The cheaper it is to level the floor in the apartment. How to level a wooden floor: how to level an old wooden floor with your own hands

Shaking, crookedly standing furniture, a bouncing washing machine - all this is a consequence of an unevenly laid floor. Its alignment should be the very first procedure when carrying out repairs.

Leveling the wooden base

The procedure for replacing a wooden floor is as follows:
1. Using a crowbar and an ax, baseboards and old flooring are removed. All construction debris under the floor is removed. Before laying new floors, be sure to seal with cement mortar all cracks and crevices in concrete screed.

Old rotten floors are removed

2. Rotten old ones lags(wood beams with a cross section of 110 mm or more, used as a base for flooring) and destroyed from time to time floorboards are thrown away.

3. To replace the lag is selected square bar. In this case, the height of the lag should be 1.5 times greater than their width. The size of the section of the bars depends on the width of the room in which they will be installed.

Calculation of the lag section

4. Before laying, the logs should be treated with an antiseptic and waterproofing: drying oil or bitumen. Impregnation would be a cheaper option. used engine oil.

5. Wood absorbs moisture very quickly, so you should not install logs directly on concrete. They are placed on waterproofing layer(roofing material, film or bituminous mastic).

6. To ensure ventilation, the logs must be laid at a distance of 5 cm to the concrete floor or floor beams. Bricks or wooden blocks are used as linings for logs.

Laying lag on bricks

Laying lag on wooden bars

Important! To prevent the logs from absorbing moisture from the walls, a gap of 2-3 cm must be left between them and the wall.

7. If necessary, a layer is laid between the lags heat or sound insulation. Styrofoam or expanded polystyrene are excellent heat insulators, but they will not protect against the penetration of extraneous sounds into the apartment. As a soundproofing material, it is better to use mineral wool.

Laying between the lags of mineral wool

8. To lay the logs perfectly evenly, apply along the walls along the water or laser level horizontal markings.

Drawing markings on the walls

9. When laying out the lag, you should also control their location building level. If necessary, the logs are trimmed to the required height. Distortions can also be corrected lining made of wood or fiberboard. To protect against their displacement during the operation of the floor, they must be attached to the base.

10. Floorboards are used as a subfloor. Their thickness depends on the distance between the lags.

Choice of floorboards

11. When laying the floor slats, the horizontal position of their location is also verified by the level.

Important! You should not buy uncured material. Board moisture prepared for flooring should be 12%. An overdried rail can crack, and a wet one will gradually dry out, and cracks will appear in the floor.

Leveling with concrete screed

Bulk mixes are quite an expensive material, so they are used only to even out small differences. With a significant difference in floor height, a concrete screed is used.

1. If available in the old screed large influxes they are removed with a jackhammer or sledgehammer. If they are left, the floor will have to be raised to a height equal to the height of the influx.

2. Before starting the pouring of a new layer, the old floors are cleaned of dust and debris. To prevent moisture from the solution from being absorbed into the floor, a layer of screed is laid before a layer of screed: a plastic film or roofing felt, which are placed with a slight overlap on the walls. If waterproofing is not provided, you can moisten the old concrete with a little water.

Waterproofing concrete screed

3. To obtain a flat horizontal surface, the floors are leveled along lighthouses: metal profiles laid out on the floor strictly horizontally. They are placed on stamps"(slapping a thick solution). The height of the imposition of "brands" is regulated by the level.

Arrangement of lighthouses

4. Since the mortar is leveled with a special tool - a construction rule, - the distance between two beacons (guides) should be equal to its length. (The rule is a strong 1-3-meter strip of metal, narrowed along its entire length).

Alignment by beacons by rule

5. To strengthen the screed when applying too much mortar, it is reinforced metal mesh.

Screed reinforcement

Leveling with bulk mixtures

For rough leveling of the floor, you will need a bulk mixture made on the basis of cement. A gypsum mixture that can absorb moisture is mainly used for laying parquet. Expensive translucent or colored polymer solutions ("liquid linoleum") are used as a fine finish and are poured only on a previously leveled surface.

Subfloor leveling compound

1. The technology for applying a bulk mixture of any composition is approximately the same. "Liquid" floors are poured only on a carefully prepared surface, cleaned of debris and processed primer deep penetration. They can be laid on concrete slabs or cement screed. It is allowed to pour the mixture on wooden floors or ceramic tiles.

Primer floor treatment

2. With an excess or lack of water, the distribution of the mixture over the surface will be uneven, so you should strictly observe breeding proportions indicated by the manufacturer on the package. Stir the solution as thoroughly as possible, until the lumps are completely dissolved. For these purposes, it is more convenient to use a drill with a nozzle or a construction mixer.

The solution should be thoroughly mixed

3. Acceptable temperature in the room where the mixture will be used is indicated by the manufacturer.

4. The mixture begins to be poured from the farthest wall, located opposite the entrance. In order to avoid height differences, its laying should be continuous.

Filling the mixture

5. For uniform distribution of self-leveling floors, use a wide spatula or rule attached to the handle. In order to remove air bubbles, the solution is additionally treated needle roller.

Leveling of self-leveling floors

Needle roller processing

Important! Rolling and leveling the floors must be done before the mortar sets. Otherwise, the drying mixture will warp.

6. Drying time for bulk mixtures - 2-3 days. In order for the floors to dry evenly, there should not be too large temperature differences and drafts in the room.

When carrying out major repairs in an apartment, the question always arises: what to do with the floors? If you plan to lay new laminate or tile, or simply change the linoleum flooring, it is imperative to level the floor before doing so. Carrying out such work is necessary, since the quality and durability of the future coating depends on their implementation. How to level the floor in the apartment and can you do it yourself?

Dry and bulk methods

The preservation of the appearance of the future flooring and its service life directly depend on the preparation of the base. Sometimes it is enough to carry out alignment with the help of a substrate: this option is suitable for covering soft linoleum. Tiles and laminate require more careful preparatory work, as they can swell even due to a very small unevenness.

Now builders use several methods in finishing work, the choice of a specific method depends on the presence of a slope and differences between levels. The floors are leveled dry or bulk.

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With the dry method, logs and crossbars are placed and fixed on a previously cleaned floor. Sheets of plywood, pre-treated with an antiseptic, are laid on the resulting lattice, and then the seams are poured with sealant.

For a self-leveling floor, or a “wet floor”, special building mixtures are used, the main characteristic of which is the solidification time. When pouring a large surface, it is impossible to fill it completely at once; in such cases, limiters are purchased, with which the floor is divided into sections. The use of this method is justified with level differences up to 3 cm.

What is the best way to level the floor in the apartment? Among the main methods that are most often used, there are:

• Special self-leveling compounds;
• Cement-sand screed;
• Plywood alignment.

Use of special mixtures

First you need to make a base by laying the logs. In the case of a wooden floor, check the fastening of all boards, if any of them are springy, they must be firmly screwed to the logs with self-tapping screws. The heads of the self-tapping screws must be deepened inward - below the floor level, otherwise they themselves may cause damage to the future laminate flooring.

The base of the floor is cleaned of old paint and debris; at the end of the cleaning, they must be polished.

If there are gaps or voids between the boards, it is recommended to coat them well with acrylic-based putty. After the surface has dried and is ready for the next work, it is necessary to treat it with a moisture-proof primer. In preparation for pouring the floor, the walls are pasted over with waterproofing.

Waterproofing is necessary for many types of screed.

In the case of concrete floor slabs in the apartment, the surface is also cleared of all kinds of debris, and the existing cracks are filled with a ready-made mixture solution. After complete drying of the filled cracks, the surface is also pre-primed.

After completion of the preparatory stage, it is necessary to establish the level of the future floor. To do this, you need to read the manufacturer's instructions for the mixture chosen for pouring the floor. The thickness of the fill must not exceed the value specified by the manufacturer.

Mesh to strengthen the screed.

To mark the level in the doorway to the room, a bar is installed, equal in height to the thickness of the future floor. If you need to not only level the surface, but also raise it, then you will have to fill the mixture in two stages. To make the floor more durable, a reinforced mesh is attached to the wooden base. The mesh is fastened with a construction stapler with an overlap of at least 5 cm.

You can also fill the floor with a special mixture yourself, difficulties may arise during the preparatory work. If you doubt that you can handle it yourself, then it is better to call a floor leveling specialist in apartments.

Building materials stores offer a large selection of dry mixes for the preparation of self-leveling mortars with certain characteristics: accelerated or delayed curing, mixtures for deep leveling in the presence of serious irregularities.

The mixture solution for pouring is prepared according to the manufacturer's instructions. Following the instructions in the instructions is very important to obtain a quality result. It is necessary to use the mixture immediately after preparation - the time of use is also prescribed in the instructions.

Self-levelling floor compounds are special self-levelling compounds on which the floor covering is laid after curing. The composition of the mixture itself includes several components:

• Binders (gypsum or cement is used);
• Aggregate (this role is played by fine-grained sand);
• Special additives (affect the ease of installation, the rate of solidification of the mixture);
• Glue, pigments.

How to level the floors in the apartment with a prepared composition? The prepared base with reinforced mesh is poured with mortar. Then, with a spatula and a rubber squeegee, the mixture is distributed over the surface and finally leveled. If necessary, the needle roller releases excess air. After all the described procedures, it remains only to wait for the mixture to solidify completely and proceed to the installation of the floor covering.

Cement-sand screed

This method of leveling the floor surface is traditional. As a result of the work, you will receive a solid and reliable foundation for future flooring.

The order of work with a cement-sand screed is as follows. First, as well as when using mixtures, the surface must be cleaned: elements of the old finish, paint, debris are removed. The entire base is carefully primed.

Then, before pouring the solution, it is necessary to install special beacons in the form of T-shaped profiles. They are attached to a thick cement-sand mortar, you will be guided by these beacons during the pour itself. It is important to allow the solution to dry completely so that the fixtures do not move further.

Necessary steps for the installation of a cement-sand screed.

How to level the floor in the apartment with a cement-sand mortar? The solution is poured between two beacons in the far corner. Then, using a long rule, it must be distributed over the entire surface, while controlling the uniformity of distribution.

It is necessary to work as a rule not only along the lighthouses, but also not to forget about circular movements: this will help the solution fill all the voids.

Many people can cope with a cement-sand screed, it is very important to properly ensure its further drying. Among the main recommendations, it is necessary to note the processing of the filling with a wet roller on the second and third days of construction work. After the screed has dried, when it is already possible to walk on it, it will be possible to remove the beacons.

When the screed dries, it must be constantly moistened.

The voids formed after them are filled with a ready-made solution. The floor is then covered with polyethylene and continues to be treated with a wet roller every two days. For complete drying of the screed, it is recommended to withstand it for 2-4 weeks, after which you can start laying the floor covering.

Dry screed and plywood installation

Using the dry screed method is the easiest option for leveling floors. How to level the floor in the least time-consuming way? If you decide to do all the work yourself, then you can deal with a dry screed without experience in this kind of construction work. As materials, you will need bulk material and plywood sheets. Expanded clay or sand is suitable as bulk material; expanded polystyrene can be used for these purposes.

All work, similar to the previous version of the floor screed, begins and its cleaning and priming. The concrete base is cleaned of debris and impregnated with a primer to improve waterproofing characteristics. After the primer has completely dried, the floor is covered with polyethylene: its sheets are overlapped and fastened with adhesive tape. On the walls it is necessary to leave an overlap of a film measuring 15 cm.

For reference, beacons are installed, for which inverted U-shaped metal profiles for drywall structures are taken. After installation, the floor of your apartment is divided into cells. The selected bulk material is poured into these cells, which must be carefully aligned with the rule.

Installation of plywood sheets.

Plywood sheets must be fixed on top of the bulk material. It is recommended to choose FC class 4/4 plywood. Instead, you can use gypsum fiber boards, characterized by excellent moisture resistance, sheets of fiberboard or chipboard. The choice of material depends on the preferences of the owner of the apartment. The joints between the sheets are coated with sealant. As a result of the work carried out, a smooth and warm floor is obtained, ready for further finishing.

If you need to level the wooden floor

How to level the floor in the apartment if it is wooden? This can be done using self-leveling compounds, but the most popular way in this case is to lay plywood sheets on logs.

The floor surface is cleaned, then beacons are installed - for this you can use ordinary self-tapping screws. Self-tapping screws are screwed in with a screwdriver at the corners of squares with a side of 30 cm. All beacons are installed at the same level. After that, logs begin to be laid on the floor - plywood strips 3-4 cm wide.

Logs are attached to the floor surface with wood glue (a PVA carpenter will do) or simply with self-tapping screws. Before laying, plywood sheets are cut into identical squares with a side of about 60 cm. Squares with delamination cannot be used to level the floor; it is better to replace them immediately. The resulting plywood sheets are installed on the logs so that their joints fall exactly on the logs.

Laying plywood is recommended to be carried out with an offset so that four joints do not connect at one point. To do this, plywood squares can be cut a little. If it is planned to lay tiles in the future, then the plywood sheets need to be roughly sanded and varnished. If the floor is being leveled for laminate flooring, it is recommended that a polyethylene or cork underlay be applied to the plywood before covering.

How best to level the floor in the apartment with your own hands depends on the time available and the experience of such work. Dry screed requires less time and is less labor intensive than other options. Bulk leveling is convenient when installing a warm floor, since if necessary it will be easier to get to the installed heating elements. This floor leveling method is suitable for do-it-yourself work.

Cement-sand screed takes a long time to dry completely. The strength of such a floor will largely depend on the provision of all conditions for the drying of the solution. If improperly processed, the cement may crack. The use of self-leveling mixtures requires experience in similar work, because if the mixture is poorly distributed, voids may form in the mortar layer. To level the floors in these ways, it is better to contact specialists.

Leveling the concrete floor from 0-3 cm.

1. The first thing to do, regardless of coverage, is to prepare. Remove all debris, dust, etc. and prime the floor.

2. Having decided on coverage and finances, we decide how to prepare the floor. If we level the floor in one level throughout the apartment, then with the help of a level, laser level or hydro-level, we measure the floor difference throughout the apartment; if in one room, then we measure the difference only in this room.

3. To find out the floor difference in the apartment you need:

using a level.

We mark a line on the wall, with one end we substitute the level to this line by aligning it, and with a pencil we draw a line from one end of the level to the other, transfer the level to the end of the line, align it and draw further and so on along the entire perimeter of the room or apartment. After that, we take a tape measure and measure the height from the floor to the line, the place where the distance will be the smallest and will be the highest point.

using a laser level.

Draw a line with a laser level

We mark a line on the wall, turn on the laser level, set the laser beam to the line and gradually turning the level 360 degrees draw lines along the beam, then turn off the laser, take the rule and putting it exactly from line to line draw a line around the entire perimeter. After that, we take a tape measure and measure the height from the floor to the line, the place where the distance will be the smallest and will be the highest point. Approximately the same is measured by the hydro-level.

With a difference of up to 5-10 mm, alignment is carried out using

self-levelling or bulk gender. An apartment of 40 square meters takes an average of 15-20 bags (25 kg), with a price per bag of 220 rubles + -4000-6000 rubles. The process of filling with such compositions is very simple: we mix the composition with water using a drill in the amount indicated on the bag, and pour it onto the floor so that the mixture is distributed over the floor in approximately equal proportions. After that, we roll the filled part with a needle roller, knead the next solution and pour it further, again rolling it with a needle roller, so we repeat until the floor is completely filled. When working, it is necessary to observe the uniformity of mixing proportions, since at different densities the solution will spread differently and drops may appear after drying. The spiked roller is just what is needed so that the mixture is evenly distributed over the floor. Seizing occurs on average in a day, in wet rooms up to 2-3 days. After drying, as a rule, there are in some places small differences of 1-2 mm, which are tightened with the help of a rule. A little solution is poured at the drop point and, using the rule, the solution is pulled across the floor until it is completely leveled, if necessary, the remainder of the solution is removed with a spatula.

With a floor difference of 1-3 cm

Alignment is done using equalizer for floor , couplersfor the floor, you can also adhesive for tiles , with help beacons. Leveler, glue and screed are sold at any hardware store, the weight of the bags is 25 kg, the screed is a little cheaper around 150 r, the rover is 160-170 r. The screed fraction is slightly larger, but, to be honest, this practically does not affect the work. If the floor will be reinforced with a mesh, then the mesh must be spread in front of the beacons, the beacons are placed on top, on the mesh. Beacons are 6 and 10 mm wide and 3 m long. We expose beacons:

1. We find the highest point in the room and set the first beacon based on this height. The mixture I use to set up the beacon is 50% of any tile adhesive + 50% of any plaster (usually gypsum plaster). Such a composition sets within 15-30 minutes, this is quite enough to set up 2-3 beacons. for a longer setting, I use rotgypsum or a similar plaster composition, here the setting time of the solution is about 40 minutes. Glue and plaster are added to a container with water, kneaded with a mixer until a thick, homogeneous composition (very thick sour cream).

Checking the exposed lighthouse

2. The mixture is applied to the floor, with paws, after 20-40 cm, to the length of the beacon, put the beacon on the paws and press it to the floor, while leveling it. Given that at the top of the floor, the beacon should lie almost completely on the floor, this will avoid an extra layer and, as a result, unnecessary spending on material and work. The first lighthouse is usually placed 15-20 cm from the wall in the length of the room. Then, if necessary, they put the second and third beacons, and so on until the end of the room. It turns out such a straight line of lighthouses.

Having set the beacons, we also check the level.

The bubble should be in the center

3. Parallel to it, to the width of the level or rule, we retreat the distance, and set the next line of beacons, while also aligning all the beacons by level. When the second line is finished, we expose the third, and so on.

4. When the beacons are set, we begin to pour the floor. We begin to fill the floor from the far end of the room to the exit. Pour the leveling agent or screed into a bucket of water, in the ratio indicated on the bag, since the ratio for each solution is different. We knead with a mixer, after which the solution is poured between the beacons, put the rule on the beacons, level the solution, stretching it towards you. So gradually fill the entire floor. The next day, when the screed grabs, we stretch the rule along the screed (with its sharp edge), removing all bumps, protrusions, etc. Then again we remove all the garbage, primed.

Filling the floor with tile adhesive

5. If necessary, for perfect alignment, the floor is stretched again (possibly twice) with a self-leveling floor, under the rule. That is, a solution bulk , self-levelling gender, possibly liquid glue for tiles in small portions it is poured onto the floor and stretched along it as a rule. In this way, you can achieve a perfectly flat surface.

6. The floor dries out within 5-10 days. It is recommended to spill it with water or cover it with polyethylene.

Another way, little known to anyone, is how to set up plaster beacons. It is suitable for both floors and walls.

Plaster beacons , are good in that they allow you to save a lot on material and, accordingly, the time spent on work. The fact is that store beacons (galvanized) are at least 6 mm wide, that is, when you put them on, you have a floor height of at least 6 mm, and a plaster beacon can be made up to 2-3 mm. Make it like this;

we find the top point of the floor, knead the plaster to the consistency of sour cream (Perfix mounting glue is better, they cover the seams in drywall, but other plasters can also be used), we apply the plaster on the floor, in a straight line, about 5 cm wide, starting from the top point, we apply the profile 27 * 28 with the stiffening ribs up and press it into the plaster line along the level so that the profile at the top point practically touches the floor, we remove the solution that has crawled out from under the profile with a spatula. If the beacon needs to be extended, then the mixture is applied further, the next profile is laid, pressed in level, etc. As a result, a straight line of profiles in one level should be obtained. Now, parallel to this line, a little less than the width of the rule, we make the next line at the same level as the first, and so on. After the plaster has set, the profiles are removed, plaster beacons remain on which the floor is poured. In order for the solution to set faster, you can add a little glue for tiles (setting occurs in 10-20 minutes, depending on how much glue is added).

The technical characteristics of concrete floors must meet the requirements of SNiP 2.03.13-88 and the recommendations of the manual in the development of existing rules and regulations. Unfortunately, not all builders perform their work with high quality; during the laying of the finish coating, you have to deal with the correction of the admitted marriage.

Concrete floors can be leveled with self-levelling mortars, cement mortar screeds or ceramic tile adhesives. Under linoleum and carpet, the leveling of concrete floors is considered a mandatory operation; under ceramic or stone tiles, the decision is made based on the actual state of the supporting base. All floors installed on logs can be laid without prior leveling of concrete bases.

In the article we will consider several examples of leveling using various materials, taking into account the actual condition of the floors.

The composition of modern materials for leveling concrete floors includes several components, along with high mechanical strength of the mixture, they have good spreadability, ease of use, low shrinkage, resistance to various chemical compounds, manufacturability and relatively low cost.

Most of the existing brands meet the requirements of consumers, during the selection, the main attention should be paid to the following factors:

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

After all the questions have been answered, you can begin work on leveling the concrete floor. To perform the work, you will need a suitable self-leveling floor, a primer, a construction mixer for preparing the mixture, a mortar container, a powerful (preferably industrial) vacuum cleaner, needle and paint rollers, a wide stainless steel spatula, a laser or water level, dowels for beacons, damper tape, tape measure, ordinary bubble level or rule.

Step 1. Count the amount of materials. To do this, first find out the maximum difference in height of the concrete floor. When checking its status, you need to use a long level or rule. Apply tools around the perimeter of the room, in the center and diagonally, keep the level in a horizontal position. The clearance is determined by eye or with a tape measure. The more lines that are tested, the more accurate the final results.

The minimum thickness of the leveling layer should be within 2-3 mm, add the maximum height of the irregularities to this value. The thickness of the liquid screed should be 2–3 mm greater than the height of the maximum irregularities.

Practical advice. In order to save expensive material, it is recommended to cut down the highest ledges. Preliminary mechanical alignment saves 25-30% of the material.

Step 2 Foundation preparation. The branded strength of the material for the leveling layer should not exceed the strength of the concrete base by more than 50 kg/m2. You can check the strength of the base with an ordinary coin. Draw two perpendicular lines on the concrete with the edge of a coin at an angle of about 30 ° to the surface, if the lines are even and without chips, then the base has sufficient strength for leveling work. The presence of a deep furrow, the appearance of chips at the intersection of the lines indicates that the strength of the base does not meet current standards. In this case, it is impossible to simply level the concrete floor, it is necessary to fill in one more layer according to SNiP. If the floor height does not allow this, then the old layer will have to be completely removed. It is very long and expensive.

Why is foundation strength so important? If the leveling layer is much stronger, then during shrinkage it will tear the weak base, the filling will peel off. There is a way out - to do the alignment with a weak solution. But it can only be used under hard topcoats, this option cannot be used for soft ones.

Removing the old screed is the best solution

Step 3 Clean the concrete floor. You need to remove dust, dirt, all loose elements of the concrete floor. Remember that the cleaner the base, the higher the adhesion of the leveling layer.

Step 4 Seal large gaps a day before leveling. Clean them from the remnants of old material, remove dust and moisten a little. Cracks can be sealed with the same mortar that is used to level the concrete. Clog them tightly, do not leave air pockets. You can level with a trowel or a small spatula.

Step 5 Prime the surface. The primer should be for concrete surfaces only. Due to it, not only the adhesion of the two materials improves, but also the indicators of hydroprotection improve, which is very important for floors in residential premises. It is necessary to prime with a roller, in hard-to-reach places use a paint brush. If the primer is absorbed very quickly, then the operation will have to be repeated. The second layer of primer is applied only after the first has completely dried, the time depends on the brand of material, temperature and humidity in the room.

Step 6 Glue foam polyethylene damper tape around the perimeter of walls, columns, interior partitions. It compensates for thermal expansion, prevents swelling and cracking of the leveling layer.

Important. If the room has a large area, then shrinkage seams should be made. They are located at a distance of about three meters, the lines should be parallel, at the intersection the angle is only a straight line. Damper joints can be made in advance using metal profiles or cut through the next day after pouring the solution. Remember that the second option is accompanied by a lot of noise and dust.

Step 7 Find the horizon level on the wall. It is much easier and faster to do this with a laser level, if you don’t have one, then use a water level. Set the laser level in the center of the room, bring a horizontal beam to the walls. Using a tape measure, mark at the desired height from the concrete floor surface.

Step 8 Screw self-tapping screws into the concrete floor to control the height of the leveling layer. Beacons should be in the corners and along the lines of the room, the step between the rows is approximately one meter. First, fix the dowels against the walls, the height is set according to the marks. Then, between the extreme opposites, pull the rope and install all the other dowels along it. If you do not have strict requirements for the horizontal fill, then you can not install beacons.

Step 9 Prepare a solution. The proportions are indicated by the manufacturer on the packaging, follow his recommendations. Water is always poured into the container first, and then the dry mixture is added. It is advisable to pour the mixture with the mixer on, this will help minimize the number of lumps and allow you to constantly control the consistency of the solution. Mix the material thoroughly and leave it for 5-10 minutes. for insistence. During this time, all the smallest lumps of cement are completely saturated with water. At the same time, chemical curing reactions are started. After infusion, stir the mixture again a little.

Important. Do not allow an overdose of water, this significantly reduces the strength indicators. One more thing. Accurately calculate the volume of the solution with your performance, consider the recommended use time. Keep in mind that once the solidification process has begun, it is impossible to stop it, and adding water to the thickened mass only exacerbates the situation. On average, a freshly prepared mixture should be used within half an hour.

Step 10 Start pouring the solution. Start pouring from the far wall of the room and move towards the exit. Pour the solution from a height of 20-30 cm, avoid large splashes. Move the bucket in a zigzag manner, do not leave large gaps. The width of the strip is approximately 40 cm, you should easily level it with a spatula. Each subsequent portion of the material should overlap the previous one by about five centimeters. Constantly monitor the marks on the wall and the markers from the dowels, if necessary, increase the thickness of the mass or disperse the excess over the free area.

Step 11 As the flooded area expands, roll it with a spiked roller. It removes air bubbles and improves the adhesion of the mass to the concrete base. The length of the needles of the roller should be several millimeters greater than the maximum thickness of the application of the solution. Keep this in mind when purchasing the instrument.

Practical advice. To increase the strength of the leveling layer, it is necessary to prevent direct sunlight from entering the room, close windows and doors to prevent drafts. If this is not done, then some areas will lose moisture much faster than is necessary for optimal conditions for chemical reactions to occur. In these places, the strength of the layer becomes significantly lower than expected.

After complete hardening, the floor surface can be covered with any soft coatings or pasted over with ceramic tiles. But it should be borne in mind that leveling with bulk materials according to the above technology will always have deviations from horizontal within ± 1.5–2 mm. Is it possible to level concrete floors with perfect precision? It is possible, but for this you should use a different technology for the production of work.

Prices for self-leveling floor compounds

self-levelling floor compounds

Alignment of the concrete floor on the lighthouses

This method takes a little longer, but guarantees a perfectly horizontal surface. The most difficult thing is the creation of lighthouses. For this process, we will give detailed instructions. For work, only a laser level is needed, ordinary water levels cannot achieve such a result.

From the tools you will need a large rule, wide and narrow spatulas, a trowel and a folding wooden meter. Roulette is not good, it is too soft.

Lighthouses can be made from any cement or gypsum mixtures, but we recommend using Fugenfüller putty. It has high physical strength, excellent adhesion to all mixtures made on the basis of cement with or without the addition of innovative fillers. In addition, the hardening time of the putty is approximately 30 minutes, which is quite enough for the manufacture of lighthouses at an average pace. After the preparation of the last lighthouse is completed, it is already possible to work on the first ones.

Another plus of the leveling beacons offered by us is that they make it possible to save building materials. The height of metal profiles is at least one centimeter, which means that the minimum thickness of the fill will be the same. The minimum height of our beacons is equal to the thickness of plastic crosses and is only a few millimeters. The difference in the volume of filling due to the height for large rooms is significant.

Step 1. Set the laser level, check the condition of the floor, determine the minimum thickness of the leveling layer. Remove construction debris from the surface, vacuum it.

Step 2 Prepare putty. Accurately observe the proportions indicated by the manufacturer, do not experiment, they will not lead to anything good.

Step 3. Start installing beacons against the wall, the rule will be used instead of a tape measure to measure the distances between the beacons. Lay out the first pile of putty at a distance of about 15-20 cm from the wall, trim it a little.

Install a plastic cross for ceramic tiles in the center.

Put a meter on it and, taking into account the location of the laser beam, drown it in the solution. Make sure that the cross is lying horizontally, check its position in several places.

Carefully remove excess putty. You can not clean up near the cross, it will then be cut off with a spatula. If you touch the unhardened putty, then you can violate the position of the cross, you will have to redo everything again.

Step 4 Lay a rule on the floor, the distance between the beacons should be 15–20 cm shorter than the length of the rule. In the same way, the width between the lines of beacons will be determined. Install all beacons in the room.

Step 5 After the point beacons have hardened, clean the surface of the crosses from putty, pay attention that it is even. Put the rule on two adjacent points on top, put the solution with a spatula into the gap formed between it and the concrete floor. From the first time it is difficult to guess the thickness, in the future practical experience will appear and the work will go much faster.

Step 6 Rule carefully align the surface of the shaft made. If there are unfilled places, then add a little putty to them and again level the surface with the rule. Remove excess mass immediately in a container, mix the mass periodically.

It is possible to level the floor only after the beacons have completely solidified. It is allowed to use a self-leveling floor mortar, a cement-sand mixture or an adhesive for ceramic tiles. Decide for yourself which one, but there are general recommendations.

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

As for time, there is almost no difference. It is not necessary to believe that bulk materials can significantly reduce the time for leveling the floor. An experienced builder will make exactly the same footage with the help of beacons and rules.

Step 7 Pour the mass between the beacons, align it as a rule. The tool must be pulled towards you and at the same time perform small movements to the left and right in amplitude. There are gaps - add the solution and repeat the leveling.

Practical advice. For inexperienced builders, after leveling the rule, small waves may remain on the floor surface. This is not a problem, do not scrape off the frozen mass. It is much better, easier and faster to repeat the leveling of the floor in a direction perpendicular to the first one. No more beacons. Just pour a thin layer of the solution on the floor and, as a rule, pull off the excess, make the mass a little thinner. It will fill all the waves and perfectly level the floor.

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

This method is great for ceramic tiles, the time of work is significantly reduced, and the quality completely satisfies the tilers. It is rather difficult to level the floor during tiling by changing the thickness of the adhesive; only highly professional tilers can do this. And even then, most of them prefer to level the concrete base on their own and lay tiles on the finished surface, especially if the height difference is 1 cm or more. The end result is time savings.

Step 1. Cut down large mounds, clean the surface from construction dust and debris. If the concrete is very dry, it is recommended to moisten it with plenty of water. Water should not be immediately drawn out of the adhesive, it is needed for the optimal flow of chemical reactions. The lack of the required amount of liquid critically reduces the strength of the adhesive leveling layer.

Step 2 Prepare the tile adhesive. There is a caveat here, the glue should be a little thinner than the manufacturer recommends. It will be difficult to work with thick, in addition, in places with a small thickness, water is quickly absorbed by concrete, which causes a decrease in physical strength indicators. We have already mentioned this. The consistency of the solution should resemble ordinary sour cream or heavy cream and spread a little over the surface.

Step 3 Pour the adhesive in portions onto the floor surface and, as a rule, pull off the excess. The towering sections of concrete serve as beacons, the glue fills only the depressions.

Important. Before starting work, you need to determine in which direction to pull the tool. This can be done after a careful inspection of the concrete floor. You should find the beacons by which it flooded. Then use a bubble level or rule to find out the location of the recesses.

Professional builders during this alignment after the first screed make a few more additional diagonal or circular movements as a rule. At the same time, the pressing force is minimal, the quality of alignment largely depends on practical experience.

If after the first pass the height differences are still large, then draw the rule in a perpendicular direction to the first pass. Once again we warn you, on the second pass, reduce the pressing force. You do not need to achieve ideal performance, differences in height within ± 5 mm for laying tiles are not a problem.

In order to improve the adhesion of the adhesive to concrete, after pouring, it is recommended to carefully rub it into the floor with a spatula or trowel. The recesses found after stretching the rule must be immediately covered with glue and re-leveled. The work does not take much time, the only drawback is that tiles can only be laid the next day. But a professional builder does not waste time, there is always a small amount of previously deferred or preparatory work at the facility.

Video - Leveling the concrete floor with bulk mixtures

In many apartments, slabs serve as the basis for the floor, which, as a rule, have irregularities. Flooring is hard work. But today there are new building technologies that greatly simplify the task of how to quickly level the floor. The conversation will focus on bulk self-leveling floors. If you're not sure if your room needs floor leveling, take some measurements. You need to take a long ruler (1 m) and, applying it to the floor, check if there is a gap between the ruler and the floor. If there is a gap exceeding 2 mm, alignment must be done. You can also check the floor using the building level.

The color of the self-leveling floor should match the interior of the room.

Variety of floor leveling compounds

Before proceeding to the question of how to level the floor, let's talk about how this can be done. The composition for leveling the floor can be made independently by mixing cement with sand. In today's world, new technologies have appeared that use different mixtures that have not only binding properties, but also thermal and sound insulation. Leveling the floor with the use of such mixtures greatly facilitates the work.

Preparation for leveling the floor.

There are many such solutions on the market. They mainly consist of quartz sand, cement, modifying additives and even pigments. There are special compounds for leveling concrete and wood floors. They are distinguished by strength, smoothness, a layer of fill and are divided into basic and finishing. The latter are truly full-weight flooring made of poured polymer or epoxy. And the base mixture is just a base that needs additional flooring. Of all the mixtures, builders note another type - thick-layer. They are used to fill in depressions and crevices, as well as to level large bumpy floors.

In addition to them, there are mixtures for repairs - to eliminate major flaws, primers - for arranging concrete floors, sealing - for sealing cracks and holes.

If you need to speed up the hardening process of the mixture and at the same time improve its properties, you can buy a special plasticizer - an active additive that is added to mortars.

The main thing is to properly knead the mortar in order to level the floor in the room. It is necessary to prepare a container of 20 liters for the mixture. Then prepare water at the rate of 1 liter per 5 kg of dry mixture. To get a good homogeneous solution, you need to pour the dry composition into water, and not vice versa. Then, with a drill with a special nozzle, stir the mixture for 5-7 minutes. After that, take a break for 1-2 minutes and mix again.

How to level the floor in the room?

Level wood floor

Wooden floor plan.

If the floors are made of wood, you first need to check their strength. Rotten and sagging boards need to be replaced. To remove protrusions and any irregularities, the floor can be processed with a grinder. It is not necessary to take sheets of chipboard to level the wooden floor. Due to the release of formaldehyde during operation, they are harmful to human health.

After repair, the floor from the boards usually does not require special preparation. If there are irregularities on it, you can additionally lay plywood sheets.

If the wood floor is badly damaged or rotted, there is no need to invent something. It is better to get rid of old boards and make a concrete screed.

When a screed is made, the floor level rises. Therefore, you will need to change the location of the doors. To avoid this, you must first calculate the height of the screed for the free closing of the doors.

Leveling the concrete floor

To level the floor of concrete, you need to make a screed. The order of work to be carried out is as follows.

The scheme of leveling the floor with a concrete screed.

1. First, remove the entire floor covering to bare concrete.
2. Examine all voids, irregularities, cracks, check the moisture content of the floor. Then buy building materials.
3. Carry out a primer. 24 hours after priming, you can proceed to further work.
4. Prepare a rough base - seal all cracks and holes with a dry mixture.
5. Make the floor horizontal by making a concrete screed as follows. First, install special beacons indicating the height of the screed. Beacons can be bought at a building supermarket. Then prepare a cement-sand mortar and apply it to the floor, leveling it with a rule and checking it with a building level. The rule should be long enough to completely cover the distance between the beacons. The thickness of the laid mixture must be at least 7 mm.
6. After drying the cement-sand composition, it is necessary to re-primer.
7. Pour the self-leveling mixture and close the room for a day until completely dry. How fast does the mixture dry? Depends on the thickness of the fill: the smaller it is, the faster. If the room is hot, then after 2 hours you need to cover the entire floor with plastic wrap to prevent the surface from drying out too quickly. If this procedure is not done, cracks may appear. You can add any washing powder to the solution to prevent cracks.

Ceramic tiles can be laid on the smoothed concrete floor in the room after 3 days, and laminate, linoleum, parquet or carpet - in a week.

Level the floor with your own hands

The procedure for leveling the floor seems very difficult, accessible only to specialists. But knowing some rules for leveling the floor, you can do this work yourself. It is enough to get some knowledge about the necessary building materials, tools and have a desire. All you need to do is:

put beacons for the screed and how to prepare the solution.

Floor screed tools: beacons, basin, spatula, level, tape measure, roller, cutter.

Still need to prepare the tools:

• rule;
• needle roller with a long handle;
• level;
• drill with a nozzle for stirring the solution;
• any container (bucket) for mixing the mixture.

The speed of leveling the floor depends on the size and number of surface irregularities. With small irregularities on the concrete floor - if the distortion is 1-2 cm, self-leveling floors can be used. So leveling the floor is faster than making a screed. With large irregularities, it is not worth using a self-leveling mixture, it will be too expensive, and it will take a long time to dry.

With floor differences up to 5 mm and if you plan to lay a laminate, you can simply put a moisture barrier film and a soft adhesive. This will be the fastest.

Guideline for leveling the floor.

With a large bumpiness, it is necessary to set the laser level to the highest point of the floor and draw an alignment line, which will serve as a guide when pouring the solution. In the absence of a laser level, another method can be used. It consists in the following: find the highest point on the floor and mark it up the wall 5-6 cm from it. Then attach the rail parallel to the floor to the mark, level it with a level and put a mark on the opposite wall. So mark the entire border of the room. Pull the ropes along the marks, you get a plane - a guideline for alignment.

All work related to leveling the floor is best done together, since the solution needs to be spent within half an hour, and it will be difficult to do it alone.

One worker prepares the mixture, while the other at this time fills the floor with the finished solution, starting work from the far corner of the room.

Each subsequent portion of the poured mixture must be rolled with a spiked roller to improve spreading and remove air bubbles.

And so on until the completion of the work. Each time before use, the solution must be stirred.

By following these recommendations, you can do expensive floor leveling work together with an assistant and save money. Some unusual abilities are not required for this, only physical strength and the desire to do this work are needed.