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It is necessary to level the floor, then for this you will need to do floor screed. It should be as smooth as possible. You can lay any type of flooring on a flat screed without any problems and, moreover, install any furniture. And then, no one likes unevenness. It is leveled with cement mortar using a hydraulic level, with a spatula, with beacons installed over the entire area, and a roller is needed to smooth the surface.

How to make a smooth screed

The initial task is to find a high point on the surface and, orienting along it, make a screed. For more level screed On the sides of the floor, marks are made on the wall, previously accurately calculated. This solution will help to create a flat surface. Before leveling the floor with cement mortar, it is necessary to apply it to the surface, which will help to do it better in terms of bonding the mortar to the leveled surface.

To apply the primer, use it, this will speed up the process and help distribute it more evenly. primer mixture. After drying, beacons are installed at the level at which it will be floor offset- a guideline for the height of the screed being made. Beacons are installed level and mounted on cement mortar. To do this, you need to spread the solution at a distance of 80 cm. As a result, it is possible to more accurately level the floor surface with a screed. The work is painstaking and will take time, but it is worth it.

The base for the beacons has dried, now you can level the floor with a screed. Mix the solution with medium thickness for easy leveling of the screed. The solution will consist of cement, sand and water. The leveling process begins from the far corner. The solution is poured over an area of ​​up to 1 square meter, the surface is leveled with a spatula, voids are filled, and excess is removed. The work is hard and complex, requiring care and correct execution. After one square of the floor surface has been leveled, it is necessary to continue working according to the same principle.

Concrete and cement floors last for decades, do not creak and generally do not cause any problems to residents. Of course, if all the work is done technically correctly. Therefore, we offer you comprehensive instructions for pouring floor screeds with sand concrete mixtures under different types do-it-yourself coatings.

The essence of leveling the floor with a screed

There are three typical circumstances when the screed becomes almost the only way arrange smooth and reliable foundation for subsequent laying of the finished floor.

The first option is concrete floors and ceilings that have significant unevenness and defects. This is primarily typical for apartments. panel houses, where the gaps between the “voids” and casting defects do not allow the surface to be used as a subfloor. Cast floors can be seriously blocked in the general plane, especially in new buildings. In such cases, the screed is performed using the standard method.

It’s another matter if the floor level needs to be raised by 15-20 cm, when pouring concrete is extremely unprofitable financially. A classic example is floors on the ground on the ground floor. In this case, the screed is poured over a bedding of crushed stone or expanded clay. This is called screeding over a bulk layer; the technology of work has significant differences.

The third option is the most exotic. If the mechanical characteristics of the subfloor do not allow laying the desired type of coating, a so-called preparatory screed is poured on top. The most common example is the floors in the bathrooms of wooden houses.

Keep in mind: screed aims to both correct the general plane of the floor and level out local unevenness when covering the entire floor with a general layer of small thickness. On the practical side, screeding with sand concrete is the most acceptable and affordable way to prepare almost any floor for popular types of coverings: linoleum, laminate, vinyl typesetting or self-leveling flooring.

What compositions to use

Traditionally, sand concrete is used for screeding in residential premises in a proportion of 3.5 parts sand to one part 300 grade cement. technical rooms The binder should be replaced with grade 400 Portland cement. With a screed layer of up to 50 mm, this composition is optimal.

Thicker layers may require larger filler. Allowed to use granite screening and crumbs, expanded clay and fine crushed stone. It is not recommended to use filler larger than 15 mm.

To improve some characteristics, frost-resistant additives, plasticizers and modifiers can be added to the mixture. To increase the fluidity of the mixture and easier leveling, you can add about a tablespoon detergent for dishes for 20-25 liters of water.

Conventionally, it can be called a screed and a self-leveling floor that does not require alignment with beacons. With a minimum layer of 10 mm, such a screed can cost a pretty penny, especially if the difference between the lowest and highest points exceeds 35-50 mm. It will be easier if you level the subfloor with ordinary sand concrete to eliminate the general difference, and after 2-3 days fill the self-leveling floor with the minimum possible layer.

Is reinforcement and insulation necessary?

The operating conditions of the floor can be completely different. If the layer thickness exceeds 40-50 mm, the coating may not tolerate thermal expansion and seasonal fluctuations of the building. With a 70-80 mm screed, the formation of cracks is almost guaranteed. While this is quite tolerable for linoleum and typesetting coverings, self-leveling compounds will reflect all the defects in the screed.

To strengthen the tie, use nylon or steel mesh with a cell of 30-60 mm and reinforced (welded) intersections. The synthetic mesh is tensioned using self-tapping screws screwed into the preparatory floor, or on thin knitting wire knitting needles secured in the bedding. It is also possible to lay the mesh in the newly poured mixture. Due to their high rigidity, steel reinforcing mesh can be placed on remote “chairs”.

Insulation of cement floors is also widely practiced. First of all, when the screed is used as an accumulating layer for a heated floor. Thermal insulation performed using materials that are resistant to uniform compression: slabs of foamed polystyrene and polyurethane. The thickness of the screed must be at least 30 mm with mandatory synthetic reinforcement. When laying insulation on a bedding, preliminary leveling with washed sand is required at a layer of 50-70 mm.

Work order

The first step before pouring is to eliminate absolutely all gaps and crevices through which water can leak. Hollow slabs ceilings promise another danger: water may flow into them and not flow out from below. A damp ceiling and a swelling floor are guaranteed in the next six months; damage to the electrical network laid inside the voids is possible.

Even a private developer needs to do waterproofing: the rapid outflow of water from the mass does not allow the hydration of the cement in the mixture to complete, which is why the floor will not gain the necessary strength. Controversial issue about screeding over the bulk layer: how to prevent seepage in this case? Here it is necessary to fill in two layers with a time interval of at least 24 hours. The first layer is poured directly onto the bedding, although more and more often it is first covered with geotextiles so that the water does not carry away the cement. The top layer will then have time to form normally, and the residual flow of laitance will strengthen the underlying masses. The second version is also suitable for wooden floors: the cavity to be filled is covered with polyethylene film, hermetically sealed at the seams.

After the floor is sealed and waterproofed, lay out reinforcing mesh on remote supports. Next, we give a zero mark on the walls and install beacons. Pure alabaster should not be used here; it shrinks. Beacons can be quickly installed by mixing construction plaster into the solution of the freshly prepared batch. After applying small bumps on the floor, we lay the first strip of the lighthouse 10-15 cm from the wall and align it with the lacing. The second and subsequent stripes are installed in a rack or pinion pattern laser level, after laying every third beacon, the general plane is checked as a rule.

Usually pouring is carried out by two workers: one prepares the batch, and the other installs the next 2-3 beacons on the remains of the previously mixed mass.

Subfloor post-processing

When talking about the thickness of the screed, we always mean the final value after surface treatment. Depending on the floor covering, the floor can be processed differently, and the thickness can either decrease or increase within 0.5 mm.

The two most well-known processing methods are grinding and ironing. The first has the goal of getting rid of the top layer formed by the fine sand fraction and rare milk, which will wipe unevenly, squeak and dust. Sanding is carried out after the screed has dried for two weeks. Ironing, on the contrary, is carried out immediately after the sand concrete has set and its purpose is exactly the opposite - to strengthen the top layer.

If the surface of the screed will not be used, it is permissible not to perform such treatment. For laminate, parquet and other typeset coverings, it is better to soak the screed with a primer and then wash it thoroughly. The difference here is linoleum - the screed under it is impregnated with polyvinyl glue diluted 1:1.

In order to lay the tiles efficiently and evenly, grouting is done on top of the primed screed with an adhesive composition that will be used for tiling. This helps to smooth out the remaining unevenness, reduce the screed layer above the insulation to 20 mm using fiberglass facade mesh, and improve adhesion. After drying, the surface is treated with a grinding wheel to remove the “glaze” that prevents deep absorption of the tile adhesive.

Almost all floor coverings require a perfectly horizontal base underneath. Only in this case can a flat floor be made in the room. Even a wooden floor that does not seem to touch the base is easier to install on joists that rest on a plane without bumps. The main leveling element of the floor is still the screed. The recommendations that will be given below will help you make the surface suitable for finishing in any way. flooring material- from tiles to laminate.

Only on a perfectly flat horizontal base can a flat floor be made.

Preparatory stage

A strong and durable floor screed will only work if you properly prepare the surface for laying it. No matter how much you would like to skip this stage and simply stretch the solution over the old coating, you still have to remove it to the base. After this, all screed residues, debris and dust are removed. Possible cracks in the ceiling are sealed with a solution, and the surface itself is thoroughly dried. After this, waterproofing is placed on the slab.

So, to remove the old coating and prepare the base for the new one, you will need:

Floor leveling scheme with concrete screed.

• perforator;
• shovel;
• trowel or spatula;
• broom;
• cement-sand mortar.

Before laying the waterproofing material, the surface must be treated with antifungal compounds. They are applied to the ceiling with a brush or roller. After the impregnation has dried, the floor is primed.

The floor screed is installed after it is waterproofed. As a moisture-repellent membrane, you can use a dense plastic film And roll materials based on bitumen. Today there are also liquid mastics that can be applied to the floor in one or several layers. Polyethylene is placed on the base with an overlap on the walls. The height of the overlaps should slightly exceed the thickness of the future coating. Roofing felt is laid in the same way. The edges of adjacent sheets and film, and bitumen material must overlap each other. Polyethylene joints are covered with tape, and roofing felt joints are covered with bitumen. The waterproofing material is fixed to the wall so as not to interfere with further work. Now the floor screed will be protected from moisture, which without a membrane could destroy it from below.

Construction of a plane

Before making a floor screed, you need to create a horizon that will make it easier to fill. For this stage of surface leveling the following will be useful:

Guide for leveling the floor.

• hydraulic level;
• long ruler with level;
• painting cord;
• dowel-nails;
• alabaster or plaster;
• hammer drill;
• screwdriver;
• trowel;
• metal beacons;
• synthetic threads.

Now take the chalk and hydraulic level in your hand. Make a mark on the wall of the room near some corner. The point can be located at any height from the floor, as long as it is convenient for you to make the marking, but it is best to do it at a height of 1.5 m. Using a level, make another mark on the other side of the wall. In the same way, make markings on the remaining surfaces of the room. On walls over 3 m long it is better to apply more than 2 points. Adjacent marks on the walls are connected by lines marked with chalk-rubbed paint cord. You have got the so-called zero horizontal, starting from which you will create a floor plane.

Scheme of a poured leveling floor.

To do this, you need to take measurements of the distance from the line to the floor at regular intervals. In most cases, the ceiling height is different areas will vary. As a basis, take the smallest gap between the horizontal and the floor and subtract the value of the screed thickness from it. At this distance from the horizontal, make marks on the walls and draw lines with a cord. Drill holes along them, drive dowel nails into the walls and stretch the threads between the opposite surfaces. The result is a plane of the future floor.

Beacons are installed under the threads. The first and last profiles are placed 10-15 cm from the walls. The distance between the beacons should be 15-20 cm less than the length of the rule. The beacons are directed from the far wall to the door to the room. The profile is laid on slides of gypsum or alabaster diluted with water. The distance between the gypsum supports is 25-30 cm. If the lighthouse protrudes from the plane, then it is pressed into the hill with a construction ruler and level. Additional portions of mortar are applied to supports of insufficient height. Using a ruler with a level, applied along and between the beacons, the horizontal is checked again.

Filling and leveling the screed

The work must be carried out at a temperature of 15 to 25 ° C. It is advisable to complete the pouring of the ceiling at one time, otherwise cracks may appear in it later. In addition, the quality of the screed is affected by the uniformity of the solution composition. It is necessary to ensure that each batch is performed in exactly the same proportions as the first. To work you will need the following tools:

Floor leveling tools.

• shovel;
• rule;
• Master OK;
• grater;
• putty knife;
• pliers.

Pour the solution into the space between the wall and the first 2 profiles. Run the rule through the beacons. Pull the device towards you. The rule removes excess solution and forms flat surface. After leveling (after 20-30 minutes), the area can be rubbed with a trowel. Fill the next square to the right or left of the first. Continue moving towards the entrance, not forgetting to wipe down the leveled areas.

The screed is not ready yet.

After 2-3 days, the beacons should be removed from it, as there is a possibility of rust forming on them, which will come out over time.

To make the profile easier to remove, marks should be made on the walls when laying it. The beacons are pulled out using a scraper, which exposes the edge of the profile. Next, pliers or pliers come into play. The remaining cracks are sealed with a primer, after which it dries, they are filled with a solution. The mixture is leveled with the rest of the surface with a spatula. You should not remove the profile immediately after pouring the screed; this will have a more detrimental effect on its integrity.

After a month, the coating will be ready for laying tiles or wooden floors. The floor screed should be moistened with water for 3-5 days. In the first ten days, the solution should harden under a plastic film.

How to level a screed using self-leveling materials

Scheme for using a self-leveling mixture.

The mortar screed has already created a flat surface, ready for finishing many materials, but an ideal floor plane is achieved by laying a self-leveling floor. In addition, it will create a durable and strong moisture-proof film on the screed. In addition, it can serve both as floor covering and as a base for further finishing.

Still, the screed is subject to some shrinkage, so a self-leveling floor can correct this shortcoming. Before pouring it, the screed is primed to seal microcracks in the surface. Along the walls you need to lay an expansion compensator - a damper tape (it is removed after finishing the work, and the remaining groove is covered with sealant).

To Work with self-leveling floors necessary in the absence of drafts. Each layer of coating should not be thicker than 0.5 cm. Pouring a medium-thick mixture also begins from the area farthest from the door. The self-leveling floor is leveled with a squeegee. During pouring, air bubbles form in the solution. To get rid of them, before the mixture hardens, you should run it over the surface. needle roller. You can only step on self-leveling floors in shoes specially designed for this work.

A few hours after application, the self-leveling floor will harden. Complete hardening will be completed in 3-4 days.

The most versatile, durable and durable flooring option is a cement screed, which can withstand temperature changes and is resistant to moisture. To achieve excellent results, it is necessary to strictly follow the work technology.

Most often, the floor is leveled with the most popular, budget and in an accessible way- using cement and sand. A cement surface (as seen in the photo of the floor screed) is able to repel fats, acids and conducts heat well.

In order to economize budget resources and to be confident in the reliability of the work performed, many residential property owners wonder: how to make a floor screed with your own hands?

And this process is not fast, but quite accessible, even to a self-taught master.

What does the screed consist of?

This composition is quite easy to knead yourself, if you have the following components:

• water (2 parts);
• sand (3 parts);
• cement (1 part).

To make the screed as dense and reliable as possible, it is worth adding any adhesive substance - a plasticizer - to the solution. Adhesive compositions can be purchased at finished form at any hardware store.

A mortar of cement and sand can be placed on brick, concrete and stone. The solution is laid to a maximum thickness of 10 centimeters. If the layer is less than 3 centimeters, it is better to use a reinforcement method to avoid cracks.

Main types of cement screed

When screeding a floor in a house, different types are used, depending on the goal that needs to be achieved in the end:

• Screed using a floating structure with insulating layers.
• A screed that is connected to the surface of the wall and floor.
• Cement screed, independent of surface type.

Preparing for work

Before starting work with cement screed It is necessary to properly prepare the work surface. That is, you need to clean the floor in the room and carefully level it before work.

There is a situation when the screed is made directly onto the ground. In this case, it needs to be compacted properly, then pour in the bitumen mixture to make the screed smooth. If this is not done, then cracks may appear on the finished surface, as the base will sag over time.

The second step is installing beacons, that is, measuring the space of the room with a level and installing icons that correspond to the desired height. This ensures the floor is smooth and even.

Beacons help in the future to fill a perfectly flat surface without any problems. Most often, the posts are placed every 30 centimeters, then beacons - slats - are attached to them.

Until the very high level must be filled cement composition, while it is much easier to count required amount mortar for floor screeding in an apartment, that is, to avoid unnecessary unnecessary costs for materials.

Direct work on floor screed

If the surface is leveled by about 4 centimeters, it is better to make a tied screed. This way the filling will connect both the base of the surface and the wall of the room.

The composition of the solution itself should be moderately thick and flow freely (without lumps) just above the level of the beacons. This is necessary because as it dries further, the fill will settle a little.

To get rid of excess air (bubbles), after pouring it is necessary to compact the solution with a vibrating lath.

Note!

After 24 hours, you can remove the beacons, and carefully prime the traces left by them and wipe them with a solution.

There is a non-cohesive option for leveling the surface. The instructions on how to make this screed are not at all complicated, but you need to take into account that you will need to provide an even and moisture-resistant base. To avoid cracks in the layers, the use of primers and similar substances is not recommended.

Dry floor screed is the most quick way make the most even coating that can withstand a fairly large load and is suitable for rooms with increased traffic.

Dry screed can be made from the following materials:

• moisture-resistant drywall;
• moisture-resistant plywood;

Typically, a dry screed is made at a height of 3 to 5 centimeters, but, if necessary, it can be higher, but it will require reinforcement with an additional layer of slabs.

Note!

You will also need a dry filler - expanded clay, that is, special granules of fired clay that are light in weight.

For dry screed, profiles are used that are distributed one and a half meters apart from each other, strictly parallel, starting from the wall. Then the sheets are laid on a dry screed, starting strictly from the door.

The most traditional one is still concrete screed, which has been tested by experience and is used for finishing coatings and for the installation of warm floors. If necessary, then in this way it is easily possible to make any desired slope.

At self-screed floor, it is important to know that the room should not be heated during work, as the composition may not dry evenly!

Photo of do-it-yourself floor screeds

Note!

Regardless of the type of finishing floor covering, if the floor slabs have unevenness or a strong slope, they will have to be leveled. You can fill the floor screed with your own hands using cement or gypsum mortar or various slab materials(GVL, chipboard, OSB). Making it yourself in an apartment or cottage is not so difficult. The main thing is to observe building regulations and the instructions below, and be willing to do the work.