What do you need to fill the floor? Pouring the floor in an apartment - all about the materials and technology for creating a perfectly flat floor. Features of base preparation

Concrete floors are popular in rooms where large loads on the floor plane are expected, as well as in private construction. Concrete floors are strong, durable, multifunctional and unpretentious. For example, concrete floors are a must in the bathroom or bathroom, as well as in the kitchen. With the advent of systems that help solve the problem of cold floors, concrete began to be used in bedrooms, living rooms, hallways, and other areas of the house. Private construction has also begun to be actively used concrete pouring instead of wooden floors on the joists. In this regard, questions began to arise about how to fill the floor with concrete in a house and what are the features when pouring it onto the floors. In this article we will look at general technologies pouring floors, and also pay attention to some nuances and differences.

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Concrete floor technology

A concrete floor can be installed on a variety of surfaces: directly on the ground, on floor slabs, on old concrete and wooden floors. Concrete is a very simple and undemanding material, and most importantly relatively inexpensive.

In order to figure out how to pour a concrete floor in a house and make it durable and strong, you need to know the conditions of the pouring technology and all stages of the work. When pouring on various surfaces There are some features and nuances, but there are also general recommendations for all cases.

General technology and stages of work:

• Thermal insulation;
• Laying lighthouses;
• Rough concrete floor;
• Surface grinding;
• Leveling screed.

Some stages may be added depending on the characteristics of the premises. For example, when pouring concrete onto the ground with a base, it is necessary to backfill it.

In order to protect the screed from cracking, it is formed expansion joints. There are three types of such seams:

1. Insulation seams – cut at the junction of concrete floors with other room structures, for example, walls, ledges, columns, etc. They are necessary so that various vibrations cannot be transmitted to other structures. Otherwise, distortions or partial destruction of the foundation are possible.

2. Construction seams s– are done in those places where the concrete has hardened unevenly. For example, if the filling was carried out not in one go, but at intervals of more than four hours.

3. Shrink seams – are formed in order to relieve stress due to uneven shrinkage and drying.

Expansion joints should be made before random cracks begin to appear, but the concrete should already have gained the necessary strength. The seams should be up to 1/3 of the thickness of the entire concrete layer. Subsequently, the seams must be filled with special sealants.

Due to the fact that installing a concrete floor is a rather labor-intensive and dusty process, many people prefer to hire construction crews to pour it. The price will primarily depend on the labor intensity of the work and the thickness of the layer being poured. The cheapest option is regular cement-sand screed. A screed with reinforcement will be more expensive. The cost will be influenced by what kind of reinforcing mesh will be used. A regular road mesh will cost less, but a frame welded from reinforcement will cost more. The most expensive option will be a floor with a reinforced top layer; it will be 30-40% more expensive than a conventional floor of the same thickness.

If you have basic construction skills, know how to use tools and find one or two assistants, then it won’t be difficult to properly pour the floor with concrete in your house with your own hands. It will be necessary to produce necessary calculations, prepare tools and materials, study the technology and determine each of its functions and things will go smoothly. Further filling will depend only on the materials used, their quality and quantity.

If you need to fill the floor with concrete in a house on the ground

If you decide to pour concrete directly over the ground, then several questions always arise: what to make the backfill from and what layer, how to waterproof it, when to insulate it, etc. A concrete floor on the ground can be compared to a layered cake, which we will discuss below.

Conditions under which concrete can be laid on the ground

Before moving on to the technological process of installing a concrete floor, it is necessary to note that not every soil can be used to pour a concrete floor. First, groundwater should be no closer than 4-5 meters, it is necessary to prevent flooding of the floor and absorption of moisture through the capillaries. Secondly, the soil must be stationary, otherwise the floor may collapse and destroy the foundation. Third, the room that will have such a floor must be heated winter time, because the soil will freeze in winter, and at the same time the floor, which will have an impact high blood pressure on the foundation, and it, in turn, will deform and collapse. Fourth and last, the soil must be dry.

Marking the finished floor: zero mark

All procedures for installing the floor in the house should begin after the walls are ready and the roof is covered. Because indoors, the future floor will be protected from nature’s surprises.

First of all, you need to note the level of the finished floor - the mark at which the floor will be poured. In the example under consideration, there are no plans to create a threshold, so the reference point will be the bottom of the doorway, so that the floor is even and identical in all rooms.

You need to apply the zero level in this way: from the lowest point of the doorway, measure upward exactly 1 meter. The mark is applied to the wall, and then transferred to all the walls in the room and a horizontal line is drawn, while controlling the horizontal using a level. After this, we measure exactly 1 meter down along the entire perimeter from this line and also draw a horizontal line. This line will be the level of the finished floor. For greater convenience, you can hammer nails into the corners of the room and pull the cord, this will make it easier to navigate.

Preparing the base

First you need to remove all construction debris from the premises. Next, you need to remove the top layer of soil and take it out, then it can be used for landscaping work. Here the question may arise: to what depth should one go when removing soil? Here you can recall a multi-layer cake, which is essentially a concrete floor, approximately 30-35 cm thick. Adhering to the zero mark and removing soil to a depth of 35 cm.

The soil surface must be compacted. It is more convenient and best to do this using a vibrating plate or vibrating machine, but if you don’t have one, you can make do with improvised means. You can, for example, take a log, attach handles to it, and nail a flat board underneath. Using this log, you need to compact the soil so that there are no traces of footsteps left on its surface.

Important! There are times when high strip foundations that the distance from the zero mark to the ground is more than 35 cm. In such cases, you need to remove the top layer, and instead pour sand and compact it thoroughly.

Clay bedding can be used as additional waterproofing. In this case, clay is poured over the soil and compacted well. Clay will subsequently prevent moisture from penetrating into the floor.

Backfill made of sand, gravel and crushed stone

The next mandatory step will be filling.

The first layer will be gravel, pour 5-10 cm. It is watered and compacted. In order to control the thickness of the poured layer, you can drive in pegs of the required length and align them, and after everything has been filled in, remove them.

The second layer will be sand, approximately 10 cm. The sand level is also controlled by the same pegs. The layer must be thoroughly compacted with a vibrating plate or a log with a board, while the sand is spilled with water. To perform this backfill, it is possible to use sand with impurities.

The third layer will be crushed stone, also about 10 cm. This layer is also leveled and compacted. The main task when working with this layer will be to ensure that there are no sharp edges of crushed stone on the surface. Sharp pebbles need to be removed or unrolled and the entire surface smoothed. To fill this layer, you need to use crushed stone with a fraction of 40-50 mm. After compacting the crushed stone, you can sprinkle it a little with sand and compact it one more time.

It is important to remember and control the horizontal using a level!

It should be noted that the backfill can be made from two layers: crushed stone and sand. It can also be said that to control the thickness of the layers, their levels can be applied to the walls.

We lay hydro- and thermal insulation

In the case where the crushed stone layer is tightly compacted and there are no sharp corners, waterproofing can be laid directly on the crushed stone. To perform waterproofing, you can use modern materials or membranes, roofing felt or simple polyethylene film, which will have a density of at least 200 microns. The material used must be spread over the entire area of ​​the room and the edges should be brought to the zero mark on the walls and secured, for example, with tape. It happens that the canvas may not be enough to cover the entire area, then the joints must be made with an overlap of 20 cm and taped with adhesive tape.

It is possible to apply thermal insulation on top of the waterproofing. For thermal insulation you can use the following materials: expanded clay, polystyrene foam, perlite, polystyrene foam, polyurethane foam.

As an example, let’s look at the option of performing thermal insulation using extruded polystyrene foam boards. The slabs must be laid out tightly to each other in a checkerboard pattern, and the joints must be taped with special adhesive tape.

Important! There may be cases where it is not possible to make hydro- and thermal insulation directly on the bedding. In this case, you need to pour a layer on top of the bedding liquid concrete up to 40 mm thick, which is popularly called skinny concrete. After it hardens, it can already be used for thermal and waterproofing. Such an intermediate layer will provide a more reliable base that will not tear or damage the insulating materials.

Reinforcement

In order to properly pour a floor with concrete, the pouring technology must necessarily include a reinforcement operation in order to maximize the strength of the concrete. A reinforced floor can withstand significant loads, which will be evenly distributed.

Can be used for reinforcement following materials: mesh made of metal and plastic with different sizes cells, and you can also use a frame made of reinforcement. In practice, most often used welded mesh from reinforcement measuring 100x100x5 mm. Less commonly used are frames that are welded on site from 8-18 mm reinforcing rods. Such a frame must be made for floors that will experience heavy loads. In such cases, very careful compaction of the poured material is necessary. concrete mixture.

Reinforcing frames are not allowed to be installed on the base itself, because in this case, the grid will not be able to fulfill its immediate responsibilities, and in some cases it will be superfluous. The frame or mesh must be raised to a height equal to 1/3 of the thickness of the future concrete layer. To do this, the mesh or frame must be installed on 2-3 cm stands, which are called chairs.

We set up beacons and create maps

The use of beacons (guides) makes it possible to pour the concrete mixture with the greatest possible evenness and at the same level. To perform beacons you can use round pipes or a square profile, wooden blocks, provided that their surface is smooth, and you can also install special beacons made of aluminum.

First you need to divide the room into segments 1.5-2 meters wide. Next, the guides need to be installed on concrete mortar cakes. While controlling the position of the guides, you need to either press them in, or add mortar and adjust them so that the top edge is exactly along the zero line. Beacons must be lubricated with special oil or oil so that they can be easily removed after work is completed.

Important! It is necessary to control the horizontal position of the guides using a level. You can pour the concrete mixture only after the cakes become strong enough and when you press the beacon they are not pressed.

Dividing a room into maps is necessary when the size of the room is large and it is not possible to fill the entire area with concrete at once. In this case, the room should be divided into square or rectangular so-called cards, the size of which will depend only on the possible productivity of the working team. To complete the maps, after dividing into sections, you need to build formwork from wood or plywood. Of course, the height of the frame formwork must be in accordance with the zero marking line.

Preparing the solution for pouring

In order for the concrete floor to have the best thermal insulation properties, you need to add perlite or expanded sand to the prepared solution. And for quick and high-quality preparation and pouring of the solution, you should find a concrete mixer.

Recipe for preparing a solution for filling the floor:

• You need to pour 2 buckets of perlite into a concrete mixer;
• Add 10 liters of water and mix. After pouring water, the volume of poured perlite noticeably decreases;
• After the sand is well mixed with water, add 10 liters of sand and 2 liters of water. Knead until the mixture is loose;
• You need to pause while kneading for 10 minutes. In this case, you cannot add water;
• After 10 minutes, you should continue to knead the solution until it becomes plastic;

To prepare mortar for pouring floors, it is best to use cement grades M400 and M500.

Fill the floor with concrete and level the mortar

In order to get it right pour concrete floor in the house, filling must begin from the opposite corner from the door. In this case, you need to try to fill out several cards in one or two passes. Concrete should not fit tightly against protruding elements of the room and walls, so they should be insulated and insulating tape laid along them.

The mixed solution is poured into a 10 cm thick card and leveled with a shovel. It is imperative to make piercing movements through the solution in order to remove excess air and compact the solution. If there is such a possibility, then it would be a good idea to use a deep vibrator, which can be used to compact the solution.

The solution must be leveled according to the rules. To do this, the rule is installed on the guides and pulled towards itself with small movements to the right and left. In this way, excess concrete is removed and the void in other maps is filled.

After the alignment along the guides is completed, it is necessary to remove them, and the space they occupied is filled with new solution.

In the days following pouring, the surface must be constantly moistened with water. You can also additionally cover the concrete with plastic film. Concrete reaches its maximum strength characteristics in 4-5 weeks.

Leveling screed

During the process of pouring a concrete floor, most often the surface is not perfectly flat; there are certain irregularities. If you plan to lay tiles in the room, then it’s okay, an ideal surface is not needed, and therefore you can immediately start laying tiles. But if you plan to lay laminate or linoleum, then the floor surface should be as smooth as possible.

Self-leveling mixtures make it possible to obtain a mirror-smooth floor surface.

This mixture is prepared according to the instructions on the package. Then it is poured onto the floor and leveled with a special brush. After this, you need to roll it with a needle roller in order to remove air bubbles from the poured solution. The flooded floor should be left to dry for at least a week, and then completely dry everything is ready for use.

Video.

Now you probably understand that the solution to the problem of how to fill the floor with concrete in a house is not so difficult, but you can do it yourself. The main thing is not to skimp on the materials used and to comply with the conditions technological process. Only then will the finished floor serve you for decades and will not require major repairs.

Video

Not only in old houses, but also in new buildings, the subfloor is rarely level. Most modern coatings require an ideal surface. That's why major renovation you should start with leveling the floors. So, we’ll tell you how to fill the floor in an apartment with your own hands.

Preparing the base

In order to concrete covering to last as long as possible, the floors should be carefully prepared before pouring:

Dismantle the old covering and baseboards;

You should also remove door jambs– they will interfere with pouring;

Door jambs must be dismantled before pouring

Remove large debris and loose pieces of concrete;

Large cracks are widened so that the solution penetrates into them as deeply as possible, dust is removed from them, thoroughly moistened, reinforced with sickle tape and sealed. cement-sand mortar; small cracks can be coated with adhesive;

Large cracks are pre-covered with mortar.

Thoroughly clean the floors from dust with a vacuum cleaner;

If necessary, to degrease, wash them with a soap solution;

To improve adhesion, after the floors have dried, they should be treated with a primer; porous surfaces are coated with it twice, the second layer only after the first has completely dried.

Is waterproofing necessary?

Protection of concrete from moisture is required mainly in rooms with increased level moisture - bathrooms and toilets. Without reliable waterproofing, over time, cracks will quickly appear in the concrete foundation and it will become unusable. High humidity can also be caused by modern kitchens with washing and dishwashers. High-quality waterproofing will protect and lower floors in case of leakage.

The simplest type of waterproofing is polyethylene film sufficient thickness and strength. In this case, it is better to pre-coat the floors bitumen mastic . Since the flooring should only be continuous, after rolling out the roll with an overlap of 25-30 cm, all layers must be glued together. The film needs to be slightly placed on the walls and attached to them using adhesive tape.

Waterproofing screed with polyethylene

More reliable protection from moisture is bituminous roll waterproofing or fiberglass flooring. The cost of bitumen-rubber mixtures is slightly higher, but they are considered more durable, plus their use does not require heating and melting.

Important! Waterproofing can be located both under the screed and on top of it. When applied over concrete, it will remain dry even in the event of leaks. But still liquid types For waterproofing that can be easily damaged, it is wiser to apply it under the screed.

Cement-sand mortar. Proportions

For getting durable coating better to take a quality one cement grade 300-400. Don’t get confused - after all, the resulting solution also has a brand. For example (see photo), when mixing M400 cement with sand 1:3 we will get concrete grade 150, and when mixing sand and M300 cement in the same proportion - less durable concrete grade 100. For screeds, it is recommended to use concrete (not cement, but concrete) grades 150-200.

The brand of concrete directly depends on the brand of cement and the proportions of the solution

So, prepare the solution:

It is better if the sand for the solution has both large and small fractions; best to use dry river;

Before kneading, it must be sifted;

To obtain a homogeneous mass, sand and cement are mixed only dry; water is added gradually until it reaches the consistency of liquid sour cream; such a solution should not be too liquid and run off the trowel;

It is simply impossible to mix a large amount of mortar perfectly without a concrete mixer; therefore, it is better to rent it or borrow it from friends, otherwise you will have to mix the solution in small portions; for filling small plots You can mix concrete with a drill with an attachment.

Floor level markings

Marking - determining the level of the future floor by drawing horizontal lines on the walls. To begin, we arbitrarily determine the highest point of the room (in case of an error, the line can be easily redrawn).

Now with the help building level draw horizontal lines along all walls. It is along these lines that the beacons will be placed.

Beacons are placed according to markings on the walls

What are beacons?

Lighthouses in the construction business they are called slaps of mortar or alabaster on which metal or wooden slats, used to level floors. Self-tapping screws screwed to a certain height are sometimes used as beacons. For convenience, they are pre-fixed on small pieces of wood. The distance between the beacon slats is selected according to the width rules – construction tools, used to stretch (level) the solution (see photo below).

A simple way to install beacons

Because cement mortar takes at least 2 days to set; sometimes used for placing beacons alabaster, hardens in 15-20 minutes. But experienced craftsmen It is recommended to refrain from using it - the resulting screed will be unreliable due to the heterogeneity of the composition.

Leveling the solution using the rule

Important! Please note that it is too thick layer The concrete will dry unevenly, and its quality will not be up to par - it will immediately crack. If a screed with a thickness of 5 cm or more is required, it is applied in two layers or the screed is strengthened with a reinforcing mesh.

Main stages

Filling of the screed begins after the beacons have completely dried (that is, after 2 days):

Work should begin from the farthest corner, moving gradually towards front door;

Using a trowel, the space between the beacons is completely filled without gaps or voids;

Laying out the solution

After laying a couple of meters, the solution begins to be leveled according to the rule, first in different sides“right-left”, and then along the rules;

There is no need to perfectly level the surface - after a couple of hours, when the concrete has set slightly, small irregularities are leveled with a trowel;

Grouting the screed with a float

The resulting screed is covered with polyethylene for uniform drying;

Lighthouse slats are removed after 24 hours; the voids formed in their place are filled with mortar and carefully leveled.

Important! Despite the fact that the screed room temperature can dry out in 2-3 days, and you can walk on it; the main work should begin only after a month, when the concrete has fully gained strength.

Video: How to fill a floor with your own hands

Since a self-leveling self-leveling floor with your own hands is suitable as a quick-hardening screed and independent finishing coating, the technologies are somewhat different. IN this manual exclusively the nuances of a self-leveling self-leveling floor under the finishing coating are considered.

When installing a self-leveling screed, it is not enough to know how long the material takes to dry. It is necessary to take into account all the features of self-leveling floors (LP) in the complex:

• Base material:

The mixture can be poured onto floor slabs and concrete screeds at any binder material. If the design has heated floor contours, dry mixtures with a mineral binder are recommended.

Before pouring, it is necessary to remove porcelain tiles (tiles and mosaics), hardboard (fibreboard), and bitumen waterproofing materials from the surface. When installing a screed on extruded polystyrene foam, plywood and other wooden coverings, you will first have to pour 4 cm of floating reinforced wire mesh screed

• NP thickness:

There are options for rough (10 - 100 mm), fine (1 - 10 mm) leveling. Most mixtures cannot be brought to zero, so it is necessary to increase the floor height in all areas.

Mixture consumption depending on the thickness of the screed.

• Operating conditions:

For terraces, balconies, verandas, loggias and other rooms without heating, a frost-resistant NP is required - acrylic-cement, cement or polyurethane, MMA. Cement, gypsum and methyl methacrylate floors are usually used in apartments. For bathrooms, a quick-drying mixture is preferable; warehouse and garage floors should be highly wear-resistant.

• Finish coating:

Under linoleum and laminate is preferable budget options based on gypsum or cement. Under porcelain tiles and tiles in a dry room, any mineral mixture, in bathrooms it is better to use a complex binder or cement base.

• Binder type:

Gypsum dries quickly (2 – 5 hours), but is not strong enough for the finishing layer and walk-through areas. Cement strainer high strength, but hardens for a long time (more than 2 days) and does not have decorative properties. Therefore, polyurethane-cement mixtures (abrasion resistance, strength) and acrylic-cement compositions (frost resistance and lack of delamination) are produced.

Epoxy resins are prohibited in residential premises; they are used for garages and industrial facilities; they harden within 24 hours. Polyurethane self-leveling flooring is expensive, but it has no disadvantages and dries in 12–20 hours. The only disadvantage of MMA binder is bad smell material and very fast setting (30 minutes).

Manufacturing technology

You can correctly pour screed from self-leveling mixtures inside heated and cold rooms. The technology is more expensive, but allows savings in the finishing process due to less consumption of tile adhesive. The frost-resistant self-leveling floor does not require additional cladding, unlike a concrete screed. The structure can withstand similar loads, but already has a decorative finishing layer by default.

Preparing the base

The installation of screeds using dry mixtures that self-level under their own weight is much more expensive than using ready-mixed concrete. Therefore, you should comply with the requirements of the NP technology so as not to waste the repair/finishing budget in vain and not to correct your own mistakes. The main requirements for a cement or concrete base are:

Pouring NP refers to wet technologies, since when the self-leveling screed dries, the humidity in the premises increases. Therefore, preparatory finishing or repair operations can also include partial installation of false panels and gypsum board partitions. Contact with wet screeds is contraindicated for plasterboard structures. Therefore, the technology is used:

• the frame of partitions and false panels is mounted before pouring;
• double-sided sheathing of the sheathing is carried out with narrow strips of plasterboard near the floor;
• A damper tape is glued to the gypsum board.

Frame for the partition before pouring the self-leveling floor.

After the NP is poured and dried, the gypsum plasterboard systems are finished. At the same time, the drywall will not absorb moisture and will retain its strength and rigidity.

Advice! Painting works in rooms, it is better to do NP after curling, so as not to scrape off paint stains from the base, which reduce the adhesion of materials.

Preparing the mixture

To fill NP correctly, you must comply with the conditions specified by the manufacturer on the packaging of the dry mixture:

• the material is added to the container with water, and not vice versa;
• bags with NP should be located in close proximity to the workplace, since the lifespan of the solution is usually limited to 30 - 120 minutes;
• The cement self-leveling floor traditionally includes a filler - fine sand, so it is forbidden to stretch the solution further than 30 - 50 cm from the pouring point;
• After the initial mixing with a mixer, the product must settle (5 - 15 minutes at different manufacturers depending on the type of binder), since chemical hydration processes begin inside it, then it is re-mixed and poured onto the base.

Some companies indicate the ratios of NP components in a fairly wide range (for example, 8 - 9 liters of water per bag of mixture). Therefore, when mixing, you can determine the quality yourself. Recommended spreadability is 1/3, that is:

• if you cut off the bottom of the lid of a plastic bottle with a diameter of 5 cm;
• install the resulting ring on smooth surface(glass, tile);
• and fill it with the prepared solution;
• After removing the ring, the mixture should spread into a spot with a diameter of about 15 cm.

If the spreadability is insufficient, it is necessary to add water; if the solution area increases to more than 15 cm, it is necessary to increase the content of the dry mixture.

Fill

To walk on a self-leveling floor spilled onto the surface of the base, it is correct to use paint shoes or special soles with spikes, which can be fixed with tape on any shoe.

Unlike concrete screeds the mixture is leveled minimally with a spatula, but it is necessary to remove air from it to ensure the homogeneity of the NP structure without internal cavities. For this, a needle roller is used (issue price is 500 rubles), mounted on a long wooden or plastic handle.

Needle roller.

A regular or frost-resistant self-leveling floor is poured out of the container in which the mixing was carried out in a small layer and spread over the surface of the floor slab or existing screed, first with a spatula, then repeatedly with a needle roller.

The installation of perfectly smooth surfaces with a self-leveling floor has nuances:

• it is forbidden to pour the solution in one place, since NPs self-level only when applied approximately equally to all areas, so you need to distribute it with a spatula;
• work begins on the wall farthest from the entrance door to the room;
• due to the variety of mixture compositions, it is necessary to follow the recommendations of the specific manufacturer;
• after the specified time, you can walk on the floor, but only to perform other operations (for example, trimming the damper tape to height);
• laying of the finishing floor covering is carried out after 5 - 7 days, which is also indicated on the packaging of the mixture from a specific manufacturer

If all of the above conditions are met, the self-leveling self-leveling floor will provide a perfectly flat horizontal level, will have the declared properties, will not crack and will not shrink over time.

Important! Innings hot water into the contours of a heated floor is allowed 7–8 days after the self-leveling screed has completely dried and hardened.

Thus, pouring a self-leveling floor with self-leveling properties can be done on our own, even with minimal experience in finishing work. The basic requirements are stated by manufacturers on the packaging of dry mixtures, which allows you to avoid mistakes.

Advice! If you need repairmen, there is a very convenient service for selecting them. Just submit in the form below detailed description work that needs to be done and offers will be sent to your email with prices ranging from construction crews and companies. You can see reviews about each of them and photographs with examples of work. It's FREE and there's no obligation.

The floor is perceived by many as a ready-made finishing coating - linoleum, parquet or ceramic tiles. In fact, it is a multi-level complex “pie” that includes concrete floor, steam-waterproofing layer, insulation, another steam-waterproofing layer, screed and only then decorative coating. In this article we will look at how to properly pour a concrete floor.

1. Concrete floor pouring technology
   • Preparatory work
   • Beacon placement
   • Pouring the subfloor
   • Floor screed work
2. Types of “wet” floor screeds
3. Beacons for screeds
4. We insulate the concrete floor
5. Protection concrete base

The technology for pouring concrete floors in private houses and apartments varies. In urban conditions, this work is carried out much easier, because there are initially interfloor ceilings. Therefore, here it is enough to perform the so-called screed, after which the surface is ready for laying the finishing coating.

But making a concrete foundation in a suburban building is a labor-intensive process. After all, the floor should not only be smooth, but also warm and not allow moisture to pass through. In this case, it does not matter at all whether the subfloor is poured or formed new surface The main thing is that when working, adhere to the basic rules for mixing the solution and follow the technology.

Concrete floor pouring technology

Zero level concrete floor

• It is easiest to determine the horizontal level with a laser level, but if one is not available, then a regular spirit level will do just fine.
• Work begins with the doorway. 1.5 m is measured upward from the threshold and a line is drawn from this point throughout the room.

• The same 1.5 m are measured down from it. All risks are sequentially connected by an even line. The more often they are located, the more accurate the result will be. The lower horizontal line will become the level of the future floor.

Preparatory work

• Before pouring a concrete floor, it is recommended to remove the top layer of soil to a depth of 35-40 cm. Next, crushed stone of the 20x40 mm fraction is poured, the layer thickness should be at least 10 cm. A 10 cm layer of sand is placed on top of it, which is again covered with crushed stone . Each layer is moistened and compacted with a shovel, trowel or special equipment.

Important: after compaction, the thickness of the “cushion” decreases by about 20-25%, so this should be taken into account when arranging.

• Now it’s the turn of the waterproofing material, it can be film or roll type. The membrane is spread over the entire surface, the edges must extend onto the wall, and above the marked line. All seams are taped. In the same way, the film is fixed on the walls around the perimeter of the room.
• After arranging the finishing coating, the edges of the waterproofing material are cut off.
• Expanded clay is ideal for insulation; it is never losing popularity due to its characteristics and availability. But you can also use slabs basalt wool or expanded polystyrene made by extrusion.

• Reinforcement is mandatory; it increases the strength of the concrete base. Metal grid, where the thickness of the rod is at least 4 mm and with cells of 150x150 mm is installed on supported stones, “chairs”, stands.
• If a large load is expected on the floors, then it is better to use reinforcement of greater thickness - 10-16 mm.

Beacon placement

• Beacons are guides along which the concrete mixture will be straightened. They can be any material, the main thing is that it is rigid - a pipe, a profile or a wooden strip.
• The guides are arranged as follows. About 20 cm is given away from the wall and slats are laid out in a line with sand-cement mortar in increments of 30-40 cm. The next row is located at a distance less than the length of the rule that will be used to level the concrete mixture.

• A profile is installed on top of the peculiar structure. If necessary, lightly press it down or add a little mixture, achieving absolute horizontality. You should start pouring only after the concrete “buns” have completely dried.
• For reliability, you can knock down the formwork; its height should correspond to the level of the future floor and divide it into segments. In principle, a frame is needed when large areas rooms when it is not possible to fill the entire surface during the day.

Concrete mixture for pouring the floor

• As a rule, floors are poured with concrete grade 200. This type is the most common for such work. It is ideal for individual construction. It is used for strip foundations and concrete reinforcement structures.
• M200 concrete is based on fine-grained filler, which, in turn, makes it possible not to use deep vibrators or vibrating screeds during work. Thus, making the work process much easier for a person.

Important: use ready mixture you need a couple of hours for the first time. After this time, the concrete sets, eliminating the possibility of obtaining an ideal surface.

• Final hardening occurs after 28 days. Good characteristics, as well as price-quality ratio, make this class of concrete so popular among private homeowners.
• Of course, it’s easier to order the required volume from the manufacturer. But if the minimum batch that he is ready to provide is too large or there is some obstacle that prevents the access of special equipment to the site, then the only way out is to mix the concrete with your own hands.
• For example, 2 bags of M400 cement of 50 kg each require 280 kg of sand, 480 kg of crushed stone or gravel and a little more than 50 liters of water. The result will be about 900 kg or 0.4 m? mixtures.
• Calculate how much concrete will be needed for certain area, you can do this as follows:
  • The area is multiplied by the thickness of the fill. For example, the area of ​​the room is 35 m2, it is planned to make a 15 cm layer of concrete. So, 35 m? x 0.15 m = 5.25 m? mixture is necessary for this room.

Pouring the subfloor

• The concrete mixture should not lie close to the walls; in this situation, damper tape glued to the protruding surfaces will help. Filling is done from the farthest corner, heading towards the exit.

• The mixture is leveled and compacted using a special vibrator or often “pierced” with a trowel or a piece of reinforcement. Concrete is added to the resulting voids.
• The rule is to control smooth movements from side to side, moving strictly along the guides.
• The finished base is moistened with water for a week and covered with film. Because rapid drying of concrete leads to its cracking, and therefore to a decrease in its strength characteristics.

Floor screed work

• The zero level is determined using almost the same method as for pouring a concrete base. The height of the tapping is also calculated, starting from 1.5 m. It is from this level that further calculations are based.
• The maximum height difference is now revealed. The height is measured from the zero line to the existing base. The results can be recorded directly on the wall.
• But, if you plan to cover the surfaces with wallpaper or plaster the walls and cover them water-dispersion paint, then using a bright marker to record the results is not recommended. It will definitely “prove” itself on the new surface.
• Next, the readings are compared, for example, the maximum value is 1.52 m, and the minimum is 1.45 m, which means the difference is 70 mm. When obtaining more “modest” values, remember: you cannot fill the floor less than 30 mm, as such a surface will quickly crack and crumble.
• However, the exception is - polymer coating. A special self-leveling composition is selected depending on the information indicated on the packaging. The manufacturer indicates the maximum and minimum thickness of the mixture layer.

• Sometimes in the same room different rooms various floor coverings. So, for example, in the hall parquet board or laminate, ceramics in the bathrooms, carpet in the bedrooms. Therefore, when calculating the level of the screed, you should take into account not only the thickness of the material, but also the previous layers: cement adhesive, mastic, substrate, etc.

Tip: for laying parquet boards: 10 mm plywood + 2-3 mm layer of mastic or glue + 8 to 22 mm parquet itself. When installing ceramic tiles, the thickness of the product and the adhesive is taken into account, respectively 8-11 m + 4-5 mm of mortar.

• It is worth paying attention to the following: the thickness of the parquet “pie” remains almost unchanged, but with the thickness adhesive solution under ceramic tiles You can still “play.”

Types of “wet” floor screeds

This kind of screed is divided into 4 subtypes, which differ in the design and organization of the process:

• With reinforcement. This option is usually used in apartments where it is necessary to make flooring reinforced concrete slabs. Metal mesh in slabs or rolls is installed on supports, then completely covered with the prepared mixture. To do this, you can take a mesh with O 4 mm rods and cells 10x10 or 15x15 cm. The reinforcement should not rest against the walls. The layer of concrete covering the frame must be at least 5 cm.
• With waterproofing. This type recommended for rooms with high humidity where there is always a risk of flooding (bathrooms, kitchens). It is used when pouring floors in apartments on the first floors, because the floor often borders the basement or private buildings to protect housing from the cold coming from the cellar. Gidrostekloizol, ordinary rolled roofing felt or other bitumen-polymer material is spread over the surface with an overlap and with the obligatory tread on the walls.

• With thermal insulation. When screeding on the ground, in this case it is better to lay a heat-insulating membrane. In addition, this method is relevant if a heated floor is installed. Then all the heat will rise to the top, and not also heat the soil. A layer of expanded clay (minimum 10 cm) with a fraction of 5x20 mm is suitable here, or you can use slabs of extruded polystyrene foam with a thickness of at least 50 mm.

Beacons for screeds

• Beacons are mounted according to the same principle as for a concrete base. Just for reliability, holes for dowels are drilled in the floor using a hammer drill.

Important: the screws are not screwed in completely; their height is adjusted in accordance with the zero level markings.

• The hardware is installed in one line with a step of 60-80 cm. Between the screws, a mixture is laid out with some slaps, prepared in the same way as for pouring the floor.
• The subsequent lines for the guides are made in the same way. The distance between them should be less than the length of the slats that will be used to level the solution.
• At points where there is a maximum difference, it is recommended to make formwork to prevent the solution from penetrating into another area of ​​the screed.
• Of course, you can greatly simplify your task if you put the guides only on the mortar, but it will still be more reliable with screws. You shouldn’t give up on beacons completely, even if the area of ​​the room is very small.

The correct proportion of concrete for pouring the floor

• The recommended layer thickness is 40-50 mm, and the laying area is about 20 m². Such parameters contribute to the uniform distribution and drying of the mixture. When mixing the concrete mixture yourself, it is important to maintain the ratio of the starting materials.
• Typically, concrete with a strength of at least 200 kg/m2 is used for these purposes. This solution is prepared by mixing M400 cement with sand in a ratio of 1:2.8. This means that 10 kg of cement requires 28 kg of sand. If M500 cement is used, then there should be 3-3.5 parts of sand, respectively, 30-35 kg of grus will be needed per 10 kg.

• The amount of water for preparing the mixture is always taken exactly half the volume of cement, that is, the ratio in any case will be 1:0.5.
• How to find out how much mortar is needed for a certain room, you need to multiply its area by the thickness of the screed. For example, a room of 5x4 m is being poured, the estimated layer thickness is 4 cm, which means 20m? x 0.04 = 0.8 m?.
• When making calculations, you can rely on the following data:
  1. made of M400 cement 50 kg (average weight of a regular bag) plus 140 kg of debris and 25 liters of water ( required amount to maintain proportion) will it be 215 kg or 0.144 m? mixtures.
  2. for the same amount of cement, but with grade 500, take 35 kg of sand and again 25 liters of water. The result is 560 kg? 0.374 m? ready solution.

We insulate the concrete floor

Despite the increase in the price of pouring a concrete floor, it needs mandatory insulation. This is especially true for apartments in new buildings. In this way, significant heat loss can be avoided, and, accordingly, the formation of condensation, leading to the development of mold.

Insulation is carried out in 2 ways:

• the most popular method is to lay special materials on a finished concrete base;
• a less commonly used option consists of installing a frame (lag).

The thermal insulation product must have the following properties: light weight, low thermal conductivity, high compressive strength, and, of course, moisture resistance. After all, no one is safe from flooding.

Work order and nuances for laying thermal insulation materials

• Preparatory measures consist of sealing all cracks and recesses, removing tubercles and final grinding of the surface. The work is considered complete when the concrete floor is level, clean and dry.
• Chipboard with a thickness of 22 mm can be used as insulation. This material also has soundproofing properties. Before installing it, a polyethylene film is placed on the base, protecting the wood chip product from moisture in the concrete.

• The slabs must be placed staggered; cross-shaped seams are unacceptable. There must be a gap of at least 15 mm between the material and the wall, which is fixed with wedges. Placed on joints plaster mesh, putty mixed with a small amount of oil paint is applied on top.
• More can be applied expensive material– cork boards, characterized by moisture resistance and a high heat-saving coefficient. Optimal thickness slabs 10 mm. Such a covering can be equipped with a locking connection or mounted with an adhesive composition. The installation technology is similar to the installation of chipboard.
• If the housing is initially warm, then additional insulation can serve as isolon, which is often used as a substrate for laminate and parquet boards. The foam structure provides heat and sound insulation. It is spread over the entire surface, all seams are taped and reinforced with foil tape. On top of it you can lay carpet, linoleum or install the same parquet.
• If preference was given to insulation using logs, remember that this method is rational for rooms with high ceilings. Since the floor will rise by at least 30-40 cm.
• The surface is covered waterproofing film. Antiseptic-treated wood is installed parallel to the window. The horizontal level of the installed wood must be checked.
• The distance between the lumber should be no more than 60 cm. Intermediate logs are installed in increments of 40-50 cm. Mineral wool or foam plastic boards are placed in the resulting honeycombs. The frame is covered with plywood, chipboard or a plank floor is laid. Next comes the turn of the main floor covering.

Protection of the concrete base

• When talking about a material like concrete, the thought that it needs protection may not come to mind, but, nevertheless, it is so. After some time, the concrete floor begins to gather dust, crack, and delaminate, which contributes to the rapid process of destruction. It is worth noting that the grade of cement strength does not play a special role.
• Technology for pouring industrial concrete floors in production premises, garages, warehouses and so on implies the use polyurethane varnish. It penetrates deep into the screed and forms a protective film, increasing the strength of the surface. The color of the floor can be changed by tinting the varnish.

Concrete pouring of the floor makes it possible to level and strengthen the base of the room for its subsequent cladding with other materials. However, the alignment must be done correctly. Otherwise, the concrete layer will quickly crack and become unusable. For work, you can use not only ordinary concrete mortar, but also its mixture with cement.

How to make the correct markup?

Before pouring the screed in the apartment, you must first make markings. Most often used to determine horizontal laser level, although you can do without it. You can use a simple water level.

So, first of all, you will need to determine the “zero level” in all rooms of the apartment. To do this, perform the following actions:

1. Determining the location of an arbitrary mark.
2. Using a level, you need to make similar marks on all vertical surfaces (it is advisable to make 2-3 on each wall). These points should be located at the same level relative to the horizon line.
3. Now you can connect these marks with a solid line.
4. Next, the difference in height of the base and its highest point are determined. To do this, measure the distance from the drawn line to the floor along the entire perimeter of the room. The difference is the difference between the largest and smallest indicator.

Preparing for work

Filling the floor screed should be done after the right choice concrete mixture. First of all, you need to pay attention to what is written on the packaging. Since there are mixtures that are designed only for laying in a thin or thick layer. Improper use of the mortar will cause it to shrink or crack.

When choosing, you must also pay attention to the color of the mixture. It should be grey. If there are impurities of other colors, it means that the mixture contains an excessive amount of sand or clay. As for the presence of plasticizers in the material, their amount can be seen on the packaging. It is advisable not to buy material that uses PVA glue as a plasticizer. Otherwise, cracks will appear on the screed.

Features of base preparation

Before pouring the screed, careful preparation of the base is required. What is important is the evenness, cleanliness of the surface, as well as the absence of serious defects (cracks, weak points). If they are, then you need to get rid of them. For example, cracks are sealed with a fairly thick cement solution, and the peeling of the previous screed is cleaned out.

Dust impairs the adhesion of the solution to the surface being treated, so it should be removed. For this purpose, a powerful household or construction vacuum cleaner. Next, the subfloor in the apartment is treated with a primer.

Now you should take care of waterproofing and insulating the room. The first procedure must be performed in the bathroom, toilet and kitchen. It is best to use for waterproofing roll materials. The technology for laying them is simple: the strips overlap each other, and their edges should extend 15-20 cm onto the walls.

As insulation, you can use not only expanded clay, but also polystyrene foam, polyurethane foam, mineral wool. In addition, you will need to strengthen the future screed with reinforced mesh(if the floor is not heavily loaded). If the base will be exposed maximum load, it is better to use a welded metal frame.

How to prepare the soil base?

First of all, it is necessary to remove the top layer of soil - fertile soil. Its height is 40 cm. Next, the soil surface is thoroughly compacted. Here an ordinary heavy log or vibration mechanisms can be used. If after treating the base there are no traces of shoes left on it, then it is compacted well enough.

• Arrangement of the first gravel layer, the thickness of which is 5-10 cm.
• Laying sand. The thickness of this layer is also 5-10 cm, but it will also have to be compacted. For better effect, you can additionally use water.
• Arrangement of a layer of crushed stone. It must have an average fraction. The thickness of this “pie” layer is about 15 cm. When pouring the stone, you must ensure that it does not stick out sharp corners up.

During this work, it is necessary to constantly monitor the horizontal level of the “pie”. In this case, subsequent filling will take place without problems.

How to install beacons correctly?

Filling the floor with your own hands in an apartment is done quite quickly. However, to maintain the same level throughout the entire area of ​​the room, beacons should be installed. The installation technology is quite simple:

• Choice of material. Can be used here metal profiles or pipes.
• Carrying out marking. To install beacons, you can use either a thick solution or adjustable screws.
• Fastening elements. Here we must take into account that all beacons are laid parallel to each other.

Features of preparing the solution

Before you pour the floors in your apartment, you need to make the concrete solution correctly. There are such features of the process:

1. It is best to stir the mixture using construction mixer or a small concrete mixer to make the solution as homogeneous as possible.
2. In order for the mixture to have good plasticity, you should not add to it more water. It is better to use special plasticizers. Otherwise, the strength of the screed may be compromised.
3. The consistency of the solution should resemble a thickly kneaded dough with no lumps. That is, it should not spread.
4. You need to apply the solution in the apartment several hours in advance, otherwise it will quickly lose its properties.

Filling the floor with your own hands will not cause many difficulties if the process technology is followed.

How to fill the floor correctly?

So, the technology for pouring a concrete layer in an apartment involves the following actions:

1. The mixture prepared in advance must be poured in parts between the guide beacons. During the pouring process, the solution is pierced with a shovel to avoid the appearance of air bubbles inside the layer. For this purpose, you can use a special compaction vibrator. The processing of the base with such a device is completed after milk appears on the surface of the concrete.
2. Leveling the mixture using a rule. The tool is installed on the guides. The rule not only needs to be pulled towards you, but also moved from side to side. This way the concrete will be leveled as well as possible. Excess solution can be redistributed.
3. Removing beacons. They should be removed as soon as the solution sets. Places where there are holes must be filled with the same mixture.

Final stage

The process of pouring concrete does not end after the base is covered with a layer of mortar. The screed should not dry quickly. Otherwise it will crack. The concrete layer must harden. To do this, you need to create certain conditions:

• During the week, you need to wet the concrete surface with water several times a day. This is especially important if the room is hot. If concrete dries out, it will become brittle and less durable.
• Do not accelerate hardening by drafts or additional heat.
• If small cracks appear on the surface of the screed, the defect must be moistened and rubbed with concrete mortar.
• After the screed has hardened, you need to check how smooth it is. A special rule applies for this. Maximum distance between its edge and the floor surface is 4 mm.

You can check the quality of the fill by tapping with a special wooden block. The sound should be ringing. Now even an inexperienced master knows how to fill the screed correctly. Compliance with technology is the main rule when installing screeds. Good luck!