How to make a floor screed - step-by-step technology for self-filling. How to make a floor screed: characteristics of types of screeds, make a screed with your own hands step by step Cement screed in some places 2 cm

Modern finishing presents increased requirements to the correct geometry of all surfaces of your home, especially the floor. In order to finishing coat on the floor (tiles, linoleum, laminate, parquet boards, etc.) was laid with high quality and looked great, it is necessary that the base of the floor - the screed - be done professionally. Of course, you can make a screed yourself if you know exactly what type of screed you want to use specifically in your home, but for this you need to know the technology and features of screeds. In this note we will analyze the device of the most common - cement-sand screeds DSP.

The very first stage in carrying out work on screed installation is surface preparation. How long your screed will last depends on the quality of this stage. It is necessary to understand once and for all - the surface under the screed must be thoroughly cleaned of dust, dirt, various deposits, etc. Ideally, of course, it is necessary to use an industrial vacuum cleaner that will collect the smallest debris from the surface, but in the absence of such equipment, you can use an old vacuum cleaner or thoroughly sweep the entire surface 2-3 times. It is necessary to clean the slab down to the concrete, try to knock down all the bumps and unevenness.

Next preparatory stage- this is a primer. It is advisable to use a primer for the first time. deep penetration for floors, which will reliably remove dust from the surface and create a film. After two hours, the primer will dry and it is necessary to apply a second layer of primer - Betonkontakt, which contains quartz sand and other connecting components that will create a strong rough surface, capable of interacting perfectly with the screed, creating monolithic structure, tightly coupled to the plate. If, when cleaning the slab, you find cracks, they must first be repaired using the composition from which the screed will be made. Naturally, cracks should be repaired along a primed surface.

Next stage - level determination future screed. This stage requires the use special tools- hydraulic level, or better - laser level. If the area of ​​the room is small up to 20 sq. m - you can use a hydraulic level, the level itself is accurate, but when marking reference points on the walls, the participation of two people is necessary - and here the notorious human factor interferes with the accuracy of the method, which always leads to an error that a laser level lacks.

To determine the level of the future screed you need a so-called "zero level", i.e. a line outlined at an arbitrary height (1-1.5 from the level of the slab prepared for the screed). For application zero level You need to mark an arbitrary point anywhere in the room on any section of the wall and use laser level this mark is transferred to all walls of your house. All marks on the walls made in this way must be connected by one continuous line, which will be the same zero level for all rooms where the future screed will be cast. This level will be the same relative to the horizon, and not relative to the surfaces prepared for the screed - and this is what you need to determine the height of the future screed.

Next stage - thickness height determination screeds. In all rooms where there will be a screed, it is necessary to measure the distance from the zero level to various points on the floor surface - this is necessary to determine the highest point of the floor; the more measurements there are, the more accurate the result will be. The results of all measurements will need to be recorded on the walls. Lowest value height from zero level to the floor - will mean the highest point of the surface in this room, and most great importance height - on the contrary, the lowest point on the floor surface. By summing up all these values ​​- the largest and smallest - and obtaining the difference, you will have an idea of ​​the height difference and, accordingly, the ability to calculate the thickness of the future screed and, most importantly, the consumption of materials.

If you are planning to different rooms your house or apartment various coatings- somewhere tiles, somewhere laminate or parquet board, somewhere linoleum, then you will need to calculate the height of the screed for each covering, this is necessary so that your future floor, consisting of different types the coating was perfectly smooth. After all, if you cast the floor in the entire house on the same level, and then put tiles in the hallway, and parquet in the hall, then the difference in height between these coverings will be visible to the naked eye and no thresholds can compensate for this difference, and your legs can be knocked down very easily . Therefore, decide in advance what specific floor coverings will be in each room and, based on this, calculate the thickness of the screed for each covering so that the difference in heights of the floor coverings is compensated by the different thickness of the screed.

Next stage - wall preparation. To ensure that the screed does not come into contact with the walls and partitions, they must be waterproofed. The best solution for this is polyethylene film, which is fixed around the perimeter of the walls, extending 10-15 cm above the level of the screed and under the screed.

Now you can proceed directly to the screed device. It must be said that the screed may be cement-sand And dry. Their differences, of course, lie in the different amounts of water used. There are also screeds monolithic And floating. Monolithic, of course, is poured directly onto the prepared base and is in close contact with it, and a floating screed is used when it is necessary to insulate or soundproof the floor, i.e. The floating screed is poured onto the pre-laid material and does not come into contact with the floor slab and walls.

If we consider a classic cement-sand screed (CSS), then it consists of a solution consisting of a mixture of sand and cement (3:1), mixed with water and a metal mesh that acts as reinforcement, it turns out a kind of reinforced concrete structure. The thickness of the classic DSP must be at least 50 mm (40 mm screed and 10 mm reinforcement) - these parameters are suitable for household use, i.e. for our apartments and houses. When such a layer is not enough or heat and sound insulation is required, expanded clay is used. Required thickness covered with a mixture of expanded clay and cement. First, expanded clay is poured evenly, leveled and poured with cement laitance - this is necessary for strong adhesion of the expanded clay to each other and monolithic slab. IN modern conditions as heat and soundproofing material apply extruded polystyrene foam, which is lighter than expanded clay and more convenient to use.

After the expanded clay pillow is ready, it is necessary to lay metal mesh , which reliably reinforces the screed. It is desirable that the mesh cell be 10x10 cm in size and should be overlapped by 15-20 cm, and the meshes should be tied together with knitting wire. An important condition is the location of the mesh inside the screed - it should be strictly in the middle of the solution being poured, only in this case will the mesh perform its reinforcing function. To do this, place plastic supports or pieces under the mesh. ceramic tiles, but not a tree. In places where the highest load is expected, a metal rod can be laid by connecting it to the mesh.

The same steps for laying the mesh apply in the case of extruded polystyrene foam. The polystyrene foam itself must be primed with Betonkontakt before laying - it will provide the best adhesion of the material to the future screed. If the slab is very lumpy and has a lot of unevenness, you can level it with a screed and use the rule to scrape problem areas, then the surface will be more even. All polystyrene foam mats must be securely fixed to the floor using “fungi” - special fasteners for this material. There should be no play when walking on polystyrene foam - this is a mandatory condition.

Then you can proceed to the next stage of work on installing the screed - installing beacons. This is a very important moment, since quality installation beacons depends on whether your screed is smooth or not. As beacons, a beacon profile made of galvanized metal with perforated edges 10 mm high is most often used.

Beacons are installed on the same solution from which the screed will be made. Along the entire length of the lighthouse, small piles of mortar are laid out at a distance of 20 cm, the lighthouse is placed on them, the beacon is leveled with excess mortar, the distances between the piles are filled, and the lighthouse lies completely on the path of mortar. The distance between adjacent beacons should be 30-40 cm less than the rule that will be used to level the mortar. Optimal distance between the beacons - 2 m. But if two people work on leveling, then you can use a 4-meter straightener.

It is most convenient to lay a beacon on a gypsum mortar, since there is time for it to be completely leveled to a given height, and completely filling the space between the beacon and the floor with the mixture will provide the necessary hardness and strength of the beacon profile. There is no need to listen to craftsmen who suggest using metal pipes or a profile for drywall - this will affect the quality of the screed; it is better not to be lazy and buy beacon profiles specially designed for leveling the screed. Special beacons do not need to be removed after pouring, especially if a finishing coating (self-leveling floor) is subsequently applied, which will create an ideal flat surface(this requires experience).

There is also a way to place beacons using metal string, which can be stretched between two dowel-nails to any length (width), and the distance between the string and the slab can be filled with screed mortar or gypsum mixture to create a strong guide structure. This method will give the most even surface over the entire area (experience is also required to install such beacons).

After placing the beacons and their hardening, it is the turn of the screed itself. The finished solution is placed between two beacon guides, completely filling the space between them and is leveled using a rule sliding along two parallel beacons. It is advisable to work with three people - two to mix and carry the finished mortar, and one to directly level the screed.

When mixing the finished mixture, you must strictly adhere to the manufacturer's instructions regarding the amount of added water and the mixture itself. If the proportions are not met, for example there is too much water, then cracks will certainly appear after drying and a “stone” effect. i.e. the solidity of the screed will be lost. It is very important to remember that when leveling the mixture, excess air remains in it, which must be helped to reach the surface; for this, special needle rollers or knitting needles made of thin steel wire are used, which pierce the leveled surfaces.

Currently, when installing screeds in apartments and houses, only special modified building mixtures intended for rough and final leveling surfaces. Classical DSP is now poured only during construction and when the owners of the purchased apartments begin to make repairs such a screed, which over time has turned into a coiled and uneven surface, usually removed and thrown away.

In special mixtures, the composition is selected in such a way that when mixed with water and subsequent drying, the result is chemical reactions education occurs monolithic stone effect designs. This screed dries within 24-48 hours, does not require soaking with water, and cracks do not form on it. The only thing required is to cover the new screed with a thick plastic film, which will prevent it from becoming dusty and will protect it from excessive abrasion during further repairs and will allow it to “survive” to the final floor coverings, so to speak, in the best possible way.

I would like to draw attention to one more important point. When a screed is made, several goals are pursued: leveling, sound insulation, waterproofing. We all want not to hear the “life activities” of our neighbors and, accordingly, so that our neighbors do not hear us. If the goal is to qualitatively soundproof your home, then decoupling of the structure and absorption should be used in the screed. You can use polystyrene foam and low-density mineral wool. Materials used for untying various densities, so-called low-density gaskets, which prevent dense materials from coming into contact with each other; accordingly, sound is lost in these junctions.

IN ideal improved sound insulation the design looks like this:

wooden sheathing, installed on foamed polyethylene gaskets under the joists

the sheathing is filled with low-density mineral wool

placed on top of the sheathing thick layer mineral wool high density

On top of the mineral wool a single layer of dense insulation is placed

A cement-sand screed is laid on the insulation

It is worth noting that when soundproofing the floor, one should not forget about the walls, since the sound, encountering an obstacle in the floor, spreads further and goes into the walls.

It is also worth mentioning the weight of the screed. In general, the floor slab itself is designed for a weight load in the range of 350-400 kg/sq.m (can be specified in the project). If you have a concrete or DSP screed 5-6 cm thick for thermal insulation with a finishing floor covering made of tiles, then the weight square meter such a “pie” will be 130-150 kg.

And in conclusion. If you are not indifferent to what kind of base will be under your floor covering, what materials and technology it will be laid from, then you should familiarize yourself with building codes and rules that were developed in construction laboratories by scientists specializing in construction chemistry and physics. The results of the labor of these people should not be neglected. SNiPs and GOSTs are documents in which everything technological subtleties and the rules are written in the most detailed way. As for the screeds themselves, it would not be a bad idea to look at documents such as SNiP 2.03.13-88 “Floors”, SNiP 3.04.01-87 “Insulating and finishing coatings”, SNiP 3.03.01-87 “Load-bearing and enclosing structures” which are valid.

Or in commercial premises. The solution is prepared directly on site from simple ingredients - sand, Portland cement, water and special additives (anti-frost, plasticizers).

The cement-sand mixture is ideal for foundations where level differences do not exceed 5 cm. In other cases it will lose its best performance characteristics.

Advantages and disadvantages

Due to its porous structure, cement and sand screed has excellent sound and thermal insulation properties. It is quite durable and wear-resistant. Despite its excellent performance characteristics, the material has some disadvantages:

• long period of drying and achieving design strength;
• difficulties in pouring due to the presence of “wet” processes;
• significant weight, which increases the load on the floor;
• thickness limitation – 5-7 cm;
• If the pouring technology is not followed, the quality of the rough foundation is questionable.

Device technology

Before pouring the solution, the base is cleaned of contaminants. Marks are placed along the contour of the room that correspond to the top of the future subfloor. Guide beacons are installed on the prepared base, which will facilitate pouring and distributing the solution over the surface. A damper tape is fixed around the perimeter of the room, which will prevent the destruction of the material due to temperature changes.

To prepare the solution, certain proportions of cement and sand are used, which will create a structure of a certain strength. To increase the service life of the structure, it is additionally reinforced. Fresh solution is distributed between the slats using a rule, and when it sets, they are removed.

How much will it cost to fill a screed in Moscow?

Our company offers the most favorable prices in Moscow for the installation of cement-sand screed in premises of any purpose. In each case we use best materials and do not neglect the requirements of technology. The cost of the company's services can be found in our price list.

Hello! After reading today's interview, you will find out how to make a floor screed correctly. The correct screed is the basis good sex, be it laminate, parquet, linoleum or tile. Master Vadim Alexandrovich answers all our and your questions today.

Hello, Vadim Alexandrovich! We want to learn how to do floor screed correctly.

Good afternoon, dear readers! Let's get started quickly, I hope my advice will be useful.

Please tell us why we need to screed the floor at all, since in most cases the floor is already level?
The screed has several purposes. Here are the main ones:

1. Leveling the floor if it is uneven or not horizontal.

2. Leveling floor levels in different rooms. During construction, this situation often occurs - the floor levels do not converge by 1-2 centimeters due to errors in level measurement or incorrect pouring of concrete. Because of this it is impossible further work, for example, laying laminate or linoleum. Oh, and who wants steps between rooms?

3. Heated floor. Two ties are made - one after the insulation layer, the second after the heating wire.

What types of floor screeds are there?

There are four types of screeds:

1. Cement-sand screed. The most common type of screed. A significant advantage of this type over others is price and simplicity. Most people have this type in mind when they hear the word “screed.”

2. Dry floor screed. For some reason, this type is still unpopular, despite its main advantage - speed of production. There is no need to prepare the solution and then wait for it to cool - you just need to lay it dry bulk material, place on top gypsum boards. And everything is ready.

3. Self-leveling. But this method is rapidly gaining popularity. There are no beacons needed here, no need to level - the mixture itself spreads horizontally. Disadvantage - you can only fill thin layer(up to 2 cm).

4. Combined. Cement-sand + self-leveling. Its main purpose is to obtain a perfectly flat floor if you need to significantly change the level.

Do I need to prepare the surface in any way?

Yes, it is necessary to prepare the surface, but there are no tricks here - we just remove dust and debris; before pouring the cement-sand or self-leveling screed, you can wet the floor.

Tell us step by step about the screeding procedure itself.

Okay, I’ll talk about cement-sand and self-leveling screed; we’ll talk about dry screed in the next interview, since the method of laying it is radically different.

1. It is necessary to set with a water level or level required level. We remember that the minimum thickness of the cement-sand screed is 3 cm, and maximum thickness self-leveling - 2 cm.

2. For cement-sand screed it is necessary to install beacons. Most often, ready-made beacons are used, but if they are not available, then you can use the “old-fashioned method” and use boards. Beacons are installed at a distance of just over a meter from each other. We attach it to the floor using thick cement mortar.

3. Next, you should prepare the solution. The proportions of sand and cement depending on the brand are shown in the table. Stores sell ready-made mixtures that you simply dilute with water. If you do not have any extreme loads on the floor, then use a solution of grade 150 or 200, depending on your finances.

4. Filling. Simply pour the self-leveling solution and wait about two weeks until completely dry, A cement mortar Fill it between the beacons and, as a rule, level the level of the solution along the beacons. We lay the solution from the far corner of the room and stretch it towards ourselves, otherwise we ourselves will end up in the corner and will not be able to get out. To avoid cracks, it is necessary to moisten it with water two or three times during hardening. And in a couple of days it will be possible to walk, but we need to get the beacons and fill the cracks, otherwise the beacons will begin to rust. We wait three to four weeks until it dries completely.

That's it, the screed is ready! If we have done all the steps correctly, then we will have a horizontal, level floor without large cracks. Some builders claim that cracks are normal, but this is not true - only small surface cracks are allowed. The rest is trash. Well, small cracks on a cement-sand screed can be removed by pouring a couple of millimeters of self-leveling mortar on top.

Thank you, Vadim Alexandrovich, for your story! Come see us for more interviews.

Please, I will definitely come. I hope my advice will help people with their repairs.

Kira says: 08/08/2013 at 09:36

When I throw a self-leveling screed, I also put beacons. then it is easier to stretch and lies more evenly.

Olga says: 08/30/2015 at 08:06

After the cement-sand floor screed, not very deep cracks formed in our floor. In some places (small “pockets”) there is “bushing”... How to fix it? We will lay linoleum.

• Kirill says: 10.20.2015 at 12:05

  The hot spots should be sealed before laying the linoleum. Then it will fall asleep under it and it will be a problem to fix anything.

Alexander says: 10/19/2015 at 21:58

Hello!!! On the packaging of the self-leveling screed the consumption is written (for example, per 1 mm of thickness 1.6-1.8 kg/m2) i.e. if I want to make a screed of 1 cm, then I need to calculate approximately 18 kg per square. But I’m still worried that there might not be enough mixture because... I don’t know how uneven the floor is (suddenly most of the screed will spread to one end and not enough to the other). Moreover, as I understand it, the self-levelling agent will be poured in one go. How to calculate how much mixture you will need?

• Admin says: 10.20.2015 at 17:32

  First, check the level of your floor so that, as you wrote, it doesn’t turn out that everything has flowed into one corner. Measure the maximum difference in levels and divide by 2. By as many mm. more will need to be calculated. Those, if at the beginning of the room the floor is 4 mm higher than at the end, then in order to fill the screed to 1 cm, you need to add another 2 mm. But this works with a more or less uniform slope. If you have holes or significant unevenness, it may be worth leveling them separately first.

hallway very good small - 1.2 meters long and 2.4 meters wide. need to place a closet. Planned along the wall. The classic closet depth of 60 cm will eat up half the hallway, so it was decided to make the depth 40 cm (the “hangers” will have to be placed lengthwise, not across, in the closet). I looked at the cabinet from the gallery “photo from Gregory”, photo #19, as a suitable option. But there are no frame-by-frame recommendations for its manufacture((((((I realized that first the frame is made (the left wall of the cabinet in the photo), the plasterboard is sheathed, and then the “filling" is sized inside. So? And what is that light strip at the top and bottom cabinet? Is this also a gypsum plasterboard profile? For what?

• 110 replies

Show something different from the tables on the blog, otherwise I haven’t been there for a long time.

Children's themes have recently captivated me in a way that is not childish. They asked me to make various items for the kindergarten.

The first subject is educational, necessary and useful. This is a traffic light, children will learn the rules using it traffic, an extremely important thing.

Let me make a reservation right away: they also made a pedestrian version with people, but a simpler one made from cardboard.

In principle, they asked me to make this three eyes simple cardboard, but can I really do it without any problems)) I thought, shouldn’t I just make a reliable one right away? academic subject, and did. How long is enough?

The concept of the figure is that it is large enough for everyone to see, stable, durable and with rotating mechanism, the point is that there are 4 sides, one side shows all the signals for a general understanding of the device.

The other three sides are given one signal, the teacher can turn and show any color out of 3 and ask the children about its purpose.

In general, it seemed to me that it would be right

Initial thoughts about color circles on magnets and other light bulbs had to be canceled; we need a simple, understandable solution that is difficult to break; magnetic circles can get lost, light bulbs and batteries can fail.

I don’t know whether the idea succeeded, but time will tell.

The entire base is MDF, which was glued together with PVA; for temporary tack, I also fastened it with a micropin.

I would also like to note that you can make circles on a circular saw. various diameters and most importantly, of the same size, using a simple device, we first cut square blanks, and then on the device, rotating the part, we cut off the corners to a polyhedron, and then rotating the part we finish it to a circle.

I glued the box together, the visors are halves of the eyes of the circles, I made a groove under them with a router, so such things cannot be securely glued into the end.

The whole thing rotates on a pipe from the joker system, in my opinion, for shelving, so that the stops do not fall out and fall through, which were fixed by bugs.

The base was made massive and wide from thick layers of MDF; with such a base, the traffic light is not so easy to tip over on its side.

I played the fool and drilled right through the pipe, so I had to put a plate on the return side.

I spray painted everything, then varnished it, the thing is ready.

I didn’t paint the signal circles; they were cut out of self-adhesive paper, so it’s easier to update the display item.

Who finished reading, look at the slides

Hello, brothers in repair! I haven’t written anything here for a long time, and in general I rarely come in, it’s all a bit of a lack of time: either drinking, or partying, and now a new “attack” has attacked me. But knowing that, despite everything, you stubbornly do not forget me, I decided not to be a pig and tell you about my new hobby. I’ll start from afar: I have worked almost my entire adult life as an electronics engineer, moreover, as an engineer-developer of electronic and electrical devices of the widest class and purpose, and at the same time purely in the defense industry. It is clear that the scope of my amateur radio interests was limited only by my laziness, there were simply no restrictions on radio components for me, I had EVERYTHING! Well, following the trends of the amateur radio fashion of that time, my main focus was on radio receivers and amplifiers, of course, on transistors and microcircuits. I haven’t worked in this field for a long time, and I threw everything into the landfill a long time ago, but all this time I had a dream in my soul - to make a tube power amplifier, and not a simple one, but one that would make everyone gasp. But I must say that at work I spent most of my time dealing with electric vacuum devices, radio tubes, to put it simply, so this topic was very familiar to me. And then there’s this fashion for “warm tube sound”, which people are literally going crazy about. In short, a year ago I decided to make my dream come true. I immediately decided: the mainstream, ordinary tube amplifiers with an output transformer, are not interesting to me, this is not a royal matter! Shouldn't I invent a TRANSFORMER-LESS tube amplifier? Well, I well imagined the difficulties along this path, and I had some of my own thoughts on this matter, but still I decided to consult with the radio amateurs. I found a suitable group on Facebook, started publishing in it, and once asked a question

When renovating an apartment or building a house from scratch, it is important to think through all the nuances so that the final result is not only beautiful, but also of high quality. Much attention needs to be paid to preparatory work, including manufacturing. It is necessary to ensure that the foundation under your feet is strong and reliable, as well as for arranging the finished floor. AND long term its service can only be ensured by properly manufacturing it. What is the minimum thickness of a floor screed? After all, making it is not a cheap pleasure, and a small consumption of materials would allow achieving a certain degree of savings.

Screed is an important and even basic element of almost any room. It must be made in any case, since without it it is impossible to properly lay the finishing flooring. The screed also performs additional functions of heat and waterproofing, and will provide good level noise insulation if done correctly. But its main function is precisely in leveling the rough foundation and correctly distributing the load on the floors.

In order to level the base, that is, to implement the first function of the screed, in certain situations it is possible to make a very thin layer. So, sometimes it is enough to make a screed about 5 mm thick. But in order to achieve the correct distribution of the load on the base, which will depend primarily on the thickness of the layer, sometimes it is necessary to pour a much thicker layer.

On a note! The screed layer must easily withstand a compressive load of 15 MPa. Moreover, the slope of the base should be minimal and be no more than 0.2%.

Thus, the screed must be strong, reliable, have no cracks, and be even. The better this construction element is made, the greater the chances of getting floors that will last without complaints for many years.

What affects the layer thickness?

The thickness of the concrete screed layer depends on the influence of many factors. Let's consider the main ones:

• the condition of the base, that is, the floors. This is one of the main factors influencing the final thickness of the screed layer. So, the greater the difference in height of the rough foundation, the thicker the screed will be. Otherwise, it will simply not be possible to achieve smooth floors. Plus, the base may be covered with cracks, have some protrusions - all this will affect the final thickness. That is, for example, if the base has very minor flaws, then the thickness of the concrete layer in the screed, according to SNiP, can be only 4 cm. If the height differences are too great, then you should prepare for the fact that the consumption of materials will increase - get rid of it with a minimum layer will not work;

Important! A screed that is too thin can quickly collapse, even if it is poured correctly. Therefore, when pouring a layer of minimum thickness, you will have to use reinforcing elements as an addition. If they are not used, the minimum layer should be at least 4 cm.

• type of solution used. Some materials allow you to achieve a strong, but very thin base. So the mixture used to fill the screed will also affect its thickness. Minimum consumption will be indicated on the packaging. This point applies to all modern mixtures. Using conventional time-tested compositions or making a dry screed, you can expect that its minimum thickness in some cases can reach 8-15 cm. Sometimes you can use a trick - use it as a bedding, which will allow you to achieve the desired level, but at the same time reduce weight screeds and concrete mix consumption;

• the presence of insulating layers for various purposes also affects the thickness of the screed layer. For example, the screed can be poured directly onto the floors, if their condition allows this. And in this case, sometimes 2 cm of mixture is enough. But if there are layers, the screed will have to be made thicker. Even if only waterproofing is used.

It is important to remember that too thick a layer is not the best option. Excessiveness in this case can cause a decrease in the space between the ceiling and the floor, the material will take a long time to dry, and if used, it will require much more energy to warm up the base than with the optimal or minimum layer. Also, do not forget about the increase in the mass of the floors and the load on the floors. In some cases, making a heavy, thick screed is completely prohibited.

By the way, if you plan to install a heated floor, this also needs to be taken into account when creating a screed. It should completely cover all heat sources. For example, if the diameter of underfloor heating pipes is 2.5 cm, then the thickness of the screed should vary between 5-7 cm. Experts note that sometimes 4 cm of thickness is enough. A screed that is too thick is not an option, since a lot of thermal energy will be wasted on heating the concrete itself.

SNiP 2.03.13-88. Floors. Downloadable file (click the link to open the PDF in a new window).

Video - Screed thickness in the presence of heated floors

What kind of screed is there?

It was mentioned above that the thickness of the screed is also influenced by what it can be made of. Let's get acquainted with the main types of screeds.

Table. Types of screeds.

In some cases, the thickness of a concrete screed can reach 15 cm. This is a monolithic heavy thick floor, inside of which reinforcement is necessarily used or for additional strengthening of the floors. In ordinary city apartments, this option is not used due to the fact that it creates a significant load on interfloor ceilings. But in a private house, this screed can itself become both a foundation and a floor at the same time.

The minimum thickness of the screed layer will also increase if bedding is used. It can be crushed stone or expanded clay, poured onto the ground or rough foundation, and then poured on top concrete mixture or fits . The thickness of the concrete layer cannot be less than 10 cm in this case.

Is it possible to make the screed thinner?

In fact, it is not worth deviating from the minimum screed thickness recommended by experts to a lesser extent, even in order to save money. This will be unjustified, since a thin layer will be unreliable, and everything will have to be redone over time anyway. Of course, no one forbids saving on materials, but too thin a layer can:

• cause rapid cracking of the screed;
• serve an extremely short period of time;
• be damaged when a heavy object falls on the floor;
• cause improper heat distribution when installing floor heating.

On a note! Sometimes you can still get out of the situation - make a thin tie. But a reduction in thickness is allowed only if some kind of plasticizer is added to the mixture - for example, lime, detergent, PVA, etc. There are also a number professional means, which can be bought in stores.

Screed installation: general rules

Knowing all aspects of the design and installation of the screed, you can begin to work. However, it is worth remembering a few rules that must be followed during this process. And they are relevant for absolutely any type of screed.

1. You should always waterproof. Otherwise, your neighbors may be flooded while pouring the cement screed. And in the future, pipe leaks cannot be ruled out. In this case, the neighbor's renovation will again be saved by the waterproofing layer. Also, in some cases, it allows you to get rid of adhesion, which is not always necessary when pouring screed.
2. Installation of damper tape must be mandatory. The bottom line is that the screed changes its properties during the drying process. physical parameters and can either crack itself or damage the walls. And in any case, it will soften the pressure of the poured base on the walls of the room. It is better to install the damper tape before laying the waterproofing layer.