Do -it -yourself concrete floor

Accessibility, durability, unpretentiousness, versatility is far from a complete list of epithets that can characterize a concrete floor. Due to its multifunctionality, it is used in the premises of apartment buildings and in private cottages. And his small total cost only adds popularity to him. Regardless of the persecuted interests, any home master, who is even the slightest relation to construction and repair, is capable of performing this work. Strong desire and clear adherence to detailed instructions will help to cope with this task. The article will talk about how to make a concrete floor.

Content:

1. The scope of concrete floors
2. General principles of concrete floors
3. Pouring concrete floors filling options
4. Restrictions on laying concrete floors on a soil base
5. Do -it -yourself concrete floor
   • Preparatory stage
   • Sprinking under the concrete floor in a private house
   • Waterproofing and insulation of the concrete floor
   • Mounting options for the heat -insulating layer
   • Reinforcement of the concrete floor in the house
   • Setting beacons, building guides
   • Preparation of the solution and pouring concrete floor
6. Why do you need a leveling screed
7. Concrete floors technology
8. Fundamentals of creating a warm concrete floor

The scope of concrete floors

The filling of the concrete floor is used for various purposes:

• this is the alignment of the surface;
• and lifting the level of base;
• installation of heating floors;
• the desire to warm the floors in the house.

Using various installation technologies, you can make a base that can withstand heavy loads. The correct performance of the work guarantees the creation of the perfect surface of the black floor in the bathroom, in the kitchen in any other rooms with a high level of humidity. The trend towards its use is increasingly observed in the private development sector. Naturally, depending on the purpose of the room and the type of structure, the filling technology will differ.

General principles of concrete floors

Returning to the issue of universality, it is worth noting that as a basis it is unpretentious. Work can begin on top of the old coating, even if it is not concrete, but say, a wooden floor. The soil or floor slab in the apartment is also considered a suitable surface. The general stages are necessarily carried out in all cases, they are the key to the durability and strength, for which the concrete floor is built.

• Cleaning the surface of pollution. The standard task remains relevant in this case.
• Installation of the waterproofing layer.
• Floor insulation (if this is included in the tasks).
• Laying a reinforcing layer.
• Setting beacons and guides for subsequent filling.
• Installation of a rough base.
• Surface grinding or finishing flooding with the leveling mixture.

The list can be supplemented, for example, by the implementation of the bulk layer. This is necessary if installation is carried out on the ground.

It is imperative to know about the layout of deformation and compensation seams provided for by the technology. They come in three types and have the main goal of protecting the floor from the formation of cracks at the time of drying the screed and in the process of its operation.

• The seams are structural It is needed when pouring for some reason was carried out not in one reception, but in separate sections with a long break (more than four hours). They are performed in those places where the old and fresh screed is touched.
• The seams are shrinkable They are done if, due to the conditions of the environment, uneven drying of different sections of the floor occurs. Their purpose to relieve voltage from the surface.
• Deformation seams (insulating) They pass in the places of contact of the floor with other surfaces and elements of the design of the house or apartment. First of all, these are walls, protrusions, columns. The implementation of these seams will help to avoid the transfer of vibration from the floor (during the period of active operation) to these very elements. At least, the formation of cracks is possible, and the worst script will be a skew or collapse of the foundation.

Cut the seams in the period of time until the first cracks have formed, but the base has become strong enough. The seam should be buried by about one third from the entire thickness of the fill layer. After complete drying, the deformation grooves are filled with sealants provided for such work.

Pouring concrete floors filling options

The process is laborious and notable. The final cost of the work depends on the height of the screed, the materials used and additional conditions in the form of reflection and insulation.

• The most common option can be considered a cement-sand screed without an additional layer that gives rigidity. It is allowed in rooms with a small area and if the floor is not supposed to be on the floor of the floor (from furniture or large and constant accumulation of people).
• Reinforcement leads to a rise in the cost of the floor. Available option to buy a special grid, a welded frame from the reinforcement will be more expensive, but there is no need to talk about the strength of the resulting coating.

• The desire to fill the floor with a particularly strong upper layer will be the most expensive alternative. Compared to the usual screed of equal thickness, the cost of the first option increases by more than a third.

Restrictions on laying concrete floors on a soil base

Those who decided to choose this technology should know about some restrictions on its use.

• You need to be sure that the level of groundwater is deep, a minimum indicator of 4 or 5 meters. The lower, the better, because in this case the risk of flooding and a set of moisture is excluded.
• If the house is built on mobile types of soil, then pouring the concrete floor on the ground is not allowed.
• It is possible to build gender in this way only in those houses that are operated year -round and constantly heated in a cold period of time. The freezing of the soil during the period of decrease in temperature will entail the same processes in the floor. As a result, the foundation will experience excessive pressure and deform.
• The fourth condition allowing the possibility of a concrete floor on the base of the soil is its dryness.

Do -it -yourself concrete floor

Preparatory stage

• As the task of the first plan, it is necessary to mark along the perimeter of the entire room, which would give an idea of \u200b\u200bthe level of the final sex. All other layers of pouring concrete floor should meet this mark. If you choose the bottom of the door -to -door sample, then the sequence of actions will be this:
  • from the lower point of the doorway, it is necessary to outline the line exactly a meter from it in height;
  • using the level, you should draw a straight line on all walls of the room;
  • from a drawn horizontal in several places, a distance of 1 meter is laid down;
  • the lower points are connected by a continuous line, which forms the desired zero level.

• For personal convenience, it can be designated using lacing. In the corners, nails are clogged on which the cord is pulled.
• As the next stage, you should take care of answers to a number of questions:
  • which material to choose as a spope;
  • what will be the thickness of the bulk layer;
  • when and how to engage in the construction of a waterproofing layer.
• During the preparation work, the premises from construction debris are delivered, and the next step is to remove the upper fertile layer of soil. It will come in handy in the garden or during the construction of a flower garden. And the tasks of the master and assistants include deepening the soil of 30 or 35 cm from the zero mark.
• The land in the resulting pit should be tamped. You can independently make a device for these purposes (a piece of logs with handles - holders and a flat board nailed from below) or apply a vibration plant. It is easy to determine the quality of the work done: there should not be traces of shoes on the basis.
• In cases where a high strip foundation was used during the construction of the house, the distance from the soil to the zero mark is much larger than a third of a meter. It is necessary to remove the upper soil layer, and the remaining space is filled with sandy add -on. It is important to carefully compact this layer.

• An additional waterproofing layer can serve as a spite of clay. It will also require a thorough seal, but will create an additional barrier in the path of moisture.

Sprinking under the concrete floor in a private house

• Now you can proceed directly to the sand-gravel bed. These are universal materials that are easy to use and are available. Since further work will resemble the formation of a puff pie with a step-layer of 10 cm, for better control it is worth preparing pegs of the corresponding height. They can be stuck into the base, and after filling and ramps, remove and use it when creating the next layer.
• A gravel layer scatters (at least 5, a maximum of 10 cm high). Before sealing, it should be moistened with water.
• Sand (10 cm) will also require pouring and ramers.
• A layer of gravel with a fraction of 40-50 mm. At the stage of its leveling, the main task is to form a layer without sharp bulging edges. After it, you can slightly sprinkle with sand and tamp again.
• In addition to control over the height of the layers, it is important to check their location relative to the horizontal. For simplicity, you can apply notes with the level of pouring thickness to the foundation. It is also allowed to reduce layers to two, excluding gravel.

Waterproofing and insulation of the concrete floor

• Waterproofing material can be spread only after the sharp edges in the crushed stone layer are completely eliminated.
• In cases where it is not possible to carry out work to protect against moisture directly over the spatch, you will have to perform preliminary pouring with concrete with a liquid consistency. Its layer does not exceed 4 cm. And already on top of it (after drying), laying out the insulation layers.

• There are no specific requirements for the choice of material. It all depends on personal preferences and the amount in the estimate of the project. Shops and construction markets offer several types of roller materials, membranes, roofing material and a simple plastic film, but it should be of high density (from 200 microns). The canvases are spread over the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe base, taking into account that the overlap of 20 cm is formed. And the edges should be displayed in height to the zero mark, where they are fixed. Between themselves, pieces of waterproofing are fastened with tape.

Mounting options for the heat -insulating layer

There are quite a lot of materials for insulation of the future sex. It should be chosen based on the characteristics of the accommodated insulation, the characteristics of the premises and its direct purpose. Of the most popular materials, you can indicate:

• styrofoam;
• expanded clay;
• foamed polystyrene;
• basalt cotton wool.

Reinforcement of the concrete floor in the house

• Before filling the concrete floor, you need to do reinforcement. This is an important stage that allows you to create a skeleton that strengthens the future base. In this case, the load is not only taken by a separate section of the floor, but evenly distributed on the surface.
• The frame, regardless of whether it is cooked from metal rods or will be made of a grid, should be raised above the base, and not be laid directly on it. For the convenience of uniform raising the reinforcing gasket from a metal or plastic grid, 1/3 of the height of the estimated filling, special mounts are used. Such stands are sometimes called chairs. They make it possible to raise the frame by 2-3 cm.

Setting beacons, building guides

This is one of the most critical stages of work. A flat surface even without changes will depend on the accuracy of the established beacons and guides.

• It is better to immediately divide the room for convenience into small areas with a width of no more than two meters. For the guides, a metal profile, pipes with a small round cross section and even wooden beam are suitable. The latter can be applied if there is confidence in its smooth and even surface.

• On concrete solution cakes (until they have been frozen), the guides have. By adding the mixtures or a shed profile, set them in level. When the slides of the solution harden you can start filling. This is checked by a simple click on the guide if it did not sell a cake, you can start work.
• If the volume of the room where the floor is poured is so large that it will not be possible to finish everything in one entry, then the maps are broken. Square or rectangular shapes are fenced off by formwork of plywood or wood. The size of such sections is made based on how many workers can pour the solution at a time. In this case, after pouring the floor is chosen, the frame is removed after the solution is completely dried, and the voids are poured with a fresh solution.

Preparation of the solution and pouring concrete floor

The presence of concrete mixer is mandatory with large volumes of work. This is the only way to ensure operational kneading and supply of the solution to make a concrete floor once. For the best indicators for thermal insulation to a mixture of concrete and sand, it is recommended to add perlite. The recipe for the perfect mixture looks like this:

• perlite (2 buckets) are poured into the concrete mixer, 10 liters of water are added and the kneads begin;
• when the mass is homogeneous in consistency, 5 liters of cement are added to it;
• 5 liters of water are added to the mixture, and after mixing, sand (10 l) and water (2 l) are added. Knee until a loose texture is obtained. After which a break is required for 10 minutes;
• after a pause, you need to continue knead until a plastic solution is formed at the output.

For the preparation of the mixture, it is preferable to purchase cement of brands M500 or M400.

• In order to create insulating seams, a damper tape is needed. It glues along the walls and all protruding structures. You should start filling with the site that is located opposite the door in the corner.
• Next, lay the concrete floors. The solution is poured into the first cell with a layer of 10 cm thick, leveled with a shovel. The movements should be penetrating, so the excess air is removed and the mixture is compacted. The use of a special vibration searcerer makes the process effective. It is immersed in the solution and is used until concrete milk is formed on the surface. Then it is transferred to another site.

• Then the compacted mixture is equal to the rule. It is installed on the guides and pulled with light movements to itself. At the same time, it must be shifted in the right or to the left side. The excess mixture is redistributed to neighboring areas. When the floor in the entire room is flooded in this way, do not forget about it.
• It will be necessary to regularly moisten the surface with water, it is allowed to provide shelter with a film. The concrete floor will gain strength a little over a month.

Why do you need a leveling screed

The perfectly flat surface of the concrete floor is not even for all masters. And if such work is done for the first time, then with a greater degree of probability it can be assumed that without irregularities and differences will not do. For the finish coating with ceramic tiles, such flaws are not critical, and they will be hidden with a layer of tile glue. But laminate or linoleum is more picky in this regard.

A smooth surface can be obtained without much effort using self -leveling mixtures. They are divorced according to the instructions, spilled onto the concrete floor and are distributed along its surface with a special brush. A roller with needles will help get rid of air bubbles. After drying (approximately 7 days), the finish coating can be laid.

Concrete floor video

Concrete floors technology

This process is less time -consuming than described above, since it does not require the creation of update.

• The floor slabs are cleaned of garbage, simultaneously conducting inspection for minor defects: chips, cracks, cracks. If one are found, then they need to be embedded. If the overlap is made of wood, then it should be durable and not have large gaps between the boards.
• Next, there are layers of hydro- and thermal insulation, beacons are installed and filling.

Fundamentals of creating a warm concrete floor

If the concrete floor is planned to be made warm, then its layers will look as follows:

• a black screed is created or an overlap is used if it is in good condition;
• waterproofing;
• thermal insulation;
• polyethylene film 200 microns with one layer or two layers of material with its lower density;
• reinforcing mesh;
• the pipes of the warm floor laid in steps from 10 to 30 cm. In order to prevent the pipe displacement relative to the net, they are attached to it with clamps. Where the pipes are in contact with compensation seams, they should be laid in the corrugation;
• from above the floor heating system is closed with a concrete screed;
• if necessary, the surface is aligned and the finish coating is laid.

To contribute to greater heat transfer, it is necessary to very thoroughly level the layer of concrete, exposing the air bubbles. The thickness of the concrete coating above the pipes ranges from 50 to 80 mm, but no more. The addition of plasticizers to the solution will help to avoid cracking concrete from temperature fluctuations. The floor area of \u200b\u200bmore than 40 or 50 m will require the use of a damper tape, which will be laid in compensation seams.

Knowing the principles of creating a concrete floor and compliance with recommendations will help a novice master along with a couple of assistants to carry out any of the above installation methods.