Leveling the concrete floor with a self-leveling floor. How and how to level a concrete floor: modern technologies and materials

Filling the floor with a self-leveling mixture during repairs involves the implementation of a special and simple technology, as well as calculating the consumption of materials used. All this can be done independently, without resorting to the services of builders or workers.

Foundation preparation

Everything is quite simple here - there should be no debris and cracks on the floor. Therefore, gaps should be sealed and the floor primed. Wait for the liquid to absorb and dry. Do not pour liquid floor before the primer is completely dry. If you do not have a primer, you can take a liquid solution of the same mixture to level the floor - for this, mix a little powder with water to get a slightly thick mass.

Mixing technology

Many people use self-pulling mixtures from manufacturers such as Ceresit, Knauf, Birss, Glims, Vetonit, Prospectors, etc. to create an absolutely even surface. It is very easy to prepare the solution: a small part of the powder must be poured into the water, but not vice versa, otherwise it will be difficult to make the mass homogeneous before pouring.

You can mix the water with the powder manually, but the so-called mechanized method, in the form of a drill and a mixer, which can be purchased at any hardware store, will greatly facilitate your work. Filling the self-leveling floor is possible while the mixture is still in liquid state and did not start to thicken. Therefore, you should immediately prepare all the tools, mix the solution and immediately lay it. Remember that the thickened mass must not be diluted with water - in this way, you violate the laying technology and risk cracking.

Consumption of self-levelling compound

The use of a mixture for leveling the floor is not appropriate in all cases. It is mainly used when the difference in the height of the floor surface is not more than 2 cm. If the difference is greater, such a floor screed can become too expensive and will take a very long time to dry.

The main thing is to follow the rules by which a self-leveling mortar is prepared: for 1 square meter with a thickness of 1 mm, the consumption is 1.5 kg of the mixture. Usually 6-6.5 liters of water fall on 1 bag of the mixture. If you pour the maximum amount of water, the solution will turn out to be liquid and it will be easier to work with it.

Necessary tools and pouring

To lay the self-leveling floor you will need:

• Clean bucket of 20 liters;
• Spatula for laying the mixture in corners and other hard-to-reach places;
• Drill and mixer for mixing the mixture;
• Needle roller on a long handle.

The mixture begins to dry out well after 30-40 minutes, so you will need to do everything quickly. The sequence of actions is as follows:

• Pour the solution onto the surface;
• Take a spatula and start helping the mixture spread evenly over the entire surface;
• Take a needle roller and roll over the mixture. Thus, the mass is much better distributed, air bubbles are removed from it, which worsen the strength of the floor.

Area to fill

Leveling a floor with a leveler can be inexpensive if done right. For one batch, the area may be different, as it depends on the curved sections and the surface topography. As a rule, one bag of mixture is obtained per batch. If you take into account the water, you get one 20-liter bucket, which is poured onto the floor, after which the mass is leveled. Drying time is limited by the properties of the mixture, so all work should be done quickly and it is advisable not to knead more than 20 liters of mixture at a time.

The thickness of the self-leveling floor in the thinnest place must be at least 5 mm, otherwise you will again violate the technology. The period of complete drying of the self-leveling mixture is from 3 to 14 days, regardless of temperature and humidity level. Laying the finish flooring in the form of laminate, linoleum, etc. only when the solution is completely dry. This is necessary in order to avoid the formation of mold at high humidity and damage to the integrity of the coating.

Common laying mistakes

The most common mistakes when working with a leveling compound are:

• It must be remembered that the mixture is called self-leveling because it spreads beautifully over the base and forms a flat surface, but you must also help the mixture to spread. If the solution did not reach the corner, it means that it was poured far from the corner and the solution should be stretched with a spatula.
• It is important to choose the right roller - with needles 1-2 mm above the expected fill level. Then he will not shift the mixture too much along the base, or vice versa, will not move it from its place in any way.
• You should also think about the flaps and the height of the threshold so that the solution does not overflow.
• Before you start pouring the floor, you need to measure the height of the entire room. Because if there is a hillock in the middle of the room, and you don’t notice it, then after the end of the work it will stick out.

polgid.ru

What is the best way to level a concrete floor?

• Floor leveling methods
• Lighthouse Alignment
• Self-leveling floor device

If you decide to make repairs in your apartment, whether it is a major overhaul of the entire space or a repair of a floor covering that has become unusable, then you are unlikely to be able to do without leveling the floor. Even in a new apartment, the base of the floor is made of concrete slabs very often uneven, especially at the joints. In old apartments where people live for a long time, the condition of the upper part of the concrete floor is not just bad, but deplorable, and without its preliminary leveling, one can only dream of a quality repair in the apartment.

Before leveling, it is necessary to carefully measure all the unevenness of the concrete floor.

Floor preparation for leveling

To determine the method of leveling the floor and purchase the necessary materials, you must first measure the level of the floor. To do this, you first need to dismantle the flooring and examine the irregularities.

For measurements, a long level is used, with the help of which the evenness of all sections of the floor is determined. The surface of the concrete floor becomes uneven either due to abrasion and the appearance of cracks during operation, or due to concrete slabs laid crookedly during the construction phase of the house. There are often times when both causes are present.

With the help of the level, the planes of the laid slabs are first checked and the highest point of the floor is marked. Then the chipped and worn sections of the plates are examined and the deepest depression is noted. Preliminary determination of the desired height of raising the floor level is extremely important, since if this level is significantly raised, serious difficulties are possible: the doors will not be able to open or they will interfere with the operation of the radiator. Often time and money to eliminate these troubles takes more than the alignment itself.

Floor leveling methods

Installation of pin beacons.

Usually the flooring is the last thing to be dismantled during preparation for repair work, and the first thing to be restored. Simply put, the floor must be leveled before the walls and ceiling are leveled. To date, there are 2 ways to level the concrete base:

• by lighthouses;
• pouring floor device.

If the area of ​​​​the room is small, and the difference between the minimum and maximum points of the floor plane does not exceed 35 mm, then the best option would be a self-leveling floor. If the differences between the points are large, then you can level the concrete floor according to the exposed beacons.

When choosing one of the options, it is important to understand that the ideal way to level the concrete floor has not yet been invented, and each method has its pros and cons. And it is very important before proceeding with the alignment, to understand them, so that in the future in the process of work not to do stupid things.

Lighthouse Alignment

Floor screed scheme.

This method is by far the most common among amateurs to do everything around the house with their own hands. It is best suited for leveling the floor in large rooms: halls, living rooms. Using this method, initially, special beacons must be laid and fixed on a concrete base - metal slats, which later serve as a guide for installing a new floor screed.

The main advantage of this method is the device of a high-quality and durable screed, including on large surfaces, with minimal cost and time for work. But such a surface can harden from 10 to 30 days, depending on the thickness of the screed layer and the temperature in the room. If you need to level the concrete floor faster, then this method will have to be abandoned.

To perform alignment, you will need tools:

• a vacuum cleaner;
• perforated corners;
• Master OK:
• rule.

Before leveling the floor, its base must be carefully swept, and even better - vacuumed to remove accumulated dust and dirt. As lighthouses, metal perforated corners are most often used. Beacons must be installed along the room: the first and last - at a distance of 30 cm from the side walls, the rest - at an equal distance from each other, while the step between them should not exceed 1 m.

Installation is done in this order. After marking the floor, strictly along the lines they “slap” with a step of 20-25 cm with cakes of pre-prepared cement or gypsum mortar. These cakes are placed in a vertical line and the beacons are leveled by level, deepening them into the solution or lifting and placing a smaller cake from below.

Floor screed tools: metal beacons, building level, building mixer, large capacity.

When the mortar sets a little and fixes the exposed beacons, the empty space remaining under them is filled with mortar. At this stage, it is still possible to correct the exposed beacons, achieving the most flat horizontal. After that, the beacons must be given time to firmly fix themselves in the solution and only then proceed to leveling the floor.

For leveling use freshly prepared cement mortar. The optimal density of the solution resembles thick sour cream. It will be difficult to level a thicker solution, and too liquid will not be strong enough, and it will take a very long time to dry.

The alignment process must be started from the corner farthest from the entrance doors, moving towards the door. The first and second row are poured simultaneously. Then the last and penultimate rows are filled in the same way. Then the filling is performed one row on each side, ending with the central one.

The cement mortar is poured between the installed beacons and leveled with a trowel to fill any remaining voids inside the screed. After filling the row with a solution, a rule is set on the beacons with an edge and carried out 2-3 times, leveling the solution flush with the beacons.

The filling and leveling of each subsequent row must be done very carefully, constantly monitoring the density of the mortar, since it cannot remain absolutely the same, and sagging may appear at the points of contact with the already laid mortar, negating efforts to create a flat surface.

The last row is filled and leveled in small portions, the space actually filled with mortar should not exceed the length of outstretched arms. This is the most complex and time-consuming part of the entire job of leveling the surface of the concrete floor. Then the laid screed must be allowed to dry. Only after complete drying, you can proceed to further repairs.

Self-leveling floor device

This is the fastest and easiest to perform, but far from the most cheap way floor leveling. For leveling concrete surfaces, special self-leveling compounds are used. Such a mixture is simply poured onto a concrete base, and due to its specific properties, it thin layer spreads over the surface, filling all the bumps.

When leveling the surface in this way, you need to acquire the following tools:

• vacuum cleaner:
• foam roller;
• needle roller;
• paint stalks.

As with leveling the floor with beacons, you first need to clean its surface. Upon completion of cleaning, the concrete surface is treated with a special primer for self-leveling floors. After priming, you can begin to dilute the self-leveling mixture, strictly following the instructions printed on its packaging.

Having poured a floor with a self-leveling mortar, it is necessary to walk along it in different directions with a spiked roller to remove air bubbles in the diluted mixture. You need to work with the roller in special studded shoes - paint shoes, and the needles in the roller should be longer than the height of the self-leveling floor in its deepest place.

Such a floor dries in just a few hours, after which you can proceed to further repairs. Such a drying rate is explained both by the specific composition of the mixture and the thickness of the casting layer, which does not exceed 3-4 mm.

Despite the speed and simplicity, this method is still not ideal.

It is not suitable if the height difference of the surface to be leveled is greater than 3 mm.

It is also poorly suited for pouring the floor over large areas, since the self-leveling mixture sets quickly, and there is simply not enough time to perform high-quality roller treatment of the flooded surface.

Leveling the floor at the same time as laying the tiles

First, using a level at the bottom along the perimeter of the walls, a mark is applied with a marker, marking the future horizontal of the laid tile. Then the actual laying of the tile is performed, while the level of the laid tile is regulated by the amount of adhesive composition applied to its base. However, in this way, irregularities of 2-3 mm can be leveled; with large differences, it will not help.

Leveling the concrete base of the floor is not one of the complex construction operations, such work does not require high qualifications from the performer, but attention and patience. Therefore, for its implementation there is no need to resort to the services construction firms, you can safely take on the work yourself, saving money for professionals to perform more complex repair operations.

moyagostinaya.ru

Leveling compounds for the floor: an overview

Very rarely the floors in a new apartment or house are perfectly even.

Well, our builders do not know how to do everything so that they do not have to align additionally.

And you often have to do this work, since almost all manufacturers of modern materials for laying on the floor (parquet, linoleum, laminate, and so on) indicate that the foundation must be perfect for successful operation and long service life.

And how to achieve this?

Before, the builders didn’t do anything: they arranged a screed, and leveled everything with concrete.

Now it has become much easier to level the floor, because special leveling compounds have appeared on the market.

It is enough to dilute them with water in the right proportion (this is indicated on the package) and pour it on the floor.

It takes a minimum of time, but in the end the result is amazing!

The basis of bulk leveling mixtures is gypsum or cement.

Usually it is aluminous or Portland cement.

Quartz sand, polymer additives and various surfactants are also added to the composition.

If the floor is originally done certain color, then a certain pigment is added to the composition of such a mixture.

Manufacturers add porous fillers to the floor leveling composition, thanks to which the finished floor acquires exceptional sound and thermal insulation properties.

In fact, leveling mixtures have only one minus.

And it is typical for high quality products: it is high cost.

But there are a lot of pluses:

• increased strength;
• low evaporation;
• environmental friendliness of the material (after all, mixtures are made from natural materials);
• no shrinkage;
• ease of installation;
• quick set of strength and strength;
• perfect grip.

Depending on the condition of the substrate, the layer of leveling screed can be very thin.

The effectiveness of the properties of the material is not reduced.

Types of leveling compounds for the floor

In the video, you will learn how to determine the readiness of the self-leveling mortar.

Now construction industry enterprises produce two types of mixtures that are used to level floors - leveling and self-leveling.

The first - leveling, otherwise they are also called self-leveling screeds, are used where it is necessary to form the main bearing layer on the floor, eliminate significant defects, and repair the base.

Also, when installing underfloor heating, such material is used as the final screed.

The self-leveling screed is not a self-levelling compound.

After it is diluted with water to the desired consistency, it becomes quite thick.

It should be applied along the beacons with further leveling with a metal spatula or a rule.

Lay such a screed with a layer of 10-30 mm.

However, working with such it is much easier than with a conventional cement-sand mixture.

After all, self-leveling screeds contain various additives that make the finished solution more plastic, and the resulting base more durable.

The high mobility of the material makes it possible to lay it in a very thin layer, protecting the coating from cracks.

A typical representative of self-leveling screeds is a mixture of ST 80 famous company Ceresit.

It is packaged in bags of 25 kg.

The cost of one bag is 250-270 rubles.

And for 1 sq. meter of surface with a layer of 1 mm consumes 2 kg of the finished solution.

The finished surface can be used after 7 days.

Self-levelling compounds, otherwise known as self-leveling mass or self-leveling floors, are used to make the finishing base before starting the decorative finish.

With their help, small differences in height (3-20 mm) are eliminated.

If it is necessary to repair damage on the floor bigger size, then the solution is laid in several layers.

After the mixture is mixed with water, its consistency becomes liquid and it spreads by gravity over the base, perfectly leveling the horizon.

No levels or beacons required.

In order to speed up the spreading rate, you can use a squeegee or a metal spatula.

In order to remove air bubbles from the spreading screed, its surface is treated with a spiked roller.

After drying, the base becomes perfectly flat.

The representative of these mixtures is Ceresit's CN 68.

The cost of a bag weighing 25 kg varies between 470-490 rubles.

Consumption per 1 sq. a meter of surface with a layer thickness of 1 mm is 1.6 kg.

Insulation of the concrete floor of the first floor. The correct principle of such work is shown on our website.

How much money do you need to spend to repair the floor in Khrushchev? Here you can find the answer to this exciting question!

How can you cover the concrete floor in the garage? This article contains all the necessary information. Motorists will be especially useful!

Floors can be used after 24 hours.

Surface preparation

Proper surface preparation is the key to strength and durability.

The floor must first be cleaned of paint, various greasy spots by removing them mechanically or chemically.

Be sure to remove weak and flaking areas.

Carefully seal any holes or cracks through which the leveling compound may leak.

Then the dust should be removed with special care.

It should be said right away that banal sweeping the floor with a broom or brush will not be enough.

It is necessary to use a vacuum cleaner and go over the surface several times to ensure that the substrate is as clean as possible.

After the dust is removed from the surface, it must be primed with a primer.

The primer must first be diluted with water.

The primer is applied in a thin continuous layer without smudges and puddles.

It is desirable that the primer be of the same manufacturer as the leveling compound.

And at the end of the preparation, a tape made of polyurethane is attached to the walls.

The thickness of the tape is 5 mm, and the width depends on the thickness of the poured solution.

Solution preparation

Detailed instructions for preparing the solution are on the packaging of the dry mix.

Otherwise, the result will be unpredictable.

For the solution, a container should be prepared in advance.

Preferably plastic.

Usually this is a standard plastic basin.

The dry mixture is poured into it and clean water is added in the required amount.

Then, using an electric drill with a mixer nozzle, all this should be thoroughly mixed.

The mixture should be homogeneous, not have clots and lumps.

The setting time may be significantly reduced and you simply will not have time to distribute the prepared solution.

Or the surface due to rapid solidification will not be perfectly flat.

If you allow an overdose of water in order to save on the amount of material, then the strength characteristics of the mixture will be significantly reduced.

If there is less water than required, the spreadability of the solution will decrease.

If the solution begins to thicken, you should speed up the work.

You can't dilute it with water!

Perform surface leveling

In this video, you will learn how to level the floors with a self-leveling mixture and what will be the consumption of this material for the floor.

Happy viewing!

Before you start pouring the leveling mixture, you should close all windows and doors in the room.

A very important point is the temperature of the floor.

It is desirable that it be in the range of +5 - +10 degrees.

The floor surface must be dry.

After preparing the solution, it is poured into strips of 50 cm on the surface and leveled with a spatula.

Filling is done quickly so that the edges of the previous strip do not have time to dry.

The room should be filled in one go.

That is, today it is impossible to do one part, and the other tomorrow!

If the room has so large area that it is unrealistic to fill it in at one time, then the mixture is poured through one lane.

After the finished strips have dried, the gaps are filled.

The drying time of the leveling compound and its hardening depend on the composition of the particular product, the thickness of the self-leveling floor and the temperature in the room.

Leveling the wood floor

Leveling a wooden floor with a self-levelling compound.

Yes, wooden floors can also be leveled with a leveling compound.

That's just a self-leveling mixture (liquid floor) on wood is not used.

You can only pour a screed, which is thicker and leveled with a spatula.

Most ready mixes are designed for concrete substrates.

However, manufacturers produce such products for wood floors.

Knauf, Ceresit and other companies put special markings on the packaging with such goods.

So don't get confused!

From standard view the mixture for wooden floors is distinguished by the speed of hardening.

Mixtures for wooden surfaces are also distinguished by the presence of fiberglass in them.

Thanks to this substance, the adhesion of the solution and the tree grows several times.

And its plasticity increases significantly.

Casein is not added to the composition of such mixtures.

After all, when it dries, ammonia is released from it, which can destroy wood flooring.

When applying the leveling compound, the thickness of the fill specified by the manufacturer should be strictly observed.

When pouring and further drying the solution, air draft and drafts in the room are unacceptable.

Do not start pouring the screed from the center of the room.

You should start from the farthest corner, pouring small portions.

The mixture is distributed immediately.

The first few days it is desirable to maintain a constant temperature in the room.

When buying dry mixes, pay attention to the date of manufacture.

Yes, they are not food, but they still have an expiration date.

Do not purchase products from unknown companies.

As a rule, the quality of their mixtures is very low.

In contact with

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floordigest.com

Self leveling concrete floor step by step

Whatever coating you look for for the floor in your apartment, you need to level the base under it. Then linoleum, laminate or ceramic tile lays down beautifully and lasts a long time. Different types of finishes also have different surface quality requirements, so do-it-yourself floor leveling can be done in several ways. The main materials are plywood, the same concrete, sometimes GVL. But before laying them in any case, preparation will be needed.

Preparatory work

Correction of draft surfaces according to any of the schemes listed below requires evaluation and measurement of irregularities. This will help to accurately calculate the degree of leveling that the concrete floor needs, choose the best way for this and determine the amount of building materials.

Irregularities in the apartment are easy to measure with a long rail. A two-meter bar is laid on a concrete base in different directions, and the detected vertical gaps are determined with a ruler. In panel-type houses, such difficulties are useless - the floors themselves are quite even. Problems arise only if the plates were initially laid incorrectly.

Before proceeding with leveling, the concrete floor should be thoroughly cleaned. After that, the base must be repaired if its condition is unsatisfactory. All cracks and chips must be puttied or smeared with ordinary tile adhesive. It is better to knock down the bumps with a chisel in order to reduce the consumption of leveling concrete mixtures or not damage the plywood.

Log system

Leveling the floor with a log is required with a large difference in levels in the neighboring rooms of the apartment - about 8-10 cm. Most often, this work needs to be done when redeveloping the premises and attaching a loggia, the floor of which is located lower than in living rooms. In the role of a lag, bars 50x70 or 50x50 mm are suitable, on which it is convenient to attach sheets of plywood.

Leveling the floor with joists. Instruction:

1. Prepare nests for anchors for transverse logs in increments of 60-70 cm.

2. Protect the wooden crate from contact with concrete with a layer of waterproofing.

3. Lay the bars on the floor every 50 cm, press firmly and fix with anchor bolts.

4. At the highest point of the transverse row, lay the first longitudinal beam and align it, referring to the level. If the block needs to be lifted, use mounting wedges.

5. In parallel, the second beam is laid at the opposite wall.

6. Lay the intermediate logs in 50 cm increments, align them, checking them for level.

7. The final stage is laying plywood sheets on the floor. Instead of plywood for laminate, you can take a cheaper chipboard or sew up the base with boards.

If it is cold in the apartment, thermal insulation (mineral wool or polystyrene foam boards) should be laid under the coating between the lags of the lower row.

Dry screed

A quick and easy way to level a concrete floor with height differences of 3 to 5 cm. bulk material fine grinding: expanded clay, sand or slag, sheets of plywood or GVL. Further technology is simple:

1. Lay glassine or a waterproofing film no thinner than 200 microns on the base. Sheets should be laid overlapping and with a bend on the walls of about 8 cm.

2. Glue the edge tape around the perimeter of the room.

3. Install beacons on the concrete floor for leveling in accordance with the zero mark determined during the measurement. If everything is in order with your eye, you can skip this step.

4. Fill the gaps between the slats with loose mass. Compact and level the sand with any improvised tool.

5. Lay plywood, chipboard or any other sheet material on top. Floor plywood must be at least 1 cm thick.

Such a budget leveling option, however, is quite reliable under linoleum, carpet or laminate. It is not advisable to use it only for laying tiles. With a relatively small height difference under it, it is easier to make a traditional screed.

Leveling the floor with plywood without a lag can be done without taking the furniture out of the room, but doing everything in parts. But the main thing is that a dry screed has good thermal insulation properties and does not require other floor insulation under the coating.

self-leveling floor

A fairly expensive way to self-level the concrete floor. Due to the high cost of self-leveling compounds and their high consumption per square meter, it is advisable to use this technology only for small irregularities up to 3 cm.

At the same time, cheaper cement-containing compounds (Osnovit T-45, Bepors) after hardening form a perfectly flat surface for any coating - be it hard laminate boards or thin linoleum without a substrate. And polymer self-leveling floors (liquid linoleum) in themselves are an excellent finish.

When the concrete floor is ready for leveling, it must be covered with soil and allowed to dry for about a day. While working with the leveling compound in the apartment, it should be warm enough, but not hot. The optimum temperature is + 10-30 ° С.

We level the floor under the linoleum with our own hands:

1. Dilute the leveling mixture with water according to the instructions and mix thoroughly with a drill with a mixer attachment. Leave for a couple of minutes so that the solution is well saturated.

2. While the composition is settling in the first container, start preparing the second portion.

3. The finished solution is mixed again and poured onto the concrete floor in a narrow strip of about 30-40 cm - so that it is convenient to level each portion with a spatula.

4. Roll the mixture on the floor with a needle roller on a long handle and release air bubbles. Particular care must be taken to roll out the boundaries of neighboring batches.

5. After pouring the entire area, level the fresh composition again with a roller. Everything must be done within half an hour, until the solution has had time to set.

6. A couple of hours after pouring, cover the entire area with a film. In this case, the new concrete floor will not dry out too quickly and the coating will not crack.

In the case when for finishing was chosen tile, its laying can be carried out already 3 days after the concrete floor has hardened. And with the alignment under the laminate or linoleum, you will have to wait about a week.

Tip: if concrete pavement it was not possible to carefully roll it with a needle roller, and small tubercles appeared, they will come out to be leveled with a grindstone.

Concrete screed

In the apartments of the old fund, this leveling method is not applicable, since it significantly increases the load on the dilapidated supporting structures. But in a private house, and even on the ground floor, a concrete floor screed is quite acceptable and inexpensive option. Conventional concrete pouring makes it possible to equalize height differences up to 6 cm. Although this process, of course, is laborious and time consuming.

Before pouring the solution, the base must be covered with two layers of soil with complete drying of each. For this, the traditional Concrete-contact (TM Lakra) is used. Expansion joints are left along the contour of the future screed, so at the junction of the floor and walls, you will need to glue a damper tape.

You can combine the leveling of the floor with its insulation. To do this, heat-insulating material (expanded clay or expanded polystyrene) and waterproofing are laid on the rough base. After carrying out all the preparatory work, the alignment with a cement-sand screed is carried out according to the following scheme:

1. Installation of beacons (metal or cement) in increments of 1 to 3 m.

2. Preparation of a leveling solution. It will require 1 part of cement and 3-4 parts of sand. To facilitate the screed and reduce the thermal conductivity of concrete, sand can be partially replaced with small expanded clay granules.

3. Laying the finished composition on the floor between the beacons and leveling it with a wide rule.

4. Reprimer.

5. Applying a thin layer of leveling compound, if the floor needs to be perfectly leveled for finishing. You can refuse to use the finishing pouring of the screed, replacing it with a more time-consuming, but completely free grout.

It will be difficult to perform all the “wet” leveling processes yourself - the cement mortar hardens quickly enough, so you should invite a partner or find a way to level the floor under the laminate without a screed.

When choosing a method for leveling concrete surfaces, first of all, you need to focus on the thickness of the required layer. Naturally, the smaller it is, the cheaper and faster it is possible to correct the flaws of the builders. In any case, it will be easier to level the concrete floor than to regularly change linoleum that has broken through on the hillocks or cracked laminate later.

For the device of a reliable floor, a solid, as even as possible base is required. It is for these purposes that a leveling mixture for the floor is used, which allows you to create an ideal surface for any modern coating. Such mixtures have a lot of advantages compared to the classic screed, so they are increasingly used not only by professional and builders, but also by home craftsmen.

The benefits of leveling compounds include:

• increased strength to mechanical stress;
• low abrasion;
• fast drying;
• no harmful emissions;
• high adhesion;
• durability;
• ease of installation;
• no shrinkage or cracks.

After the screed has dried and the floor covering has been laid, no further maintenance of the base is required. At proper preparation base surface and compliance with the pouring technology, you will not have to change or repair the floor for a very long time.

Types of mixtures and their composition

Leveling mixtures are divided into types depending on the purpose, constituent components, method of application, drying time:

• leveling and self-leveling compounds;
• quick-drying;
• base and finish;
• plaster and cement.

These mixtures have a viscous consistency, so they are leveled with a wide spatula or rule. They are designed to prepare substrates with large irregularities, with a maximum layer thickness of 100 mm. The rough basis for such compositions is most often concrete floors and a cement-sand screed, less often wooden floors.

Self-levelling compounds

This type of mixture is characterized by high fluidity and plasticity; when poured, they easily penetrate into all recesses, quickly spread over the surface, and require almost no manual leveling. Depending on the purpose of the mixture, the layer thickness can vary from 3 to 60 mm. Such compositions dry faster: after 4-5 hours after pouring, you can walk on the floor, and after 5-10 days lay a finishing floor.

Quick Dry Compounds

Quick-drying leveling compounds make it possible to carry out repairs in the shortest possible time. With a layer thickness of 10 mm, the mixture dries out after 3 hours, and the floor covering can be laid in a day. Concrete, cement screed, wood, previously prepared and treated with a primer, are suitable as a base.

Base mixes

Mixtures for the base layer contain coarse fillers, so they cannot form a perfectly smooth surface. But they perfectly level the most complex bases, can be filled with a layer of 5 mm or more, and have increased strength. The base layer from such a mixture cannot be used without a top coat, since its surface forms a lot of dust under mechanical stress, strongly absorbs water, oils and other types of liquids.

Finishing mixes

Finishing self-levelling mixtures after pouring form perfectly smooth surfaces that have high strength. In addition, such floors can be very decorative, so additional coatings are not needed. The finishing mixture is poured in a fairly thin layer, which means that the base should not have noticeable defects.

Gypsum-based compositions

Leveling gypsum mixtures allow you to form a screed up to 100 mm thick, and therefore are suitable for even the most uneven bases. The only condition is that the room should not be damp, otherwise the floor will become damp. Because of this, gypsum mixtures are not used for screeding in bathrooms and kitchens.

Cement compositions

Cement-based levelers are considered the most common and. They are suitable for any premises, have great strength, durable. The recommended layer thickness is up to 50 mm, the screed is additionally reinforced with mesh. You can make such a mixture yourself by mixing M400 cement with clean sifted sand in a ratio of 1: 3 and diluting it with water to a pasty state.

The composition of the leveling compounds

The main binder for levelers is cement or gypsum. As a filler, manufacturers add finely ground limestone, as well as quartz sand. Additionally, plasticizers, synthetic reinforcing fibers, and other chemical modifiers are introduced into the composition. Depending on the composition, the mixtures are fluid, have different time drying, compressive strength, density.

In order to choose the right leveler for the floor, it is necessary to assess the condition of the black base, the conditions in the room, and determine the type of finish. The financial side also means a lot, since the cost of leveling mixtures is quite high. The more irregularities on the base, the greater the consumption of the leveling agent, which means that the repair will cost more. In addition, you need to take into account the time factor, because the cement screed dries for about a month, and the quick-drying mixture will allow you to complete the work in a couple of days.

Separately, pay attention to the expiration date, because after its expiration the quality of the leveler decreases markedly. Do not buy materials if the packaging does not indicate the expiration date, composition, or there are no instructions for preparation. Also, do not take mixtures in damaged packages or with fuzzy, blurry inscriptions.

Name	Application area	Rough base	Layer thickness	Consumption kg/m2	Drying time	Price
Floor tie, 25 kg	Preliminary leveling of the surface	Concrete, cement-sand base	10-50 mm	20	24 hours	128 rubles / pack.
Mix self-leveling universal Ceresit CN 175/20	Making screeds, repairing floor defects, leveling the base for floor coverings	Concrete, gypsum, cement-sand bases	60 mm	16	72 hours	340 rub./pack.
Floor tie BOLARS Base, 25 kg	Leveling the base for the finish coat	Concrete, cement screed	10-100 mm	18	24 hours	217 rubles / pack.
Self-leveling floor finishing Vetonit 3000, 25 kg	Floor finishing	Concrete, cement-sand screed	Up to 5 mm	1,5	4 hours	622 rub./pack.
Self-leveling self-levelling floor GLIMS-S-Level, 20 kg	Floor finishing	Concrete, gypsum screeds, base levelers	2-30mm	3 kg (layer thickness 2 mm)	24 hours	478 rubles / pack.
Self-levelling floor Perfekta Multilayer, 20 kg	Basic surface leveling	Concrete, cement, gypsum bases	2-200mm	14 (layer thickness 10 mm)	2-3 hours	312 rub./pack.

Floor leveling technology

For the effective use of the leveling mixture, you need to know how to properly prepare the subfloor, knead and apply the working solution. Each process has its own nuances, and even experienced craftsmen sometimes make mistakes. So, we are studying the intricacies of leveling the base under the finishing floor.

Preparing the concrete base

Step 1. All objects are removed from the room, skirting boards and coatings are removed. The old screed is removed only if the concrete is badly damaged.

Step 2 Exfoliated areas are cleaned, cracks are expanded, strongly protruding tubercles are knocked down with a perforator. If the difference in height is greater than the maximum thickness of the leveling layer, the recesses and cracks are separately filled with polymer or cement putty and wait for it to dry completely.

Video - Filling cracks

Step 3 The highest point of the floor is determined and, using a level gauge, mark the pour line on the walls. Please note that the layer of the mixture above the highest point should not be thinner than the minimum, otherwise cracks will appear there after drying.

Step 4 The base is covered with a layer of primer, wait until the floor is dry, and primed again. On average, the primer coat dries in about 4 hours.

Step 5 For a base layer of small thickness, a reinforcing mesh is laid on the floor, and so that the mesh does not float up, it is fixed with silicone. It is necessary to lay thin pieces of plastic under the mesh, then the reinforcing layer will be located inside the leveling layer, which will provide additional strength. To prevent the liquid solution from spreading beyond the threshold of the room, it is necessary to install limiters from the rails and fix them with a plaster solution.

Video - About laying electrical wiring, installing a grid and the secrets of pouring self-leveling floors

Wood floor preparation

A durable wooden floor with slight deformations can also be leveled by pouring. To do this, remove the skirting boards, clean off the old paint, remove oil stains with a solvent, and hammer protruding nails. Thin boards are laid in place of the skirting boards so that the leveling mixture does not flow into the gaps between the floor and the wall. All cracks, as well as joints between the floor and the planks, must be sealed with wood putty. After that, the boards are primed and covered with waterproofing material.

Regardless of the type, all levelers are kneaded the same way: dry ingredients are poured into a container with water and quickly mixed with a powerful drill with a nozzle or a construction mixer. When the mass acquires a homogeneous structure, it is left alone for 2-3 minutes, then mixed again. After that, the mixture must be applied for certain time until polymerization begins. The hardening time for each leveler is different, and it must be indicated in the instructions on the package.

Conditions for the preparation of the mixture

1. When mixing and pouring the solution, the temperature in the room should be from +10 C to +25 C.
2. The water temperature is not lower than +10 C.
3. Air humidity is not higher than 80%.
4. Windows and doors should be closed indoors to prevent drafts.
5. You can not turn on the heating batteries until the floor is dry.

If the room is large, the solution is kneaded in portions and poured into narrow parallel strips. The interval between pouring adjacent sections should not exceed 10 minutes. Since it is very difficult to manage all the processes on your own during this time, you will need an assistant.

IN small room the mixture is poured in the center of the floor and leveled with a doctor blade. In the room standard sizes the first portion of the solution is poured out in one of the far corners and stretched with a doctor blade along the wall in an even strip. After leveling, pick up a needle roller and roll it over the treated surface, expelling excess air from the applied layer. The length of the needles on the roller must necessarily correspond to the thickness of the layer, otherwise the quality of the fill will decrease. During this process, you can only walk on the surface in special shoes - paint shoes that do not leave marks.

After pouring the next section of the floor, the boundary between the layers is leveled especially carefully, because when the leveler is compacted, thickenings can form. Make sure that drops of the solution do not fall on the surface that has already set, as it will no longer be possible to remove them and leave no traces. When the entire surface is filled, the floor is covered with a film, the doors are tightly closed and the leveling layer is allowed to dry well.

The application of self-leveling mixtures is carried out according to the same technology, but at the same time it is not necessary to level the solution with a spatula - it spreads over the floor itself.

you decide to do quality repair in your house and finally level the old concrete floor? Professional builders recommend using special floor leveling compounds and make a full-fledged screed, and not a “patching” surface repair. For leveling, both classic cement-sand mixtures and modern leveling quick-drying compounds can be used. They withstand heavy loads, do not dust and do not crack from temperature changes.

The main advantages of modern leveling compounds

For high-quality floor leveling in an apartment, house or office, ready-made mixtures are ideal for you. You do not have to buy anything else - to use them, just add water to them and mix well with a mixer or conventional drill with screw nozzle. The plastic mass will immediately fill all the potholes and cracks, perfectly leveling the surface.

Self-levelling floor compound for prepared substrates

Among the main advantages of modern leveling compounds:

1. Ease of filling. Even a novice master will cope with it, following our recommendations.
2. High drying speed (up to 72 hours).
3. You can move on the surface after 24 hours.
4. Small thickness of the bulk layer (up to 5 mm).
5. Low weight of the layer (there will be no overload of overlaps).
6. Good layer strength and wear resistance.

The disadvantages of self-leveling compounds include:

1. Careful surface preparation process. There should be no deep cracks or potholes on the base, strong vertical drops.
2. A fairly high cost for high-quality mixtures.

Another disadvantage is that the self-leveling floor is quite difficult to dismantle.. Therefore, you must understand that if you create it, then it will serve you for at least ten years. Otherwise, you will have to pick up a puncher and knock down the floor if you decide to change it.

Where are leveling compounds used?

The leveling mortar can be used in all commercial, residential and industrial premises. With their help, they equalize the concrete screed and even the wooden surface. Mixtures are used both for leveling and for strengthening the surface. For example, a concrete screed “dusts”, grains of sand and cement are constantly swept away from it, it cracks from loads and changes in temperature and moisture. If the top of the screed is covered with a mixture, then it will lose these shortcomings, will not sag and let moisture through. For rough leveling of the floor, there are special mixtures with which you can quickly create a high-quality subfloor or fill them with water pipes.

Before pouring the floor leveling compound, prepare the base well

What mixtures can be bought?

The modern building materials market offers customers a fairly serious choice of leveling compounds. They consist of a fine-grained filler, the size of which does not exceed 250 microns. Due to this, the screed from the mixture is smoother than from quartz sand. As a binder in the solution, cement or gypsum is usually used. Also, various additives are added to the mixture, which give the material good adhesion, plasticity and self-leveling properties.

If you have a height difference in the room of more than 2 centimeters, then Knauf Nivellierestrich and Valery Plus mixtures are suitable for you. With their help, you can eliminate any drops and potholes on the surface with a thickness of 7 to 22 mm.

Note:if the height difference in your room is more than 25 mm, then we recommend that you make a leveling screed. If for some reason this is not possible, then level the surface in two stages (no more than 22 mm).

No less popular today is the Ventonite mixture. She has excellent technical specifications and contains in its composition a complete set of additives for fast solidification and plasticity. Well suited for leveling surfaces with a height difference of 5 to 15 mm. At the same time, it has a high hygroscopicity, so painting it is not the best thing. the best solution. This is a good option for rough flooring, which will be covered with laminate, linoleum or carpet on top.

The mixture "Horizon" consists of fine sand and cement. It is ideal for pouring underfloor heating systems, creating subfloors or leveling a badly damaged surface. It is allowed to apply “Horizon” with a layer of up to 10 cm. Among the advantages of this mixture is the possibility of coating with any paint, high hardness, good technical characteristics.

Ceresit mix is ​​an excellent choice for even ground

Ceresit CN -83 is the fastest drying mix among all presented. It sets in 10-15 minutes after application, and after 6 hours it is already possible to walk on the surface. You can use the layer after 24 hours - this is a record figure for self-leveling floors.

Ivsil Termolite is an excellent choice for rooms that cannot be overloaded. This brand is well suited for leveling floors on balconies, loggias and residential premises, as it has excellent sound and heat insulation performance.

If you need to level wooden, plaster or concrete screeds, GVL slabs, then use a leveling mixture of class P2. It has high smoothing and spreading properties, sets 15 minutes after application, and after 5 hours you can walk on the screed. After 12 hours, you can lay linoleum on it, and in a day - laminate. This is very convenient, because in order to operate a standard cement-sand screed, you need to wait almost a month. Class P2 is considered quite environmentally friendly - it consists of fine sand, pure gypsum, additives, resin and modifiers, which gives the frozen surface not only perfect evenness, but also a warm beige tint. This composition is excellent for residential premises, but it is not recommended to use it in commercial premises due to low wear resistance.

Types of leveling compounds

Before choosing and buying floor leveling compound figure out exactly what you need. Answer the following questions:

1. How humid it will be in the room, i.e. whether the material will lie in the bathroom or in the bedroom.
2. Will the floor be clean, or will it simply level the surface and cover it with laminate, linoleum or carpet.
3. Will it be necessary to wash the surface with strong chemicals?
4. On what basis will the mixture be poured.
5. What additional requirements are put forward for the floor (heat and sound insulation, anti-slip).
6. Will the mixture be decorative?

Based on these questions, you will be able to choose the right mixture. There are not so many of them - you can easily figure out what exactly you need.

The main thing is to stir the mixture well so that there are no lumps or dry layers left.

Cement based floors

Such mixtures are considered inexpensive. They practically do not generate dust due to the addition of special additives and resins to the mixture, and also perform a priming function. The average service life of a self-leveling floor based on cement is about three years. It has the following advantages:

• the material practically does not sit down;
• good level of adhesion;
• high strength;
• you can walk on the screed after 6-7 hours;
• can be poured even on a wet surface;
• high frost resistance, no cracks.

Main cons:

• the floor can be operated only after 3 weeks;
• the surface passes moisture from two sides;
• not very attractive appearance;
• high price.

Note:cement-based mixtures are 20-40% more expensive than gypsum ones. But their main advantage is that the mixture can be poured even in a humid room and on a screed that is not completely dry.

Gypsum based floors

Gypsum mixes are considered the most profitable and practical. They are often called anhydrous. They are well suited for creating finishing coatings and pouring underfloor heating systems (water and electric). Gypsum filler retains heat well, but does not like moisture: it is necessary to make waterproofing before pouring. Such mixtures are environmentally friendly, do not shrink and dry out in just a few hours. The main requirement is a completely dry base. The surface of such a coating does not emit dust and looks great due to its color and fine dispersion. In addition, gypsum filler allows you to create a screed up to 100 mm thick.

Epoxy floors

High-quality and beautiful coating, which has both pluses and minuses. It is very durable, does not allow moisture to pass through, is not afraid of aggressive chemicals, sunlight and temperature extremes. The main disadvantages are that it turns yellow over time, the high price, the average level of abrasion. An epoxy floor can crack if a heavy object is dropped on it, but it can be quickly repaired by covering the damaged area with a thin coat of new material.

Polymer based floors

These are the most modern and practical types of coverage. Polyurethane, epoxy extract, methyl methane acrylate, etc. are used as a filler. It has the following advantages:

1. High strength, low abrasion.
2. Withstands high loads.
3. Resistant to solar radiation and temperature extremes.
4. Good coefficient of moisture insulation, heat and noise protection.

Among the minuses can be identified high price and exactingness to the base. It should be smooth, without cracks and irregularities, since the average thickness of the leveling layer is not more than 5 mm.

The leveling compound can be decorative and used as a finishing floor

How to apply?

After you have chosen the material and prepared the base, you can proceed to applying the layer. Preparing the mixture is quite simple. You will need a large bucket or other flat container. Pour the mixture into it, add the required amount of water (indicated in the instructions), and then mix with a drill with a nozzle or a mixer.

Note:the surface must be carefully prepared. It should not have oil stains, paint, wet areas. Thoroughly sweep the base, removing all debris and dust from it.

1. Surface preparation. Sealing all cracks and irregularities, removing dust and debris.
2. Primer. Use a deep penetration primer.
3. Preparation of the solution (usually 6 liters of water are required for a 25 kg bag). Mix it well until you get a homogeneous mass.
4. Pour the solution onto the base, level it with a spatula to the desired thickness. Usually 5-15 mm is applied to a wooden base, 2-20 mm to concrete.
5. Roll the surface with a spiked roller. It will remove bubbles from the surface and further level it.

After that, you will need to wait for the surface to dry completely. The instructions say when you can walk on the floor and when it can be operated. Usually floor leveling compounds dry about 48-72 hours.

Self-levelling floor - a very effective achievement building technology. However, a do-it-yourselfer should take it for himself, thinking hard. The effectiveness of a spreading base for finishing flooring is not in its cheapness - the cost of components and equipment is significantly higher than for a traditional one. And not in the simplicity of the technology - the self-leveling floor is much stricter to the qualifications and conscientiousness of the performers. And not in the accuracy of alignment - an experienced worker will make the cement-sand base along the lighthouses no more inclined or humpbacked, and not in a hurry. And not in strength - pouring is weaker than concrete.

The self-leveling self-leveling floor has advantages that more than cover these shortcomings:

1. The technological break after the formation of the screed is reduced from 20-40 days to 8-48 hours. What this means for the mass construction or renovation of a residential apartment, there is no need to explain.
2. The cured coating is waterproof, i.e. has high hygienic properties.
3. Texture finished surface- smooth, which, in combination with the previous one, allows you to lay almost any finishing coating without a pillow: it will not rub off, “playing”, it will not dampen or rot.
4. The elasticity and plasticity of the self-leveling base of the floor is several times higher than that of a purely mineral one, and the specific gravity is less, which allows some of its types to be poured onto an existing wooden floor.

Therefore, it makes complete sense for those who still want to make a self-leveling floor with their own hands, to talk about some of the subtleties and nuances of this work, which are not sufficiently covered in the available sources or are completely hushed up. It is because of their ignorance of the home craftsmen who have taken up the "liquor" that failures lie in wait. And, alas, it is impossible to remake the “hedgehog” or “wave” coating: you have to knock down the entire litter to the carrier plate, which is equivalent. From what without extreme necessity - God forbid!

General remarks

First, all the methods described below will create a surface intended for finishing flooring. Self-levelling floors are not intended for painting or for independent use without fine floor coverings. Decorative self-leveling floor, incl. and the growing popularity of 3D floors is a completely separate issue.

Second, you need to work with a partner. And not with a random person, but with a good friend with whom you worked together. If the next batch does not ripen exactly by the time of its pouring (and the time is calculated in minutes), then the floor will come out not even, but stepped.

Third - for premises with an area of ​​​​more than 40 square meters. m. or more than 8 m long, inexperienced workers are categorically not recommended to take. In such rooms / corridors one cannot do without temperature, deformation and technological seams. It is easy to arrange a seam, but where - either the experience of a very skilled craftsman or the exact calculation of a specialist builder is needed here.

Leveling the floor with a self-leveling mixture consists of the following steps:

• Revision of the underlying surface;
• The choice of alignment method;
• Choosing the right mixture;
• Calculation of thickness and volume of coating layers;
• Calculation of the mixture consumption;
• Foundation preparation;
• Preparation of the working mass (kneading);
• Filling the floor;
• Floor covering.

We do not describe the last stage here, because flooring is also a separate issue.

revision

Before the revision, all furniture must be removed from the room, skirting boards removed. If we will not pour on a wooden floor, remove the floor covering. Next, you need to thoroughly sweep the floor twice with a hard-bristled brush, pre-sprinkling with water. In conclusion - vacuum; a household vacuum cleaner, so that it does not deteriorate from stone dust, is connected through a factory or home-made (see the figure on the right) dust collector.

Self-levelling compounds are quite tolerant in the state of the underlying substrate. In most cases, they can be applied to the "litter" unless it is emergency - you just need to choose the right mixture and how to apply it. For the convenience of this very responsible procedure, it is advisable to evaluate the state of the "litter" by the following parameters:

1. Strength;
2. Humidity and moisture permeability of the base;
3. Humidity in the room;
4. Surface evenness, local and general;
5. Load bearing capacity;
6. Will there be a warm floor;
7. Surface wear.

Strength

Strength reinforced concrete floors in professional construction determine different kind percussion or pressure tools: Kashkarov's hammer (manual), Schmidt's hammer (electronic with digital indication), ri-ri device (scratch). The essence of the method is the same: a tip made of a solid material of a strictly defined size and configuration is pressed into concrete with a precisely dosed force, and the strength is judged either by the degree of its deepening or by the size of the trace from it.

For yourself, you do not need to accurately determine the strength of the foundation. You just need to know whether it is suitable for filling without additional processing or not. The easiest way to do this is to use a roller glass cutter. If you have never cut glass before, “scratch” on the shard and remember the effort at which the scratch appears.

With approximately the same effort, you need to hold the roller on concrete. If the width of the scratch does not exceed the width of the roller (see figure), it is not necessary to harden the surface of the base. If the roller fails, either a thorough primer or surface repair is needed.

Base moisture

Whether the base is damp, check with a piece polyethylene film about 1 sq. m. The check is done at a temperature of 15-25 degrees with the heating turned off, in clear, dry weather. The methodology is:

• Ventilate the room with the windows wide open for at least an hour.
• Windows and doors are closed, the film is laid in the center of the room, and its edges are pressed down with slats with weights.
• The middle of the film is slightly pulled up.
• Waiting for a day.

If the film remains dry - fine, you can pour it without any. If there is perspiration - you need to primer twice or thrice. If the fumes have collected in drops, it will be necessary, in addition to the primer, to lay waterproofing before pouring the floor, and it is better to refrain from leveling for the time being and repair the base.

Room humidity

For a self-leveling floor, it is not relative humidity that matters (this is a physiological parameter), but the absolute content of water vapor in the air. Absolute humidity of more than 2% by volume is unacceptable for mixtures on gypsum, suitable for pouring onto a wooden floor.

With kitchens, hallways and bathrooms, everything is clear - they need a moisture-resistant cement-based floor. In living rooms, you can roughly determine the linen: if in the off-season, when the temperature in the room with the heating off does not exceed 22 degrees, the linen does not get damp, i.e. the dew point is not reached, the room is suitable for pouring.

Base evenness

The size and depth of local (local) irregularities - cracks, potholes, seams between the plates - are simply determined: depth - with an even piece of lath or a special tool, a rule and a locksmith's ruler; the share of the area of ​​local irregularities in the total - visually. With shrinkage hollows or bulges, the situation is more complicated, they are often simply not noticeable, but manifest themselves in the fact that a seemingly precisely calculated amount of the mixture is suddenly not enough, and all the work goes down the drain.

The method for self-detection of the general unevenness of the base is illustrated in the figure. The procedure is as follows: in different places, along, across and diagonally, we apply an ordinary bubble level 1 m long to the floor. We slip a match or a sliver under the lowered end until the bubble is exactly between the risks. The amount of unevenness per 1 lin. m in this area will be equal to the size of the gap between the end of the level and the floor. Most often in the center of the room there is a hole 3-7 mm deep.

Load bearing capacity

Since the self-leveling floor in many cases (wood, cinder block, vermiculite, shell rock, foam and aerated concrete) rests on a weaker base, not only the total, with a uniform load on the square, its bearing capacity matters, but also resistance to bursting. Wood and EPS are strong enough in this regard, but it is still impossible to pour the floor on them directly, you need to pour it on a fiberglass mesh. It can float up, so the mesh is seized in increments of 100-250 mm with drops of silicone or mounting glue.

For porous materials, and this is not enough, it will be necessary from 3-6 mm wire. The chain-link is not good, because. its knots are free and will not save from punching. There is, however, one positive point: the mesh can be laid on a sand cushion half the thickness of the wire, this will significantly reduce the consumption of expensive “liquor”.

Warm floor

There is an unpleasant nuance here: pipes in a leveler that has not yet hardened can also float; the same applies to all other immured communications. To avoid floating, the pipes are filled with water before filling. room temperature and seized with silicone, like a fiberglass mesh. Before pouring, cable boxes are attached to the base in a regular way.

Surface wear

Surface wear is, simply put, whether the floor itself is dusty or not. It is determined a day or three after the revision, because before it a thorough cleaning was done in dedusting. If indoors the floor is dusty again - cleaning again, and, right there, impregnation with a deep penetration liquid primer.

The primer is applied with a fibrous (shaggy) roller, without making puddles. It is better to take a primer that forms a film. After drying, they try to separate this film from the base. If it lags behind, they rip it all off and prime it again. If the film does not adhere firmly to the base and on the third layer, nothing can be done, you need to repair the ceiling, and only then pour it.

How to dub

Compounds that are sufficiently fluid to self-level to a smooth horizontal plane are called leveling or leveling masses. Maximum thickness of the leveling layer different manufacturers give in 12-15 mm, but this is in ideal conditions, as will be discussed later. It is highly desirable to limit yourself to a layer of level no thicker than 5-6 mm. This is also important because the level is very expensive.

Most often, a leveler is placed under the level - the mixture is coarser. If the batch of leveling agent is thrown out of the bucket, then it will freeze in a heap, it will only sag a little and spread. Therefore, the leveler has to be additionally leveled under the level, but it is cheaper, and the layer thickness can reach 60 mm for cement-based compositions and up to 150 mm for gypsum. With a leveler, the thickness of the layer of the level can, with careful work, be brought up to 2-3 mm.

Looking ahead, let's say that when filling the leveling agent, screw beacons are of great help, see fig. The solution is poured along the lower edges of their threaded pins, set in advance along a cord or a laser plane builder. The beacons are removed after the setting time of the solution is sufficient for technological movement, i.e. when it will be possible to walk on it for one person without a load.

The technological setting time is indicated in the instructions for the mixture. As a rule, it is about 8 hours. It must be observed; if, for example, you forget or give up and leave it in the morning, then the solution will completely harden, and you can no longer pull out the beacons.

Based on the foregoing, according to the results of the audit, you can choose a single-layer or two-layer floor leveling method:

1. Smooth, no more than 3 mm of total unevenness, solid base - with one layer of level.
2. The base is strong, but very uneven, with plate shifts, deep potholes - leveling layer according to the calculation, see below, then leveling. Depth is measured from the top of the largest bulge.
3. Wooden base - a layer of gypsum leveling at least 30 mm, then also a gypsum level according to the thickness calculation, see below. We take gypsum mixtures, because their specific gravity is 20 percent lower than that of cement ones. Smoother and level - with fiber filler, also see below.
4. For insulation in dry rooms - gypsum mixtures for fiberglass or reinforcing.
5. In raw - cement mixtures, but always on a reinforcing mesh, due to the severity and less plasticity of cement compositions.

Note: it is impossible to give a layer of leveling agent, if only to hide the highest hillock. In order not to explain for a long time, try to put a brick in some vessel and fill it with liquid mud; it is similar in consistency, adhesion and fluidity to a leveling agent. In order for the contours of the brick to stop showing through, it will take quite a lot to pour over its height.

Blend selection

The manufacturer of the mixture as a selection factor is not of paramount importance. Recognized industry leaders - Knauff, Ceresit, Siltek, Vetonit, Prospector - have recently been heavily pressed by many outsiders, and, judging by the reviews, their products, with strict adherence to technology, raise even fewer complaints. We emphasize - if done exactly according to technology.

The main secret of self-leveling floors is not at all "secret" polymer additives and plasticizer additives. The main thing is the quality of mineral materials and their precise fractionation, and this can, in principle, be achieved in a barn on simple equipment. For example, a cement grade of at least 500 is needed for a level. Why? Its microgranules are smaller. Therefore, you need to choose a mixture, first of all, by the presence of accurate and detailed instructions, on the back of the bag or on the company website. What should be reflected in it will be clear after reading the article.

In general, the choice is determined, in addition to the price, by the properties of the base and the premises. Something has already been said about them, now let's take a closer look.

As already mentioned, dry ready mixes for self-leveling floors are cement or gypsum based. The former are heavier and more fragile, but moisture resistant. The latter are lighter and more plastic, but are afraid of moisture.

The next moment is a polymerizable binder. It can be either polyurethane (solution density is about 1.20 kg * l for gypsum mixtures and about 1.35 kg * l for cement) or epoxy (1.40 and 1.65 kg * l, respectively). Epoxy mixtures are stronger, but less fluid and plastic, it is advisable to use them for levelers or in rooms with a loaded floor - garage, bathroom, etc. It is better to take a polyurethane level for residential premises if it lies on the leveler; if directly on concrete - epoxy.

Then, fibrous filling. It (polymer or fiberglass) can either be added to the mixture or not. The first, of course, is more expensive, but the elasticity and plasticity of the finished coating increase significantly. Mixtures with microfiber filling must be used for pouring on insulation with fragile insulation (practically - any, except for EPPS; its load-bearing capacity for a dispersed load is 0.5 MPa or about 500 kg per sq. M), for dusty or wooden floors. Grids, which are mentioned above, this does not cancel; necessary mechanical properties the finished coating is provided only by a set of technological measures.

Next is the flooring. Under foam-based linoleum, marmoleum and tiles, you can do with just one leveler. Under the laminate, parquet and cork, you also need a leveling layer. He, due to increased plasticity, will win back on the deformation of the tree, and it will not rub against him, because. underlying surface is smooth.

And, finally, the last factor is the survivability of the solution, i.e. the time during which it is available for work. This time varies for different mixtures within 15-40 minutes. You need to know that before the end of the filling, the entire flooded surface must still be “alive”; pour the floor of a large area to the "mirror" in pieces by hand, only a few of the pros can.

At the same time, at the maximum pace of work and complete coordination of actions with a partner, manual cyclic filling with a layer of 10 mm of floor area of ​​12 square meters. m. takes at least 20 minutes, and 16 square meters. m. - half an hour. Deaeration (see about pouring, below) will take about 5 more minutes; the capacity of one manual (drill with a mixing nozzle) batch should not be more than 30 liters. That is, in almost any living room, quick-hardening mixtures are applicable only if there is a continuous automixer and a pump for supplying a solution, which are expensive to rent, because. equipment wears out quickly.

Note: mortar pot life can be increased by 15-20% by mixing with the maximum amount of water according to the manufacturer's specification. But - only in the optimal temperature range, see below.

Layer calculation

First of all, we calculate the thickness of the “zero” layer, i.e. one that will give a flat horizontal surface, provided that the composition is absolutely fluid. Next, using the “zero” thickness, we calculate required power actual leveling layer. Thus, we will reduce the real complex relief of the base to some imaginary horizontal plane.

Why such difficulties? The fact is that any instruction for self-leveling compounds gives the specific consumption of the dry mix, in kg * sq. m, with a layer of 1 mm, based on pouring onto a flat horizontal surface. Actually, this parameter characterizes the ability of the mixture to spread, and it is difficult to calculate the true flow rate on the real surface from it, you have to give an extra technological margin.

For mass construction, this is not so important - there the customer will pay for the known excess or for the actual cost of implementation. And the surplus will go to the next object, not without benefit for the contractor. It is almost impossible for a do-it-yourselfer to sell the whole remaining bag of an expensive mixture, the expiration date of which is expiring. Half a bag is generally impossible, once the package is opened. Therefore, the cost must be calculated accurately.

The calculation for "zero" assumes that the work is done in stages: fill in "zero", wait for shrinkage. Pour the level with a minimum layer. Completely frozen, but the "bricks" are still visible? It's okay, pour a minimum more until you get a "mirror"; "zero" has already given the desired strength. Sometimes this method is also used by pros in cases of particular responsibility or when a serious customer is ready to pay for downtime, if only it was done perfectly.

Zero

We take the largest and smallest of the depths of local irregularities and find the average. Let's say the measurements gave 5 and 3 mm, then the average will be 4 mm. The resulting value is multiplied by the apparent ratio of the area of ​​potholes to total area floor, we get the effective depth of local depressions. Suppose, by eye, the depressions occupy a quarter of its area, then the effective local depth in our case will be 1 mm.

Now let's determine the effective depth of the shrinkage trough. In the vast majority of cases, it extends over the entire floor area, and its configuration is similar to a segment of a sphere. Therefore, the depth of the hollow is simply multiplied by 0.7. Suppose the measurements gave 6 mm, then its effective depth will be 4.2 mm.

The total thickness of the zero fill layer will be equal to the sum of the effective local and total depths. In this case - 5.2 mm, but that's not all, we have just entered the virtual plane. The solution is not absolutely fluid, and in order not to show the “brick-in-dirt effect”, a cover layer must be poured onto the resulting plane. It can be both from the leveling agent and leveling, after the leveling agent hardens. The latter is preferable not only in terms of smoothness, but also because it is cheaper: the minimum leveling layer is from 3 mm, and the leveling layer is from 1 mm.

Cover

The thickness of the cover layer is considered quite simply. We take a completely reliable value - specific consumption according to the manufacturer; it lies in the range of 1.4-2 kg * sq. m * mm, multiply by 2 and round up to a larger value. This empirical formula gives nothing more than the number of layers of minimum thickness, according to the specification for the composition, necessary for the "bricks" to completely swim in the "mud". Suppose we have previously selected a composition with a specific consumption of 1.8 kg * sq. M * mm, then we get 3.6 or, rounded off, 4 layers. Since the minimum layer for leveling masses is 1 mm, we immediately received the power of the “cover”.

Increases

However, it is too early to calculate the consumption if a mesh and / or base waterproofing is used. We add a leveler layer to the mesh equal to its thickness (or half of it, if the mesh is reinforcing on a sand cushion, see above), and to the insulation of the corners - a leveler to the thickness of the foam corner tape, more about it later. Let's say we will pour on a fiberglass mesh with a thickness of 0.38 mm, and put a tape 3.5 mm thick on the corners, then we need to add 3.88 mm to the leveler.

Outcome

We summarize everything together for a single-layer filling, and for a two-layer one - separately for the leveling and leveling. Suppose we are going to pour in 2 layers, then in this case we get 5.2 + 3.88 = 9.08 or, rounding off, 9 mm leveling layer, and then 4 mm leveling layer. According to generally accepted calculation methods, 12 mm and 6 mm would have come out, respectively.

Consumption

It remains to calculate the consumption per 1 m² of the selected mixture. This is where the main highlight of the method appears: we get the flow rate immediately in the dry weight of the salable material, without fiddling with the calculation of the density of the finished solution, for which arbitrary assumptions would have to be made. We just need to multiply the calculated thickness of the layers by the floor area and the specific material consumption; All these values ​​are accurate and reliable.

In our example, for a room, say, 16 sq. m will be 259.2 kg of leveling and 72 kg of leveling. It remains to be reduced to bags in which 25 kg. We round them according to the rules of arithmetic, from half to more. The calculation according to our data will give 10.368 bags of leveling and 2.88 bags of leveling. We take 10 bags of the first and 3 - of the second.

And now homework: go to the website of any hardware store, find out the prices and calculate the savings compared to traditional estimates.

Foundation preparation

Bulk floor leveling technology is generally more lenient on the state of the base than conventional or. Except for one moment - the moisture content of the base. Water vapor, pushing through the filling, destroys the polymer films between the granules of the mixture, and the coating begins to crumble. Therefore, it is highly desirable, in any case, to arrange a waterproofing with a wide vent around the perimeter before pouring, so that evaporation does not penetrate into the equalizer. How? More on that below.

Concrete

Training concrete base under filling includes the following operations:

• Closing cracks.
• Primer.
• Waterproofing.
• Thermal insulation and mesh laying.

The primer and the mesh have already been mentioned; thermal insulation - . Sealing of cracks with waterproofing is the same, but for filling in these operations there are features that we will consider.

Small cracks are sealed in the usual way. If there are gaping (2 mm and wider) and active, located along the perimeter and diagonals, then you must first check by non-destructive testing methods whether the entire overlap is destroyed. If so, what is the alignment here, the house is emergency.

If not, then in the process of cutting cracks, cuts are made perpendicular to them with a width of 2-3 mm, a depth of 40-50 mm and a length of 150-200 mm, in increments of 200-250 mm. The cuts will create technological seams that “smear” the load. They are sealed along with cracks.

Now about waterproofing. It is almost always needed, a zero test result for floor moisture is the rarest exception, and even then the situation may change, especially if the house is new. Firstly, polyethylene cannot be laid under a continuous coating, moisture diffuses through it. The floor filled with leveler should breathe only around the perimeter, so a waterproofing or other special material is needed. But before laying the film, you need to paste over the corners.

The corners are covered with polystyrene foam tape. She, in addition to an outlet for fumes, will also create a deformation seam. Foam tape is available in different types, incl. to create hidden expansion joints in concrete monoliths, but we need a special one for corners. It can be recognized by its color (not white), smaller thickness (3-5 mm) and, most importantly, by the groove extruded along the axis, along which it bends, see fig. The tape is glued with silicone drops in increments of 100-250 mm; nitro glue can corrode it.

Wood

Wooden flooring must first be tested for play. To do this, use a plumb line in a tripod hastily made from improvised materials (pipes, rails, fishing rods) with a height of at least 1.5 m. The device is installed in the center of the room. The nose of the plumb bob should almost touch the floor; a sheet of paper with a drawn cross, concentric circles, etc. is slipped under it. markers.

Then they walk around the room, watching the deviation of the load. More precisely - behind the slope of the floor, because. the load is still hanging vertically. The value of the floor play is related as the height of the suspension to the length or width of the room, depending on which side the largest deviation is noticed. The limit value is 1.2 mm per 1 m of the corresponding size; if more, the flooring needs to be sorted out or completely removed and poured over the base.

For example, a tripod 1.8 m high; room 2.5x4 m. The largest deviation of 2 mm in length was recorded. Total game (4/1.8)*2 = 4.44 mm. There are 1.11 mm per 1 m of length, you can fill it.

Note: the room to be checked must be completely empty.

Next, we open any board (or a parquet slab, or a laminate slab) against the wall most suspicious of moisture, and make an audit of its underside and log, if the flooring is laid on the logs. Suddenly, traces of dampness, rot, mold, a bug are found - again, we postpone the alignment and deal with the flooring.

If everything is OK with the stability and integrity of the flooring, then you need to putty the cracks with sawdust mixed with liquid nails to the thickness of sour cream. You can also use ready-made putty on wood, but not water-based. Roughly planed wedges are driven into wide (wider than 2 mm) slots before puttying and then planed flush with the surface. Now it remains to paste over the corners with foam tape, put waterproofing, as for concrete, and mesh, as already described. We remind you that wood leveler is needed on gypsum and polyurethane with microfiber.

batch

To properly make a self-leveling floor, kneading is the most delicate and responsible procedure. The vast majority of irreparable errors occur at this stage, so let's take a closer look.

Temperature

Manufacturers indicate the operating temperature range for their mixtures. As a rule, it is 15-30 degrees. A floor flooded in the cold will not gain the required strength (water will begin to destroy polymers before it evaporates) and will soon begin to crumble. Neglect of temperature conditions is one of the most common causes leading to marriage.

Filling in the heat is even worse - the water evaporates too quickly, and the composition does not have time to spread. Mixtures are very sensitive to temperature rise. For example, even such a proven composition as ProfLine PR-1, filled in at 32 degrees, freezes like a hedgehog.

Best before date

The permissible shelf life of mixtures in packaging is from six months to a year. If there is no stamp with a date on the bag, but a tick is placed in the month box, one month is subtracted, because it is not known whether it was made on the first or last day. For example, if March is ticked, and the expiration date is 6 months, then from September 1, the mixture is considered unusable, no matter what the seller says.

Note: merchants are just trying to put bags with an expiring shelf life in plain sight.

Water

In the specifications for the mixture, the amount of water for mixing is specified with some tolerance, for example, 0.28 l / kg +/- 0.03 l / kg. The admission is given not on a tyap-blunder. In favorable temperature conditions (18-24 degrees), it is used to regulate the fluidity and survivability of the solution. If the temperature is near the upper/lower limit, then the mixture is adjusted to the temperature due to the tolerance. In the cold they give water to a minimum, in the heat - to the maximum. But trying to fend off the wrong temperature, giving too little or too much water, is useless - it will still come out either “cotton wool” or “hedgehog”.

Sand

Gypsum and cement-sand mixtures are not stored, so mortar sand will most likely have to be purchased separately. The instructions for the solution most often indicate what kind of sand is needed, and these instructions should be strictly followed. Unsuitable sand is the second most important reason that spoils the work.

If there are no such instructions, you need to be guided by the following:

1. Sand is needed river, with rounded granules. Here the spreadability of the polymer is important; adhesion is provided in a different way. The most common mistake of hacks and amateurs is buying for the sake of imaginary savings on quarry sand.
2. For levelers, the sand fraction is 0.4-0.8 mm, not smaller and not larger.
3. For leveling composition - 0.25-0.35 mm.

Note: for gypsum-polyurethane mixtures, a fraction of 0.15-0.2 mm is even better, but - alas! - the cost of river sand, and so expensive, is rapidly increasing with a decrease in the fraction.

Tableware

For kneading, you will need 4 containers: 2 buckets of 30 liters each or high basins of a similar volume for the actual kneading and 2 ordinary buckets for rinsing the tool, “dirty” and “clean”. It is highly desirable that the kneading utensils have rounded bottom corners.

Mixer

A mixing attachment for a drill is also needed, not just any. It must be of a spiral type, two-way tape and with a baffle circle at the bottom, see fig. Other nozzles with extremely limited mixing times (see below) will not create a sufficiently homogeneous mixture.

Mixing technology

Knead in batches for half a bag. Water is first poured into the container according to the specification for the composition, then the dry mixture is poured. Knead with a drill at low speed, 100-300 rpm. When kneading, they drive the nozzle in a circle and up and down, if possible without touching the walls and bottom: the vibration of the dishes sharply worsens the homogeneity of the mixture. The duration of the kneading is 3-4 minutes, it cannot be reduced and tightened. The batch should end just when the mortar begins to mature, see below.

Ripening

The batch must be ripe before use. The bottom line is that the polymer should envelop the granules of the mineral components, which, ideally, should not touch each other at all, only through the polymer film. Ripening also takes 3-4 minutes. Pouring an immature solution is a gross mistake. In most cases, it turns out, if not a "hedgehog", then a "wave" under other favorable conditions.

fill

Filling is the final part of the work. There are fewer such strictnesses as in kneading, but clear coordination of the actions of the master and partner is needed. Fill the floor as follows:

• The partner makes the first batch.
• As soon as it is ready, the master sets aside the first mixing bucket for ripening and substitutes another for the second batch.
• The partner at this time quickly, for 3-4 seconds, rinses the mixer in two waters, without turning off the drill.
• The partner makes the second batch (do not forget to rinse the mixer!), And the master is still dreaming or giving the CC.
• 20-30 seconds before the second batch is ready, the master takes the first one, pours it into the far corner, gives the empty bucket to the partner for the third batch and accelerates the first batch with a special tool - a squeegee (or doctor blade, see the figure on the right).
• Meanwhile, the second batch is ripening and the third is being prepared.
• The master sets the third batch for ripening, takes the ripened second batch, pours it out, accelerates it.
• The cycle is repeated and the mixing buckets are changed until the entire area is filled.

Now the flooded floor seems even, but the insidious fifth column lurks in the solution layer - air bubbles. If you forget about them, they will begin to emerge and the coating will turn out to be a “grater” or a lunar landscape. Therefore, the final stage of pouring is deaeration.

It is produced with a special (not for drywall!) Needle roller, see fig. Pay attention to the visor above it. Its purpose is to protect not only clothes and faces from splashes, but the solution itself. Moisture from sprays flying in the air evaporates intensively, especially at elevated temperatures. Falling back into the flood, they create inhomogeneities in it. They are not immediately visible, but when it has already begun to seize and it is useless to do anything, a “grater” appears.

"Poke"

In small areas (toilet, bathroom, hallway and kitchen in Khrushchev), rather expensive squeegees with a roller (about 1000 rubles for both) are sometimes replaced homemade tool"poke" - a board with nails on the handle, see fig. left. "Poke" can both disperse and deaerate the solution. In the first case, it is pulled; in the second, they spank her.

But already on an area of ​​​​10-12 square meters. m savings is illusory. The solution sticks to the nails, the tool has to be rinsed every now and then. The lengthening of the work is not scary here, because. few batches are needed, but an expensive waste solution costs much more than a squeegee with a roller costs.

Finally

As you can see, working with self-leveling mixtures is not an easy task. Nevertheless, to try it yourself, for a start on the surplus bought on the cheap and somewhere in the closet, is very worth it. The work of masters is also not cheap. A square floor to order costs about 800 rubles, and half of this money can be saved by your own work. And it requires only knowledge and accuracy, subtle skills and jewelry coordination of movements are not needed.

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If you are making major repairs, both in the room and in the entire apartment, then you certainly cannot do without the floor leveling procedure. Floor leveling is an essential part overhaul, because it is unlikely that the floor in your apartment will be even, especially if the house was built a very long time ago. Also, without leveling the floor, laying a new floor covering is illogical. That is why we want to dwell in more detail on the issue of leveling the floor.

The content of the article:

Floor leveling methods

Floor leveling is the very first repair procedure, of course, after all the preparatory steps. Thus, it is necessary to level the floor before leveling the ceiling and walls. There are several ways to level the floor, each of which has its own advantages and disadvantages, and we will describe them so that you can choose the leveling option that is most suitable for your room.

So, today there are three ways to level the floor:

• Leveling with self-leveling floor;


• Floor leveling.

Let's briefly describe all these options for leveling the floor, analyzing their "pros" and "cons", as well as telling which of the options to use in a given situation.

Floor leveling on beacons

This leveling option received such a name in view of the fact that for leveling on the floor, beacons are initially laid and fixed - metal slats, according to the level of which the screed is leveled. Leveling the floor along the beacons is the most common leveling method, it is most often used to level the floor. large rooms: hall, bedroom and kitchen. The advantage of this leveling method is a high-quality, durable and even surface, which can be achieved even with large uneven floor surfaces. The disadvantage is that the screed can dry from 10 to 30 days, everything will depend on the temperature and humidity in the room, as well as on the screed layer. If you want to make repairs as quickly as possible, then this method is not particularly suitable for you.

Floor leveling on beacons the best way leveling for laying laminate and linoleum, since it is precisely for laying these floor coverings that a perfectly flat surface is needed.

Leveling the floor surface with a leveling mortar is the easiest and fastest way to level the floor. The essence of this alignment lies in the fact that with the help of a rare special cement-based mortar you fill the floor, thanks to the specific feature of such a mixture, it will evenly spread over the floor, which will eventually create a flat surface. Unlike the previous method, leveling with a self-leveling floor occurs faster in time: both in the process of leveling and in the drying time of the screed, since its layer is several times smaller than the screed layer when leveling the floor along the beacons.

It is worth noting that the layer of the self-leveling floor must be at least 3 millimeters. The maximum height of the self-leveling floor layer should not exceed 35 millimeters. Therefore, if the level of irregularities is very large, that is, the plane of the floor slab goes to one of the sides, and from the top level of the floor to the bottom is more than 35 mm, then in this case this method is not suitable.

The undeniable advantage of leveling the floor with a self-flowing mixture is speed, since this does not take much time. This is a great way to level out minor unevenness in the floor surface, as well as for pouring underfloor heating. In addition, this method is the cheapest, which makes it, in fact, the most optimal. The disadvantage of the self-leveling floor is one - it cannot be used with large floor irregularities.

The last way to level the floor is to build it up. The essence of this method lies in the fact that wooden logs are mounted on the floor, with the help of which a flat plane is created, after which boards or plywood sheets are fixed on the logs.

This method floor leveling is best suited for the first floors of buildings, as well as for summer cottages and cottages. The advantage of this method is that when building up the floor, the empty space can be filled heat-insulating material, which will insulate the floor. It is also a great option if you need to carry out any communications along the floor, for example, autonomous heating pipes. A method that is more painstaking even compared to leveling with beacons, but it will allow you to raise the floor level to the required height.

Floor leveling when laying tiles

In addition to the above methods of leveling, one should also mention the leveling of the floor when laying tiles. This method, in fact, is not a full-fledged method, which is why we did not mention it above, but it is impossible not to mention it. It is used for uneven floor surfaces, but not planes.

The essence of floor leveling when laying tiles is that with a slight slope or unevenness of the floor surface, it can be leveled when laying tiles, adding more mortar to its base. To do this, you just need to find the lowest area of ​​the floor and the top one, then you need to calculate how high it will be necessary to raise the level of the tile in one or another area of ​​the floor in relation to the highest point.

Floor level measurement and preparation for leveling

In order to choose a floor leveling method and calculate the required amount of material, you need to measure the floor level. In order to make a measurement, you need to dismantle the old floor covering, otherwise there will be no sense from the measurements. When the floor is ready, we check it for irregularities.

It is worth noting that the floor can be uneven for two reasons: due to the unevenness of the floor slab or when it is incorrectly (curved) laid during the construction of the house. Most often, both types of irregularities occur. That is, in most houses the surface of the floor slab itself is uneven, and it is laid crookedly.

To measure the level of the floor, you will need a long level, with which you need to check the level of all sections of the floor. First, check for irregularities on the plate itself, then its plane. Mark the most high point floor level and the lowest.

If the slope of the slab or its surface has minor bumps, the maximum amplitude of the drops or slope of which does not exceed 35 mm, then we recommend leveling the floor using a self-leveling floor. If the irregularities are significant or the plate strongly “leaves” to one of the sides, then the only way that will help solve the problem is alignment with the beacons. When you have determined to what height the floor level will be raised, check if this is possible, since in the end the balcony or door to the room may not open, or it will be necessary to raise the radiator of the battery. Therefore, before performing any actions to level the floor, think over and decide all the nuances.

In some cases, if the floor plane itself is even, and there are, for example, irregularities in the joints of the floor slabs due to the fact that the seam is not sealed up neatly, then the irregularities can be knocked down with a perforator and then this part can be leveled with cement.

As a mixture for leveling the floor, you can use both ordinary cement, mixing it in the right proportions with sand, and special mixtures that are specifically designed for leveling floors.

How to level a concrete floor

How to level the floor according to the beacons

Before leveling the floor, it must be carefully swept, and then treated with a primer layer. In order to level the floor along the beacons, we need metal perforated corners. Beacons are laid along the room. The first beacon is laid at a distance of 30 cm from the wall, the next - at a distance of 100 cm from each other. The last beacon should also be laid at a distance of 30cm from the wall. To fix the beacons, we need a cement or gypsum mortar.

So, lay the beacons along the room, if necessary, adjust them in size. Then, hardly with “slap” movements, we apply the solution in parts, with a step of 20-25 cm. Beacons are placed on the solution and leveled. As soon as the beacons have seized a little, the voids between the floor and the beacons are also filled with mortar. When the beacons are aligned, let them fix firmly and then proceed to level the floor.

To level the concrete floor, you need to prepare a cement-based mortar, dilute the mixture to the so-called sour cream density, keep in mind that the mixture should not be too rare, as it will be difficult to level it, and it will also dry even longer. It is also unnecessary to make an overly thick mixture, since it will be very difficult for you to smooth the surface of the screed - it will be loose.

We start leveling the floor from the far corner, moving towards the exit. We fill from the first and second rows at the same time, since the first row is only 30 cm, and at the end we do the same with the last and penultimate sectors. The finished part of the mixture is distributed over the sector, and evenly distributed with a trowel in order to prevent the formation of voids inside the screed. After that, by the rule, placing it with an edge, leading along the beacons, we align the part of the sector filled with mortar. First, we move the rule towards ourselves, from side to side, and when you have achieved a flat surface, we draw the rule exactly along the beacons for the last time. In the same way, make further leveling of the concrete floor. It is important to note that each subsequent pouring should be done very carefully, because due to the different consistency of the cement mortar, irregularities may form in the places of influxes, this must be monitored.

When the floor is leveled, let the screed dry, and we can proceed with further repair work. To make the floor dry faster in winter, you can turn on the heater. In general, this procedure is best done in the summer, the screed will dry completely in a couple of days.

Leveling with a self-leveling floor

Leveling the floor with a self-leveling mixture begins with cleaning its surface. When the concrete base is cleaned, you need to carefully prime the floor surface, using a special primer used for self-leveling floors.

Then we dilute the self-leveling mixture in such proportions as indicated on the package. Although the consistency of the mixture allows it to spread on the floor on its own, it must be rolled with a spiked roller to remove possible air bubbles inside the mixture. The height of the needles of this roller must be greater than the height of the layer of leveling compound. The filled space must be carefully rolled with a roller in different directions. After that, let the floor dry, as a rule, this takes several hours.

Floor leveling

If you want to insulate the floor, or raise its level, then the most the best way- floor extension with wooden lag, it is also called leveling the floor with plywood. The advantage of this method is obvious, since this is the only easy way to raise the level of the floor, in which you can insulate its base, as well as conduct communications inside it.

In order to level the floor using this method, you must first inspect its surface. If there are any gaps or holes, for example in the corners, then they must be repaired. Then you need to prime the floor surface. After the primer dries, proceed to laying the vapor barrier film, which must be laid with an allowance to the wall with a height equal to the height of the extended floor. Between themselves, the sheets of the film must be glued with adhesive tape. After that, proceed to laying the lag.

To lay the log, you need to know the level of floor deflection, as well as determine to what height the floor will be raised. Logs can be attached both to anchors and to special metal plates - you choose the method of attachment. To fix the level of the lag and so that they do not bend, it is necessary to place wooden or plastic wedges under them, to which the lags are fixed with self-tapping screws. Lay the log along the room, at a distance of 5 cm from the wall, in increments of 50 cm. When the logs are laid, they must be fixed to the floor.

The next stage of work is the laying of insulation in sectors between the lags. Use glass wool sheets as insulation. Sheets of glass wool must be cut to the size of the sectors, leaving a few extra centimeters of allowance so that they fit snugly into the sector. After that, either wooden boards or plywood are laid on top, fixing them on self-tapping screws.

In the first video, you can visually get acquainted with the procedure for leveling the floor using leveling by beacons.

If you want to level the floor with a self-leveling compound, then this method is disclosed in this video.

And finally, the third way to level the floor, with the help of its extension. This method is somewhat different from that proposed by us and is more suitable for leveling the balcony floor, but you can borrow some of the main points for yourself.