As a rule, such a question arises if its surface finish is expected. Virtually all the materials that are used as a "finish" coating, fit on the most equal footing. But even the concrete floor( apparently without obvious curvatures) often does not meet this requirement, and not only in the premises where it was arranged in the form of a screed. In rooms where the floor is wrought iron plates, it is also often observed differences in height at the joints of products, and so significant, so that the floor will have to be leveled.
In addition, the smoother the base, the lower the consumption of materials used to fix any products - for "finish" finishing, insulation or noise insulation. For example, glue compounds. There are several methods for leveling the sexes, but a number of activities are performed regardless of which one is selected. Therefore, first we will talk about them, especially since they are often given inadequate attention to them, and often they are "completely overlooked".
Surface cleaning
Unfortunately, many inexperienced "repair builders" reduce this only to the process of removing excess objects, dirt and dust. The main task at this stage is to reveal all defects in the surface( chips, cracks, breaches in the sealing of joints, the appearance of a fungus or the obvious destruction of the material).That's why after the "rough" cleaning the floor should be thoroughly washed. With a visual inspection of a clean surface, everything will be clearly visible.
Elimination of defects
Any gap in the floor is a "loophole" for liquids. In addition, this way, the room "leaves" the heat. There is no sense in explaining how important it is to bring the surface in order from this point of view. Now there are enough funds available for sale, with the help of which any crack can be sealed. Particular attention is given to the places of floor joints with the walls of the room, especially external ones.
If signs of development of putrefactive processes are noted, appropriate treatment of the affected area should be carried out. There are also many compositions for this. You can give an example of copper sulfate, which is often called a proven "folk" means.
Surface treatment
This is what many people neglect( or simply do not know).Any substance, regardless of structure, is destroyed under the influence of liquids. They drip capillary in all directions, so it is advisable to impregnate the concrete base.
In order to exclude the appearance and development of putrefactive processes, it is also necessary to perform floor treatment with antiseptics. It is advisable to prime it, as the compositions used for this addition additionally strengthen the base material.
And only after all the above measures are implemented, you can go directly to the alignment process. The most suitable method is chosen depending on local conditions, the availability of time and free space. Let us dwell briefly on the most common, since a more detailed "instruction" for each is the topic of a separate article, references to which are given in the text.
Dry screed
Preliminary the floor should dry well. Then the entire surface( with "twists" on the walls of the order of 15 - 20 cm) is covered with a film of PE.Its edges are fixed on them with the help of building scotch tape. The joints between the stripes( they are "overlapped") are also sealed.
For sale there is a special tape called "damper".It serves as a shock absorber for slabs, which, when temperature fluctuates, will change their geometry. It is glued along the perimeter of the room at the height of the leveling material. This is determined by what will be used as a log, and the thickness of the "backfill" layer.
Next( as an option) in the cells to pour clay, align, and on top of the crate put the material "rough" floor. In practice, for this purpose, fiberboard, particle board, sheets of GVL, plywood are used - there is a choice. This surface is smooth and warm. This design is quite convenient, if you intend to install any engineering communications "on the bottom."Details the entire process of dry screed is described here.
However, for rooms with excessive humidity or in those where water leaks( bathrooms, laundries, kitchens) are possible this method is unacceptable, since when wet such a floor will "lead".
Cement-sand screed
It is advisable to use if there are significant differences in height over the whole area, since such a screed is less than 3 cm is not done, otherwise its strength will not correspond to the normative one.
Unlike the previous one, instead of a honeycomb frame, the "beacons" are laid, which are used for alignment. The best option is the same metal profiles that divide the entire room into strips. The interval between samples is selected based on the size and configuration of the room( usually within 1 m).
The DSP solution is poured between the slats and "pulled apart", it is leveled by the rule( smooth board, bar and the like).
The composition of the mixture( brand of cement, its ratio and sand) is determined depending on what subsequently the load will be exposed to the floor.
Mixtures of self-leveling
Their other name is self-leveling floors. The advantage is not only in the convenience of use, but also in the quick readiness of the floor for further finishing. But such compositions can be used if surface irregularities are insignificant - no more than 30 mm.
The technology is simple - the finished mixture is laid on concrete and leveled( detailed description here).After this, in order to avoid voids due to air bubbles, the surface is rolled using a special device - a needle roller.
The peculiarity is that such mixtures quickly "grasp", so the work is carried out in sequence, in separate areas. This product( depending on the composition) has a number of "minuses" - weak resistance to aggressive media, low temperatures, mechanical effects. In other words - they are more "gentle" than the CSP.
When choosing any method, it is necessary to focus on the appropriateness of using certain materials depending on the purpose of the room and the specificity of its further operation( temperature, humidity, traffic of people or cargo).
Practical advice for
- When leveling, consider the room temperature. The lower it is, the longer the prepared surface will dry out and the screed( or the floor) will be equipped.
- The quality of surface treatment is largely determined by the thorough mixing of the components. Masters are advised to use as an "electric mixer" an electric drill, in the chuck of which a special nozzle is clamped. It can be made from a thick wire, giving, for example, the shape of a "butterfly".When kneading, the speed of the drill is minimal.
- If the floor has minor defects, but is located with a certain bias( which is not so rare), it is advisable to use a lag to level it. The method of screeding or filling floors here will not help.
- To ensure that the quality of work control is higher, it is necessary to place the building level on a long level rail. The use of such an "adaptation" will give a more accurate result.
