How to make a concrete screed indoors. Filling the floors with concrete screed: a guide for beginners. Preparation of the base for pouring concrete screed

In this article I will tell you how to do a concrete floor screed with your own hands. Next, you will learn about all the nuances of pouring, which will allow you to cope with this work without the help of specialists.

Pouring technology

The process of pouring the screed includes several main stages:

Preparation of materials

First of all, you need to prepare materials for preparing the solution. Its composition depends on the area of ​​application of the screed.

If you are leveling the floor in a residential area, then you will need fine-grained concrete or, in other words, a cement-sand mortar. This composition includes only cement grades M400-500 and sand, as well as a plasticizer that improves the quality of the solution.

On sale there are ready-made mixtures for screeds, which contain the optimal ratio of cement, sand and improving additives. The price of such mixtures starts from 150-200 rubles per bag weighing 25 kg.

If the screed will be poured in the garage or, for example, on the street, then ordinary concrete should be used. In this case, in addition to sand and cement, you will need gravel or crushed stone, preferably a fine fraction (5-20 mm). This will allow you to get an almost perfectly smooth surface, besides, it will be easier for you to work with such a solution.

To calculate the amount of all ingredients, you can use the online calculator. The only thing is that for this you need to know not only the quadrature of the floor, but also the thickness of the screed, which depends on the differences in the base, i.e. how uneven the floor is.

To make the floor warmer and the screed lighter, you can add expanded clay or even expanded polystyrene granules to the concrete.

In addition to the components for the solution, you will also need other materials:

• waterproofing film;
• damper tape;
• reinforcing mesh with a wire thickness of 3 mm and a mesh size of 100x100 mm;

• beacon;
• a small amount of gypsum;
• insulation - will be needed if the floor is to be insulated.

Of the tools, you must have a concrete mixer, a level and a rule.

Foundation preparation

Before you make a concrete floor screed, be sure to prepare the base.

This procedure is performed in the following sequence:

1. first of all, it is necessary to clean the floor from dust, flaking surfaces and any other debris;

1. it is advisable to cover the floor with a primer or anti-mold composition to prevent the occurrence of fungus. To do this, you can use a paint roller, as shown in the photo above;
2. then a waterproofing film must be laid on the floor. Be sure to lay the film sheets overlapping and with a twist on the walls, and glue the joints with adhesive tape.

1. if the floor is insulated, it is necessary to lay a layer of thermal insulation, for example, polystyrene foam or extruded polystyrene foam. Place the insulation so that there are no gaps between the plates;
2. then another layer of thermal insulation is laid;
3. lay a damper tape along the perimeter of the floor;

1. then you need to lay the reinforcing mesh, which should also be located with a slight overlap. In order for the mesh to be located in the thickness of the concrete, place rubble stones or wooden bars under it. You can also use special plastic clamps for fittings.

The preparation of the base for pouring the so-called "warm floors", which have recently been very popular, is performed somewhat differently.

In this case, the work is done like this:

• thermal insulation is laid on the waterproofing, which is usually used as penofol. Let me remind you that this heat-insulating material is laid with the foil up. The joints of the penofol must be glued with adhesive tape;
• then the reinforcing mesh is laid according to the scheme described above;

• then the contours of the warm floor are laid, which must be attached to the reinforcing mesh. For these purposes, you can use plastic clamps.
  After that, you can start installing beacons.

Installation of beacons

In order for the concrete screed to turn out to be even, it is necessary to correctly install the guides.

This work is carried out in the following sequence:

1. first you need to mark the zero level on the wall. To do this, find the highest point of the floor, then step back from it the top 40 mm, and apply a point on the nearest wall. This will be the zero level;
2. pass through the given point horizontal line all around the room. To do this, use a pencil and a level. If you have a water level, move the zero level point to the corners, then connect them with lines using a masking cord;

1. now you can install the first beacon, stepping back from the wall 25 cm. To do this, screw the screws on the guide location line near two opposite walls. Their hats should be located at the zero level;
2. then attach a beacon profile to the caps, and check its position with a level. If there is a deviation from the horizontal, adjust its position with one of the self-tapping screws. As a result, the hats should be located in the same horizontal plane;

1. after that, you need to lay out lumps of gypsum mortar along the location line so that they are above the caps of the screws. You can also use cement mortar for these purposes, however, it will harden much longer.
2. now you need to install the profile near the opposite wall in the same way. During its installation, make sure that both beacons are in the same horizontal plane along the entire length;
   Then drown the profile in lumps so that it lies on the screws. Work carefully so that the profile does not bend. After installing the beacon, be sure to check its position again with a level;
3. then, between two opposite beacons, threads should be pulled. This will allow them to align the intermediate guides. As a result, they will all be located in the same plane, respectively, the concrete screed will turn out to be even;
4. now intermediate beacons are installed in increments of 1.2-1.5 meters.

If the floor has already been finished in the adjacent room, then when determining the zero level for the screed, it is necessary to focus on it. At the same time, do not forget to subtract the thickness of the floor covering from the floor level, if any.

Solution preparation

Now you can prepare a solution for concrete screed. The proportions depend on the brand of cement.

For a cement-sand screed in a residential area, you can use M400 cement in a ratio of one to three. If you plan to pour the screed, for example, in the garage, make a solution in the following proportion:

Ingredients	Proportions
Cement M500	1 hour
Sand	2h.
rubble	4h.

I must say that the exact ratios and proportions do not exist, but there are only recommendations. Therefore, different specialists often use different recipes to prepare the solution.

I must say that the quality of the screed depends not only on the proportions and ingredients, but also on the quality of the preparation of the solution.

Therefore, consider how to make the solution correctly:

1. sand must be sifted through a sieve before use;
2. then it is necessary to pour dry components into the concrete mixer and mix them thoroughly until a homogeneous gray mixture is formed;

1. then water is added to the solution. Do not fill in a lot of water, as this will reduce the strength of the solution. Quite enough 0.5-0.8 parts.

Together with water, a plasticizer is added to the concrete mixer. The manufacturer indicates its quantity and method of application on the packaging;

1. after the formation of a homogeneous mass, a solid filler must be added to the solution. It must be clean. If gravel or crushed stone is dirty, it must be washed;
2. It is necessary to mix the contents of the concrete mixer until the crushed stone or gravel is evenly distributed in the concrete.

To prepare the solution, dry sand must be used. Therefore, if necessary, it must be dried.

This completes the preparation of the solution.

fill

So, with the preparation we figured out. Now consider how to pour concrete.

The work is carried out in the following sequence:

1. start pouring from the opposite from the entrance. First, fill in the span from the wall.
   Just pour the concrete onto the floor from the bucket, and then level it with the rule, pulling it along the guides towards you. At the same time, slightly shake the rule from side to side so that the solution condenses and lies more evenly;

1. then the second and all subsequent spans are poured in the same way;
2. after the concrete screed has set, you need to remove the guides and cover the gaps with mortar;

1. then do-it-yourself grouting of the screed is done with the help of a bevel. This will make the surface stronger and smoother.

This completes the screed pouring process. Now it is important to moisten it with water for the first few days. If this is not done, the surface may crack.

- a rough coating that allows you to level the building base, mask defects, raise the floor and improve the sound and heat insulation of the room. This design is carried out different ways including the use of concrete. There are several types of similar materials and, in order to make right choice, it is recommended to familiarize yourself with the properties of each product. For lovers who equip the screed on their own, the craftsmen are advised to study the technology for making such a rough coating.

There are several types of concrete floor screed, depending on the method of forming a rough coating:

1. Linked tie. This option is suitable for rooms where the aesthetic side of floor reconstruction is not important, as well as for rooms located on the ground floor. The solution is poured onto the building base and distributed using the rule. The result is a relatively flat surface. This is a simple type of screed that does not require a waterproofing layer or beacons. For this reason, rough coating is popular.
2. Screed with waterproofing. Such a rough coating is performed in rooms above the second floor, as well as in rooms with high humidity - pools, bathrooms, showers and kitchens. First, a waterproofing coating is laid on the building base, and then beacons are set up, the solution is poured and the composition is distributed over the surface using the rule. Such a rough coating protects the building base from moisture.
3. Screed with insulation. Such a coating is performed to increase the thermal insulation properties of the floor and improve the microclimate in the room. Typically, such a screed is equipped on the ground floors to protect the apartment from the cold coming from the basement. The layers of the rough coating are performed as follows: waterproofing layer, heat-insulating material, concrete mortar.
4. Coated screed. In this case, an additional self-leveling pour is distributed over the concrete in a thin layer, which creates a flat surface. This type of screed is usually used for laying linoleum or laminate, since such coatings do not tolerate flaws on the building base.
5. Reinforced screed. Such a rough coating has increased strength and the ability to withstand heavy loads. The sequence of layers in this case looks like this - waterproofing material, reinforcing product, concrete mortar.
6. Fiber tie. This is one of the options for a rough coating with reinforcement. Fiberglass is a reinforcing material that increases the strength of the screed. Such a product is added directly to the solution, which eliminates the need to fix the reinforcing mesh on the surface. The composition is poured onto the waterproofing coating and leveled with the rule along the guides.

Solutions for pouring concrete screeds

There are several types of solutions for arranging a concrete screed:

Classic composition

To prepare such a solution, cement and sand are used in proportions of 1: 3. To knead quality product, it is recommended to use quarry sand. Such material provides the strength of the solution and protects the material from cracking and the formation of other defects. Before mixing the product, it is recommended to sift the sand through a metal sieve with small cells. Next, cement and sand are combined and water is added so that a composition of medium density is obtained. The liquid solution after solidification shrinks and does not have sufficient strength. Such a product will also not level the surface, since it will not be possible to distribute the product using the rule due to the liquid consistency. If you make the composition too thick, then the material will not be distributed over the surface. For this reason, it is important to add such an amount of water that a solution of a liquid consistency is obtained. Certain standards for the ratio of liquid and cement-sand composition have been established. However, such proportions are applicable for the arrangement of reinforced concrete pavement on an industrial scale. For home arrangement of the screed, it is recommended to focus "by eye". Usually masters take a liter of water for 5 kg of the mixture. It is important that the water is clean. This affects the quality of the screed. Do not use technical liquid, since such water contains oils and other foreign substances. A concrete mixer is used to mix the product. After that, such a solution is obtained, which is easily distributed over the building base, creating a reliable support without air voids.

Ready-made dry mixes for screed

In order not to independently select the proportions of materials for preparing the solution, it is recommended to use ready-made dry mixes for screed. These products are optimally matched required amount of each element, as well as on the packaging, the exact amount of water required to mix the solution is indicated.

Ready mixes have the following advantages over self-prepared formulations:

1. • to knead the solution, a concrete mixer is not required, it is enough to use an industrial mixer or a drill with a mixer attachment;
   • a screed made of ready-made dry mixes is strong, durable and resistant to mechanical stress;
   • finished products are lighter than self-prepared mixtures, which facilitates the preparation of the solution and the transportation of the material;
   • the line of products includes such compositions that are selected for different conditions of use - for rooms with high humidity, for unheated rooms, and so on;
   • using the solution will not cause problems even for amateurs who do not have experience in construction.

The only drawback of ready-made dry mixes compared to self-prepared material is the high cost.

Concrete floor pouring technology

To independently make a floor screed, it is recommended to adhere to the base pouring technology.

Zero level concrete floor

The zero level of the concrete floor helps to make the screed even, correcting surface differences. To markup, you need laser level. Since this is an expensive device, it is recommended to rent the unit, which will save a significant amount of money. You can also use the water or building level.

To make markup, proceed as follows:

• "by eye" determine the high corner of the room and put a mark in an arbitrary place at a distance of 1.2-1.5 m from the floor;
• with the device, such a label is transferred to other walls of the room, as well as other rooms, if the screed is equipped throughout the apartment;
• the marks are connected by lines along the perimeter of the room, and if the connection occurs at one point, then the level is set without errors;
• take measurements from the zero level line to the floor every 0.5 m, and the readings are fixed with chalk on the wall.

The minimum point value is the maximum height of the parcel. After setting the zero level, calculate the height of the screed:

• the value of the screed is subtracted from the figure of the upper point and a mark is placed - this is the distance from the reference line of the rough coating to the zero level;
• the value obtained from the zero level to the reference line is transferred along the entire perimeter;
• labels are connected in one line.

Preparatory work

Before performing the screed, the building base is prepared. The preparation algorithm depends on the type of surface. If a screed is made for a private house that stands directly on the ground, they act like this:

• remove the top layers of the soil to make a recess of 500 mm;
• sand 100 mm high is laid and compacted;
• gravel 100 mm thick is laid and also compacted;
• a layer of expanded clay is laid and concrete is poured on top so that a height of 200 mm is obtained;
• after the mortar has hardened, a roofing material is laid on the building base to protect the building base from moisture penetration, while the sheets are overlapped and overlapped on the walls to the height of the screed;
• perform reinforcement and directly rough coating.

The building base in the apartment is prepared as follows:

• delete the old flooring;
• dismantle the old screed with a perforator;
• the room is freed from construction debris, and the surface is dedusted;
• if there are defects on the surface, then the cracks are expanded, treated with a primer and filled with a solution;
• in the presence of large differences in the surface, the flaws are cut off with the help of a grinder;
• metal elements are dismantled or treated with an anti-corrosion agent, if this is not possible;
• the building base is treated with a primer, while the primer is applied in two layers with a break for drying;
• the surface is covered with a waterproofing film overlapping by 20 cm on top of each other, and the edges of the material are allowed onto the walls more than the height of the screed;
• damper tape is fixed on the walls around the perimeter.

After that, a screed is performed.

Arrangement of lighthouses

To evenly distribute the solution over the surface, expose beacons. Before fixing the guides, make the appropriate markup:

• lines are applied on the floor along the room from the wall opposite the door;
• measure the distance from the walls 2.5-3 cm and make a mark - the same manipulation is carried out on the opposite side of the wall;
• a straight line is drawn along the marking, from which marks are made for the remaining guides at a distance less than the length of the rule from each other;
• the markings are connected in horizontal lines.

After that, the profiles are installed directly. They do this in several ways, but most often they use self-tapping screws:

• between the walls opposite the door, pull the fishing line parallel to the zero level;
• where the fishing line intersects with a line located close to the wall, a hole is made with a drill, where a dowel is installed and a self-tapping screw is inserted - such a manipulation is performed from the opposite side;
• stretch another fishing line along the wall, fixing the material on the caps of the self-tapping screws;
• at a distance of 3.5-4 cm, other self-tapping screws are fixed along the line of the fishing line - such a manipulation is performed on the rest of the markup;
• the height of the fasteners is checked by the building level and, if defects are found, the inaccuracies are corrected;
• cement mortar is placed on the self-tapping screws with small tubercles;
• from above, the composition is fixed by guides - the beacon is placed on the mortar and the profile is pressed firmly so that the surface reaches the screw head.

Concrete mix for pouring the floor

To prepare a solution using a concrete mixer, proceed as follows:

• the required amount of water is placed in a working unit;
• add cement and leave to dilute the material in the liquid;
• gravel is poured into the solution so that the material contributes to the final divergence of cement;
• add the entire amount of sand and, if the solution is too thick, pour water;
• crushed stone is poured and the concrete mixer is left in working order until the mortar is mixed - in total, this takes 122 minutes.

If you use an industrial mixer or a drill with a mixer attachment, then proceed as follows:

• water is poured into the container and the material is added in the proportions that the manufacturer indicates on the package;
• the tool knead the solution to the consistency of thick sour cream;
• the material is left for 5 minutes, re-stirred and used for its intended purpose.

Pouring the subfloor

Algorithm for pouring a building base with concrete:

• with the help of a shovel, the solution is laid on one "path" of the profiles;
• the mixture is distributed over the surface with a trowel, filling the voids and removing excess;
• the solution is leveled by the rule;
• manipulation is carried out on the remaining "tracks".

Floor screed work

After pouring the solution, the beacons are dismantled. To do this, wait for the mixture to set and remove the guides, carefully stepping on the building base. All voids are filled with mortar. With a trowel, the material is distributed over the surface, removing excess mixture. Take a break of 28 days. During this time, the material finally hardens and gains strength. For several days after pouring, the surface is sprayed with water to prevent cracking. After the material has dried, the surface is sanded and the floor decorating coating is laid.

To extract the mortar from the concrete mixer, professionals recommend equipping a gutter. This design will direct the mixture to the right place and prevent contamination of the device.

Professionals also recommend raising the reinforcing mesh above the building base. They do it this way - a mesh is laid on the surface, a small amount of mortar is placed, after which the reinforcing material is slightly raised so that the composition is distributed between the cells, lifting the mesh. This will protect the product from shifting during mechanical loading on the surface.

The video in this article demonstrates the rules for arranging a concrete screed.

Concrete screed - durable rough coating. This element of the floor construction helps to improve the soundproofing and heat-insulating performance of the room.

October 14, 2017 No comments

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

When laying a warm floor, thermal insulation is required, and along the walls you need to lay special tape, which will prevent the floor from cracking during heating and cooling.

Preparatory work

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Installation of beacons for floor screed

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Concrete mix preparation

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

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

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

Main ready solution should beat with a homogeneous mass that spreads and does not spread.

For cooking cement mortar easier to use a concrete mixer.

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

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

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

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

Laying and leveling concrete screed

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

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

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

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

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

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

Video: Do-it-yourself concrete floor screed

To create a durable and reliable floor, you need a base with an even higher level of strength and durability than a floor covering. The leaders in these parameters are concrete floors. A durable, even and dry concrete floor is the ideal base for any type of flooring. In addition, concrete floors can withstand a large load on the surface, which allows them to be poured in rooms where heavy objects and equipment are planned to be installed.

Concrete floors - pouring technology

Concrete is an affordable and fairly cheap material, it is easy to work with and does not require special knowledge and skills. Thanks to these qualities, many equip the concrete floor with their own hands during construction. country houses or apartment renovations. The main thing is to know how to properly pour the concrete floor so that it is strong and durable. Therefore, before pouring a concrete floor, you need to familiarize yourself with the technology of pouring a concrete floor, acquire the necessary tools and carry out preparatory work, after which you can safely proceed to pouring a concrete floor. All work can be done independently, but to increase speed and save strength, you will need a partner who will do his part of the work.

The pouring of the concrete floor is divided into several stages:

• ground preparation;
• concrete floor insulation;
• reinforcement;
• arrangement of formwork;
• preparation of concrete mixture and its pouring;
• leveling the surface and screeding the concrete floor.

Foundation preparation

To pour a concrete floor, a number of preliminary works must be performed. First of all, it will concern the foundation. If the floor will be poured in the apartment, then it is necessary to remove the old floor covering and tear off the old concrete screed up to the ceiling. Typically, the thickness of the concrete floor is about 5 cm, and you will have to use a hammer drill to remove it. Having removed the old floor to the ceiling, we clean the surface of dirt and proceed to the next step.

Important! If the screed does not have obvious damage, cracks and breaks, then it can be left and the surface itself can be leveled for a new floor covering.

In private houses, things are somewhat more complicated. The fact is that the concrete floor of the first floor of a private house is often made on the ground, and will require additional labor.

Scheme of the concrete floor on the ground

To prepare the base, do the following:

1. We put a mark at a level of 1 m from the base of the doorway and, using a level, transfer it to the walls around the entire perimeter of the room.

2. From the received marks we measure 1 m down, these marks will represent the level (“zero”) to which it is necessary to pour concrete.

3. In order to clearly see the “zero”, we hammer in nails according to the marks and pull the cord.

4. In the room where we will make the floor, we remove about 25 cm of soil.

5. We level the surface along the horizon and ram it, for this you can use a log with a board nailed to it or a special vibrating plate.

6. On the resulting plane, we fill the gravel with a layer of 5 cm, carefully pour it with water and tamp.

7. Pour 10 cm of sand over the gravel, we also water and tamp the sand.

Checking the surface horizon with a level

Important! At the stage of preparing the base, it is necessary to constantly monitor with the help of the level that the base is horizontal in the plane. If the project provides for communications that are hidden under the floor, then they must be laid simultaneously with sand filling, having previously been hidden in special boxes.

8. On top of the sand, we fill in a layer of crushed stone about 10 cm, tamp it down and sprinkle it with sand to get a relatively flat surface.

Important! The size of the stone in crushed stone should be 45-50 mm. To comply with the backfill level of all layers on the walls, you can put marks for each of them. It should also be noted that the thickness of the concrete floor itself must be at least 2 cm.

concrete floor insulation

Film waterproofing concrete floor

The device of concrete floors on the ground requires high-quality waterproofing. If it is not carried out, there will be constant dampness in the premises, which will negatively affect interior decoration, interior items and the microclimate of the room as a whole. For this, you can use a simple 200 micron polyethylene film, waterproofing membranes or any other type of waterproofing roll materials. It should be noted that for high-quality waterproofing, the film will need to be laid in several layers, while others waterproofing materials can be applied in one layer. We lay both the film and rolled waterproofing materials with an overlap of about 20 cm and fasten them with adhesive tape. We draw the edges onto the walls with an overlap, so that they reach the zero mark, and glue it with adhesive tape to the surface of the walls.

In addition to waterproofing, the concrete floor should also be thermally insulated. Depending on the scheme of the concrete floor, the following heat-insulating materials can be used, which must be laid at a certain stage of work:

• expanded clay;
• Styrofoam;
• stone basalt wool;
• mineral wool;
• expanded polystyrene;
• extruded polystyrene foam;
• polyurethane foam;
• perlite;
• chipboard (chipboard);
• thick moisture resistant plywood;
• cork coating;
• roll isolon;
• insulated linoleum or carpet.

Reinforcement

Reinforcement of the concrete floor with a metal mesh

Reinforcement is performed in the case when increased loads will fall on the concrete floor. For reinforcement, a metal or plastic mesh is used. You can make such a sect yourself by welding it from a metal wire with a thickness of 3 mm to 5 mm. The grid itself is laid on stands 2-3 cm high, so that after pouring it turns out to be a single whole. If a soft reinforcing mesh is used, then pins are hammered in for its installation, onto which the mesh itself is subsequently pulled. Another material for reinforcing concrete floors are reinforcing bars with a thickness of 8 mm to 15 mm, which are welded together into a single mesh.

Formwork arrangement

To facilitate the pouring of the concrete floor in large and medium-sized rooms, formwork is equipped. To do this, the room is conditionally divided into equal rectangles (“maps”). The size must be chosen so that the “card” can be filled in one, maximum two runs.

We fix the formwork guides with cement mortar

For the formwork itself, you can use ordinary boards or waterproof plywood. Now you need to lay the guides. They share the room for "cards", and their height will correspond to the "zero" level, to which the concrete will be poured. Can be used as guides metal pipe, wooden block or board. We lay the guide itself on the prepared base and fix it with a thick cement mortar.

We install formwork between the guides and finally form the “cards”. Before making the concrete floor perfectly even and smooth, we bring the guides and formwork to “zero” along the horizon using a level.

Important! In order to be able to get the formwork and guides made of poured concrete, they are lubricated with special formwork oil. Thanks to this, it is quite easy to separate the guides and formwork from the concrete.

Concrete preparation and pouring

In order for the concrete floor to be strong and durable, it should be poured in one go. Therefore, if there is a financial opportunity, then you should order a ready-made concrete mix at the factory. It will be delivered in a concrete mixer and immediately in large volume. You do not have to spend time and effort on self-preparation of the solution.

If finances do not allow, then everything can be done independently. This will require an electric concrete mixer, cement, sand and gravel. Cement should be chosen grades M500 or M400, since the strength of concrete directly depends on this. As for the sand, it should be river, without impurities and clay.

To prepare concrete, you need to take 1 part of cement, 2 parts of sand, 4 parts of crushed stone and 0.5 parts of water. We thoroughly knead the concrete in a concrete mixer and pour it into the "card". We level with a shovel, make vertical piercing movements and stretch over the entire area. In this simple way, the concrete is gradually compacted, and air comes out of it. For better shrinkage, a special vibrator should be used. The vibrations created by it seat the concrete mortar, compact it, thereby allowing the concrete to penetrate into all the cracks and voids.

As soon as concrete milk appears on the surface, shrinkage can be stopped and you can move on to another card, into which your partner has poured fresh mortar.

Important! Concrete should be poured starting from the opposite corner from the door and moving towards the door.

Leveling the surface and screeding the concrete floor

Leveling the surface of the concrete floor with the rule

Once a few "maps" are filled with concrete, a portion of the concrete floor can be leveled. To do this, we use a rule with a length of more than 1 m. We install the rule on the guides and pull it towards us. Thus, excess concrete falls into the still unfilled "cards", and the floor level goes to "zero". After that, we remove the formwork in the aligned places, fill the voids and continue pouring.

After completing the pour, the concrete is allowed to stand for 3-4 days. Every day we moisten it with a small amount of water so that it reaches gradually and does not start to crack. Then we cover with plastic wrap and leave until completely hardened for 3-4 weeks, wetting it from time to time.

After hardening, a layer of screed is applied to the concrete floor:

1. To do this, we apply a layer of liquid cement mortar on the floor or with the addition of various binders.

2. We begin to make the screed from the corner and move towards the door.

3. Upon completion, let the screed stand for 2-3 days, wetting it with water every day.

Now that the screed has hardened, you can proceed to.

The device of concrete floors is a long and painstaking process that does not tolerate haste. To create a really high-quality and durable concrete floor, it is necessary to follow the technology of its laying, otherwise you will have to break the entire thickness of the concrete with a perforator and re-fill it. But, despite all the shortcomings and the complexity of the arrangement, concrete floors remain the easiest to install and unpretentious in operation.

Before laying any modern floor covering, it is necessary to have a level floor. In order for the surface to be perfectly flat, you need to fill the floor screed.

From the article you will learn how to fill the floor screed stepwise technology work performed.

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Like any other repair work pouring the floor screed begins with preparatory work. To begin with, the surface should be cleaned of dust and dirt.

Seal cracks in the floor with a cement-based mortar.

It is desirable to maintain the temperature in the room in the range from 10 to 25 degrees.

To prevent cracking of the screed during thermal expansion, a damper tape is used. Most often it is made of foamed polyethylene.

It also acts as a sound insulator and reduces shock loads transmitted from the floor to the walls.

IN small rooms damper tape is attached around the perimeter of the room. For private houses and other premises where the screed area is very large, it is necessary to lay the damper tape in the screed itself.

insulation

In nurseries, bedrooms and other rooms where you spend a lot of time, it is worth considering the option of floor insulation.

Suitable as a heater polystyrene boards 5 cm thick. For best warmth and soundproofing polystyrene boards have a special mounting lock.

It is necessary to lay the insulation tightly to the base in a checkerboard pattern and, if necessary, fix it with dowels.

vapor barrier

For steam and waterproofing, you can use an ordinary plastic film, the sheets of which are overlapped on top of each other with a call to the walls and fastened together with adhesive tape.

An important point during the preparation is the installation of beacons. It is almost impossible to level the floor without them.

Beacons are rigid metal guides, and you can also use a profile for installing drywall as beacons. Wood is categorically not suitable as beacons, as it absorbs water when it dries.

The lighthouses are set parallel to each other at a distance slightly less than the length of the rule with which you will perform the mortar screed.

The first lighthouse is placed at a distance of 20-30 cm from the wall in small piles of cement. Following parallel to the first, the height is adjusted using a level or a simple level.

The remaining beacons are installed in the same way.

The solution with beacons must be allowed to harden, usually 12 hours is enough.

The second way to install beacons from a profile without mortar on dowels with self-tapping screws. To do this, mark the lines where it is necessary to install beacons and, in increments of about 80 cm, drive in dowels with self-tapping screws.

The height of the screws is adjusted using a laser level. A profile is laid on the self-tapping screws and, as the filling is completed, they can be easily moved along the self-tapping screws.

To prevent the appearance of cracks and overall reliability, a special reinforcing mesh is installed before pouring the floor screed.

More often, a metal mesh with a mesh size of 10 or 15 cm is used for reinforcement. Attach it to concrete base on the dowel.

Now the reinforcing mesh made of composite materials (plastic) is gaining popularity. It does not react with moisture and therefore retains its properties longer. In addition, it is not electrically conductive and does not affect the distribution of the WiFi signal in the room.

Also, the mesh during reinforcement can be replaced with fiber, it is added to the screed mortar. The fiberglass provides greater strength and prevents the screed from cracking when it dries.

Now you can start preparing the solution for pouring the floor screed.

To prepare the mixture, sand, cement and water are used. To mix the components, it is better to use a concrete mixer or a drill with a special nozzle.

Cement to take brand M400 or M500.

The required proportions of the screed mortar are 1 part cement, 1 part water and 4 parts sand. First, mix cement with sand, and then add water.

To increase the strength of the solution, add plasticizers. They prevent the appearance of cracks in the screed.

Pouring process

Before you start the process of pouring the floor screed, draw a diagram or photograph all communications that will be filled with mortar. This will help to find them and not damage them during subsequent repairs.

Start pouring from the corner of the room, which is opposite to the exit.

The solution is poured between two beacons so that its level is slightly higher than the beacons and zigzag movements with the help of a rail (rule) are leveled, removing excess. In the irregularities, add the solution and again level the rule.

Repeat the process until the entire floor is covered. It is advisable to fill the floor screed in one room in one day to avoid cracks and joints.

You can walk on the floor after 1-2 days. If the beacons are installed removable, then pull them out and close up the remaining traces. But this does not mean that it is possible to mount the finishing floor covering, since the screed must “ripen”.