Concrete floor screed: technology, instructions on how to make and pour with your own hands. We fill the floors with a concrete screed: a guide for beginners Reinforced concrete screeds

October 14, 2017 No comments

Concrete flooring is very popular today. Even in private homes where the trend towards wooden floors has been maintained for a long time with the advent of “warm floor” technology, the concrete screed is confidently replacing all other technologies. And all because it has a number of advantages. Concrete floors are strong, durable and withstand heavy loads.

Most importantly, it is not necessary to be a specialist or a construction master with extensive experience to lay a concrete floor screed. But some skills will still be useful to you.

On the finished, properly made, dried screed, a finishing floor is mounted - tiles are laid, laminate is laid, parquet board, lay linoleum.

If you decide to make such a floor yourself, then you still have to learn the technology, stock up on materials and assistants. After all, the robot is often not for one person, but if the area is small, you can do it yourself.

You should know that there are several types of concrete screed.

Connected screed - the most durable because it is made on concrete floors or draft floor with pre-primed surface. Yes, such a concrete floor is very durable, but the heat and sound insulation in it is not very good.

Screed on the separating layer. It is made on a layer of waterproofing (roofing material, mastic) and often with a layer of thermal insulation - mineral wool, polystyrene or another. Such coupler less durable but well insulates sound and retains heat. It is worth considering that in the place of laying a fireplace or stove, do not use insulation, you can only put waterproofing. In this way, we will make a foundation and increase the strength of concrete in the right place.

To increase the strength of a concrete screed, a metal mesh with large cells (3-10 cm) is often used.

But also for this purpose, you can increase the layer of the screed itself, use concrete best brand, reinforce with fiberglass or reinforcement 8-12 mm., making the necessary cells out of it. We tie the reinforcement with wire or weld it by welding. You can also add a plasticizer for this purpose.

It is not always advisable to reinforce concrete floor. In a private house where no heavy loads are expected (bathroom, kitchen), it is quite possible to do without reinforcement.

But in high-rise buildings put into operation, you should definitely take care of high-quality waterproofing. At pouring concrete floor a lot of water is released, which can ruin repairs to neighbors below.

When laying a warm floor, thermal insulation is mandatory, and a special tape must be laid along the walls, which will prevent the floor from cracking during heating and cooling.

Preparatory work

First of all, we remove all debris, if any, remove all falling off parts. We look at the base and evaluate its condition. If the old screed is already very bad, all cracked and falling off in pieces, it is better to remove it. Well, if it holds tightly, you can do it on top of it. The surface is well primed.

Screed by wooden floor has its own nuances. It is better to replace rotten boards, repair cracks, large ones - foam mounting foam. Treat with a primer and make a layer of waterproofing.

Same with preparatory work ah need to set the floor level.

The easiest way to do this is to use a laser level. Using it is very simple - we install it in the middle of the room, turn it on and mark a line on the wall with a pencil along the luminous line from the laser. But if you are not a professional, it will be costly to purchase it.

In this case, you can do with the water level. working with it is a little more difficult, but you get the same result.

water level- transparent and bendable tube. We fill it with water, make sure that there are no air bubbles. Two must be measured. At the first point, we measure a certain distance from the floor (any, for example, 150 cm, so that it would be convenient to work), draw on the wall (We mark it in the corners of the room, it’s easier.). Then one person keeps constantly without shifting his end of the hose (level) and the water level in it at one point, coinciding with the drawn line on the wall. The second at this time adjusts his end of the water level so that the water is leveled in the first and makes a mark in his corner. Using this method, we mark out the entire room, house, apartment, floor - depending on what is needed.

After we measure the same distance down from the marks to hide all the unevenness of the floor, and mark. Bearing in mind that the optimal thickness of the screed is 5-7 cm. We connect the marks with a masking cord. Thus, we get smooth, connecting lines of the future floor around the entire perimeter. On them we will put beacons for the screed.

If the room is small, you can use the usual building level to measure the level of the field.

Installation of beacons for floor screed

The installation of beacons for the screed is necessary for its high-quality performance. With their help, the surface is quite easy to level.

As beacons for screed can be used metal pipes, corners, wooden slats. But it is easier and more reliable to use ready-made beacons sold in hardware stores.

It is not advisable to use wooden slats, as they are easily deformed from moisture and will not allow you to do the job well.

Beacons must be laid directly from the incoming door, that is, perpendicular to the wall with this door. We retreat 15-20 cm from the edge of the walls. The distances between the beacons are 120-10 cm. If the rule is 150 cm. The rule (or at least a flat edged board) is a tool with which we tighten and level concrete. So that the edges of the rule with a margin capture at least 2 beacons.

It is better to install beacons on a thick cement mortar, where it is necessary to put pieces of broken brick, metal or plastic plates. The main thing is that the material does not absorb moisture. Cardboard, wooden trimmings will not work.

To install the beacons, we make a thick cement mortar and with a trowel at the place of the planned installation we impose either in heaps with a distance of 10-20 cm from one another (how many will be taken) or in a straight line without gaps this mortar. We put the lighthouse on top and press it with a building level in such a way as to align the lighthouse horizontally and align it with the markings of the future floor. The excess solution, which we remove above the lighthouse.

Although the beacons are exposed, it is still impossible to fill in the screed, we wait until the next day for the mortar to set.

Purchased beacons are just as easy to install on dowels. We drill a hole, drive in a dowel, put something under the lighthouse for alignment, and screw a self-tapping screw into the driven dowel through the lighthouse. In this case, it must be remembered that the waterproofing, if any, will be broken.

It should also be noted that in some rooms you need a slope of the concrete floor. Then the beacons must be installed with a slope where necessary and not strictly on a horizontal level.

Concrete mix preparation

If you buy a ready-made mixture, be sure to follow all the proportions indicated in the instructions.

But usually for concrete screed use cement-sand mortar, it is not so expensive, and in quality it is not much inferior to ready-made mixtures.

Often, concrete is prepared for floor screed in a ratio of 1 to 3. We take 1 part of cement grade 400 and 3 parts of sand, water - as much as is needed to prepare the plastic mass.

The main thing is that the finished solution should beat with a homogeneous mass that spreads and does not spread.

For the preparation of cement mortar, it is easier to use a concrete mixer.

But if you don’t need too much solution, then cooking with a mixer will do.

Well, you also need to remember that the solution is easy to prepare with a shovel. In this case, the quality will be worse than that of a solution made by a mixer or in a mixer.

It is necessary to pour the entire floor at once, do not leave flaws for tomorrow, since the quality of concrete greatly depends on this.

After preparing one portion, you should immediately proceed to the second. This will make it easier to work with an assistant. While one is preparing the mixture, the second is laying and leveling.

Laying and leveling concrete screed

You should start from the far corner, no matter which right or left. The solution is spread between two beacons. Use a rule (special tool) to distribute the solution.

It is easier to distribute a bunch of mortar with a trowel or a shovel, and then we tighten it with the rule by moving it to the right and left and press it slightly down until its edges rest against the beacons. To simplify the process, use a trowel and grater. Carefully fill in all the gaps. After distributing one portion, proceed to the second and so on until the end of the process of pouring the concrete floor. Do not allow long breaks so that the mortar does not harden.

After a certain time, the concrete floor will dry out a little, so that it would be possible to walk on it without leaving dents (about 12 hours in the summer), we take out the beacons and close up the left recesses with a solution.

When drying, the concrete screed must be moistened 2-3 times a day for several days. Up to 1 week, do not allow heavy loads.

Fully concrete floor dry after 3 weeks. Prior to this, it is not advisable to lay linoleum or parquet, as excess moisture will do its job.

Pouring a concrete floor screed is enough simple work and even one person can do it, but it’s easier for two or three. The most difficult thing is to set the beacons evenly and correctly.

Video: Do-it-yourself concrete floor screed

High-quality concrete floor screed, the manufacturing technology of which is not as complicated as it seems at first glance. To begin with, consider an example of a concrete floor screed, involving the application of a layer of concrete with a thickness of 30 mm.

The concrete screed is poured using a cement-sand mortar with various fillers. Cement is used grades from M75 and above. Crushed stone, gravel or expanded clay is used as a filler. Fractions of stones should not exceed 15 mm in diameter.

Concrete floor screed: manufacturing technology and calculation

Preparing the floor for construction work

Before proceeding with pouring the floor with concrete, it is necessary to remove the old floor covering. Cracks and defects in old concrete must be repaired by patching the damaged areas with mortar. We carry out the final cleaning of the work surface.
The next step is the most important. Since the ideally flat surface of the future screed directly depends on the quality of its implementation.

Having determined the level of unevenness of the old concrete pavement, having calculated the highest point of the concrete pavement, we take up the placement of beacons on the working surface. Lighthouses should be installed at a distance of one meter from each other. Having set and checked the level of all the slats, you can start mixing the cement-sand mortar. This approach in the construction of a concrete screed will make the floor perfectly flat.

When creating a concrete screed with your own hands, you need to take into account that the height differences between rooms can be up to 80 mm. The consumption of concrete will be huge, respectively, and the weight will be the limit for overlapping. Otherwise, you can make a screed in each room separately. In this case, small differences of 25-40 mm can be hidden using special decorative thresholds.

Getting Started with Concrete Floor Screed

The cleaned floor surface must be moistened with water or primed before starting concrete pouring. It should also be taken into account that the minimum thickness of the screed layer at the highest point should be 7 mm.

Otherwise, the concrete floor screed, the construction technology of which has been violated, leads to cracking and other undesirable defects. The guides laid out on the floor allow you to draw out the rule of a perfectly flat surface of the future screed. The distance between two adjacent guides must not exceed the length of the rule.

Preparation and proportions of cement-sand mortar

For pouring the screed, a conventional cement-sand mortar is used. For its preparation, cement is used, grades from M400 and sifted building sand in the ratio (1 portion of cement to 3 portions of sand). The resulting mixture must be thoroughly mixed before use.

For better mixing of the mortar, it is necessary to use a construction mixer, since the screed must be perfectly even without any defects (an excess of cement in one part of the mortar will be accompanied by its absence in the other). This is especially true when pouring screed under ceramic tiles. It must be borne in mind that the dry mortar mixture must be added to the water, and not vice versa.

Thus, we obtain a homogeneous solution, which must be mixed for 5 minutes with a construction mixer or a perforator with a nozzle attached to it. Then we give the solution 1-2 minutes to settle, and then mix again. The solution is ready for pouring the screed.

Before starting the construction of a cement-sand screed, it is necessary to make an approximate calculation of the amount of materials for pouring the coating. It is necessary to proceed from the approximate costs of the material in the amount of: 10 bags of finished, dry cement-sand mixture for 7-8 square meters area with a thickness of 3-4 cm.

Floor screed with expanded clay calculation of materials

Floor screed with expanded clay calculation of materials and cost: expanded clay is an excellent additive to the cement-sand mortar to improve the sound insulation of rooms. The material is able to retain heat indoors.

Basically, expanded clay as a building filler is used when pouring lightweight concrete.

Expanded clay balls are obtained by firing clay in a special industrial drum. The size of the balls varies from 5 to 45 mm. The material is excellent for insulation and filling lightweight floors. To date, a floor screed with expanded clay (calculation of materials with delivery - about $ 100 per 1 cubic meter of the finished mixture) will be more economical in comparison with other types of screed.

Calculation of the necessary materials

Before starting the construction of a concrete screed, it is necessary to calculate the thickness of the required expanded clay layer, as well as the layer of cement-sand screed, which will cover the expanded clay cushion layer. It is also necessary to take into account the loads on the main concrete floor of the building.

On the ground floor, the expanded clay layer should be at least 10 cm. This thickness shows excellent thermal insulation characteristics. Expanded clay is made with different porosity. When used in residential construction, a low-porous material is ideal, which perfectly retains heat indoors.

For insulation of interfloor floors, a layer of expanded clay up to 10 cm thick is sufficient. Based on the data described above, you can make the necessary calculations to find out the exact need for building materials.

One bag of expanded clay, with a volume of at least 0.05 cubic meters, weighs 15-19 kg. The weight of 1m3 of expanded clay is 400 kg. It is easy to make the necessary calculations. For a room with an area of ​​​​20 square meters, with a layer of expanded clay of 10 cm, you will need 20 square meters x 0.1 m = 2.0 cubic meters of expanded clay.

In terms of required amount bags - 2.0 cubic meters / 0.05 cubic meters = 40 bags. For insulation of nutria floors in residential premises, it is better to use expanded clay of different fractions. Such material lays down better and fills the cavities inside the layer, and also prevents shrinkage of the lower expanded clay layer of the screed. Expanded clay can be purchased at any hardware store.

The calculation of the consumption of a cement-sand mixture is quite simple. To do this, use the following mathematical formula. Since approximately 2 kg of mortar is used for 1 mm of screed thickness with an area of ​​1 sq.m., then having a room of 20 sq.m., according to the formula below. Floor screed with expanded clay calculation of materials for construction:
M=S*1mm*1m2*2kg*H/W

• H - screed height;
• W is the weight of the bag;
• M - the required number of bags;
• S is the area of ​​the room.

After the necessary calculations, we get 16 * 1 * 1 * 2 * 50/25 = 64 bags of sand concrete. It is recommended to reinforce the screed with reinforcing mesh over expanded clay. For even better waterproofing, we cover the floor under the screed with plastic wrap.

The list of necessary tools for the construction of a concrete screed using expanded clay:

• - beacons 10 mm wide;
• - hydraulic level;
• - aluminum rule for smoothing the solution;
• - a rule with a level 2 m long.

Do-it-yourself concrete floor screed in the garage

Every car owner dreams of having his own garage, regardless of whether he lives in apartment building or owns own house. There are many ways to make a "home" for your car, but the most economically feasible way is to build a garage with your own hands. In this case, all your wishes will be taken into account, since car care is extremely important.

An ideal garage is a garage built according to an individual project, which takes into account all the requests of the car owner. This article discusses the process of building a concrete screed in the garage. Any high-quality do-it-yourself floor screed in the garage is impossible without compliance with all building requirements.

The main requirements for a concrete screed in the garage are strength and wear resistance. Also important is the resistance to moisture and chemicals(gasoline, oil, auto chemicals, etc.).

Preparation of the base for pouring concrete screed

Any concrete screed based on a cement-sand mortar requires a certain base of sand with a thickness of about 10 - 15 cm. Then you need to lay a dense layer of waterproofing. For this, roofing material or a dense plastic film is ideal. After the waterproofing layer, the idea is a layer of thermal insulation with a thickness of 7 - 10 cm. Polystyrene - the best choice in solving the problem of thermal insulation. It is worth using thermal insulation only when it is planned to heat the garage.

Cement-sand mixture for pouring proportion

After all the above actions - a concrete floor screed (with your own hands in the garage) is almost ready. It remains only to pour the concrete and let it harden.

For pouring the screed, a conventional cement-sand mortar is used. For its preparation, cement is used, grades from M400 and sifted building sand in a ratio (1: 3). Recently, ready-made mixtures for pouring floors have gained great popularity in the construction market. With the help of special additives (fiber fibers, plasticizers), ready-made dry mixes have greater resistance to destruction and allow you to get an absolutely even screed.

When installing beacons and guides, you need to take into account the slope that goes towards the exit from the garage. Typically, the slope should be between 1.5 and 2%. After pouring the screed, it is necessary to allow the concrete to harden for several weeks to gain strength.

How to make a floor screed (expanded clay as the main filler)

Expanded clay - construction material, which is widely used on almost all construction sites in our country. Floor screed using expanded clay improves the thermal insulation of the room. In a private house, expanded clay floor screed will save you money. It is also necessary to adhere to the technology for pouring the screed so that it does not crack.

Kermzit is made from clay, which is fired in a kiln at a very high temperature. A floor screed made of this material is not inferior to the strength of a screed made only of a cement-sand mortar.

Expanded clay is resistant to low temperatures, so this building material can be used in the construction of garages, basements, as well as utility rooms that are not heated in winter.

Before laying claydite in the room where it is planned to fill the floor with expanded clay, it is necessary to fill in a layer of sand 10–15 cm thick. This building material allows you to create lightweight concrete, which significantly reduces the load on concrete, interfloor floors. More detailed instructions floor screeds, see the video.

The screed in the apartment is carried out to level the tiled floor, mask communications, provide a reliable base for laying decorative flooring and for noise and heat insulation of the supporting structure. This article will talk about the features of cement screed and dry backfill. Also will be given practical advice by filling the floor.

The floor screed should level the top layer for further work. But it has other features:

• the draft layer significantly strengthens the lower concrete layer of the floor;
• the fact that the screed is made in a continuous layer guarantees at least some protection against the penetration of noise;
• the layer waterproofs the base, preventing water and evaporation from entering the lower floors to the neighbors;
• inside the screed, you can lay the necessary communications (wiring, water and sewer lines);
• it is easy to integrate heating (electric or water) into the screed, it becomes possible to save on additional heating of the room, and the built-in heat is distributed evenly throughout the concrete slab with greater efficiency;
• the screed raises the floor to the required height.

Types of coatings

cement mortar

A cement screed is called a layer above a concrete slab, it is prepared from sand and cement. This is the basic structure of the floor to prepare the base for the flooring. Cement strainer requires special attention to cooking. Independent mixing cement mortar consists in the combination of cement, sand and water. But the fastest and most convenient way to work with dry mixes, which are sold in the store.

Attention

Cement screed stabilizes the temperature in the house, regulates humidity, and creates additional comfort. A system of warm floors is usually mounted on it. Due to the large thermal inertia, such a heating system cannot be a single one. It is necessary to install additional heat sources. But a comfortable internal climate is regulated by an even screed.

Dry backfill

Leveling the floor occurs due to dry backfilling on the surface of a cleaned, even concrete base. Depending on the purpose, dry screed can be classified into the following types:

1. Alpha. Designed for laying on flat surfaces.
2. Beta. It is laid on a flat floor over a heat-insulating porous-fibrous material.
3. Vega. The floor is done on a dry backfill.
4. Gamma. Installation is carried out on a combined substrate.

Dry screeding is easiest to do in dry weather. Suitable for apartments where the level of condensate is increased, for example, when living on the ground floor. More moisture accumulates there, additional protection of the surface from liquid ingress is required. The dry method is acceptable for humid environments, yet it can be used in other climatic conditions.

It is convenient to use dry technology: after a few days, other materials can be applied on top of it. When it gets stronger, becomes uniform, it will withstand any allowable load.

Concrete coating independently in stages: step by step instructions

Surface preparation

All dirt must be removed from the surface of the base (from the concrete slab), existing construction debris with a vacuum cleaner or walk with a damp cloth over the entire surface. Then a clean layer is well primed. This is done in two approaches:

1. First primed for the first time, waiting for drying, then begin to apply a second layer of primer.
2. After the second layer has dried, a damper tape is applied around the perimeter of the base.

The damper tape will form the desired gap and protect against leakage when applying the solution. A layer of liquid or rolled waterproofing is laid on top. It is important to calculate the base level difference to avoid curvature of the poured base. It will be necessary to choose the thickness of the layer and the correct material for pouring. The level marks the highest points. They stretch the cord along them, make measurements of other, more significant recesses. By drawing up a measurement scheme, you can easily beat off along the perimeter of the line. With small differences (within 2 cm), work is performed with self-leveling mixtures. This rare case. Usually a rough layer is required, which additionally provides sound insulation.

Installation of lighthouses

Beacons must be installed so that the floor surface is 100% evenly filled with concrete. Without them, it will not be possible to level and make the base smooth. Many consider the procedure difficult to perform, but this is not so. The main thing is to fulfill correct measurements, make a diagram. The principle of laying beacons:

1. To work, you need metal profiles. It is necessary to check them in advance for the possible presence of deformations (roughness of parts, difference in length, curvature). All these parameters should not have deviations, otherwise the surface will not be able to level as well as necessary.
2. Beacons are installed at a distance slightly less than the rule. Enough 15 cm from the wall. Lines are drawn at specified intervals.
3. Fixation is carried out on a cement or gypsum mixture. Gypsum dries faster. Cement mortar sets longer.
4. According to the marks from the lighthouses, parts are distributed, according to desired thickness of the applied layer level all surfaces.

Attention

After completion of work, the evenness of the installation of beacons is checked by level. If the level length is not enough for the entire plane, then two rules are used, in the middle of which they place essential tool. Pass across the entire width of the room with measurements.

Mixing the solution

If the thickness exceeds 4-5 cm, it is necessary to carry out reinforcement. It will improve the quality characteristics of the coating. The work is carried out with a special grid, laid at a short distance from the base. To form a gap, use linings from improvised materials. Prepare the mixture for pouring. The quality and comfort of further actions will depend on the correct combination of components. The easiest way to prepare a mortar is to take sand, cement and some water. The proportion according to the standard is 1:3. For 1 bucket of cement, there are 3 buckets of sand. In this case, water must be poured gradually until a homogeneous pasty consistency is formed. The procedure for preparing the solution at home:

1. Dry ingredients are poured into a tray or basin, mixed thoroughly.
2. When the cement and sand are well mixed, water is gradually poured into them in a thin stream.
3. Knead without stopping until the consistency takes on a homogeneous structure (there should be no lumps or solid inclusions).
4. The mixture should not be too thin. To ensure viscosity, you can pour a little more sand.
5. To enhance the properties of the solution, plasticizers are added to it.

fill

After mixing the mixture, the floor covering is prepared for pouring in two stages: to create a rough and finish floor covering. To prepare the rough surface, the solution is kneaded. Stages:

1. The composition begins to be poured from a certain place. To do this, choose a wall remote from the doorway.
2. In the intervals between the beacons, a mixture is applied, distributed over the surface by the rule. With a little pressure on the tool, they are carried out with swaying movements along the floor.
3. Consistently begin to lay the mixture in all the gaps.
4. When the solution has seized, all beacons are removed sequentially. All places that have undergone deformation are covered with the remains of the mixture.
5. The coated layer is left to dry until fully cooked.

Full drying of the solution takes about three days. After this time, you can begin additional work on the formation of the surface, laying tiles, linoleum.

Tools and materials

You will need the following materials:

• Cement. Suitable for rooms with high humidity. This material has a high percentage of shrinkage, and therefore there is a risk of cracking.
• Gypsum. The gypsum-based screed is very flexible and easy to install. Does not shrink, dries quickly. This is an ideal base for pouring underfloor heating.
• Self leveling compound. In a short period of time, it allows you to get a flat surface with a thickness of 3 to 30 mm. The material is designed to form a finish coating.

You need to stock up on the following tools:

• a container for mixing the solution, and for large areas - a concrete mixer;
• level (preferably laser);
• rule;
• spatulas of different lengths and shapes;
• drill with mixer nozzle;
• auxiliary materials (cord, chalk or pencil, meter).

Sand concrete pouring technology

Sand concrete is a dense solution, therefore its use is justified for layers with a thickness of more than 2 cm. For smaller thicknesses, cement-based mixtures are used. A solution of a liquid consistency is poured over the base and leveled naturally. The technology is as follows:

1. A solution of sand concrete is laid out on the beacons.
2. After 8-10 days, a self-leveling floor is poured over it.

It is optimal to lay sand concrete and cement in layers, on top of each other. Sand concrete should dry well, but not completely. Wet material will not take water from the self-leveling floor so much.
Experts advise listening to the following tips:

1. When planning fine finish using a self-leveling compound, you need to ensure a perfectly flat surface. It is not necessary to achieve the glossiness of the bulk mixture, since rough sand particles will not be able to spread across the floor in an ideal layer. There will always be a slightly rough base.
2. Do not allow an excess of water in solutions. At first, when laying, the water mixture seems to be perfect, but over time it shrinks a lot. The surface becomes uneven. With excess moisture, cracks will appear, which then will have to be smoothed out for a long time with a new portion of the mixture.
3. When working, you need to close the windows with curtains so that direct sunlight does not fall on the flooded solution. Do not open doors to avoid drafts.
4. During the period of curing to the extent that it will be possible to walk (3–5 days), it is necessary to exclude the movement of people and pets along it.
5. Beacons should not be removed immediately upon completion of work, but after 2-3 days. The revealed furrows are overwritten with the remains of the prepared mixture.
6. Complete drying occurs after about 28-30 days. You should not start finishing the floor before the expiration of this period.

Concrete screed- one of the most popular bases for laying finishing floor coverings. Tiles, linoleum, carpet, laminate, parquet and parquet board are laid on the screed.

In relation to the bath and sauna, a concrete screed is made before laying the tiles, and also as an intermediate layer when installing a warm wooden floor.

The bonded screed has the greatest strength, which is laid directly on the base coated with a primer to improve adhesion (concrete slab, subfloor, etc.).

The screed on the separating layer implies the presence on the base waterproofing materials(roll, coating or painting). If there is thermal insulation in the "pie", they talk about a screed with an insulating layer. Additional layers greatly reduce heat loss, but such a screed has the lowest strength and can collapse under significant loads. But if you're going to do the floor in own bath, then no special loads on the floor are expected (as a rule, the greatest load creates a furnace that is installed).

To increase the strength of the screed, a reinforcing metal mesh is laid in increments of 40-50 mm or fiber is used. It is difficult to say how expedient it is to strengthen the screed in the bath. If the bath is small, then there is no need to additionally strengthen the floor.

Preparatory work

If there is an old concrete base, you first need to decide whether to remove it or not. If you plan only to repair the concrete floor screed, the old base does not have large cracks and fits snugly to the base, you can treat the surface with a primer and proceed with the installation of beacons or guides.

If the old base crumbles, has swellings and other obvious defects, it must be removed (for this, a puncher, a jackhammer or a chisel with a hammer are used). After completion of work, the surface is cleaned (using construction vacuum cleaner or an ordinary broom), treated with a primer and allowed to dry. The base is ready.

Wood floor preparation

A concrete screed on a wooden floor has its own nuances: it is necessary to carefully repair all existing defects (replace rotten boards or at least turn them over, seal the joints with epoxy putty, and if necessary with mounting foam, treat the joints with sealant on top), cover the wooden floor with a primer with moisture protection or moisture-resistant paint, lay a layer of waterproofing and only then proceed with the installation of beacons.

The use of a bonded screed is unacceptable here: the wood deforms with temperature changes, which will lead to the destruction of the screed laid directly on the floor boards.

Setting the zero level

The main stage of the preparatory work is the determination of the zero level of the floor screed. If you have a laser, no difficulties are foreseen - just turn it on, install it and make marks on the walls along the beam.

The second method is much more labor intensive. It will require a water level or level. Mark a point on one of the walls at an arbitrary height. For example, 150 cm from the floor. Use a water level to mark other walls (at least 2 marks on each). Then, using a chopping paint cord (you can buy a cord and powder paint for it at a hardware store), connect all the dots. We got a line at the same level relative to the horizon (not the floor).

How to work with the water level, see this video

Now, having measured the height from the floor to the line at several points, find the minimum thickness of the screed, which will make it possible to eliminate all irregularities. Usually the measurements will be different. If you take the largest and smallest value, subtract them, you get the same desired value. Please note that minimum thickness of concrete floor screed 7 mm. With a smaller thickness, cracks will soon appear, the concrete will begin to crumble.

Having found the required thickness of the screed, subtract it from the height of the drawn line. For example, the screed should be 4.5 cm. We subtract 4.5 cm from 150 cm, we get 145.5 cm. We measure this distance from the drawn line and draw another line that will serve as a guide when laying beacons and leveling the screed. This line is called the zero level. Beacons or guides are then aligned along it.

Installation of beacons or guides

In order to make the floor as even as possible, use guide rails, or, as they are also called, beacons. These are wooden or metal strips that are installed on the base so that their upper part coincides with the found zero mark.

What are lighthouses made of?

As guides, you can use smooth pipes or special metal flats with perforated edges. They are sold in specialized stores, and they are called "beacons".

It is not recommended to use wooden slats: they absorb moisture from the solution, which negatively affects the strength of concrete. In addition, wood can deform from moisture, which can cause height differences when leveling the screed.

How and what to put

Guides are laid along the walls perpendicular to the one in which the door is located. The distance between them should not exceed the size of the rule used: it slides along the guides, leveling the laid out solution. When leveling the solution, it will need to be moved from side to side, so leave another 10-20 cm in reserve (with a rule length of 150 cm, place the guides through 110-120 cm).

Lay the beacons on the floor at the required distance, prepare the materials that will serve to level them. The selected rails must be installed at the same level so that their top coincides with the found zero level. For this, some materials are placed under the rails.

Someone uses broken bricks, someone uses plastic or metal plates. The use of cardboard, plywood, wood is not recommended due to the moisture content in the solution, which leads to deformation of these materials. Having been saturated with moisture, they can change the thickness, which will cause a warp. The distance between the fasteners should be such that the beacons or guides do not "walk" and do not sag.

When using special screed beacons, they can be leveled with dowels. They are perfectly attached to the existing ledge. In the necessary places, drill holes in the base, insert self-tapping screws. Rotate them to set the required height.

You can use the "grandfather" method. At some distance, "spots" of the solution (thick) are laid. Pressing or installing additional plates, align the bars to the zero mark (using building level) and give time for the solution to “seize”.

Attention! The floor in the steam room and washing should have a slope that will divert water to the drain - keep this in mind when installing beacons. Can be oriented to the top.

Primer

After the beacons are fixed, the solution on the spots is a little frozen, the base can be primed. This will improve the adhesion of the concrete to the base.

The primer is poured onto the base, then spread over the surface with a roller or a wide brush.

If the mortar will be laid on a waterproofing film, carefully seal all joints before installing the beacons, check the entire surface for holes and holes. In this case, the use of dowels is impossible - the tightness is broken, and all work on installing beacons and laying the solution will need to be carried out carefully, without damaging the integrity of the film.

Solution preparation

To make a screed, you can use a self-prepared mixture of cement and sand or buy one of the ready-made compositions. When using ready-made mixtures, dilute it in strict accordance with the instructions. This will guarantee its high reliability.

Ready-made dry mix for floor screed "Diola D-342"

Screed materials

The proportions of sand and cement depend on the brand of cement and the required concrete characteristics. Below is a table that lists them.

Grade of cement	Proportion	Solution brand
600	1:3	M300
600	1:4	M200
500	1:2	M300
500	1:3	M200
400	1:1	M300
400	1:3	M150
300	1:1	M200
300	1:3	M100

Now about the purpose of the grades of the solution and their scope:

• M100 is used to create rough screeds, as well as for pillows under the blocks;
• M150 - for the manufacture of concrete;
• M200 - most often used in private housing construction, used for pouring foundations, screeds in heated rooms, etc.
• M250 - for severe operating conditions - for fences, paths, etc.;
• M300 - has water-repellent and frost-resistant properties, therefore it is most widespread: from pouring foundations to installing repair supporting systems (at);
• M350 - for creating beams and load-bearing walls in multi-storey construction;
• M400 and above are used to create heavy-duty structures.

Below is a table that shows the proportions of concrete using two aggregates: sand and crushed stone. Perhaps someone will want to use such concrete.

A typical mistake in concrete work is to exceed the recommended proportion of cement. Its quantity is increased, in the hope that the concrete will become stronger. The result is the opposite: it cracks, crumbles and quickly collapses. This happens due to the fact that he did not have enough aggregate and / or water to gain normal strength. Therefore, the recommended norms should not be changed.

How to mix

If you want to use the usual mixture of cement and sand, then take 1 part of cement (400 marks) and 3 parts of construction sand for floor screed. First, dry sand and cement are mixed until a uniform color is obtained. Then water is poured into the container (0.5 parts of water per 1 part of cement or 1 liter per 5 kg of the mixture), the mixture is poured, stirring thoroughly (with a trowel or shovel - depending on the volume).

For small volumes, to obtain a homogeneous composition, you can use a construction mixer or a drill with an appropriate nozzle; for large volumes, you need a concrete mixer. Mechanized mixing is necessary according to technology: this is the only way to achieve a uniform distribution of all components.

Note. The strength of concrete made using a concrete mixer or mixer is 50% higher than concrete, the rasters for which were kneaded with a shovel.

As a result, the solution should have a uniform structure and the same color. After finishing mixing, you need to let the composition stand for a while, then knead it again with a mixer.

To obtain a homogeneous mortar, use a construction mixer or a drill with an appropriate attachment

You can check the density by taking a little solution in your hand and clenching your fist. After the hand is unclenched, the solution remains in a lump - it does not flow or crumble. If you pour the solution on the floor, it should spread, but not spread. This consistency is perfect.

Prolonged exposure of the finished solution to air is undesirable. Ideally, as soon as one part has been used, the next one should be ready. This is achievable with an assistant. While one aligns one portion with the beacons, the second prepares a new one. So the screed will be strong and uniform.

Laying mortar and curing concrete

Start laying the solution from the corner farthest from the door. Right or left, everyone decides for himself. A portion of the solution is laid out between the guides, slightly leveling. Then they take the rule and, resting it on the beacons / guides, stretch the mixture, leveling it along the way.

You can simultaneously apply the rule a little to the right and left. So it's a little easier to distribute the composition evenly. Having achieved the filling of all voids, leveling the solution according to the level, lay the next portion, gradually filling the entire space. During work, it is advisable not to take long breaks so that the edges do not have time to harden and “grab”.

If guides were laid, as soon as the concrete becomes hard enough to retain its shape, you can pull them out. Some time later (about a day after laying), the holes remaining after pulling out the guides are sealed with mortar. When using beacons, they are left in the floor and no additional work is required.

Curing

In order for the screed to be strong, concrete needs to harden, not dry. Therefore, the first three to four days at normal humidity and low temperature, the surface of the screed is moistened with water - 2-3 times a day. At high temperatures, the surface is covered with polyethylene foam. It is also necessary to take care that there are no areas with different temperatures: sunlight should not fall (close windows), if work is carried out in winter, heating should not work.

It is advisable to leave the floor unloaded for 3 weeks, but the minimum period is 1 week. If there is a desire to increase the strength of the screed and speed up its "readiness", you can add a plasticizer.

This is the whole process. As you can see, you can make a floor screed with your own hands without even having great experience in construction. The most difficult and troublesome thing is to set up and fix the beacons. The rest of the work is quite simple.

Before installing the concrete floor, reinforced concrete slabs are installed - this is a rough base. Next, a concrete screed is made, which serves as the basis for arranging a finished floor using parquet, laminate, tiles, etc. To make a concrete floor, you should know the technology of its manufacture. After studying the workflow, the novice master will be able to independently create a monolithic floor without outside help.

Screed device

There are classic and floating screeds. In the first case, the concrete slab is not equipped with a layer of soundproof or heat-insulating materials. Floating floors involve pouring the solution directly onto the layer, thereby the product is not fixed with the subfloor. A floating screed with a soundproof layer is installed mainly in apartments on floors above the first. The floor base with a heat insulator is made in private homes. Concrete screed device in detail:

Typically, the thickness of the concrete floor is at least 4.5 cm and not more than 10 cm. For a better base, it is recommended to use class 32.5 cement. Crushed stone is selected M300. The sand must be free of debris and other dirt.

Components for creating a solution

Concrete according to the standard is made from water, cement, sand and crushed stone in a certain ratio. They are mixed with a concrete mixer into a single liquid mass. A screed without crushed stone is usually made up to 4 cm thick. If the homeowner wants his floor to be light, then lightweight materials with a porous structure are used - vermiculite and perlite. Special fillers significantly reduce the weight of the screed. Such floors are widely used on the 4th or 5th floors.

Porous fillers tend to absorb moisture strongly. Therefore, water for the manufacture of the solution should be added in a minimum volume. It is necessary to bring the solution to a plastic state. When creating a solution, the ratio of components must be accurate. Expanded clay screeds are also used in private homes, since such a porous material has insulating properties.

For private houses, a light screed is made 10-15 cm thick. Then a crushed stone concrete floor is mounted on top. The quality of the coating is affected not only by the brand of cement and gravel. In order for the product to be used for a long time, the exact ratio of components should be adhered to: cement - 1 part, sand - 2 parts, crushed stone (M400) - 3-4 parts.

Exist different markings crushed stone and cement grades. Basically, builders use crushed stone M300-M400. Cement class - 32.5. Too much crushed stone is undesirable, but its small concentration is not recommended either. If there is little crushed stone, and the floor thickness is 10 cm, then the concrete may crack.

Do not use cement, the expiration date of which has passed. Such material is collected in lumps. Even if all proportions are observed, the screed will turn out to be of poor quality, it will crumble and crack. Therefore, when buying cement, you should always pay attention to the date of manufacture. There are fewer requirements for sand and water. The sand must be sifted, and the water must be clean and free of dirt.

Varieties of concrete bases

Builders mainly produce floating and classic screeds. However, there are a few more varieties of concrete floors:

• floating;
• draft;
• related;
• finishing.

The base base is made from reinforced concrete slabs overlap. It mainly serves to raise the floor or level. Its average thickness is 7 cm. If a workshop or similar structure is being built, then the solution is created from M300 crushed stone. Be sure to install a reinforced frame. For private houses, expanded clay is mainly used, which serves as an insulating layer.

Finished concrete floor screed is designed to eliminate the smallest defects. Due to it, an ideal surface is created. Then mounted on it floor material: tile, linoleum, parquet. Such a floor is made only of sand and gravel. For the viscosity of the solution, plasticizers are used. The layer of the finishing base does not exceed 3 cm. Fiber or thin fiber is used as reinforcement. metal grid.

The associated screed is considered fast way floor manufacturing. It is made on a rough base and firmly adheres to the surface of the plates. There is one minus: if the house shrinks slightly, then the screed will begin to crack. This should be remembered before choosing this type of product. The problem can be solved by a waterproofing layer. To do this, a welded roofing material is taken and attached to a rough concrete surface. A damper tape is mounted on the walls for the thickness of the screed. The floating floor is not in danger of cracking, as it will not adhere to the base and walls of the house.

Process Requirements

When carrying out such work, certain rules must be observed: there should be no drafts in the room, the room should not be subjected to temperature changes, the reinforcing mesh must be installed correctly, coarse chips and cracks must be eliminated in the rough base. The surface before work is cleaned of debris and dust. The latter should be removed with a damp cloth.

Do not make the screed too thick, otherwise it will adversely affect load-bearing walls. Therefore, it is recommended to make a simple project, which will indicate the thickness of the floor, the amount of material used, etc. When building from scratch multi-storey buildings the following sequence of work must be observed:

• wiring is done water pipes, plumbing accessories are installed;
• Reinforced concrete slabs are cleaned of debris and dirt;
• the zero level of the base is calculated and measured;
• the draft floor is treated with a primer and dried.

If a dacha is built from scratch, then the surface of the earth is leveled, watered and compacted. A layer of crushed stone and sand, the layer of which is 10 cm, is laid on the ground for 15 cm. Each stacked layer is spilled with water and compacted. Then experts make markings and find the zero level. Then they cover the surface with waterproofing and construct metal carcass for later filling.

After the operational life of the concrete screed has expired, it is necessary to start its restoration. Flooring is removed, the concrete is inspected, large cracks and other defects are detected. Cracks must be flared and filled with concrete. After repair, the base should be filled with a self-leveling screed.

Do-it-yourself floating concrete screed involves applying a deposited roofing material to the rough coating. Then the metal mesh is mounted. A novice concrete worker will be faced with the need to seal pipe outlets from under the floor. On concrete around protruding communications, gaps should be smeared with sealant or mastic. A damper tape is glued along the perimeter of the walls. Heat insulators are mounted at the request of the owner of the house. If the floor provides for a heat-insulating layer, then a primer is first applied to the coating, a plastic film is laid and insulation is laid.

step by step work

In this example, a floating floor will be built in a private house on pre-laid reinforced concrete slabs with insulation. First, the rough surface is cleaned. It is desirable to perform it in turn in each room. If you clean all the rooms at once, and the process of installing the screed will take some time, then the rest of the rooms will be covered with dust, and this is a violation of technology.

Next, material for work is purchased, which must immediately be unloaded to a place convenient for carrying. The concrete mixer is installed near the entrance to the room. She should be closer to working area otherwise, carrying concrete from a long distance will quickly exhaust you. Buy metal profiles. As a rule, they have a T-shape. Now the necessary tools are being prepared:

• level at least 200 cm long;
• tape measure, which can be used to measure the entire length of the room;
• rule at least 200 cm long;
• damper tape;
• self-tapping screws;
• perforator;
• dry mix Rotband;
• cord.

First, roofing material is fused onto the slabs. It is advisable to install the guide screws as accurately as possible. The permissible error is 4 mm. The installation process looks like this:

In this way, a warm concrete floor screed is made by hand. The expanded clay base dries out for about a week.

Installation of mesh and beacons

Now beacons and a reinforcing mesh are mounted on the expanded clay surface. It is desirable to choose a frame without rust. Lighthouses should not be arched. Correct step by step work:

Job is done. It remains to check the evenness of the guides with a thread. They must be in the same plane. An error of no more than 2 mm is allowed.

Concrete making

If crushed stone M300 is used, then 1 bucket of cement, 2 buckets of sand and 3 buckets of crushed stone are taken. A little is added to the solution. detergent- this will provide concrete viscosity. You can use a plasticizer. Concrete screed pouring technology:

Thus, the entire area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe room is filled. In the process of work, it is desirable to compact the concrete with a trowel. This promotes the release of oxygen and liquid from it. At the final stage, it is necessary to make a solution of water, 1 part cement and 2 parts sand. The resulting liquid mixture must be shed concrete and leveled with a rule. This will help enhance coverage.