Any construction, repair or restoration work is inconceivable without leveling the base of the floor. On how reliable and qualitatively the preparation of the surface is made, the service life and the quality of the further use of costly finishing finishes depend, such as laminate, parquet, carpet or ceramic tile. Work on leveling the floor is carried out in accordance with certain technologies from quality certified materials. Floor leveling can be done by any of these technologies. Let us consider them in more detail.
Perfectly level floor creates comfort in the room
Preparatory work for the
There are several effective ways of leveling the base of the floor. First of all comes to mind a traditional screed, which is made from ordinary cement and sand or a self-leveling mixture. The base can be equipped with dry methods, including using ready-made prefabricated elements from a gypsum-fibrous moisture-proof sheet or separate sheets of gypsum fiber. It is possible to do this in advance prepared boards or a moisture-proof plywood.
If the difference in altitude reaches 5 - 7 cm, then the traditional screed or wooden lag with the use of plywood or chipboard is most often used. With a slope of not more than 3 cm, the situation may be allowed to fill the self-leveling mixture.
Before choosing the leveling technology and purchasing materials, it is necessary to make all measurements of the real dimensions of the room. In addition, it is necessary to identify all the obvious shortcomings and problems with the quality of the substrate. Using special tools, it is necessary to repel the level of the floor. For this purpose, an ordinary liquid level or laser devices are suitable.
Substrate preparation for floor leveling
Roughing with concrete screed
This method is the cheapest and tested. It is available for independent execution to any person who has at least initial knowledge in the field of construction and the slightest experience of carrying out repair work.
First of all, it is necessary to prepare the base. If you find large enough knolls and bulges on it, then they must be severed and aligned. Pour a concrete solution into the grooves and carefully level it. If the difference is more than 6 cm, and the slope is too large, then it is necessary to set the beacons level by priority. To make the design hard, the beacons are attached to the floor with a special solution of alabaster at intervals of 50 to 80 cm. During the installation of lighthouses, the correctness of the work being performed is checked by the building level.
Leveling the floor with a concrete screed
Before filling the screed, the entire surface is very cleaned from dirt and dust, and then the primer is applied to obtain better adhesion. The consistency of the screed is selected in accordance with the instructions given by its manufacturer and depends on the thickness of the layer. To prepare the mortar, only certified cement is used, very well sifted sand, preferably river water and warm water. Inside the screed, you can add special reinforcing fiber and plasticizing agents, which is especially recommended in the presence of significant differences in floor height. After the screed is seized, according to the construction standards it is 28 days, it is necessary to remove the beacons from it, and fill the grooves with them. The surface must be wiped and treated with a primer, which, in order to increase the strength, must penetrate deep enough into the concrete.
Leveling the floor with a self-leveling compound
To use this method of floor leveling, it is necessary that the substrate conform to the norms of SNiP and have a moisture content of approximately 4%.As in the previous case, the preparatory work should begin with a high-quality cleaning of the entire surface from dust and dirt, residues of bitumen and paintwork, and glue. Unstable surfaces and cement milk must be removed.
Potholes and flaws are vacuumed and vacuumed. They are treated with a primer, and then filled with the repair composition CN 83. This should be done about a day before the application of the self-leveling mixture. Treatment of the entire floor with a primer is mandatory. To prepare the mixture, it is necessary to take the manufacturer's specified amount of water with a temperature of not more than 20 degrees. Then the mixture is gradually added to the container with water, constantly mixing it until it reaches a homogeneous mass. Stir this solution best mixer or drill with a special nozzle. Then you need to withstand a five-minute technological pause, during which the final maturation of the mixture takes place. After this, the finished solution is stirred again. Use it will need to be no more than 40 minutes from the date of manufacture. Do not pour more water than indicated in the instructions, as this leads to delamination and a decrease in the strength of the coating.
The self-leveling mixture is able to create an even coating on its own, spreading and filling the entire space under the action of the Earth's gravity.
. If the floor is leveled in a thin layer, no more than 1 to 2 cm, then the mixture is simply poured onto the base and spread evenly over the entire surface. The level is controlled using point beacons. Using a needle roller roll the mixture to remove air bubbles from it. All work must be done at an air temperature of 5 to 30 degrees with a humidity not exceeding 80%.After the leveling layer is ready, it must be protected from too rapid drying, drafts, heating devices and exposure to sunlight.
Floor leveling with plywood
The use of sheet materials such as OSB, fiberboard or plywood is assumed by two technologies. In the first case, the leveling surface is arranged along wooden logs. This is justified with significant level changes. The second technology is a direct alignment on the very basis. This technology is only applicable if the slope of the floor does not exceed 2 cm, or when the finishing finish is a laminate or parquet.
A well-known traditional method of leveling is double flooring. As the first layer are mounted wooden bars, which are selected in accordance with the actual actual height difference. The bars are attached to the base with special tongues. When the bars are laid and form a wooden frame, then they put on the sheets of material, fixed with the help of special screws. In the process of the whole device of this design, it is necessary to use the level systematically to avoid the formation of a slope of the entire structure. Such an alignment method has the advantage that an additional layer of sound and heat insulation can be arranged inside the frame.
In addition to sheet materials, a wooden board is now widely used. It can be grooved or special sex. Previously, this technology was used in the construction of wooden houses. Today it is in demand both for carrying out restoration and repair work in modern houses and urban apartments.
Floor leveling with
sheet materials. If the height differences are insignificant, a moisture resistant plywood or fiberboard can be used to level the floor. The sheets are mounted directly on the base. Fixation of floor materials is made with special dowels. Most often this technology is used as a preliminary preparation for laying a laminate, a parquet board or a set of parquet.
Floor leveling with dry screed
This unique technology is now increasingly used in the process of repair and restoration work. It got its name "dry screed" due to the complete absence of water processes during the entire installation. The screed is sold ready, made of prefabricated elements of gypsum-fiber sheets and can perfectly be combined with any finish coatings and underfloor heating systems.
If there is a floor difference of more than 30 mm, clay sand can be used to level it. It is best to take the smallest fraction from 6 mm. This substrate significantly increases the sound insulation and thermal insulation properties. Work on the installation of dry screeds is carried out in the following order:
First, a vapor barrier film is spread over the entire surface with an overlap on the walls of 10 cm. It is necessary to take a polyethylene film with a very dense structure. To sound insulation was even better, around the perimeter of the room you need to glue the edge band. It should be noted that if the base is a wooden board, then instead of the film you need to use bituminous paper or any other paper impregnated with linseed oil.
Then beacons are placed, which can be used as a U-shaped profile. By these lighthouses it is necessary to scatter and level the expanded clay sand. After that, lay GWL, and if the room is wet, then this material should be moisture resistant. All the sheets are laid out in a descent one by one in two layers, displacing one sheet of relative another, like a brickwork. Between each other, all the sheets are glued together with dispersion glue and fixed with screws. All these measures make it possible to achieve maximum rigidity and strength of the coating.
Using claydite for leveling the floor
In the leveling of the floor with your own hands, nothing is complicated. Here the main thing is to choose the most suitable method, based on your own knowledge and skills. To select a specific technology, you need to measure the actual level of the floor difference, determine the purpose of the room, and its operating conditions. Of no small importance in the choice of method is the type of finish coating and the speed of the repair work itself. In the process of creating a leveling layer, you should always adhere to the rules and regulations that are prescribed in building regulations, as well as safety.
