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Leveling the floor according to beacons

The screed is used to level the floor, strengthening weak concrete foundations, repairing minor defects, filling heated floors. It is also necessary as a base for most floor coverings. The main types of screed are cement-sand mixture (can be poured and semi-dry), self-leveling mixture, combined, and examples - GVL technology.

Before making a floor screed, you should decide what operational strength of the screed is required. For residential premises, it is sufficient if the strength is equivalent to M-150 concrete and, therefore, simple cement-sand mixtures can be used; for commercial or industrial premises, polymer-cement mixtures are required, equal in strength to M-400 concrete.

First you need to find the highest point on the floor. If the height difference is 1-1.5 cm, then it is recommended to use a self-leveling leveling compound; if more, use a cement-sand mixture.

It is necessary to apply a special primer mixture to increase the adhesion of the screed to concrete. The degree of dilution of the primer also depends on the degree of unevenness of the floor. It is believed that if the height difference is up to 2.5 cm, it must be diluted to the state of “jelly”, more than 2.5 cm - to the state of “sour cream”.

Screeding the floor with your own hands using a self-leveling mixture is the easiest way. Simply dilute the mixture according to the instructions and apply it to the floor. Next, you need to carry out preliminary leveling with a large roller. The mixture will level itself to a horizontal level due to its high fluidity. The mixture will gain full strength in two weeks. The most common method is screed with a cement-sand mixture.

Currently, fast and inexpensive way This .

After detecting the highest point of the floor, you need to install beacons. It should be noted that the height of the screed should be 3 cm above this point. The beacons are attached with alabaster, or they can be installed in specially drilled holes in the floor. Now we dilute the mixture and apply it to the floor. Using bulk mixture, it is enough to apply the required amount to the floor and level it with a rule of 2 meters in length, periodically checking with the level. If you take a semi-dry mixture, then first apply base layer, put it on it metal mesh and apply a second layer of the mixture, which is narrower and leveled with a wide spatula. If necessary, the mixture can be added.

When the screed can support the weight of the body, remove the beacons and cover everything with film or a damp rag for 10 days. This will create optimal conditions for drying and acquiring strength properties. The screed will dry completely in four weeks.

In order for the laminate or linoleum to lay perfectly flat, the base for them should be made as smooth as possible, for which you need to learn how to do a professional finishing floor pour, the construction instructions for which are described in detail below. Why it is preferable to do it yourself is quite obvious. After all, this will mean considerable savings of money (which would otherwise be spent on paying for the work of craftsmen) and the acquisition of considerable experience.

Of course, the process of filling the floor can be entrusted to specialists. But many people strive to do and control everything on their own. The first thing you need to do before you start is to prepare everything necessary tools, as well as equipment, the availability of which is required by the technology for installing floor screed in an apartment.

Required Tools

By priority of application you will need: hydraulic level, pencil, tapping thread, tape measure. Also make sure that you have a cord, knitting wire, a stationery knife, wire cutters, a hammer drill and a screwdriver, usually a trowel and a grater, as well as a shovel on hand. Some of the work will be easier to do if you put on shoes rubber boots, the presence of which should be considered in advance.

It is logical that, without building materials, the screed can only be made dry, poured old-fashioned method made of clay, which can be dug behind the house, and then covered with shields. However, this is not the best solution, so we stock up on the required amount of cement and sand. We calculate the mixture consumption by multiplying square meter(in centimeters) to the height of the fill, according to the standard volume formula. One part of the resulting figure is cement, 50 kilograms of which will require 15 liters of water, and another 4 parts are sand. For elasticity, 100-150 grams of liquid soap are added as a plasticizer for heated floor screed.

Add liquid soap for elasticity

And finally, the process itself. The role of the screed is not only to level the floor, it is necessary both to hide underfloor heating pipes and to create an additional layer of insulation or sound insulation in combination with a water barrier. There are different ones, and if you want to get a heat source by hiding pipes in the thickness of cement, in this case a floating one will be used. Simply put, it will not lie on a rigid base of the ceiling, but on a rather soft layer of thermal insulation (we take polystyrene foam boards with sufficient hardness), on top of which the pipes will be located.

The site’s site masters have prepared a special calculator for you. You can easily calculate required amount cement.

How to make a floor screed - sequence of actions

The first and main process is measuring the premises, not purchasing building materials, because while you don’t know the scope of work, you don’t know how much cement or sand you will need. There are many stages of work ahead, and only after taking the first step will you know what numbers to use for screed components.

Master class floor screed - step by step diagram

Step 1: Defining the Horizon and Fill Level

When preparation for floor screed is completed, use a hydraulic level to find the horizon at a height of 1.5 meters, and use a chalk-covered tapping thread to make marking lines.

Then we use a tape measure to measure the distance to the base and find the point farthest from it and the closest to it, thereby determining the difference in levels in the room

Based on the measurements, you can calculate how to properly fill the floor screed, as well as the amount of materials that will be required for it. is 40 millimeters. We complete the marking work by moving the markers down in the corners to the filling level and tapping new lines with a thread along which the new surface grounds.

Step 2: Preparing the Base

The next stage, preparing the floor for the screed, will not require much labor if you plan to install a heating system in the room under the finishing coating.

The role of the substrate in this case will be assigned to the insulation, separated from the floor slab by film waterproofing. A reinforcing mesh is laid on top, and metal-plastic or metal-plastic or propylene pipes, fixed with special fasteners. If you plan to pour a heated floor screed for a film electric heater directly onto the ceiling, it must be thoroughly cleaned and even washed.

Step 3: Installing beacons by level

Having achieved an acceptable condition of the base or substrate made of insulation with heating elements, it is time to move on to installing beacons, without which it is impossible to install a screed under a heated floor. To do this, we drive dowels 1-1.5 meters apart into two opposing walls along the line of the future screed, to which we tie a cord (possibly nylon).

Exactly along the strings stretched in one plane, raising and lowering with the help of wooden wedges, we place parallel beacons from metal profile 20x40 millimeters (two at a distance of half a meter from the walls).

They are necessary so that the screed under the heated floor will subsequently be leveled against them.

Step 4: Fastening the beacons and installing a thermal seam

Since during the process of laying the solution, the beacons can move and change their position in space, they should be carefully secured. Holes are drilled in the ceiling, into which a pair of screws are screwed on both sides of the profile, at a short distance from each end of the pipe and in the middle.

Then a binding wire is wound around the screws so that the beacon is firmly fixed in place.

All that remains is to make a thermal seam around the perimeter of the room, securing a belt of leftover insulation along the lower edge of the walls with liquid nails.

Step 5: Mixing the solution

So, beacons are placed around the room, the thermal joint is securely fixed, it’s time to start making the floor screed. For the solution, we take 50-kilogram bags of cement grade 400, no less, sand is sold by weight or by cubic meters, for work you will need 4 times more of it. Accordingly, in a large container, which can serve as old bath(it is better to use a compact mobile concrete mixer), mix cement and sand in proportions 1:4; When the composition becomes homogeneous, add water. The consistency should be like thick sour cream.

When adding a plasticizer, care should be taken; an overdose will slow down the hardening process of the composition.

Step 6: Filling and leveling with the rule

If you have prepared a water heating system in the form of pipes laid on insulation, laying a heated floor in a screed will not require any special technology.

We make sure that small portion The solution, laid on a flat place, floats slightly, but does not spread like liquid, that is, it corresponds to the proper degree of density. Then we simply fill the area between the wall opposite the door and the second beacon from it with the mixture (the first one should hide under the solution).

Level the solution using a shovel.

Leveling the solution

Using the rule, we finally bring the mixture to the level of the beacons.

Step 7: The nuances of leveling and removing voids

For those who are not confident in their abilities, it is advisable to watch a training video in advance on how to do it correctly. rough screed flooring with your own hands, the video will tell you a simple way to achieve the desired result without flaws.

For example, few beginners know that when working with the rule, it is advisable to level the solution so that it is slightly higher than the beacons, then after shrinkage it will be level with them. If you have a heating system, it is extremely possible to screed a floor without voids. simple method– it is enough to slightly support the reinforcing mesh so that the mixture covers it and the pipes from all sides.

Step 8: Leveling with a rule after hardening

When the cement mortar covers the entire area of ​​the room, you usually have to work by walking directly on the liquid mixture, for which, in fact, you need to prepare rubber boots before laying the screed on the floor.

Then all that remains is to wait for the filling to harden enough to move around on it. As a rule, the drying time of the floor screed takes at least two weeks, during which you need to regularly moisten the surface with water every other day. After the cement has hardened, you should take the rule and scrape off the top layer to the beacons, collecting the excess in a bucket.

Step 9: Removing beacons from hardened cement

The video will best tell you how to complete the floor screed, but there is nothing complicated about it, and often only instructions are enough. After the surface has become smoother and the beacons have appeared from under the layer of mortar, take a spatula and carefully cut through the thickness of the fill on both sides of the profiles.

Then we cut the binding wire with wire cutters and remove the pipes, tapping them with a hammer in the process to avoid lifting the stuck layers.

Pipe extraction surface

To do this, add a little fresh cement and water to the scraped solution, which is placed in a bucket, mix thoroughly and fill the grooves from the profile pipes with the mixture.

When the leftovers cement-sand mixture will be removed, we only have to grout the floor screed.

It is made using a grater and water. We start from the far corner of the room, lightly moistening the fill with water and carefully smoothing the surface with a grater.

After finishing the “polishing”, when the base takes the proper form that you wanted, use a utility knife to cut off the excess thermal seam flush with the surface, the rest will subsequently be hidden under the baseboards. Now the work has been successfully completed and you can move on to the next room.

The main and most important function of a floor screed is to level the surface, because it is the middle layer between the base and the final floor covering. Without carrying out this stage of repair, do high-quality repairs It's simply impossible. And watching the constant rise in prices, many owners screed the floor with their own hands.

Preparing to lay the screed

Before you start screeding the floor yourself, you need to purchase the material and the necessary tools:

• Trowel and spatula;
• Level;
• Tape measure and knife;
• Specialized roller for application;
• Mixer or drill with attachment;
• Container in which the solution will be mixed.

Short list of actions

1. The base is being prepared;
2. The level and height difference are determined;
3. Beacons are being installed;
4. A mixture is prepared;
5. The base is poured;
6. “Maturing” of the screed.

Preparing the base

The first step is to prepare the floor covering, clean it of any debris and previous finishing. Carry out a thorough inspection and, if necessary, repair all cracks and potholes using special repair mixtures. After sealing the cracks, you need to vacuum the floor layer.

Then it is attached in a circle to the walls, which serves as the necessary buffer for the thermal expansion of the future screed. We also make sure to do moisture insulation; to do this, we place a polypropylene film with a minimum thickness of 0.2 millimeters on the previously repaired ceiling. This insulation can be achieved using special bitumen mixture, it is usually applied with a roller. With this method, no film is used.

If film is used, it is overlapped at least 15 centimeters and secured with ordinary tape.

Height differences when laying screed

Such an important point as the evenness of the new screed and the final height of the floors directly depends on this indicator. And the material consumption and, accordingly, material costs also depend on the thickness of the screed.

First you need to display the so-called zero level; for this you need to use a laser or hydraulic level.

A mark is made at 1.4 meters from the floor, which, using a level, is transferred to all walls of the room, thus obtaining a large number of points that need to be connected together.

Next, the distance to the floor is measured from the resulting horizon; as we obtain the smallest value, it means that we have received the highest point of the existing floor. And the largest value obtained indicates the lowest point existing coverage. The difference between the largest and smallest value obtained will mean the difference in the existing floor and from this indicator it will be clear how to make a new screed.

For example, highest value is equal to 1.4 m, and the smallest is 1.35 m. This means that the difference is: 1.4 - 1.35 = 5 centimeters.

Minimum possible layer made cement screed is equal to three centimeters, the floor screed technology does not allow this indicator to decrease, which means that the future screed will have a height of 8 centimeters in the deepest part, and 3 centimeters in the shallow part.

If the difference is less than three centimeters, then it is better to use self-leveling self-leveling floors for leveling; the instructions written for each type of self-leveling floor regulate the permissible height of the screed.

If the difference is more than 5 centimeters, then apartment buildings You cannot fill a screed of this size, because the load on the floors may increase significantly and the floor will collapse under its own weight. In this option, plank flooring is used.

Installation of beacons

Beacons are used to ensure the ideal evenness of the future screed, because it is against them that the entire screed is leveled. Special perforated profiles are used as beacons; they are attached directly to the floor; correct installation is checked using a level.

The distance between the last beacon and the wall should be twenty centimeters, and the distance between adjacent beacons is chosen arbitrarily, depending on the width of the rule. To isolate the future screed from other rooms in doorway you need to build a small formwork.

How to do cps

Having installed and secured the beacons, you should move on to directly considering the issue of how to make a cement screed. To do this, you need three main ingredients (cement, water, sand) and it is advisable to add special plasticizers.

The recipe looks like this:

• The dry ingredients are mixed in the prepared container. Mix thoroughly until a homogeneous mass is obtained. The best way stir the mixture using a drill with an attachment, then add water;
• The prepared mixture should have the consistency of thick sour cream. To check, put the solution in your palm and squeeze, but it should not separate into pieces or spread like jelly;
• Next, you must add any available plasticizer; the proportions of addition to the solution will be indicated directly on the label. When using an additive, the solution becomes more resistant to cracking during the drying period;

How to fill a screed

Having prepared the solution, you need to start laying the floor screed; the technology requires that the prepared mixture be laid within two hours.

It is necessary to start filling with far edge, moving from the entrance when filling to the exit. The mixture simply falls out between the fixed beacons and is equalized using the rule. The solution must be leveled exclusively along the beacons.

“Maturing” of concrete

I poured the solution, leveled it, left the screed for several days, as soon as it can be stepped on, the screed was moistened with water and covered with film. Wetting should be done regularly, approximately once every three days. The period for gaining strength of a concrete screed is approximately three and a half weeks.

When drying the screed, you just need to eliminate drafts in the room. Otherwise, the floor may crack due to uneven drying of the concrete solution.

IN this material the question of how floor screed is made was covered in detail; having studied this material, you can easily carry out this type home renovation with your own hands. It is enough to follow the recommendations and instructions, and if you have an assistant, the whole process will go faster and much easier.

Brief video instructions:

The floor screed is the part of the base that is located between the ceiling and the finishing coating. Without it, it is impossible to make the floors perfectly flat - such that even the most demanding installation conditions can be laid on them without fear. finishing material. You can’t do without it when building a house and even during overhaul, but how to make a floor screed is a very difficult question for many. Let's try to figure out how to create it with our own hands.

A screed is not only a structural element of the floor responsible for its leveling. It also performs other equally important functions - for example, it takes on and redistributes all the loads experienced by the floor covering. But still, the most important function of the screed is leveling the base. It is necessary in order to easily and correctly lay the floor covering, some types of which are quite demanding regarding the evenness of the subfloor. For example, ceramic tile, parquet and other materials will quickly become unusable if they are used while lying on uneven floor. They will begin to break and collapse, and when moving across the coating it will make an unpleasant squeak.

Another function that the screed performs is increasing the heat, sound and waterproofing properties of floors. It also makes it easy to raise the base level to the required level if necessary.

What kind of screed is there?

Floor screed can be divided according to several criteria into different kinds. For example, depending on the manufacturing method, it can be dry, wet, or combined.

Table. Main types of screeds.

Screeds are also divided into different types depending on the number of layers. So they happen single-layer(poured immediately at one time to the required thickness) and multilayer. The latter have the so-called rough and finishing surfaces. As a rule, the rough base has a thickness of 2 cm or more, and the finishing base has a thickness of 3-20 mm.

According to the type of connection to the floors, screeds can be divided into solid and floating. The first has a reliable connection with the rough base, the second has no connection with anything. Hydro- and heat-insulating materials are used for installation.

What can be used to create a screed?

Depending on the type of screed, they can be made of various materials. So, to create wet screed Cement, water and sand are used. In this case, the cement acts binding material, and the sand becomes a filler. To improve the quality of building mixtures, various components can be added to them to improve strength and reduce drying time.

On a note! To prepare such a mixture, you need to mix 1 part cement with 3 parts sand. The required amount of water is added to them. This is a fairly economical option.

To create a wet screed, ready-made sand concrete sold in stores can also be used. Its main drawback is high speed shrinkage. Because of this, the thickness of the screed layer cannot be less than 3 cm, otherwise it will quickly become covered with cracks.

Advice! To reduce the risk of screed cracking, raw composition Fiber fibers are added or layers of reinforcing mesh are laid on the rough base.

For wooden floors, gypsum-based mixtures are used. This material can be laid thin layer, since it practically does not sit down. Drying times are also attractive - only 1-2 days. The only exception in terms of the use of such compounds is high humidity indoors.

Self-leveling or usually used for finishing leveling of conventional wet screed. The reason is the fairly high cost of the material. This composition is used to level floors with unevenness of 2-7 mm.

For manufacturing, you will need sheet materials such as plasterboard, as well as medium and fine expanded clay for filling the base. The joints of individual sheets of material are treated with adhesives.

How to make a floor screed

The installation of floor screeds invariably raises questions among beginners. Below are instructions for creating dry, wet and semi-dry screed. However, no matter what option is chosen by the craftsmen, in any case, before starting work, it is important to prepare a rough foundation.

Features of base preparation

To begin with, if the house was not built from scratch, you will need to get rid of old decoration floor. Moreover, you will have to remove the old screed down to the ceiling. It is especially important to repair any flaws present on the base. These could be cracks, chips, or any gaps. All this needs to be sealed with sealant or cement composition after preliminary priming, in order to avoid too much consumption of mixtures (relative to a wet screed) and to increase the adhesion of the compositions to the base.

Preparing the base for the screed - photo

On a note! Sometimes a new screed is poured directly on top of the old one, but this is only permissible if the previous version of the base is strong enough. However, most likely only an experienced specialist will be able to assess the condition of the old screed. Sometimes it is even enough to simply use self-leveling compounds to make the old base perfectly level.

You can clear the ceiling from the old screed using a jackhammer. Next, the base is cleared of construction waste, which is placed in durable bags and taken to a landfill.

Small protrusions on old screed can be removed by armed grinder. After preparation, it is important to prime the base in order to increase adhesion.

Making a wet screed

Step 1. First of all, prepare all the necessary tools and materials. This building level, slats that will act as beacons, screws and dowels, building mixtures, sand and cement, usually a hammer drill.

What is a floor screed and what is it intended for, what types of it? important element modern building there are - all this is in our article! What materials are used to create them, depending on the main purpose in each specific case. We will look at how to make a screed below.

Why do you need a screed?

In essence, this is the basis for placing finishing coating floor, also performing additional functions depending on the actual situation that arises during the construction of a house.

Screed - the basis

Floor screed is the basis of any house or apartment. The strength of the housing, how silent and warm it will be, depend on the quality of the foundation.

Let us pay attention to the situation when subsoil waters, during the period of maximum rise, approach the surface at a distance of about 2 meters. In such cases, it is mandatory to waterproof the foundation of the house with a drainage system. However, it does not solve the problem, because if not water, then moisture will penetrate into the room. And here we need to remember this the ancient way protection, like a clay seal, which is a prototype of a screed.

Clay seal device

The materials for this are clay and water with the addition of reinforcing materials. Previously, it was chaff - disheveled bast fibers cereal plants. Today, fiber fiber serves this purpose, it is enough durable material in the form of chips, not subject to rotting.

The screed needs to be planned

Even at the stage of building a house, it is worth thinking about installing a screed and an insulated “floor pie”. In an apartment, you should also not ignore this stage of renovation.

The order of work may be as follows:

• carefully level and compact the soil base. For this, it is best to use a vibrating plate;
• calculate the required amount of clay for the screed, based on the area of ​​the surface to be covered and the breaded thickness of the seal;
• form the clay into a pile and make a funnel in the middle, which needs to be filled with water about a day before use;
• the clay is stirred with your feet, moving in a circle, periodically you need to throw the mass from the edges into the middle and sprinkle the surface with a reinforcing additive;
• Place the mixture, stirred to the consistency of thick sour cream, evenly over the prepared surface, level;
• To ensure uniform drying of the shutter, the surface must be covered with plastic wrap and periodically sprayed with water in hot weather.

Work can continue when the clay seal, like waterproofing a floor under a screed, can withstand the weight of a person. But to be the basis for a finishing coating at today’s level of development of the construction industry is such protective layer can't anymore.

Structure and purpose of concrete screed

The manufacturing technology of this building element is as follows:

Vapor protection installation. Its purpose is to isolate elements from ground moisture. It is executed from polyethylene film, which covers the base, including the walls up to the finished floor level. When laying in several runs, they are laid overlapping at a distance of 10 - 15 cm, the joints are taped with construction tape. If steam protection is not installed, moisture will inevitably penetrate into the concrete screed with subsequent transfer to the walls. Then mold and other “delights” of damp walls appear.

Creating a heat-insulating layer. It does not seem reasonable to heat the ground under the house, and to avoid this, expanded clay is used. These are granules made from foamed and baked clay. The material is characterized by a porous structure, low thermal conductivity and low weight. Sold packaged in bags or in bulk. To create reliable thermal insulation, you need to pour a layer of expanded clay 12–15 cm thick and carefully level it

Next comes an operation that is often omitted either through carelessness or ignorance. This installation of damping tape around the perimeter of the walls. Damper tape is a self-adhesive elastic strip and is designed to protect against contact between the screed and the walls. Mandatory for use in the manufacture of heated floor screed, and highly desirable for any design of this element. With seasonal temperature fluctuations inside the house, linear thermal deformation of the screed occurs; if it affects the walls, they can shift, causing cracks to form and a decrease in bearing capacity. The tape is installed to the level of the finishing coating.

To create a reliable ceiling in the form of a rough concrete screed, it is made reinforcement. To do this, you can use a road mesh with cells 50 x 50, or 100 x 100 mm. The mesh is laid on a layer of expanded clay at a distance of about 50 mm, which is ensured by installing “chairs”, while it is convenient to use broken bricks. A second layer is laid on top of the bottom layer of mesh at the same distance. instead of mesh, you can use corrugated reinforcing steel bars with a diameter of 10 - 12 mm. It must be laid with a mesh and secured together with tying wire or welding.

Installation of beacons. They are used to level the surface of the screed. Installation is carried out before pouring. The main goal here is to strictly horizontal arrangement beacons in one plane, which is achieved by using a construction ruler and level. They are made from wooden blocks 50 x 50 mm, profiled or round pipes appropriate size. At the end of the work, the wooden beacons must be removed, and the metal ones can be left in the screed.

Filling the screed. When planning this work, you need to calculate the amount of materials required, since it is better to lay the screed in one go. To do this, the total area of ​​the screed is multiplied by its thickness, the materials are prepared in accordance with the preparation recipe concrete mixture.

Concrete is laid by a team of several people, taking into account that at the same time it is necessary to prepare the mixture, deliver it to the place of laying and evenly place it dense layer. During the laying process, concrete must be carefully compacted, avoiding the formation of cavities and air bubbles in the screed mass. Alignment is done with a board - a ruler according to the level of the beacons. Work should begin from the far corner of the room, moving towards the doorway. If all requirements are carefully met, it may not be necessary to fill the leveling screed in the future.

How long does it take for concrete to dry? This time is 28 days. But after 6–7 days, when the screed reliably supports the weight of a person, the wooden beacons need to be removed, and the openings in their places are sealed cement mortar. During the drying process, especially in the hot season, the screed should be covered with film and sprinkled with water daily. Otherwise, the screed will lose water prematurely and crack. Important! Moisture in concrete is necessary for its proper crystallization.

Thus, minimum thickness The concrete layer of the rough screed is about 15 centimeters.

Types of screeds

Apply various ways rough screed devices:

• wet;
• semi-dry;
• dry.

The first of these are the traditional concrete pours described above.

Semi-dry concrete screed

From traditional composition concrete mixture, such material has a significantly lower water content. The mixture is prepared according to complex technology, inaccessible for cooking with your own hands. Therefore, you should purchase a ready-made mixture and strictly follow the recommended preparation procedure.

Positive aspects of using semi-dry mixtures:

• limited degree of layer shrinkage due to low water content;
• if done correctly, it will never crack;
• the technology of laying such a screed allows you to obtain a very smooth and high-quality surface;
• limited drying time, the finishing coating can be laid within a day after production, complete drying is 28 days, before this period it is not advisable to place heavy objects on the screed;
• the use of a dense film under the screed guarantees the waterproofness of the layer;
• The mass of the screed turns out to be porous, which gives it sound-proofing and heat-insulating properties, and also reduces the weight load on the floor slabs between floors.

Semi-dry cement screed

The high quality of the composition for such a coating is determined by the use of reinforcing additives in its composition in the form of fiber fibers and a plasticizer, which makes the mixture plastic. The amount of water in a semi-dry cement screed is also limited, ensuring rapid drying of the composition.

It is enough to note that after just four days you can lay the finishing coating with sufficient confidence in its quality. The thickness of a semi-dry cement screed depends on the quality of the surface on which it is laid and the height of the unevenness on the base. In practice, it ranges from 3 to 7 centimeters.

Dry floor screeds

If it is necessary to quickly complete work or it is impossible to load floor slabs, dry screeds are used. They are usually made of gypsum fiber boards or waterproof plywood. How insulation and sound insulation under a screed can be used:

• blast furnace slag;
• vermiculite;
• expanded clay of small fractions;
• expanded perlite sands.

Sheet substrates made of pressed cork or foam plastic are also used. Positive qualities such a device are:

• fire safety when using non-combustible materials for backfilling;
• reliable heat and sound insulation properties;
• no emissions of harmful substances;
• speed of installation;
• light weight;
• possibility of installation of communications;
• ability to withstand distributed loads up to 1 ton/m2.

A significant disadvantage of this coating is its water permeability. When water penetrates under the coating, backfill materials quickly fail. This problem can only be dealt with by opening the floor and drying the backfill, or replacing it. read the link.

Do-it-yourself “wet” floor screed

This means the production of a support layer without the involvement of outside specialists. However, this does not mean doing the work alone. The minimum number of performers is 3 people, because the preparatory operations and the actual pouring are carried out in a continuous mode simultaneously. The order of execution of operations is described above, but required equipment needs to be looked at in more detail.

Tools and equipment

So, for work you will need:

1. Container for preparing solution or intermediate storage ready mixture, if a concrete mixer is used. When using hand-held power tools for mixing, it is necessary to use special attachments.
2. Shovel
3. Master OK.
4. Containers for transferring the finished mixture.
5. Rule for leveling concrete - wooden plank up to 2 meters long.
6. Measuring vessel for dosing water before adding to the mixture. Attention! Special attention should be paid to this point when preparing concrete, as it is a factor that directly affects the quality of the solution.
7. Construction level.

Beacon placement

The location of the support strips, called “beacons,” should ensure guaranteed contact with them by the straightener at at least two points simultaneously in any direction of its movement when leveling the mass of concrete. Therefore, floor screed beacons are installed as follows:

• the first plank is located at a distance of 20 - 30 cm from the walls, parallel to them;
• the next planks are installed approximately parallel to the first one until they meet the perpendicular beacon, ultimately forming a frame on the floor of the room
• all planks must be aligned horizontal plane using a cord and a building level;
• The beacons can be attached to the reinforcement grid using tying wire through the cuts on the upper plane. When dismantling, the wire can be easily cut and bent inside the cavity remaining from the beacon. After this, the cavity is eliminated with cement mortar. Correct installation beacons ensures the horizontality of the screed.

After the sealing material has hardened, it is necessary to grout to level the surface of the screed. Floor screeding using beacons requires attention and thorough execution.

Screed reinforcement

As you know, this element serves to strengthen concrete. And it will be needed if the screed is carried out on fragile foundations, such as insulating or sound-absorbing layers, filling with expanded clay or other bulk materials.

The following materials are used to reinforce screeds in an apartment:

• metal reinforcing mesh;
• plastic reinforcing mesh;
• the same fiberglass products;
• reinforcing filler made of fiber shavings;
• reinforcing steel bars.

Besides, reinforcing mesh are used to attach the pipework of a warm water floor to them.

Screeds on floor slabs are not used due to the absence of such a need.

Preparation of the solution

Cement in its pure form is not used to make screeds. For this purpose, you need to prepare a mixture with sand, called sand concrete. The ratio of components is 1: 3. To calculate the need for components, you can use the average established ratio - to obtain a cubic meter of concrete you will need 1450 kilograms of sand and 450 kilograms of cement, which is 9 standard bags. The amount of water will be approximately a third of the volume of the binder. It is better to use sand in a mixture of different fractions, this increases the strength of concrete.

As a filler for concrete on screeds, you can use granite chips, river pebbles and small crushed stone.

If it is necessary to insulate floors, expanded clay concrete is used, the filler of which has low thermal conductivity. This mixture with expanded clay is used for screeds on the first floors, especially if it is a ceiling above the basement. Something to remember! Excessive addition of expanded clay to the mixture will lead to a loss of concrete strength. Therefore, the volume of the additive should be less than half of the total mass.

You also need a reasonable combination of expanded clay with other fillers.

Features of the pouring process

• To prepare the mixture for the screed and lay it, you will need a team of at least 3 people, and responsibilities can be distributed as follows: The 1st participant prepares the mixture and unloads it into an intermediate container. If plasticizers or hardeners are used, the finished solution must be kept at rest for up to 15 minutes to allow it to begin chemical reactions
• these additives;
• The 2nd worker delivers the finished solution to the pouring site and pours it at the installation site;

The 3rd participant lays the mixture, compacts it and levels the layer along the beacons.

The work must be carried out continuously, since the finished solution must be used within no more than 2 hours from the moment it is mixed. Concrete screed dries within 28 days

for the option of using the wet method, when creating semi-dry screeds, further work can be carried out 2 - 3 days after installation, but without loading with heavy objects.

Installing a concrete screed is a simple but labor-intensive process, so you can invite specialists; the price per meter of work will be from 420 to 450 rubles. Concrete screeds in the house are made taking into account the purpose of the room, the nature of the finishing floor covering, the features. Moreover, the properties of each of them must be thought out in advance, taking into account all the circumstances involved. Therefore, it is better to do this work yourself, knowing that everything is being done for yourself. If you have time, you need to take on this work and bring it to its logical conclusion. I wish you success!