- Thermal, hydro, sound insulation is carried out.
- It is produced, if planned, reinforcement or additional equipment is installed.
- Filling in progress.
The source material for the floor screed in the apartment determines the necessary set of tools. Irreplaceable helpers are traditional lighthouses. To level the dry backfill, you will need rails, a profile, fasteners, a screwdriver, a jigsaw for cutting.
A self-levelling compound will require a roller to disperse air bubbles. Wet and semi-dry options are the most voluminous, here they select: a level, a trowel, a spatula, a drill, a mixer for kneading, containers of different sizes, a rule.
Foundation preparation
If repairs are made in the secondary housing market, then it is necessary to remove the old floor screed. Otherwise, the new foundation may expose hidden defects existing coverage.
Then you should carefully remove dust, dirt, fine particles, repair cracks between the ceilings, recesses on the plane. After the solution dries, the plate is polished with a brush or machine, all excess is removed. The surface needs to be thoroughly vacuumed.
fill
First make a solution. Cement, sand, water are mixed proportionally (for example, 3:1:0.5). Dry sand and cement are stirred, carefully rubbing the particles. Then the liquid is gradually poured in. For greater plasticity, you can add liquid soap or dishwashing detergent. If purchased ready-made version, then it is diluted according to the instructions.
Masters know how to properly pour the composition throughout the room and recommend that the resulting mixture be evenly distributed over the floor. It is better to use beacons as guides. If somewhere the solution turned out to be small and depressions formed, then the material is thrown up and leveled again.
Make sure that there are no air pockets left, and the composition fills the entire space.
Criterion: if the solution lies tightly and qualitatively on the slab, then “cement milk” will appear on the surface.
After partial hardening, the canvas can be further sanded with a grater. With the semi-dry method, the surface is treated when setting becomes apparent.
Do-it-yourself screed
Professionals give advice to craftsmen who decide to make a floor screed with their own hands:
- When using the wet and semi-dry method, the usual liquid household solutions (soap, degreaser) can be replaced with PVA glue.
- Mounting wet ways must be done in one session. The batch storage time is up to 2 hours.
- The calculation of the drying period depends on the thickness of the layer: 1 week is suggested for 1 cm of height.
- Semi-dry application dries up to 2 weeks (4-5 days is enough for a thin layer), but after 10-12 hours after laying it can be walked on in flat shoes.
When installing a dry floor in an apartment with your own hands, it should be remembered that the design is less durable, but is able to withstand household loads. As a primary backfill, it is reasonable to purchase expanded clay, perlite, environmentally friendly compounds with fine fraction. Practical top coat gypsum fiber sheets under which layers of insulation can be laid. It is easy to perform such manipulations yourself in 2-3 days.
A semi-dry floor screed is kneaded hard-boiled with your own hands: a lump clenched in a fist should not crack or crumble. It is not necessary to get the laid beacons from the thickness. With this method, you can save on a self-leveling finish layer: the floor without it will come out smooth and flawless. This type among professionals is considered the most popular when decorating apartments, since it reduces the hardening time, remains practical, stable.
Repair in the apartment provides for the implementation various works. The durability, aesthetic and specifications floor, ceiling or walls. Not everyone can afford to hire a team of specialists, because real pros ask a lot for their services. This is one of the main reasons why owners are taken to the implementation repair work on one's own. It's not only beneficial. With your own hands, you can turn the most unusual design ideas into reality, create an atmosphere of coziness and comfort in the room.
One of the most important stages in the process of repairing an apartment or country house is the pouring of the floor screed. It is important to follow the sequence of work, do everything carefully, follow the advice of experts, so that in the end you get a flat floor. The main function of screeds is to level the floor. In addition, it is poured in order to increase thermal absorption, provide rigidity and additional surface strength.
There are several types of screeds that differ in materials, laying technology, and strength characteristics. 
Regardless of the variety, the screed must meet the following requirements: the presence of a waterproofing layer, the ability to withstand increased loads, laying in one day, the absence of cracks on the surface after drying.
You can pour the floor screed yourself if you have the slightest idea of what materials will be needed and in what sequence to perform the work. But first you need to decide what kind of screed you need.
- A concrete screed is used for primary leveling of the surface, it is effective in cases where there are significant defects in the base (irregularities, drops, cracks). This option is easy to perform, but the implementation process is quite time consuming. It is difficult to pour such a screed on your own; two or three people are needed for work;
- Self-leveling screed is a modern way to level the surface and prepare it for finishing. You can buy a mixture for pouring in a building supermarket. The main advantages of this option: dries in a couple of hours, easy to pour, economical, safe, durable;
- Dry screed is performed using drywall sheets or plywood boards, used to hide small irregularities. The laying technology is quite complicated, so it is better to entrust the work to a professional.
If you are carrying out repairs in an apartment located in a panel house, the best option will become a classic concrete screed. With its help, you can increase the strength characteristics of the floor, achieve a perfectly smooth and even floor surface without any defects. The only negative is that it dries for a long time (from two weeks to a month, depending on the thickness).
How to fill the screed with your own hands? The sequence of work: preparation of the base, installation of beacons, alignment. Professional advice.
How to calculate the consumption of materials
It is very difficult to calculate the materials so that you do not have to buy more later, and do not overpay for the leftovers. AT this case it is better to contact someone who has already poured a screed at home, ask how much material was spent on what area. Experienced craftsmen assure that 10 bags of the finished mixture (be it a cement mortar or a self-leveling screed) is completely enough for a room whose area does not exceed 8 square meters. Again, here you also need to take into account the thickness of the screed, the presence or absence of additional layers (waterproofing, thermal insulation, communication networks).
The floor screed can be rough or finish. The second option will cost about twice as much. Most affordable way pour the screed - use a concrete solution, which is prepared from cement and sand. You can also take care of reinforcement. This will ensure high strength characteristics, durability and reliability of the finished screed. As for the tools (and this is a concrete mixer, lighthouses, levels), it is better to rent them or borrow them from friends, as they are expensive.
Preparatory work
The pouring of the screed is conditionally divided into two stages. First you need to properly prepare the base. If there is an old screed on the floor, it is dismantled. The floor slabs are thoroughly cleaned, then they must be treated with a primer, wait until it dries (about 5 hours). If the screed is not poured in the apartment, but in a room where the base of the floor is unpaved, a layer of expanded clay should be laid, then covered with sand, compacted. At this stage, you need to take care of the installation of communication networks.
As soon as everything preparatory work completed, you can start pouring the screed. Its thickness is determined in each case individually, it can vary from 25 to 80 cm. In apartments there is no need to fill in a thick screed, as this will increase the load on the supporting structures.
Screed mortar
The quality of the floor surface directly depends on the correct preparation of the solution and compliance with the proportions of materials. Here you need to build on what finishing materials will be laid in the future. If it is linoleum or carpet, the ratio of cement, sand and water should be as follows: 1:4:0.7. The result will be solid foundation, which will help to avoid damage and deformation of the finished floor by furniture legs or heels or some heavy objects.
If it is planned to lay parquet, parquet boards, tiles on the floor, cement, sand and water must be mixed in a ratio of 1: 5: 0.7. The result should be wet earth. Part of the water can be reduced to 0.5, this will only benefit the quality of the screed. It will be difficult to mix the solution and distribute it over the surface, however, do not try to pour in more water, as this will adversely affect the performance and durability of the finished screed.
You can mix the ingredients for the solution in a special container. If you need a lot of material to pour the screed into large room or several rooms, it is better to order a ready-made solution or rent a concrete mixer, this will greatly simplify and speed up the work process. To level the surface on the upper floors, experts recommend using special ready-made mixtures - a self-leveling screed.
Filling the screed step by step
So, installing a beacon system is considered almost the most difficult step in making a do-it-yourself floor screed. But you can’t skip this step, since the evenness and strength of the base depend on it. Beacons are special profile strips that need to be properly distributed over the floor. They are installed using the same solution that will be used directly for pouring. Planks are set in this order:
- in a straight line, it is necessary to screw self-tapping screws into the floor, retreating 20 cm from the wall;
- using a laser level, we check whether the hats of the screws are evenly located in relation to each other;
- the optimal distance between the screws is 70 cm;
- distance between screw lines - up to 1.5 m;
- screws are covered with a solution, profile strips (beacons) are superimposed on top.
What are beacons for? Is it possible to do without them when pouring the screed into small room? No, it's very milestone technological process. It is these profile strips that will ensure evenness and smoothness of the screed, prevent the formation of bumps, protrusions or recesses. 
The cement mortar for pouring the screed is prepared after the installation of the beacon system, since it must be used up in 40-60 minutes, then it will harden and it will be impossible to work with it.
We start pouring the screed from the wall opposite to the door. First you need to abundantly moisten the base with water. We pour the solution between two beacons, carefully level it with a rule, carefully move the planks further, repeat the same until the entire floor is flooded. The next day, we remove the beacons, as a rule, we level the surface again, removing all unnecessary. Traces of the planks must also be sealed with cement mortar and leveled. That's all, the screed is ready, it remains only to wait until it dries completely, and you can lay the finishing materials.
Fresh screed care
In order for the screed to dry properly and not crack, it is necessary to provide an optimal microclimate in the room. It is best to close windows and doors so that there are no drafts, and after a day cover the surface with plastic wrap to ensure the greenhouse effect. After a few days, you should check the quality of the filled screed. It should be uniform, light gray in color. Strength can be checked with a hammer. We hit them several times in the same place, there should be no deformations, chips or other damage.
If you plan to lay linoleum or ceramic tiles on the floor, carry out Finishing work it will be possible in two weeks. If the floor is made of laminate or parquet boards that are afraid of moisture, you should wait at least a month. Self-levelling compounds dry much faster, but are also much more expensive. You can check if the screed is dry using the following methods:
- with the help of a special tool, which is sure to be in the arsenal of a master specializing in pouring screeds;
- at night, put a piece of plastic wrap on the area near the door, put an inverted bucket on top; if the film is dry in the morning, you can safely proceed to the finishing work.
It is a little more difficult to pour the screed in cases where laying a self-leveling floor is foreseen. You will need an additional, perfectly even layer, which is made from a more liquid cement-sand mortar or a special self-leveling mixture is used to prepare it. Beacons do not need to be installed. You just need to pour the solution onto a pre-moistened, primed surface, distribute using the rule, paying special attention to the places under the wall.
You can pour the floor screed without problems with your own hands, even if you do not have experience in carrying out such work. When performing technological processes, the main thing is to do everything according to the instructions, follow the sequence of work, take into account the recommendations of specialists. Below are the most common mistakes made by inexperienced craftsmen.
- The screed does not like haste. If you finish the floor with laminate, parquet, and the screed is still wet, you will have to tear off the coating and buy a new one, since these materials are very susceptible to moisture. You can continue to work only after the screed has dried completely, you have to wait two weeks, a month, or even longer;
- To dry faster. Do not create a draft in the room, use a dryer or turn on heaters in order to speed up the drying process. This can lead to cracking of the screed. Experts recommend slightly moistening the surface for three days to avoid such problems;
- Screed lining. To prevent damage finishing material during operation, you must first put a special gasket on the floor, only then laminate, parquet or other materials.
Do-it-yourself screed is not at all difficult if you buy quality materials, stock up on tools, adhere to the rules for performing each type of work. You do not need experience and special knowledge to perform this process with your own hands. You will have to spend time and effort on this, but you will be able to significantly save on paying for the services of repairmen.
For the correct laying of the floor, so that it meets world standards in all components, it is necessary, first of all, to take care of the quality of the base for the future coating. About what materials, tools, beacons are needed for floor screed, we'll talk today.
As an example, a cement-sand screed will be considered, which is by far the most common type of base for flooring.
What is needed for floor screed
Here it is necessary to remember the following: if you have not perfectly studied the technology of laying the screed or have not adhered to this technology, then this may have serious consequences the floor may even need to be re-laid.
If you are confident in your abilities and patience, then we will begin to describe the actions necessary for floor screeding.
The first step is to prepare the floor. It will be necessary to dismantle the old flooring and eliminate irregularities as far as possible. After that, you should deal with the elimination of debris and wiping dust. AT ideal, during these operations, use an industrial vacuum cleaner.
The next step is to prime the floor. The primer must be applied in several layers, and the application of each subsequent level of soil must be carried out only after the previous one has completely dried. If a concrete pavement The surface you are applying the primer to has cracks, these must be repaired before you begin the priming process.
The next step is to determine the level of the screed using a device such as a hydraulic level. Now you need to set the marks at the so-called "zero level". It is necessary to set marks as accurately as possible, with the highest responsibility.
Now, you should deal with the definition of such a parameter as the thickness of the screed. To do this, you need to measure how far each zero level mark is from the floor surface, and record these values. By summing up the results, you can easily determine how thick the screed should be and how much material it will take.
Well, now you need to do the main thing - prepare the screed. Cement-sand screed prepared by mixing sand with cement in a ratio of 3:1. Dilute the screed with water. To strengthen the design, use a special metal mesh. The screed should be at least 5 cm thick. If there is not enough screed, it is added with expanded clay mixed with cement, after which a metal mesh is laid.
After preparing the screed (or in advance), you need to set up beacons that will help you see the zero level. After that, you should start laying the screed, in accordance with the indicators of the beacons. This is best done with a helper. Well, that's all, after drying, the screed is ready!
Which plasticizer for underfloor heating screed is better to use
To mount a warm floor, which will certainly bring even more comfort to your life, builders use a substance that is mixed with concrete mortar - a plasticizer for underfloor heating screed. It is designed to increase the density of the screed. And besides, with the help of a plasticizer, the surface tension force in water is reduced, thereby increasing the value of the total coating volume, which, in turn, saves materials (cement).
The plasticizer can be of the following types:
- liquid type;
- dry type;
- reinforcing fiber made of polyamides;
- frost protection additives.
Each of these plasticizers has its own characteristics: accelerated process hardening, increased plasticity, etc. For example, when using an antifreeze additive, opportunities open up for working with a screed in sub-zero temperatures.
When equipping a water heated floor, they use a plasticizer that prevents voids from forming in the solution. Since the screed is poured directly over the pipes in a warm field, the quality parameters of the screed come to the fore.
This floor should not be deformed even from heavy loads to prevent mechanical damage in the pipeline. Based on these requirements, it should be remembered that the screed must be thicker than 2.5 cm. For this particular case, a screed plasticizer is used, which will make the screed thicker and at the same time more elastic.
If we talk about the screed in electrical heat floor, then when it is performed, dry mixes of concrete are used. But here one problem arises: the sand-concrete mixture is not very strong, and in order to increase its reliability, it is diluted with a sticky plasticizer, which will increase the plasticity of the screed.
Such a screed is much easier to fit and has a higher strength. The floor, made in this way, is more even and does not deform after the screed dries.
From the above, it can be summarized that, thanks to the plasticizer, laying a warm floor becomes easier and safer to use, while the coating itself becomes smoother and even.
floor screed tool
So, the person decided to save money by doing the floor screed with his own hands. But in addition to the materials of the screed itself, it is also necessary to purchase a tool for floor screeding. So what exactly is needed to lay the screed? Let's try to list all the tools.
The first thing you will use is the building level. Naturally, the quality of the floor depends on the quality of the level. Therefore, the choice of level should be dealt with with the utmost responsibility, it is better not to use the cheapest Chinese levels.
Many people say that when performing a screed, you can not use flask (bubble) building levels. However, this is not entirely true, such a level has an error of 0.5 mm per meter (if it is of high quality). That is, if the width of the room is 5 m, the maximum error will be 2.5 mm. Believe me, you will not feel such a mistake. Most likely, you will make a lot more mistakes when installing beacons.
Professional builders often use laser levels. However, with a detailed analysis of the design of such a device, it turns out that its own level is also determined using a bubble. That is, it is not more accurate than the usual construction one, although it is much more convenient.
Also, sometimes they use the water level. The principle of its operation is the same as in communicating vessels. But there is one caveat: in using this level, a very important factor is that there should not be air bubbles inside it, otherwise the readings will not be correct. And it is very difficult to completely get rid of them, since the levels are quite thin.
If you want to achieve a perfectly flat floor using only a water level, then it is more rational to use not a purchased level, but a translucent PVC hose. Even the most budget garden hose has a diameter 2-3 times larger than purchased water levels, therefore, the problem with air bubbles is much easier to solve here.
Further, for the screed device, you will have to use galvanized profiles for plaster beacons. Today, these devices can be freely purchased and are called "plaster beacons". These devices became receivers of wooden planks.
You can, of course, make beacons from cement-sand mixture in a ratio of 3 to 1. They can even come out of quite high quality. But they are made for a very long time, and they dry within two days. So if you have a lot of free time, then you can save money on purchased beacons.
After the floor is laid, it will be necessary to smooth out minor defects with something. To do this, use a plaster grater. You can also use a trowel, but for people who are engaged in this activity for the first time, and who have not yet got their hands on it, a plaster grater will do much better.
And last but not least. For styling cement-sand mortar between lighthouses, a rule is required. It is most rational to use an aluminum rule, it is not heavy and does not lend itself to corrosion. aluminum rule can have rectangular profile, complex profile or be made in the form of an I-beam. Which rule to use is not important, the main thing is its evenness and strength.
That's all you need to lay the screed on the floor with your own hands. Of course, you will still use a mortar bucket and nylon thread, pencil and alabaster to install beacons, but this is less essential.
What beacons for the screed should be used
As already mentioned, in order to make the floor screed as even as possible, you cannot do without beacons. Floor screed beacons are completely different, and for certain type screeds, certain beacons are used. Let's try to figure out what exactly are the mats, and which ones are used in certain types of screeds.
Beacons for dry screed
"U-shaped profile". Dry screed beacons can be of any shape. Here the height of the screed will determine the height of the beacons. A prerequisite is the strength of the profile, to avoid deflections. You can also use a thin profile. But its use is associated with a lot of problems. The fastening of such a profile is not carried out using self-tapping screws, so that there is no damage to the waterproofing layer.
The installation of such beacons is carried out along the length of the rule, which removes excess material.
"Profile for drywall for ceiling 60x27 mm." With this method of installing beacons, more weighty profiles are used, for example, ceiling profile under drywall (60X27 mm). Beacons of this type can even be called lags. They are installed more often (about 2 pieces per meter), and then, a sheet of GVL is laid on 2-3 profiles.
Beacons for semi-dry, cement-sand and concrete screed.
"Profile having a base from a solution." Most often they use a plasterboard profile (27X28mm). It is installed upside down on wooden blocks, bricks or mounds of mortar.
The profile is fixed with gypsum (alabaster) or cement-lime mortar. The use of a cement-sand mortar is not recommended due to its long drying time.
"Profile with self-tapping screws". Dowels are driven into the base after 20-30 cm, and a profile is attached to them with self-tapping screws. The level is set by tightening the screws. If the screed is carried out on top of the ground, then the screws are screwed to wooden blocks driven into the ground. Self-tapping screws are twisted from the edges to the center.
Combined Profile. Here, self-tapping screws are used along the edges, and in the center the profile rests on a slide. Everything is adjustable with screws.
"Profile of wooden bars." This method has been used before. Before using wooden blocks, they were soaked so that they did not badly affect the screed.
"Beacons from the solution." Between the screws installed along the length of the lighthouse, several rows of wire are pulled. A solution is laid out under the wire, which forms a kind of wall. After that, horizontal platforms are aligned along the wire, these will be the beacons.
"Under the semi-dry screed." The solution is poured into the corners of the room and leveled to the desired limit. Heaps of solution should be at a distance not exceeding the rule. After they dry, a solution is poured between them, and leveled using the rule.
"Under the floating screed". This is a screed laid on foam. In this case, use self-tapping screws screwed into the base of the floor. After the screed is filled and leveled, these beacons are unscrewed, and the solution is poured into the holes.
Beacons under the self-leveling floor.
"Pin type beacons". For these floors, pin beacons, the so-called benchmarks, are used. In the middle they are equipped with a moving rod to determine the level of the screed. The floor needs to be primed before installing these mats. Beacons are installed every meter.
"Secrets". Sometimes the benchmark is replaced with simple self-tapping screws, which are unscrewed even before the solution hardens.
How to put beacons under the screed
If mixing the solution is, in principle, easy, and with the tools required for pouring the screed, everything is also more or less clear, then not everyone knows how to put the beacons under the screed. Let's see how the beacons for the screed are installed using the example of an industrial beacon.
The industrial beacon is a metal three-meter profile, which is equipped with a stiffening rib. The bar of such a beacon has a width of 2.5 cm.
The correct installation of beacons under the screed begins with the fact that a nylon or silk thread is pulled around the perimeter of the room, which lies strictly at the “zero level”, coinciding with the location of the subfloor.
Beacons are set at an angle of 90 degrees to the wall having a long length, and securely fastened. The most optimal distance between the beacons is one that is 20 cm less than the length of the rule.
The lighthouse is fixed at the level at which the cord is stretched, and it is fixed with a solution of alabaster or building plaster. The screed will be leveled by drawing the rule over the beacons, and small minor dents and protrusions in the floor will be leveled by you with a wide spatula.
In practice, it turns out that 0.5-1.5 tons of building mixture is enough to level the base of the floor in the room. To make the screed lighter, you can use expanded clay between the first and second layer of the screed.
After installing the beacons, you need to wait about half an hour for the gypsum or alabaster to dry completely. If you do not do this, then the guides may be misaligned or warped during pouring.
Which floor screed is best for concrete slabs floors and wooden floors? In the process of construction and repair work, it is very often necessary to replace old wooden creaky floors with new, reliable and durable ones. It is not so easy to do this without a screed device. There are several various kinds device of this leveling subfloor.
What are the types of screeds
Many have heard of such a concept as a floor screed, but not everyone knows its purpose. In the construction literature, it is defined as a leveling cement-sand layer laid on the floors, on which the finish coating is laid. Today, not only cement and sand are used in the construction of screeds. There are other more modern materials. Which floor screed is better - everyone can understand for themselves only by studying the features of all its types. In addition to leveling the surface for laying finish coat, the screed has a number of other functions:Rules for the installation of a wet floor screed
With a large-scale repair of an apartment, it is rarely possible to do without the installation or reconstruction of subfloors. In most cases, builders recommend pouring a cement-sand or concrete screed, which allows you to create an even base for flooring without excessive costs and in a relatively short time. What else should be kept in mind at this stage? What materials and technologies to use and how to avoid mistakes? In the article you will find answers to these questions.
Building codes (SNiP 3.03.01-87 "Bearing and enclosing structures") allow a level difference at the joints of floor slabs of up to 12 mm and a deviation from the horizontal within a span of 4 m long - up to 10 mm. In practice, these values are often exceeded, and in the process of shrinkage of the house, even more noticeable ledges and slopes are formed. The most versatile and in a reliable way leveling the floor in the apartment is pouring wet screed, the technology of which is constantly being improved.
The main features of the wet floor screed
Please note that demolition and construction work that changes the structure of the subfloor requires a permit. And for this it is necessary to prepare a project that provides for the protection of the downstream premises from leaks and impact noise.Waterproofing
In the process of pouring the liquid solution, moisture can seep into the floor cavities and into the apartment on the lower floor through the joints of the slabs. In addition, dry slabs are able to quickly “pull out” water from the bottom layer of the solution - the concrete will dry out and will not gain the necessary strength. To avoid these troubles, before starting concrete work, you need to create a waterproof “trough”, using coating or roll materials for this purpose (we will return to them later). The created water seal will be useful in the future - in case of small leaks, it will prevent the neighbors from below from flooding. Impact noise protection. The soundproofing ability of the floor is characterized by the reduced impact noise index (Lnw), measured by a special method (SNiP 23-03-2003 "Protection from noise"). At the same time, in residential buildings, the maximum permissible value of Lnw is 58 dB. However, tests show that this parameter is usually higher (the worst results, up to 65 dB, were obtained when examining panel buildings buildings in the 70s and 80s. last century). An acceptable level of sound insulation helps to achieve damping substrates located under the floor screed and / or floor covering. At the same time, some materials with a thickness of only 3-5 mm can reduce Lnw by 20-25 dB and provide peace to your neighbors, and in addition, protect yourself from structural noise that occurs in multi-storey buildings. Universal solution. Until recently, for hydro and sound insulation, different materials- let's say, soft fiberboard was first laid, and then the surface was covered with plastic wrap. Today, there are universal substrates on sale - both waterproof and vibration-damping (that is, damping shock vibrations). Some of them are produced in the form of plates glued to the base, such as products made of extruded polystyrene foam "Antistuk" ("Ruspanel"). Others, say Technoelast Acoustic (TechnoNIKOL) or Shumanet-100 ( Acoustic materials and technology"), are mats made of mineral fiber with a bitumen or rubber-bitumen coating. In addition, the substrates are made from compressed cork, polyethylene foam or foam rubber.
Before styling insulating materials plate joints are smoothed cement putty, and in wet areas it is recommended to apply a layer of cement-polymer or rubber-bitumen mastic to the concrete afterwards (as an additional insurance against leaks). Hydro and noise insulating mats (plates) must be brought to the walls to a height equal to the calculated thickness of the floor "pie". Thus, the transmission of structural noise from the screed to the walls and vice versa is excluded. joints roll materials glued with special adhesive tape or mastic.
From start to finish
When installing a screed, it is important to achieve high strength of the base layer and a perfectly flat surface (the maximum level difference is 4 mm per 2 m). In addition, it is impossible to create an excessive additional load on the floor: deformation load-bearing structures as a result of alteration of floors - not such a rarity. base layer. When determining the zero level, they proceed from the minimum allowable (in terms of strength) local thickness of the screed - 25-30 mm. A laser level and beacons help to "beat off zero", for example, from steel guide profiles for drywall. Beacons are securely fixed so that they do not move during concrete work. If the overlap is even and the average thickness of the screed does not exceed 40 mm, the base layer in most cases can be made from a cement-sand mortar of grade not lower than M200. It is desirable to add plasticizing, sealing and water-repellent additives to it, such as Ceresit CC 92 (Henkel-Bautechnik), Tiprom C (SAZI), ArmMix Superplast (Alliance-ST). With an estimated screed thickness of more than 40 mm, lightweight concretes are used - expanded clay concrete, foam concrete, polystyrene concrete, etc. The advantage of expanded clay concrete is low cost, availability of components and the possibility of preparing a mortar on site (using a compact concrete mixer or manually). The density of the material is 800-1000 kg / m3, that is, it is 1.5-1.7 times lighter than sand concrete. Approximately the same characteristics are possessed by monoliths from ready-made mixtures with special fillers (for example, foam glass), but their cost is 2-2.5 times higher. The density of foam concrete is even less (500-600 kg/m3). However, it is difficult to prepare it yourself: specific precisely dosed components are required, which will have to be mixed for a long time. Some companies have equipment that allows you to supply the finished solution to a height of 40-50 m, but the cost of the subfloor at the same time increases at least twice, in addition, companies using concrete pumps take only large amounts of work (from 100 m2). An alternative to commodity foam concrete is polystyrene concrete from ready-made mixtures, for example, Glims-LS (Glims). By the way, this material is more plastic and shrinks less. When using light mixtures, even grades 400 and 500, the minimum thickness of the base layer should be 45-50 mm, otherwise there is a high risk of cracking.Finish alignment
The base layer cannot be made perfectly even: the filler fraction is too large, besides, the mortar shrinks unevenly (depending on the layer thickness). To "bring" the surface, use special mixtures. They are applied in a thin layer (3-5 mm) when the base gains about 70% strength, that is, after 1-2 weeks; some polymer compositions can only be laid on completely dry concrete treated with a contact primer.
Floor levelers are divided into putty and self-leveling. First (wide range of cement, acrylic and epoxy finishing putties) have a pasty consistency; they are applied with a long spatula. From the latter, for example, Tribon (KNAUF) or "Horizon" ("Eunice"), a liquid solution is prepared that is capable of spreading itself over the surface. Self-leveling floors are optimal for leveling large areas, but working with them requires skill and responsibility: you must follow the instructions for preparing the solution exactly and distribute it very quickly over the surface. Another nuance is the presence on the market of fakes and expired mixtures (their shelf life does not exceed six months). A mortar prepared from low-quality raw materials does not have the necessary compressive strength and may peel off from the base screed.
Typical mistakes when installing a wet floor screed
1. Pouring a thick (more than 40 mm) screed made of heavy concrete, chipping the floor slab when laying pipelines, installing beacons. 2. Pouring mortar directly onto the floor slab (without a waterproofing layer): leakage to the floor below is inevitable, there is a high risk of damage to hidden electrical wiring. 3. Fast and uneven drying of concrete, causing deformation of the screed, reducing its strength and delamination. 4. Refusal of reinforcement or incorrect reinforcement and as a result - cracking of the screed (especially likely when using lightweight concrete and a small layer thickness). 5. Ignoring the thickness of the floor coverings is fraught with the appearance of differences in the level of the finished floor.Semi-dry floor screed technology
The expression "semi-dry screed" quite eloquently explains the essence: here, significantly less water. When such a solution is prepared, exactly as much water is introduced into it as is required for cement hydration, that is, for the molecules to form strong crystalline bonds.Advantages of a semi-dry screed
A mixture devoid of excess moisture, which turns into stone as a result of the hardening process, becomes not only easier, but also less time-consuming to use. She has other advantages: 1. More high density, which allows you to increase the strength of a building object or structural element. Since, during the preparation of the mixture, excess water does not get into it, which is excessive for cement hydration, there will be no subsequent long process of its evaporation, and at the same time the appearance of pores, cavities and voids. And the fewer pores in the monolith, the stronger it will be. 2. The absence of pores in the hardening mass also leads to the absence of shrinkage. 3. The absence of the process of evaporation of excess moisture greatly accelerates the maturation of the screed. 4. When a semi-dry screed is used, the technology of its application is much cleaner than the traditional one - without dampness and sticky dirt. 5. In the process of working with a semi-dry screed, the humidity in the room does not increase, which allows you to simultaneously engage in finishing work here.
You can walk on a semi-dry screed already 12 hours after its formation, and in order to do the finishing in this room (except for laying the finish), it will be enough to wait just one day. Also, much earlier it will be possible to proceed with the final finishing of the floor surface than with traditional technologies.
Cons of a semi-dry screed
Of course, a semi-dry floor screed also has disadvantages: 1. The density of the screed brings not only pluses, but also minuses: the material does not spread well, which is why it is difficult to form clear corners at the junction of walls with the floor or among themselves, instead of them rather smooth ones are obtained transitions. 2. Difficulty self made with a semi-dry screed when it comes to sufficiently large areas (more than 75 sq. M). 3. The impossibility of applying a layer thinner than 3 cm, optimal value for him is 4-5 cm. 4. When a semi-dry screed is used, they try to correct its shortcomings with various tricks. For example, excessive density is compensated by the addition of plasticizers. A clear dividing line in the corners is obtained in the most primitive way - immediately after laying the leveling mass, it is subjected to ramming.Semi-dry screed reinforcement
To prevent cracks in the semi-dry screed, fiber is added to it, which is increasingly replacing the conventional reinforcing mesh from the screed preparation technology. There are several reasons for this:Pouring a semi-dry screed
1. Cover the subfloor with waterproofing, roofing material or polyethylene in such a way that the waterproofing strips form a kind of pallet with sides extending 15 cm onto the walls, and the strips themselves are overlapped and then fixed with adhesive tape. 2. Vertically fasten polypropylene electrical tape along the perimeter of the walls, which must first be cut into strips of suitable sizes. It is recommended to use isolon 10 cm wide and 8-10 mm thick. 3. On the walls, you need to mark in advance with a simple or laser level required tie height. After that, on top of the waterproofing, in accordance with the given level, it is necessary to build rail beacons from the mortar beds, on the crests of which the guide profiles must be supported. Linear beacons, on the other hand, must be positioned so that the rule rests on two adjacent rails, while 20-30 cm remain between the guide and the wall. The mixture must be immediately compacted (it is advisable to involve assistants for this). 5. Put a semi-dry mixture on the compacted surface, but already above the level of the beacons, after which the screed is simultaneously compacted and leveled. 6. Sand the formed screed immediately.
7. In rooms whose area exceeds 12-15 m2, after a day you need to cut along the walls expansion joints, the depth of which is one third of the leveling layer, and the width is 3 mm. 8. After that, semi-dry cement strainer should be covered with overlapping sheets of polyethylene and left for some time (from 1 day to 1 week if conditions for curing are normal). In hot weather, the screed will have to be moistened with water for several days so that the hardening proceeds normally, without the formation of cracks and deformations.
How long does a semi-dry screed dry?
Since a semi-dry screed does not shrink the surface, it can be grouted immediately after leveling with the rule. After that, you need to wait until the screed is completely dry. The advantage of the new technique is that after 12 hours it will be possible to walk on the freshly prepared floor, and after the same amount of time in the room, you can safely continue further finishing work. Also, much earlier it will be possible to do the laying of the floor finish, than was permissible with the old pouring technology. However, there are some nuances here as well. Although the semi-dry floor screed technology is considered a modernization, it is also imperfect, so not all work after it can be started at the same time. It all depends on the properties that certain floor coverings possess:What are the advantages of dry floor screed
If we compare the technology of dry screed with the traditional "wet" pouring of cement-sand mortar, or ready-made building dry mixes for floor screed, then a number of advantages immediately emerge: 1. First of all - the timing of the work. It is possible to lay a dry screed in a room, if you have the skills, in 1-2 days. The repair process is practically not slowed down. 2. Absence wet technologies- Dirt is not spread through the living quarters. 3. No cement dust, which can be dangerous for people with a tendency to allergies or asthma. 4. The complexity of the process, including loading and unloading operations, lifting materials to the floor, is several times less. 5. The work will not require any special equipment (such as concrete mixers, construction mixers, specialized containers, etc.) 6. In a dry screed, it will not be difficult to hide intra-apartment communications. 7. Dry screed is an excellent additional thermal insulator and soundproofing of the floor in the apartment. 8. The most important advantage is the relative lightness of the resulting screed. It can even be laid on an old wooden base, subject to its strength. It is clear that this is unacceptable with a concrete screed.
9. Interfloor floors experience much less load, and in some cases this is the determining factor for choice, especially if repairs are carried out in old houses. 10. Dry screed allows you to achieve the required evenness of the floor covering with sufficient strength characteristics of the surface. So, with properly carried out work, such a coating is resistant to a distributed load of up to 1 ton per square meter. meter, or point - up to 360 kg. This technology does not limit homeowners in choosing the floor finish, and its laying can begin immediately after the completion of work with the screed.
What is dry screed
In fact, this is a system of materials laid out on a leveled floor surface in a certain sequence: 1. waterproofing membrane(film) laid on the floor slab (old surface). 2. Edge damper tape, which creates the necessary compensation gap along the walls of the room. 3. Leveling coating. The most commonly used backfill materials are fine-fraction expanded clay, slag, slag pumice, perlite expanded sand. If the floor level does not require leveling, they also resort to laying thermal insulation boards - from extruded polystyrene foam (EPP) or mineral wool high density. This layer levels the floor and creates the required thermal and sound insulation. The top layer is sheet material, on which the floor finish will subsequently be laid. It will take on the main loads and evenly distribute them to the filling bottom layer. OSB, moisture-resistant plywood, chipboard, asbestos-cement boards are used as sheet material. Recently, however, GVLV is most often used - moisture-resistant gypsum-fiber ready-made elements for laying the "rough" floor surface.
The total thickness of such a "pie" is from 35-40 mm, of which 20 falls on the upper sheet layer. At lower values, the floor will not properly meet the requirements of strength and stability. The maximum thickness, in fact, is not limited, but subject to certain nuances of technology.
How to make a dry floor screed
The process of laying a dry screed can be divided into several stages.Foundation preparation
The main requirements for the base are the absence of significant surface defects, stability. Often you have to resort to dismantling the old coating, especially if you want to lower the overall starting surface level. The plane of the base should not have protrusions - they can damage the waterproofing film. It is equally important to get rid of failures, cracks, holes. They, of course, can be leveled with a dry backfill, but in these areas, voids, air "pockets" will inevitably form under the film. Over time, the backfill layer in these places can sag, sometimes even breaking through the membrane, and areas of instability will appear on the floor, which, at best, will manifest themselves as an unpleasant creak. Irregularities can be repaired with any quick-hardening compound with rough leveling to the general level of the base. Then you need to thoroughly clean the surface of small pebbles and dust, best of all - with a vacuum cleaner. If it is planned to lay a dry screed on a wooden floor, it is worth conducting a thorough revision and, if necessary, replacing it problem areas or strengthen them using self-tapping screws. There should be no large gaps on the floor.waterproofing layer
It is believed that the waterproofing layer is not mandatory with this technology. However, when placed on concrete base, it never hurts. As a separating membrane, a conventional polyethylene film with a thickness of at least 200 microns is used. They cover it either with a single piece, or with stripes with an overlap of 15-20 cm and gluing the joints with adhesive tape. Be sure to make an allowance for the walls of the room - 10-15 cm.
After that, it is necessary to immediately glue the damper tape along the perimeter of the room, so that in its width it protrudes somewhat above the surface of the planned coating. If the screed is poured onto a wooden base, it will be covered with tar-impregnated construction paper. The flooring technique is the same - overlapping and, if necessary, gluing the joints.
The device of the main backfill layer
First of all, you need to set the required level of the backfill layer. It is carried out using a building water or laser level and is fixed by a system of beacons. The installation of beacons, in principle, does not differ from the usual practice. It is most convenient to use galvanized profiles for plasterboard as guides. There is one significant caveat - if with a conventional screed, beacons are most often left in the thickness of the coating, then when leveling the floor with a dry screed, they are subject to mandatory withdrawal. This is explained by the fact that bulk material, no matter how you tamp it down, it cannot but give at least a minimal shrinkage. In this case, the upper covering layer will not fit snugly against the filling layer, resting against the beacons, which will lead to deformation, squeaks, etc. Thus, the lighthouses, as the main layer is backfilled, move from place to place. Backfill material in a slightly excess amount is laid out on the desired area. The leveling of the surface is done by the rule. With a large layer thickness, it may be advisable to carry out additional tamping, for example, with a wide wooden or PPS plaster trowel. Sometimes, with large areas, it makes sense, after backfilling a certain area, to immediately cover it with sheet material. They act differently - first they completely level the backfilled layer throughout the room, and then lay the top coating. In this case, it is possible, for the convenience of movement without violating the integrity and evenness of the backfilled layer, to lay temporary footbridges.Laying the top layer
It will be most convenient to use ready-made GVL floor elements specially designed for this purpose. They already have a two-layer structure with a lock, which greatly facilitates the installation of the coating. They are laid, starting from the corner of the room. As for the direction of laying, there is no unity - some prefer to move from the door deep into the room, others insist on the expediency of the opposite direction. When laying out the second row, a 250 mm indent is made at the joints. Docked sheets are connected with glue (PVA is quite suitable) and fixed with self-tapping screws with the caps deepening into the thickness of the material. Installation of coating from other sheet materials produced in the same way, but sequentially in two layers. Ligation is also done along the longitudinal and transverse seams. Fixation - glue and screws.
It is not recommended to make a seam between sheets in doorway- it is better to retreat in both directions at least 200-300 mm. After the top layer is completely laid, the waterproofing and damper tape protruding along the perimeter of the room are trimmed. In fact, the floor is already ready for laying the finish coat. All in all, it takes the least amount of time to complete the job. An experienced team can cope with a similar task in one room in just a day.
Mix bags on site
[ Click on photo
for increase ]
If you want to have a good flat floor, you should think about the screed. If you want to have a polymer self-leveling floor, a warm floor or a laminate, then you simply need a screed. Before starting work on the construction of a cement or concrete screed, you should decide what material it will be made of. The choice of material for the floor screed will depend on its quality, operational features, service life, as well as the procedure and scope of installation work.
Traditional Options
Floor screed material can be of several types:
- cement-sand mixture of own preparation;
- foam concrete or expanded clay concrete of own preparation;
- ready-mix concrete;
- solution prepared from dry mixes of factory production.
Technology
How to fill the floor with expanded clay. Work technique
This is a wonderful and proven method for ground floor apartments above the basement. apartment building
Self-leveling compounds for wooden floors.
Self-levelling compounds for wooden floors are not recommended as a finishing coat and must be covered with a floor layer from above - tiles, carpet, etc.
How to fill the floor in the garage. Tips + Video
The concrete floor has its drawbacks - it is dust-forming, it is almost impossible to remove stains of gasoline and fuel oil from it, and in addition, it absorbs smell very persistently, which is also impossible to remove.
Leveling the floor with a self-levelling compound. Expert advice + Video
You can level the floor with a self-leveling mixture yourself, in a relatively short time. Special knowledge and experience for this, as a rule, is not required.
Loading...