Mosaic floors from a granite crumb. mosaic floors

It is a dull and gray finish. However, not everyone realizes that it can be unusual and very interesting. Concrete mosaic floors are far from a new trend in the field of repair, but they have been undeservedly forgotten about recently. It's time to correct this omission and learn how to create this type of coating in your home.

Concrete mosaic floor - photo

For the first time, such a coating appeared in Venice, and until now, the unique knowledge of creating such beauty is passed on by Venetian builders to their students. But, as you know, everything that attracts the attention of a person and likes him, eventually becomes the property of the whole world, and therefore the Venetian technology for installing mosaic floors has now spread to all countries. The name of this floor is also "Venetian" - terrazzo.

On a note! Mosaic floors used to be an indicator of the wealth of a person who paid for the work to create such a coating in his house, due to the high cost and complex manufacturing. As a rule, this type of decoration could only be found in temples, palaces, castles, etc.

Floor mosaics of Ca' d'Oro in Venice

Now mosaic floors can be seen in buildings for various purposes. As a rule, they are settled in halls, large halls, offices. But, unfortunately, traditions often crowd out new trends and more and more often in buildings you can see not marble or mosaic on the floor, but ordinary laminate or tile.

At the heart of the mosaic-concrete floor is, as you might guess, the concrete itself, as well as the marble chips left after the processing of this stone. In such a coating, the concrete mixture becomes a solid foundation for the floor, and small pieces of marble act as a filler or cover the surface of the concrete. By the way, other minerals or materials that do not belong to this group are sometimes used instead of marble chips.

Marble itself is a natural rock that is well known for its strength characteristics and unique structure. The material does not absorb water, is resistant to physical influences, and is not afraid of contact with various chemicals on the surface. That is why marble is often used in the construction industry. And its beautiful appearance allows you to expand the scope of the use of stone and use it for decoration.

The thickness of the concrete screed, usually made of sand- cement mortar, is 20-35 mm, and provided that floor heating is installed - 40 mm or more. She serves solid foundation for mosaic-stone mixture. The thickness of the latter is 15-25 mm and often depends on the size of the filler fractions.

Interestingly, in terms of their strength, concrete mosaic floors containing marble chips are in no way inferior to marble itself. Such a coating is reliable, strong and able to serve for decades without loss of performance and without repair. But such a floor will cost less than solid marble slabs.

Scope and features of the use of mosaic floors

Marble chips, traditionally included in the mixture for creating such a floor, are now the most sought after and economical material of all that can only be obtained directly from the stone itself. It is especially often used in interior decoration, as it allows you to give any surface a very unusual, beautiful and presentable look.

Thus, concrete-mosaic floors are an excellent option for finishing premises of absolutely any purpose, whether it be an office or a house, a warehouse or Big hall, bathroom or hall. Due to their high strength, they are used in workshops, garages, foyers, etc. It is interesting that such a floor will not spark when struck, which means it meets the requirements fire safety, for which it is valued at enterprises.

On a note! Most often, of course, such floors are installed in public buildings - clinics and hospitals, offices, shopping centers, etc. There is not always a place in the house to create such a foundation.

But even in housing you can sometimes find a place where the mosaic floor will look beautiful. It can be a room with a swimming pool, a bathroom or a toilet. Also, the mosaic floor will fit well into the interior of the corridor or hall. However, in the bedroom or nursery, you should not mount it - it will turn out to be too cold, albeit beautiful.

Mosaic floors - photo

Advantages of concrete mosaic floors:

• very durable, wear-resistant and will serve well for a long time even in places with high traffic;
• resistant to moisture - do not absorb it and do not collapse under its influence;
• they look beautiful and have a lot of different colors;
• make it possible to create an unusual and memorable floor;
• do not fade in the sun;
• environmentally friendly;
• easy to maintain, easy to clean;
• are not afraid of mechanical impact of any type;
• different high rates fire safety.

Disadvantages of concrete mosaic floors:

• cold to the touch, in some types of premises require the installation of a heating system;
• sometimes turn yellow, somewhat losing their decorative qualities;
• difficult to dismantle;
• require special attention already at the stage of choosing a pattern, and not only during the arrangement;
• far from cheap.

Types and features of mosaic floors

Mosaic floors come in several types. They differ mainly in the type of filler, sometimes in type. concrete mix.

Table. Types of concrete mosaic floors depending on the base.

floor type	Characteristic
	In appearance, such a coating may resemble ordinary concrete. Portland cement acts as a binder. All kinds of minerals serve as a filler. Installation is no different from pouring the screed with ordinary concrete, sometimes the layer is reinforced. The thickness of such a base can be at least 5 cm, and the filler layer can be at least 2 cm. A relatively inexpensive option for arranging a mosaic floor. Can be polished.
	In this case, polymer components are also introduced into the composition of the mixture, which have a positive effect on the appearance of the floors. Usually these are epoxy-containing and polyurethane substances. The thickness of the layer will depend on the size of the filler fractions, but in general it starts from 1.5 cm. The base for pouring such a floor must be primed. A final protective layer is required.
	The mixture that is used in this case is used in the same way as self-leveling floors. Contains polymer components. In addition to mineral fillers, synthetic ones, as well as coins and sparkles, can also be used. Most often, quartz sand is used with fractions of 0.5 mm in size. The thickness of the floors starts from 2 cm. It is necessary to apply a finishing protective layer.

Also, all types of mosaic-concrete floors can be divided into several groups and according to the type of filler. They are:

• natural, which use various types of mineral chips - granite, marble, lapis lazuli, slate, etc.;
• metal, where the main filler is pieces of any metal, for example, copper, bronze, aluminum, gold, etc.;
• glass, mirror in which the filler is quartz (sometimes additionally colored) sand;
• wooden, where pieces of wood of various species (linden, birch, cherry, etc.) act as a filler. In the case of installation of such a floor, it will additionally have to be protected from moisture;
• ceramic- the cheapest option, featuring rich color variations.

Mosaic concrete prices are quite high. For example, to equip a reinforced coating up to 5 cm thick, to carry out all the necessary work, including grinding, will cost at least 1200 rubles / m 2.

How are concrete mosaic floors made?

The technology for creating such floors may be different depending on the material used. But in any case, the work will be carried out as follows:

• preparation of the rough base, its cleaning and processing by various means;
• installation of auxiliary elements (for example, lighthouses);
• mixing the solution;
• filling and leveling the surface;
• polishing the finished product;
• creating a decorative layer.

The composition of the mixture for mosaic floors

In order for the floors to turn out the way they were intended, it is important to correctly make the mortar that will be used for pouring. Cement, coloring components, stone flour and stone chips are mixed in certain proportions. Good cement should be used - not lower than M250. Mixing is done for a short time - about 7 minutes, until the consistency becomes homogeneous.

Attention! If there is a small area to be covered with a concrete-mosaic coating, then you can immediately mix the mixture in the required volumes.

There are several common composition recipes used to create colored mosaic floors.

Table. Recipes for mixes for terrazzo floors.

Name	Composition (filler, as well as binders are indicated in parts, dyes - as a percentage of the total mass of cement)
Black	Cement M400 and above - 1, manganese peroxide - 5, black stone chips - 3.
Red with white	Portland cement M400 and above - 1, white crumb - 3, iron minium - 8.
Light	M400 cement and above - 1, stone flour (white) - 0.3, crumb - 2.
black and white	M400 and above Portland cement - 1, white crumb - 3, manganese peroxide - 12.5
Yellow	Portland cement white color M400 and above - 1, dry ocher - 10, yellow stone chips - 3.
Granite	Portland cement M400 and above - 1, granite chips - 2, white marble – 1.

May contain filler particles various sizes:

• MM - fine fraction (2.5-5 mm);
• MS - medium (5-10 mm);
• MK - large (10-15 mm).

In general, the ratio of fillers is selected so that, as a result, about 80% of the floor is occupied by crumbs, and up to 25% by cement. It is then that it will be possible to get a beautiful mosaic floor. Also, various pollutants, foreign inclusions, lumps of sticky filler fractions should not get into the mixture. Wherein largest size particles cannot exceed 0.6 of the entire thickness of the floor covering.

Terrazzo - photo

On a note! In order for the mixture to acquire a light shade, a certain amount (up to 40%) of bleaching components is added to it. It can be white marble flour or white cement. It is important to remember that the addition of such components degrades the strength of the concrete mixture.

Which composition to use should be chosen depending on individual preferences, as well as on the general interior style of the room where the mosaic-concrete floor will be equipped. Preparation of mortar for terrazzo floors is a very responsible process. To make the pattern on the floor interesting, it is recommended to add fillers with different fraction sizes to the mixture. Also, the drawing can be detailed manually.

Advice! Before use, stone chips must be washed with water. Then its adhesion to other components of the mixture will be higher.

By the way, the components of the composition are mixed in dry form, and only after that water is added to them strictly in portions. On average, about 0.5 parts of the liquid will be spent on 3 parts of crumbs, 1 part of the coloring component and cement.

Prices for popular brands of marble chips

marble chips

Mosaic floor - do it yourself

It is quite possible to create such a floor yourself, although you will have to try. It all depends on the chosen technology. But, most likely, the arrangement of this type of coating will appeal to creative people who feel a special vein in themselves.

Terrazzo - floors made of marble chips. mosaic floor

In order to make a mosaic floor, you may need the following tools:

• a machine for mixing a mixture or a construction mixer;
• grinding machine;
• construction vacuum cleaner;
• polishing powder;
• rule;
• level;
• abrasive stones;
• Bulgarian;
• shovels and scrapers;
• metal brush;
• a container where the composition will be mixed;
• writing accessories.

Foundation preparation

As with the creation of any other type of flooring, one of the installation steps is the careful preparation of the rough layer. If it is neglected, then there is a risk that all the work will go down the drain and require rework, and this is an extra cost.

Preparation includes removing the old flooring, cleaning the base from debris and dust. An ideal option for arranging a concrete mosaic floor is a solid reinforced concrete slab covered with a cement screed. All cracks and seams, if any, are also sealed, all tubercles are ground off - the rough surface should become perfectly flat. Scraping the base with a wire brush will help to increase adhesion.

If it is planned not only to fill the floor with a colored mixture, but to make an interesting pattern, then as a preparatory measure, the separators are also laid in accordance with the selected pattern. Usually the separators are metal strips.

The actual production of mosaic floors is a concrete screed device that does not require additional industrial or domestic coating

The device of the underlying layer under the mosaic floors

After it was carried out preliminary preparation foundation, it is necessary to create an underlying layer. It can be used under various types of mosaic floors - both those that are created from a mixture that immediately contains crumbs of stone, and those that are simply sprinkled with beautiful material.

Beacons are first installed on the draft base. At the same time, the distance between them should be approximately 2.5-4 m, and they are leveled using a level. They are then fixed mortar. By the way, beacons should be mounted on the basis that their upper limit will be 2.5 cm below the final floor height.

Another rough base can be primed - for this, cement milk can be used (water and cement mixed in a 1: 1 ratio). After that, the surface is poured with a cement screed to obtain a smooth surface. Lighthouse rails are removed a day after pouring, and the resulting recesses are sealed with a solution.

Mosaic floors: execution technology

Consider the option of creating one of the types of mosaic floor. Here the stone chips will be applied over the laid screed.

Step 1. The substrate under the mosaic floor is being cleaned. All dust is removed with a construction vacuum cleaner.

Step 2 The surface is primed to increase the adhesion of the base and the adhesive composition.

Step 3 The treated surface is dried, markings are made on it, according to which a mosaic pattern will be created using stone chips. The laying scheme is selected in advance, and a crumb of the corresponding colors is also purchased in advance.

Step 4 Metal strips are laid along the lines delimiting the areas for applying marble chips. They will serve as delimiters. To prevent the strips from moving during operation, they are glued to the base.

Step 5 The adhesive solution is mixed. It is mixed with a construction mixer.

Step 6 The adhesive composition is applied to the floor surface where the stone chips will be laid. It is leveled with a notched trowel and rolled with a needle roller.

Step 7 Stone chips of the selected color are applied to the surface treated with glue in an even and dense layer. Each zone is processed in this way.

Step 8 After the glue dries, the surface is polished.

Step 10 You can finish the work by applying a special tool that makes the surface glossy. After that, the floors are thoroughly dried.

Video - One way to create a mosaic floor

Rules for laying mosaic floors

To make the mosaic-concrete floor neat and beautiful, and most importantly, durable, its installation is carried out in compliance with certain rules:

• all work is carried out only at positive air temperature (from +5 degrees);
• installation is carried out only after other draft work has been completed;
• the basis for the mosaic should be either concrete or ceramics;
• the size of crumb fractions is observed - from 0.5 to 12 mm;
• the crumb must be of the same strength;

PLIFORT concrete mosaic slabs - an alternative option

• if added to solution milk of lime and a little water (no more than 10% by weight of cement), then it will be more plastic;
• the mixture should not contain more than 15% dyes;
• the mosaic layer should not be made thicker than 2 cm;
• a manual roller will help compact the floors well;
• floors can be dried with a layer of sawdust;
• the drying time of the mosaic layer before grinding is 7 days.

In order for mosaic floors to serve for a long time, it is important to take care of them, although this is a completely undemanding type of flooring. The sudden appearance of roughness is removed by polishing, and the chips are sealed with cement mortar.

On an industrial scale marble chips and marble rubble most widely used in the manufacture of self-leveling concrete-mosaic floors, which are highly decorative and performance properties (wear resistance, fading resistance, environmental friendliness).

The decorative texture of a terrazzo floor is obtained by adding colored mineral fillers (marble or stone chips) to the concrete mass. After hardening, the surface is ground and, if necessary, coated with hardening impregnations.

Self-leveling one-color and multi-color concrete-mosaic floors are used in public places:

• shopping centers and shops
• office and business centers
• educational and medical institutions, etc.

Laying a mosaic floor is also allowed in industrial premises, based on the requirements for the operating conditions of the floor and the use of certain mineral fillers that provide the desired level of physical and mechanical properties. Using modern concrete processing technologies, hardening impregnations and sealants, it is possible to obtain highly decorative and durable coatings with improved performance characteristics.

Mosaic (terrazzo) floor consists of two layers:

• the lower layer (screed) is made of a rigid cement-sand mortar grade 75 with a composition of 1:3 - 1:4 or low-grade concrete.
• the top layer (concrete-mosaic mixture) is made of cement mortar grade 100 with the addition of stone or marble chips. The thickness of the front layer is 15 - 20 mm.

Main technological operations:

• floor preparation
• installation of rails / veins
• preparation of the mosaic
• coating device
• grinding and polishing of mosaic coverings.

Foundation of the future floor

The basis of the future mosaic floor can be:

• concrete underlayment
• reinforced concrete floor slabs
• cement-sand screed.

Make sure that the base is strong, rigid and has a grooved surface to improve adhesion to the self-leveling floor.

In the presence of cracks, potholes or various chips, they are embroidered, primed and sealed with a repair compound. It is also necessary to carefully seal all openings around the pipelines and technological equipment, since their embedding in the finished mosaic coating is unacceptable.

The slope of the base or its horizontalness must comply with the regulations. In view of the fact that the thickness of the mosaic layer is only 15 - 20 mm, they do not correct base defects.

Immediately before laying the mosaic coating, the base is washed with water.

Installation of rails / veins

The terrazzo covering can be one-color and multi-color.

For a single-color floor, beacon rails are installed on the base after 1 - 1.5 m. The rails can be replaced gas pipes 25 mm in diameter.

Mosaic multi-color coating is performed according to the pattern that is set by the project or is developed on the basis of available materials. In this case, ornament markings are applied to the base, along which a gasket (vein) is placed on the edge. Dividing veins are made of strips of glass 3-5 mm thick, brass, aluminum or polymeric materials. The top of the veins is carefully adjusted so that it is at the level of the clean floor. The veins are fixed with cement mortar or slightly recessed in a freshly laid screed under the mosaic layer.

Preparation of the mosaic solution

Decorative flooring is made from a mosaic (terrazzo) mortar, which is prepared from cement grade not lower than M 400 and stone chips from polished rocks (marble, granite, labradorite, etc.).

The composition of solutions for the finishing coating of self-leveling concrete-mosaic floors includes:

• astringent
• mineral flour
• decorative fillers
• pigments.

astringent

The basis for the mosaic mortar or the binder is Portland cement of a grade of at least M 400.

For gray and dark coatings, ordinary gray Portland cement is used. For floors with enhanced decorative qualities, white Portland cement (GOST 965–78) or colored Portland cements (GOST 15825–80) are used. In other words, cement of the color that is necessary for a given color and pattern of the finished bulk coating is introduced into the solution.

mineral flour

A light coating can also be obtained by introducing bleaching additives into gray cement, this operation in the preparation of a mosaic floor mortar is called bleaching.

Stone flour with a grain size of up to 0.5 mm is used as bleaching additives. Most often used marble flour white or other light-colored rocks and other mineral pulverized fillers with a compressive strength of at least 20 MPa (200 kgf / cm²). The choice of mineral depends on what strength and corrosion-resistant properties are required to give the finished mixture.

In this case, it must be taken into account that the thinning additive reduces the strength of the solution, so it is better to use white Portland cement or strictly control the amount of the additive.

The amount of marble flour used for clarification varies from 20 to 40% by weight of cement and depends on which brand of cement is used. For example, for cement grade M 400, in order to avoid a decrease in the strength of the coating, no more than 20% of marble flour is added.

Marble filler also serves as a compactor of the concrete mixture - filling voids, slows down setting and prevents shrinkage, which improves surface quality and leads to a decrease in the number of shrinkage cracks, facilitating the release of bubbles.

Decorative fillers

Decorative aggregates for concrete mosaic floors are marble chips or crushed stone fraction from 2.5 to 15 mm, as well as granite and other mineral chips.

The compressive strength of the filler must be at least 60 MPa (600 kgf/cm²).

Most often, crumbs obtained from crushing polished hard rocks (marble, granite, labradorite, basalt, etc.) are used. Particles, evenly distributed on the front surface of the coating, give decorativeness to mosaic floors. Marble and marble limestone aggregates are well polished when finishing the coating. Their abrasion during operation occurs evenly. At the same time, aggregates made of hard stone (granite, gravel, gabbro) wear out less than cement stone, and over time, the floors acquire a spongy and bumpy surface.

To prevent significant abrasion of the cement stone, its destruction under the influence of external factors, reducing the process of dust formation of the concrete surface, it is recommended to treat the floors with hardening impregnations at the end of all work.

The grain composition of the stone chips determines the pattern of the coating. Coatings with large crumbs are obtained more decorative. It is desirable to have 75 - 85% of the surface occupied by stone aggregates on a polished mosaic coating, and the rest - by cement stone. Such coatings are highly decorative and resistant to abrasion.

Marble chips, used for terrazzo floors is single-color and multi-color and is divided by grain size into three groups:

• large: 10 - 15 mm (MK)
• medium: 5 -10 mm (MS)
• small: 2.5 - 5 mm (MM).

Both large and small stone chips should be added to the solution, since only large chips and cement give a composition in which shrinkage cracks may appear. The amount of large chips should be 0.8 m3 per 1 m3 of mortar, and the volume of added fine chips should be 10 - 30% more than the volume of voids in large marble chips.

Terrace mortar can be prepared from the following components (by volume): cement white, colored or gray brand 400 - 1 part; baby MM - 1 part; baby MS - 1 part and baby MK - 1 part; water - 0.5 parts. The amount of water depends on the moisture content of the crumb and can be slightly increased or decreased. Excess water dramatically degrades the quality of the solution.

Pigments

To obtain colored solutions, it is better to use colored cements of red, brown, yellow, green and blue colors produced by the industry. If this is not possible, then it is recommended to use mineral dyes as dyes for concrete:

• ocher (yellow color)
• minium and mummy (red-brown or red)
• chromium oxide (green)
• ultramarine (blue)
• manganese peroxide (black), etc.

Pigments pre-mixed with dry cement (whitened gray or white) are applied in an amount depending on their coloring ability, but not more than 15% by weight of the cement.

Pigments for painting mosaic compositions must be alkali-resistant, i.e., not change color from the action of the cement itself and other materials containing alkali. They must also have good coloring power and be lightfast.

The type of dye, its amount depends on the color of the crumb and the given floor pattern.

In order to obtain a floor with uniform color shades, it is necessary to prepare dry mixes of each color in the volume required for one room in order to exclude the receipt of a different shade in one area during the next batch.

Of all the above components, a solution is manually prepared on a striker (in a box). The mixture is stirred in a dry form, achieving uniform distribution over the mass of large crumbs. Water is added gradually, preferably from a watering can, so as not to wash off the cement from the crumb grains.

Coating device

Concrete-mosaic floor coverings are performed at an air temperature of at least 5 ° C. This temperature is maintained until the acquisition of strength is not less than 50% of the design.

As already mentioned, one-color mixtures of mosaic self-leveling floors are laid between the lighthouse rails in strips through one, similar to concrete. Roof linings are installed at the junction of the coatings to the columns. The laid solution is leveled with a rake and a spatula, checking the correct laying by the rule along the lighthouse rails.

The mixture is compacted with vibrating screeds, in places inaccessible to vibrating screeds, the mixture is compacted with light rammers (weighing at least 10 kg.) or manually with a roller.

Accumulating cement laitance is removed with scrapers with a rubber gasket in order to avoid the formation of a cement film on the surface. After compaction of the solution, the surface is carefully leveled and smoothed.

The slats are removed by filling the grooves with mortar until it sets in the strips. The floor during the hardening period must be kept moist for 5 to 7 days, wetting once a day with water and covering plastic wrap, mats or mats

Colored floor mosaic mixtures are laid as the veins are arranged, alignment and compaction are carried out along the veins, which are used as lighthouse rails.

Physical and mechanical parameters of the concrete-mosaic floor

The compressive strength of the bottom layer and mosaic coating must be at least 20 MPa (200 kgf/cm²).

With proper observance of the technological process, concrete-mosaic floors, having gained all their strength properties, must have the following technical characteristics:

• compressive strength of concrete - 30 MPa or 300 (kgf / cm²)
• tensile strength in bending - 5 MPa or 50 kgf / cm²
• frost resistance - at least 50 cycles
• water absorption - no more than 6%
• abrasion - not less than 0.94 g / cm²

Grinding and polishing of the coating

After 5 - 7 days after laying, the terrazzo mortar acquires strength sufficient for further processing - grinding, as a result of which the cement film is removed from the surface of the coating and a floor pattern appears. With earlier processing, stone chips can fly out of the floor, leaving ruts.

The sequence of surface treatment of the bulk coating:

• skinning
• coarse and fine grinding
• polishing.

Before peeling, the floor is sprinkled with sand and moistened with water, after which it is treated with a grinder with carborundum stones. After stripping, the floor is inspected and the found potholes are puttied with a cement mortar of the appropriate color.

Grinding is carried out in the same way as roughing, using abrasive stones No. 60 - 80 and No. 230 - 325, respectively for coarse and fine grinding. The floor is not covered with sand.

For high quality finishes, polishing is used. To do this, after fine grinding, the floor is polished with M-28 stones and polished with felt wheels, adding polishing powder, followed by rubbing the surface with wax paste.

Means of protection and care of mosaic floors

To increase the service life of concrete floors, improve strength properties, facilitate cleaning of the surface, as well as enhance the texture properties of the floor, it is recommended to treat the surface with special liquid concrete compositions:

• hardening impregnations
• sealants

Hardening impregnations are used to increase the strength of the floor surface several times. Their use almost completely eliminates the process of dust formation and protects the surface from the effects of aggressive liquid media.

Impregnations can be used to treat new and old terrazzo tiles.

As a sealant for the final protection of the concrete-mosaic floor, special varnishes are often used. Varnishes make it possible to additionally strengthen the surface, reduce the process of dust formation and protect concrete from the penetration of chemically active liquids and moisture, which can destroy the cement matrix, and are also used to give the coating an additional gloss or to obtain the effect of "wet floors". Lacquer creates on the surface protective film, clogs pores and microcracks, which, together with surface protection, allows you to enhance color shades and emphasize the textural properties of the mosaic floor.

Mosaic floor installation

Terrazzo mosaic floors are usually made mainly in public buildings, lobbies, corridors, stations, trade establishments, car services, car washes, parking lots, open attic terraces, in rooms with high humidity and traffic, on stairwells, etc.

Mosaic floor "Terrazzo" refers to monolithic floors and has a number of positive qualities:

- waterproof and resistant to falling heavy objects

- resistance to ultraviolet, frost, temperature extremes.

The mosaic floor consists of one layer 25-30mm thick.

Preparation of the base for mosaic coating

Preparation consists in thoroughly cleaning the floor from construction debris and dust with a mop and an industrial vacuum cleaner, priming the base.

Installation of glass, brass or copper veins

As a rule, when installing a mosaic floor covering, glass, copper or brass veins 3-5 mm thick are used.

Installation of veins is made according to the project and layouts of the premises.

Preparation of mosaic composition and coating device

Before starting work, it is necessary to install b / m, because. a mosaic solution is prepared in close proximity to the place of work. For the main mosaic coating, the composition is prepared from cement, marble chips, and if you need to get a color coating, pigments.

When using marble chips, the brand of cement used must be at least 400.

When preparing a mosaic composition, it is necessary to pay attention to the correct composition of marble chips: crumbs with grains of various sizes are usually introduced into the mosaic mixture and mixed very well in b / m so that the mosaic coating has a uniform saturation with crumbs and cement over the entire surface.

Tiles for mosaic floors are made of polished rock "marble". The maximum size of the tile should not exceed 15 mm and 0.6 of the thickness of the mosaic coating.

Marble chips are introduced into the mosaic composition in such an amount that after polishing the mosaic coating on the surface there is 75-85% of the area of ​​marble aggregates and 25-15% of cement.

Such a ratio between the crumb and the binder is obtained with the consumption of aggregate from large crumbs of at least 0.8 cubic meters per 1 cubic meter of the mixture.

The proportion of water, cement, sand and crumbs in a mosaic solution (by weight)

Mineral pigments are added in the amount necessary to give the desired color to the mosaic coating, but not more than 10% of the mass of cement.

A solution of a cement-sand layer is placed in cards and leveled with trowels, the thickness of the layer is 20 mm.

After the interlayer has set, but before the start of hardening, a mosaic composition is placed in the cards, compacting it to the level of the veins by hitting the smoothing plane.

During the hardening period, the terrazzo mosaic must be protected from rapid drying. To do this, on the second day after laying the coating (when it has hardened enough to walk on it), its surface is covered with a layer of sawdust of at least 30 mm and watered at least once a day for 7-10 days.

In hot weather or when the air temperature in the room is above 15°C, the floors must be watered at least twice a day for 3-4 days.

Grinding the mosaic floor "Terrazzo"

It is possible to carry out work on grinding the terrazzo floor after 3-6 days, when its strength excludes the possibility of chipping marble chips.

First, the hardened surface of the coating is polished with coarse-grained diamond segments in order to remove the layer of cement stone and expose the marble chips.

The surface to be sanded is first moistened with water.

Because the surface of the terrazzo mosaic floor will be scratched by the hard diamond segment, after grinding with the diamond segment, the abrasive segments are applied to polish the terrazzo mosaic floor.

After grinding, chipping of individual grains is usually found on the surface of the coating. Large damaged areas are puttied with cement mortar of the same color as the coating.

The moistened surface of small damaged areas is sprinkled with dry unpainted or tinted cement and rubbed into the pores and scratches.

When grinding, the mosaic surface is treated with fine-grained abrasive stones until the marble chips are exposed to the greatest extent, which occurs when about half of its thickness is removed from the large chips.

For finishing floors, mosaic grinders are usually used, with appropriate abrasive stones.

Before grinding the floor, water must be connected to the mosaic grinder by connecting one end of the pressure hose to the machine and the other to the water supply. Water under the working body of the machine must be supplied so that it covers the entire surface covered by the grinding stones with a thin layer.

After a clean sanding of the Terrazzo mosaic floor, the surface is cleaned of sludge and rinsed clean with water. As a result of this treatment, the surface of the floor becomes even, smooth and matte.

Terrazzo mosaic floor polishing

Polishing of the terrazzo mosaic floor is carried out at the appropriate indication in the project.

After grinding, as usual, punctures, scratches, cracks are found, therefore, before the final finishing of the floors, these defects are puttied with cement putty with the addition of a pigment of the appropriate color.

Mosaic floors: installation and process

After the putties have hardened, they proceed to clean grinding with a mosaic grinder, while moistening the floor surface with water.

The grinder is moved slowly in a circular motion.

After grinding, the sludge is removed and the floor is wiped with sawdust. Then, with the help of a wooden shovel and a broom, they are removed.

Features of modern mosaic
Types of floor mosaic
Benefits of floor mosaic
Ground floor features with mosaics in the bathroom
Caring for mosaic floors

The floor mosaic is made from small pieces that are placed in a certain way on the surface of the floor.

The initial three-dimensional drawing is due to the repeated light output from each small tile. Mosaic panels carefully transform separate zones or the entire room.

Features of modern mosaic

Mosaic on the floor allows you to place a surprisingly beautiful surface.

This type of finish is suitable for large rooms and for very small spaces, such as a bathroom in standard high-rise buildings.

To create a figurative mosaic for the floor under the shower, shown in the picture, will help. This floor surface design will always look modern and luxurious, no matter what stylistic decisions are popular.

Now it's a ceramic mosaic, natural stone, glass and even metals:

1. The first option is the most popular - it completely merges with mono tiles, and mosaic elements are used to create patterns.
2. Stone mosaic made of natural stone such as marble, jasper, tuff, granite, etc.

   by grinding and mediating the desired shape.

3. Glass mosaic is unique on earth. It is produced in different colors. You can choose the color, transparent, glossy or matte. During production process glass is heat treated and therefore durable. Also read: "How to make glass floors - installation types and methods."
4. The market also sells groundwater mosaics.

   This applies to particularly durable floor coverings. In the production of opaque glass melts, dyes are added to them. This explains the extremely good result when laying the floor.

5. For sale, you can also find metal mosaic to make steel or brass plates.

Modern panels are factory made from individual elements fixed together with a paper backing or a special mesh.

Square or rectangular shapes, finished products are delivered directly to the installation site. They can flex so these modules can be placed on uneven surfaces.

Sometimes the floor mosaic for the bathroom and other rooms is made in the form of standard ceramic plates, which are divided into small chips using small holes on the front surface.

Thanks to the through recesses, manufacturers can imitate small "tesserae". On the front of the panels, it looks like a mosaic and has a solid surface on the back.

At first glance, the arrangement of the mosaic floor seems easy to work with. But in fact, such a conclusion does not forgive mistakes.

Mosaic in the process of fixing is very capricious. It is true that every owner of the house, thanks to the latest technologies, has the ability to create a beautiful picture of mosaic tiles - ceramics or granite on the floor.

Types of floor mosaic

The parameter for the distribution of mosaic floor tiles is the depth of the pockets on the front of the product:

1. There are many slits on the surface that separate cells from cells.

   According to experts, this option is the best imitation of floor mosaics. At the end of the laying process, the joints are engraved and the grooves filled with debris, giving the illusion of building a floor from small pieces.

2. On the front of the floor tile, the mosaic has small recesses, which are filled at the factory with a special, imitation composition. Such a tile is very similar to a mosaic, but has a significant drawback. During transportation, the "factory" solution often breaks or starts to fall.

   During installation, minor imperfections may be covered with injection oil, but the color must match the composition used in the manufacture of the products.

3. On the surface of the floor tiles, the mosaic for the bathroom or other rooms has no cuts or is almost invisible. The top products are completely glazed.

   Mosaic pattern is created from squares - dots or circles different sizes. As a rule, the surface is clearly visible from a distance, but the mass of the injection is close to fraud, as it emphasizes the current parameters of the tile. Also read: "How to make pebbles in the bathroom - styling options."

Benefits of floor mosaic

The advantages of floor mosaics are obvious:

• the floors of these products provide high surface strength, so it is not dangerous for fine and abrasive wear.

  For this reason, for example, in places of increased melt, covered floor coverings, but not glassware;

• ceramics is characterized by sufficient chemical stability - it can be treated with bactericidal preparations, while it does not shake or freeze;
• which is characterized by the least absorption of water, therefore it can be used in conditions of high humidity;
• the surface is not afraid of ultraviolet radiation;
• the material is completely environmentally friendly;
• The floor covering quickly and easily matches the mosaic;
• affordable prices.

Ground floor features with mosaics in the bathroom

When making repairs, it is necessary to determine which mosaic can be placed on the floor, since such a coating is difficult to install.

It is desirable that this work be carried out by an expert.

Before proceeding with the installation, you need to consider two important points:

• mosaic on the floor in the bathroom must be laid on a completely flat surface, which can be made of concrete, metal, wood;
• You must wait at least 24 hours before sealing the joints.

  Concrete and mosaic floors

  Particularly resistant to moisture.

Even the most expensive mosaic products do not decorate bathrooms if the work technology was interrupted during their installation.

After completing the preparation of the rough base, the mosaic on the floor in the bathroom is placed with glue and a sponge that you buy, taking into account the size of the tile. When choosing this tool, pay attention to your teeth - they should be more than twice. Otherwise, it is impossible to install the mosaic correctly. Also read: "How to lay tiles on the floor in the bathroom."

Marking is performed in the place where the image is located. After that, the glue adapts to the place from which the styling will be done.

Caring for mosaic floors

Considering that the maintenance of the floor surface is not difficult, the answer to the question: "Can I put a mosaic on a mosaic?" Sounds positive.

Clean dirty areas with special ingredients. It is advisable not to use aggressive detergents, as they will adversely affect the state of the joints between adjacent elements. When cleaning, use a brush with soft bristles and a damp cloth. You can use a vacuum cleaner.

Characteristics and characteristics of mosaic concrete

Material characteristics

Mosaic concrete, used for centuries for flooring and today, remains popular for its high durability and wide decorative possibilities, as well as because it is a modern technology that increases the life of the floor and simplifies the installation process.

Floor plan with concrete mosaic.

Tiled flooring is a true all-purpose floor suitable for shopping malls, shops, sports facilities, cinemas, theatres, concert venues, offices, catering establishments, manufacturing facilities, train stations, waiting rooms, churches, exhibition areas, galleries, corridors, lobbies, halls etc.

It helps to realize the most complex design ideas and maintains an unchanged image for decades.

Installation of concrete mosaic.

Mosaic concrete floors are usually monolithic, but are sometimes veined or assembled from slabs. If we are talking about a color palette, floors can be monochromatic and polychromatic.

The base of a concrete floor to which filler from a natural source is added. Chips obtained by grinding marble, granite, balsat, quartz, jasper, serpentinite, gum, etc. are added as a filler in the mosaic-concrete mixture.

stacking technology

The technology of laying a mosaic floor is relatively simple, but requires strict respect.

The temperature of air and materials should not fall below 5 degrees during operation.

Concrete floors are installed after the installation of the roof, plaster and sanitary facilities in the room, the glazing is completed.

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Concrete mosaic floor coverings are made as follows:

1. First, cleaning the surface of the screed or layer from dust and dirt should be cleaned with an electric brush.
2. In the next step, using beams and a level, beacons (height 1-1.5 meters), frames or veins (depending on the pattern) are separated, which are attached to the cement base.
3. The surface is thoroughly moistened and overflowed with a screed, which is the bottom layer of soil.

   The layer is made of cement mortar class 150. The thickness of the screed should be 28-30 mm. Malta is leveled on the floor and dries. Subsequent watering of the mosaic-concrete mixture can be carried out after the installation of the screed.

4. Then a cement-sand mortar is produced for the topsoil.

   To prepare it, use 400 Portland cement, which can be white or colored as needed for the project. Concrete is colored by adding lightfast mineral pigments, such as ocher, carbon black, chromium oxide, iron oxide, etc.

   The color rendering technology assumes that its amount should not exceed 15% of the weight of the cement, otherwise the strength of the solution will be reduced. In order for the mosaic floors to have a uniform color, each mixture must be made in a room intended for laying in one room.

5. A filler is introduced into the solution, which, as already mentioned, is a stone fragment divided into fractions. Don't let it fall into the crumbs.

   The array has a size of 2.5-5 mm, 5-10 mm and a fraction of 10-15 mm. The composition of the mixture for covering the topsoil: 1 part of cement, 1 part of substrate 2.5-5 mm, 1 part of substrate 5-10 mm, 1 part of substrate 10-15 mm, 0.5 parts of water. Mason concrete mortars are obtained in terms of quality only if the components are thoroughly mixed, which is achieved using mobile mixers.

   Mosaic pressure technology with marble chips

   Ready concrete should be used within 1-1.5 hours until the change in the mobility of the composition begins.

6. Mosaic-concrete mix is ​​mixed and smooth according to the rules in accordance with a certain pattern limited by stripes. The concrete mosaic is laid in a layer that does not exceed 3.5 cm.
7. Compaction of the coating is carried out using vibrating wheels, surface vibrators or rams.
8. After the mixture has dried, the surface of the mosaic concrete is crushed.
9. Mosaic may add small cracks such as drying and varnishing.

   They should be treated with a mixture of cement and a suitable dye.

10. Concrete layout is best for polished surfaces. The polished surface is covered with M-28 stones, polished with a brush, polishing powder and wax with wax.

//1pobetonu.ru/www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ajlYhgGAxQ

High-quality mosaic concrete floors have a smooth and smooth surface, stone chips are evenly distributed, there are no areas of greater or lesser concentration of the aggregate.

If the concrete has a vein, they are clear and geometrically correct. Exhibitions and holes in the ground are not allowed. The drawing and color correspond to the project. A floor like this will last for many years and will be a decoration in any room.

DIY mosaic floor

This beautiful design is inspired by the cool stone floors of Mediterranean homes. The completed mosaic fragments are covered with a piece of adhesive plastic and lowered to the floor.

Pencil;

colored paper;

Scissors;

White glazed ceramic tiles;

Tile adhesive;

Spreaders: rubber and scalloped;

Soft fabric.

How to make a lemon tree floor with your own hands.

On colored paper, draw lemons and leaves large enough to cover the area of ​​the floor where you decided to lay out the mosaic.

Cut out the lemons and leaves and lay them out on a large sheet of white paper.

When you are happy with the design, use a felt-tip pen to draw branches and decorative border along the edge of the pattern.

Use a tile cutter to draw a median line on all colored ceramic tiles. You may need to practice on other tiles first to get a straight line. Divide each tile evenly in half by pressing equally hard on the left and right halves of the tile with a tile cutter.

Using wire cutters, divide the halves of the tiles into small mosaic cubes of the same size.

In the same way, cut the porcelain and some black mosaic tiles so that they are enough to mark the outline of all the lemons.

And according to your pattern, lay out the mosaic cubes on a flat surface.

To make the lemons appear voluminous, place the darker-sized cubes on one side only.

Arrangement of floors from marble chips - undeservedly forgotten

Lay out the contour of the lemon and the twig with black cubes.

Using tile cutters, cut the white glazed tiles into pieces of different sizes and shapes. Lay out the background with them. When one section of the mosaic is ready, glue the cubes together with a sheet of adhesive tape.

Finish the mosaic with a border.

This gently curved border is made from square yellowish mosaic cubes sandwiched between two lines of rectangular black tiles.

Remove the protective layer from the adhesive film (contact paper) and carefully place it on the mosaic.

You can work in turns with small areas.

Smooth the film with your hands so that it sticks to all the mosaic cubes and there are no air bubbles left.

Use a multi-bladed knife to cut the finished mosaic into manageable pieces.

Using a notched spreader, apply the adhesive to a section of the floor and carefully spread the mosaic piece by piece on it.

Press the mosaic onto the adhesive and leave it to dry overnight. Peel off the adhesive film and buff the mosaic with additional adhesive. Remove excess adhesive with a wet sponge.

Let the mosaic dry and then polish it with a dry soft cloth.

Based on site materials: http://rukodelie-rukami.ru

Used for arranging floor coverings. Due to its increased resistance to wear and the widest decorative possibilities, its popularity does not fall even today.

Today, concrete mosaic floors can be found in administrative buildings, shopping centers, children's educational institutions and other public places. Moreover, when creating interior designs for luxury apartments, designers are increasingly using this type of finish. Why are mosaic floors so good, how are they made and is it possible to install them with my own hands will be considered in this article.

Brief description of self-leveling marble floors

Filling the floor involves the following work:

1. The usual cement-sand mortar is kneaded, from which the base for the coating will be poured. It is poured in a small layer and leveled.
2. After the base is slightly compacted, you can start pouring the decorative mixture.
3. The finished composition is distributed into cells (up to the level of separating elements), according to the intended pattern and leveled with a vibrating plate or trowels.
4. When the entire surface is well compacted and smoothed, you can get the dividing rails, and fill the resulting voids with mortar.
5. The final solidification of the surface occurs in a week. Up to this point, you need to make sure that it remains slightly damp. For best results, it should be sprayed with water (1 time per day) and covered with polyethylene.

Grinding

At the final stage, concrete-mosaic floors are polished. This is necessary in order for the coating to acquire a glossy effect. You can start work a week after pouring the solution.

The surface is moistened with water and sprinkled with sand. Thus, a rough peeling of the upper layer is carried out. If dents and voids are found during the work, they are filled with cement mortar and rubbed with marble bars.

The final polishing is performed by a special machine with felt nozzles and polishing powder. After the work done, the mosaic structure will become more visible, and the floor will look smooth and shiny.

Mosaic floors, for the manufacture of which marble chips are used, are characterized by growing popularity, and today they can be found in premium-class apartments, elite shopping and office centers, as well as medical and educational institutions. Being a product of marble grinding, marble chips are a material with a wide range of uses, however, on an industrial scale, it has found its application in the manufacture of self-leveling concrete mosaic floors, which are distinguished by high decorative and operational characteristics, which will be discussed below. Marble mosaic floors are practically not equipped in residential premises, but they remain unrivaled in the arrangement of flooring in public places, on terraces and open public areas. The arrangement of any floor covering implies the need to follow a certain, technologically significant sequence of actions, which will make it possible to obtain a floor covering with proper performance characteristics. Due to the fact that the work on arranging a mosaic concrete floor is associated with certain difficulties, the process of its installation deserves more detailed consideration.

The use of marble chips in the manufacture of flooring

Marble is a natural rock characterized by high density and unique granular-crystalline structure. Its inherent high performance, as well as low water absorption and resistance to aggressive external factors have made marble one of the most popular materials on construction sites, the popularity of which is increasing day by day. The aesthetic characteristics of marble, complemented by its ability to deeply convey the unique texture of natural stone, determine its widespread use as a decorative finishing material.

Rapid development innovative technologies and the emergence of new high-tech equipment contributed to the emergence of an analog material - marble chips, the production of which is based on the use of mostly substandard marble production waste, their further crushing and packaging into fractions. Due to the fact that marble chips are formed during the production of marble products, this method of manufacturing marble material was developed with the aim of its economical consumption. To date, marble chips used for mosaic floors are one of the most common practical applications of marble. Due to the decorative characteristics of the marble material, floors based on this rock can be used for decorative design of various interior solutions.

This type of flooring consists of several layers:

• The lower or underlying layer, represented by a concrete screed, which is made of a cement-sand mortar and laid directly on the floor base (for example, a concrete base made on compacted soil, reinforced concrete screed, poured onto a layer of insulation or reinforced concrete floor slabs). The thickness of the bottom layer of mosaic floors is a variable parameter and depends on the design features of the floor covering. On average, its thickness is 20-35 mm, and in the case of arrangement thermal circuit heating - 40 mm and more;
• The top or front layer, represented by a concrete-mosaic mixture, which consists of a cement mortar with the addition of marble chips. Being also a variable parameter, the thickness of the layer of mosaic-concrete mixture can reach from 15 to 25 mm and depends on the size of the fraction of decorative mosaic inclusions.

Important! Despite the fact that in the process of producing a mosaic floor from marble chips, no more solid blocks of marble material are used, this type of flooring is distinguished by the properties inherent in solid rock. In this regard, by giving preference to mosaic tiles on the floor, you will get a reliable floor covering, the operation of which will be carried out for a long time without the need for ongoing cosmetic repairs.

Advantages and disadvantages of mosaic flooring

Like any other material, marble chips mosaic floors are characterized by a certain set of advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages of mosaic floors made of marble chips:

• Due to the exceptional durability of marble chips floors, they are mainly installed in places characterized by a large crowd of people and high traffic flooring, for example, subways, shopping centers and other public institutions;
• Increased moisture resistance of the mosaic-concrete coating interspersed with marble chips;
• Marble chips are endowed with all the characteristics of marble - the raw material from which it is made, and therefore, we can conclude that it is characterized by increased wear resistance. And given the natural variety of shades of marble and their resistance to ultraviolet radiation, using marble chips, you can realize your wildest design fantasies by equipping a floor covering with exquisite patterns;
• Environmental friendliness of marble and its unpretentiousness in leaving. It is easily cleaned using common detergents and, if necessary, is subject to disinfection, and therefore, the laying of this flooring is welcome in children's and medical institutions;
• Mechanical friction and falling objects on the floor of marble chips are not accompanied by the appearance of sparks and cracks, which indicates the fire safety of the coating and the possibility of its arrangement in workshops and enterprises where strict requirements are imposed on the fire safety of the floor covering;
• Resistance to aggressive chemicals implies absolute indifference of the coating to organic solvents, alkaline solutions, emulsions and mineral oils;
• In the process of making mosaic floors from marble chips, you are not limited by almost anything and get the opportunity to create the most amazing patterns and patterns, which allows you to turn marble chips floors into a real work of art.

However, marble chips also have certain disadvantages, which will be discussed below.

Disadvantages of mosaic floors made of marble chips:

• Like any other stone coating, the concrete-mosaic floor made of marble chips is quite cold, and therefore, it is necessary to think over the option of its insulation in advance;
• Despite the variety of colors and resistance to ultraviolet radiation, sooner or later yellowness may appear on the surface of the marble chips;
• Due to the fact that the mosaic floor of marble chips is characterized by a long service life, it is necessary to carefully consider the selection during its installation, giving preference to neutral or classic patterns. This is due to the fact that long time flooring services, the drawings with which it is decorated, go out of fashion, becoming morally obsolete and becoming irrelevant. And taking into account the fact that the dismantling of the old coating is a rather laborious process, the issue of selecting a pattern must be approached even more carefully;
• Installation of mosaic flooring is quite expensive, due to the higher cost of marble chips, slightly higher than the price of more traditional materials. However, the cost of a mosaic floor also depends on the number and complexity of the decorative elements.

Important! Marble chips are used not only as the main component in the process of pouring mosaic-concrete floors, but also for the manufacture of decorative mosaic tiles on the floor, the production of which is carried out on the basis of three classes of mosaic chips. The color range of the used mosaic chips can be both natural and obtained by artificial processing.

Materials and tools for pouring mosaic flooring

In the process of forming mosaic floors, marble is used not only large and medium, but also fine fraction, crushed stone, marble screenings and marble flour, as well as ground marble. To give the material desired shade fillers and decorative pigments are required. In the process of work, it is necessary to prepare equipment and a certain set of tools:

• Sander;
• Concrete mixer, which can be replaced with an electric drill equipped with a mixer nozzle;
• Construction vacuum cleaner;
• Electric brush;
• Level and rule;
• Powder for polishing;
• Abrasive stones characterized by a grit of 60-80 and 230-325;
• Container for mixing the solution;
• Rubber scrapers and shovels;
• Bulgarian;
• End diamond wheel.

Mosaic floors: arrangement technology

The procedure for arranging mosaic floors using marble chips includes several successive steps:

• Substrate preparation, including leveling the subfloor with a cement screed;
• Installation installation of special separators;
• Preparation of concrete-marble mixture;
• Filling the prepared composition with subsequent grinding of the surface.

In order to most effectively carry out the laying of mosaic floors, let's move on to a more detailed consideration of each of the above steps.

Substrate preparation is the key to effective installation of a mosaic floor

High-quality laying of mosaic-concrete pavement is impossible without careful preparation of the base on which it will be built. In order for the preparation to be as effective as possible, it is necessary to first remove the old floor covering, and then prepare the so-called “rough” floor. According to experts, the most suitable base for mosaic flooring is a monolithic reinforced concrete slab covered with a cement screed.

Step by step, we will consider the process of preparing a rough foundation, which includes a number of sequential mandatory operations.

• First of all, preparatory measures begin with the removal of the old floor covering, which can be represented by linoleum, laminate, parquet, as well as boards or plywood;
• If during the preparation of the base, you find cracks, irregularities or recesses, level them with putty and fill with a self-leveling mixture, giving Special attention areas where riser pipes pass;
• Next, using a hard metal brush, clean the surface of the base, which will increase the adhesive characteristics of the coating;
• After cleaning the surface, perform its “dust removal”, taking care to remove all microparticles formed during the cleaning of the base. For these purposes, you will need a construction vacuum cleaner;

• After you have completed the preparatory measures, proceed with the installation of dividing veins, the presence of which will ensure the high strength of the floor covering. If you are forming a single-color flooring, the installation of separators is carried out in the same way as that carried out during the installation of a cement screed, that is, in increments of 1.5 m. Provided that the floor level does not exceed 25 mm, it is recommended that the most suitable separators use square pipes with a diameter of 25x25 mm.

• If you are planning to equip a floor covering with an ornament, it is important to know that the installation of dividing veins in this case will have its own characteristics. First of all, in accordance with the intended ornament and additional color inserts, mark up on the base, and then install your separator on each part. Separating veins, in this case, are thin plates of brass or aluminum, each of which is characterized by a certain shape. In rare cases, for repeating rectangular patterns, glass partitions can be used as separators.

Preparation of mosaic-concrete mixture: procedure

Important! In the process of arranging marble mosaic floors, it is recommended to use marble chips of various sizes, which will “revive” and detail the prepared pattern, making it more natural. To achieve the required level of detail, marble chips are used, the fraction sizes of which reach from 5 to 10-15 mm, selecting it in accordance with the required proportions.

Consider the procedure for preparing a working mosaic-concrete mixture.

• To lay mosaic floors, it is necessary to prepare a working mixture consisting of cement, marble chips, stone flour and water. To achieve the optimal consistency of the solution, before adding the marble chips, they are washed with running water, which will increase the degree of its adhesion to the rest of the components of the solution.
• After washing the marble chips of various fractions, it is mixed in equal proportions and cement grade M400 is added to it at the rate of 1 part of cement per 2 parts of the mixture of marble chips of various fractions;
• If you plan to make a colored floor covering, adding a dye to the mosaic mixture, the type of which depends on the initial color of the marble chips and the required saturation of the prepared pattern. In order for the pattern to acquire uniform saturation during the manufacturing process of the mosaic floor, it is necessary to first prepare a dry mixture of dyes of each shade in sufficient volume. Most often, natural pigments are used as dyes (marble flour, ocher, iron minium and ultramarine). In total, the amount of dyes used should not exceed 30% of the original amount of cement.

Important! All components of the mixture are mixed in dry form, after which water is added in such an amount that the solution acquires a uniform mushy consistency.

Important! Adding water must be done in portions so as not to be mistaken with the consistency. For a more accurate calculation of the required proportion, you can use a measuring container. However, to facilitate the task, it is recommended to focus on a ratio of 1: 3: 0.5, where one part of dyes and cement accounts for three parts of a mixture of marble chips of various fractions and half of water.

Mosaic floor pouring technology: a step-by-step guide

The installation of marble chips floors includes the following steps:

• First of all, a solution is prepared from cement and sand, taking them in the usual proportions. The consistency of the ideal solution should resemble putty. The prepared solution is poured into a thin layer and leveled. Thus, the lower lining is prepared;
• After a slight, primary compaction of the solution, the entire area to be mounted is filled with a mosaic solution, which is compacted using special trowels or vibrating screeds. If, after pouring the mosaic solution, you find excess liquid, they must be removed with a rubber spatula, and then the solution is finally leveled;
• After the solution hardens, which occurs within a week, the beacons are removed. To achieve a high-quality result, it is important to maintain its constant humidity during the hardening period of the floor.

The final stage - grinding the surface

• In order for the surface to acquire an elegant and attractive appearance, after its final drying, it is necessary to polish it. To carry out surface grinding, special grinding machines are used, equipped with a movable disk, on which abrasive nozzles are fixed.

Important! To facilitate and speed up the grinding procedure, moisten the surface to be treated with water and at the same time apply fine quartz sand to it. If at this stage you find any defects, they must be filled with a solution prepared in advance, after which the final grout is made using a marble bar.

• If you are making a mosaic floor with a complex pattern, it is important to not only grind it, but also polish the surface, for which you can also use grinder equipped with a felt nozzle. For the final treatment of the mosaic floor, use a wiping paste, the use of which will increase the efficiency of the work.

Arrangement of skirting boards - an additional decorative effect

To give the flooring a final touch, designers recommend placing a bet on the installation of skirting boards. Their manufacture can be carried out both at the stage of laying the surface, and upon completion of its arrangement. The material for the manufacture of skirting boards is a mosaic mixture similar to that used to fill the coating. The production of skirting boards is carried out using special templates that will give them the desired shape. The template can be made of wood or metal. In rare cases, for the installation of skirting boards, a cement-sand mortar is used, on which tile plates made from the main flooring material are fixed.

How to repair mosaic floors?

Despite the fact that mosaic floors are quite unpretentious in their care, they can lose their original attractiveness over time, which necessitates repair of the flooring. To restore the surface to its original luster, it is necessary to polish it. To extend the service life of the concrete surface, it is recommended to use hardening impregnations and sealants, which are applied in accordance with the instructions. To make the flooring more decorative, it is covered with a special varnish.

The technology for making mosaic floors from marble chips is quite old, as a result of which they can be seen both in ancient Greek temples and in medieval castles, and in modern architectural objects. They still do not lose their relevance, remaining a valuable cultural and architectural heritage.

Today, concrete mosaic floors can be seen not only in business centers, supermarkets, educational and medical institutions, but also in private homes and premium apartments. When arranging such floors, granite, marble or quartz chips are added to the concrete of the mosaic composition, which was formed during the manufacture of products from natural stone.

According to the composition (depending on the binder), concrete mosaic floors are divided into cement, polymer and polymer cement.

On a note! Any bulk thin-layer coating in which marble, glass, fragments are used for decoration ceramic tiles, decorative stones other natural materials, is called terrazzo mosaic floor.

Concrete mosaic floors are made monolithic (solid), divided or using concrete mosaic slabs.

Technology for arranging mosaic floors

The technology for arranging such a coating as a mosaic floor includes the following steps:

• preliminary preparation of the base surface;
• installation of dividing structures (when arranging a multi-color mosaic coating) or installing beacons (when laying a single-color floor);
• preparation of concrete mosaic composition;
• laying the solution;
• finishing of the finished floor.

Important! All work on the arrangement of the mosaic concrete floor is carried out at an air temperature of at least 5 degrees Celsius, we maintain the same temperature in the room just as long as the concrete does not gain 50% of its strength. We recommend laying mosaic floors after all installation, construction, electrical installation and cladding work has been completed.

Substrate surface preparation

If the base for the mosaic floor is a monolithic reinforced concrete slab, we perform the following preliminary work:

• determine the surface irregularities of the plate (they should not exceed 10 mm), using the rule and the ruler;
• we cut down the protruding irregularities with a hammer or perforator;
• potholes and cracks are sealed with a quick-hardening repair compound;
• using a metal brush (manual or electric), we give the surface a rough structure;
• we clean the base of dirt, collect dust with a vacuum cleaner;
• we prime the surface of the plate with a special compound.

The ideal base for a concrete mosaic floor is an ordinary cement-sand screed 2-3 cm thick (sometimes it reaches 4 cm: in the case of arranging a water heating system). We clean the base under the screed from dirt and dust, moisten it with plenty of water. We prepare a not very thick cement-sand mortar (proportion 1:3 or 1:4), fill all the voids with it, leveling surface defects. After the screed can be walked on, we process it with a metal brush, remove the dust with a vacuum cleaner. Before we start laying mosaic concrete, we decide which floor we want to end up with: one-color or multi-color.

Arrangement of a one-color mosaic coating

If the choice fell on a one-color concrete mosaic floor, then we install metal profiles on the “buns” from the solution (we use them as beacons) in increments of a meter or a half and lay the mosaic mixture. Moreover, we level it only with the help of a spatula (when using the rule, stone chips are distributed unevenly).

We tamp the laid mortar until it becomes motionless, using a vibrating screed or a light rammer. We remove the white liquid that has come out (“cement milk”) from the surface with a rag, level and smooth the coating. When the solution has seized, we remove the profiles, we close the furrows.

To check the quality of the work performed, we check the presence of a gap between the coating and the rule, and also evaluate how evenly the stone chips are distributed over the floor surface. In case of defects, we proceed to correct them: add the solution to places where it is not enough, level it with a trowel and tamp it down.

Arrangement of a multi-color coating

To create a floor with a pattern, we perform the following work:

• Using a cord, a tape measure and a square, we draw the contours of the floor pattern. To outline straight lines, we apply the chalked cord to the marked points, pull it, pull it up and release it sharply: a chalk mark remains on the base. For drawings with complex geometry, we use pre-made templates and compasses.

• For the manufacture of guides (veins) we use glass, polymer material, aluminum or other stainless metal (thickness - 0.8 ÷ 1 mm). We cut out the metal veins with the help of roofing scissors and straighten them with a mallet, and cut out the glass guides with a roller glass cutter.
• We select the contours of the ornament with the help of guides (that is, we set the dividing veins for the rasters different colors), and fix them with concrete mortar. If the screed is not completely hardened, cuts can be made in it along the contour of the pattern with a spatula, into which the veins are inserted and further strengthened with a solution. The width of the guides depends on the thickness of the terrazzo composition.

Important! We place the upper end of the guides at the level of the intended surface of the future coating.

• We attach a damper tape around the perimeter of the room to prevent deformation of the floor.
• Preparing the terrazzo mix.
• In accordance with the drawing, we lay mosaic solutions of different colors on the entire floor area, in segments, level them and tamp them down. We clean the white liquid that appears on the surface with a rag or a special brush.

Important! In order to avoid displacement of the veins, we use only light rammers to compact the solution (we exclude the vibrating rail).

• To prevent rapid drying of the mosaic coating, we protect it as follows: after one day, we cover the floor surface with sawdust about 30 mm thick and pour water over it for 8-11 days (once a day). Another way (instead of sawdust): cover the surface with plastic wrap, remove it once a day, wet the floor with water and cover again.

Advice! To prevent a strong jet of water from damaging a freshly laid floor, we recommend watering from a garden watering can.

• After a week, we wipe, putty, grind, polish and rub the finished coating with wax.

Preparing the mixture

We prepare a mixture for the “terrazzo” mosaic floor from cement, stone chips, pigments and stone flour (mineral additive). First, we mix cement (the brand of which is not lower than 200) with pigments that are resistant to light, and sift through a sieve (the amount of dye should not exceed 15% by weight of cement). As a pigment, we use manganese peroxide, chromium oxide or iron oxide. Then we add stone chips (from 2.5 to 15 mm in size), previously washed from dirt and dust. And, remember: the smaller the crumb, the more evenly it will be distributed in the mixture. Also, the quality of the solution also depends on how carefully the mixing is done: therefore, it is better to use a concrete mixer for these purposes. When preparing the solution, we observe the following proportions: for 1 part of cement we take 0.5 parts of water; the ratio between the crumb and the mortar is 8:2 (that is, by increasing the percentage of stone filler, we increase the strength of the coating). We use the prepared mixture within 2 hours (otherwise it will begin to harden).

Advice! In order to achieve color and structural uniformity of the mosaic coating, it is recommended to prepare the mixture for the entire room at once (or separately for each segment).

Finishing work on the arrangement of the mosaic floor

Finishing work on the arrangement of the floor:

• After 4-5 days after laying the mosaic concrete, we wipe the surface using a coarse abrasive material. Pour water on the floor (thin layer) and pour sand. We move the mosaic grinder on concrete slowly, removing the top concrete layer and exposing the stone chips. The resulting sludge is removed.

• We putty the pores and scratches by rubbing the marble bars of tinted or unpainted cement into the pre-moistened surface.
• We grind the surface using stones of medium and fine abrasiveness.
• When all the finishing work is done, we remove debris and dust, wash the floor, wipe it, dry it and bring it to a shine using wax.

Important! In places where grinding and polishing is difficult to do with a grinder, we do this work by hand, using a clip with an abrasive stone clamped in it. The surface is pre-wetted with water.

In custody

Ultimately, the mosaic floor should have a flat and smooth surface, in which the stone chips are evenly distributed (without gaps). Mosaic floors are distinguished by high performance and decorative characteristics, affordable price and durability.