Change the floor in the apartment. Replacing wood flooring with concrete. Replacing a wooden floor with a concrete one. Surface preparation and tiling

How to replace an old wooden floor in the kitchen with an alternative tile

In some old apartments, it is still preserved, which already creaks, fails, and is rather tired of the owners. The best way out is to replace it with a tiled one. This coating is more practical, durable, modern.

The tile is very well suited for the kitchen, there are many of its types, shades, you can create many patterns with it. Considering that tile is quite cheap and does not require much skill to lay on the floor, it is a good replacement for an outdated and partially damaged wooden floor. There are several ways to do this substitution.

Preparing the surface for tiles without removing the wood coating

One way to replace the coating is to lay tiles on a wooden floor. To ensure sufficient quality of the tile coating, it is necessary. It is not recommended to fix it on the old base. This coverage will not last long. Therefore, between it and the new surface, you need to create a solid, rigid foundation.

But first you need to assess the condition of the wood flooring, and then proceed to prepare the foundation for the new floor.

Types of intermediate coatings

There are several ways to create a tile base.

Liquid glass coating

Then comes a layer of latex, on which a paint grid is laid, fixed with self-tapping screws.
After that, a solution is poured, consisting of two-fifths of liquid glass, the same amount of sand and one-fifth of water.
After drying, a primer is laid on this base.

Cement strainer

On a grid laid out on the floor up to half a centimeter thick. You can use a special one. Such a screed makes the floor very heavy. It is not recommended to do it on a loosely fitted wooden base. You can also use a fiberglass mesh, fixed with staples and a stapler, or by pressing it during the screed.
The dry mixture is mixed with water with a drill with a nozzle.
Then applied with a spatula, after drying, polished.
Not earlier than a day later, in possible places of deformation, the leveled layer is cut, filling these seams with a special elastic mixture.

Dry screed

When applying this technology, a coating of pressed gypsum with the addition of cellulose is laid on the waterproofing. This material is similar to drywall, but stronger than it.

In damp rooms, moisture-resistant modifications of the material are used, in addition to them, cement-bonded particle boards are used.

The plates are laid and fixed with self-tapping screws in a checkerboard pattern, ensuring that their borders do not line up. Moreover, they should not coincide with the cracks of the wooden coating.
Joints are filled with mastic or special glue.
Slots are made between the wall and this surface, sealed with mounting foam.
Then a special primer is applied to the prepared base.

Laying tiles on the prepared wooden floor

The general principle when laying tiles on any substrate is its needs. Taking into account the laying method, the joining of the elements to each other, the location, size of the plates and other factors, a detailed laying drawing is drawn up, thanks to which the amount of tiles and glue is calculated. This takes into account the fact that some of the materials will be cut due to compliance with a certain pattern. In addition, a small amount of tiles should be left in reserve in case of repair.

It is important to decide where the laying will start from. In large rooms that are not cluttered with furniture, equipment and other things, it is better to lay tiles from the center, while the pattern looks advantageous. In small rooms, only a small space near the door is usually free. Therefore, the pattern is selected exactly there, and in other places you can install tile trimmings.

In addition, it is necessary to decide on which option to lay the material - with or without seams. According to the second option, soft tiles are laid, since ceramic tiles located in this way can peel off when the house is deformed. In addition, it is impossible to bring the plates closer to the walls than half a centimeter. It is better to fill this gap with sealant.

To lay tiles on a wooden base you need:

special glue;
drill with a nozzle - for mixing liquid mixtures;
notched trowel;
level;
rubber mallet.

When laying the mixed adhesive with a spatula is laid out under the first row of tiles in an even layer. Each of the tiles is laid with pressure and compacted with a hammer. At the intersections of four tiles, plastic crosses are placed to keep the same seams. Each row is measured by level.

Laying ceramic tiles (video)

Dismantling the wooden floor

A complete replacement of a wooden floor with a tiled one begins with the removal of the plinth. To do this, you need: a nail puller and a screwdriver. PVC skirting boards are relatively easy to remove. Wooden plinth, nailed to the floor, is best removed starting from the corner. A screwdriver pry off the plank, then with a nail puller with a gasket placed under it to avoid damaging the walls, the entire baseboard is torn off.
The dismantling of the boards is carried out with the same nail puller, crowbar, pliers, or any saw or hacksaw. Boards are nailed to the joists. The first board, located against the wall, is hooked with a nail puller. The rest is removed with a crowbar, hammer and screwdriver. Pliers are needed to pull out bent nails. It is easier to dismantle a wooden floor with a circular saw. At the same time, cuts are made in the middle, pieces of boards are hooked with a crowbar.
The main thing in this case is not to get on the nail head. Boards fixed with self-tapping screws are first freed from fasteners with screwdrivers. After that, the logs are removed, sawing them, like boards, in the middle. If they go into the next room, then near the threshold they are drilled and carefully broken off.
The insulation is also removed and checked if it is suitable for reuse.

After dismantling the boardwalk, beacons are installed - guides that coincide with the horizontal markings along the perimeter of the walls, applied using a level.

Corners, tubes, bars on stands serve as beacons.

How to level a wooden floor (video)

Surface preparation and tiling

The space between the beacons is filled with expanded clay, not reaching their top by 5–10 cm. This is done so that the level of the new coating is the same as before.
Next, a liquid solution is poured, preventing the expanded clay from floating up.
After waiting for the solution to dry completely, make a screed, starting from the window.
The finished surface hardens for almost a month. At the same time, do not allow the top layer of the screed to dry out, spraying it with water as needed.

The tile is laid on a special glue.

The laying method is similar to laying out on a wooden base:

The glue is smeared with a layer of 3 mm with a trowel, leveling with a notched trowel.
Then they lay the tile, checking the correctness of this operation with a level.
Excess glue protruding in the seams is immediately removed, preventing it from drying out.
Plastic crosses are placed between the tiles.
After the glue has completely dried, a special grout solution is rubbed between the tiles with a rubber spatula.
When the surface is completely dry, remove traces of the mixture with a damp cloth and install skirting boards.

Replacing floors in a house or apartment is carried out for various reasons. The most common examples are the need to install sound and heat insulation, a decision was made to install a “warm” floor, there was a deformation of the coating, the boards began to creak or the humidity coming from the basement increased, just wanted something modern and new.

Be that as it may, you will have to do a huge job, consisting of several stages. A lot during material replacement depends on what material the old floors are made of and how you plan to see the new flooring. Moreover, you need to consider an additional function that would increase noise and heat insulation, as well as provide more reliable protection for the apartment.

So that the complexity of the upcoming work is not a surprise for you, you need to find out not only how much the replacement of floors costs, but also familiarize yourself with the main stages of the upcoming events.

Dismantling the floor

This process is one of the most annoying. But no matter how scary it may be, you simply can’t do without such an activity, and therefore you should boldly take up work.

If the old floor in the apartment is wooden, then there will be no great difficulties and problems with its dismantling. For work, you need to prepare all the necessary tools, such as a hammer with a nail puller, an ax, a pry bar, a screwdriver, an electric saw or an electric jigsaw for cutting old boards (if you do not plan to reuse them), a shovel and garbage bags.

How to dismantle the old wooden floor

First of all, you need to get rid of the skirting boards by removing them around the entire perimeter of the room, and only then can you start dismantling the boardwalk.

If you plan to re-lay the boards or use them as logs, then you need to remove them carefully, trying not to cause serious damage to them. Therefore, using a nail puller, carefully pull out all the nails. If the boards were fixed with self-tapping screws, then this process will not cause any difficulty - most often they can be unscrewed with a screwdriver.

If you do not plan to use the boards in the future, it is better to take them out of the apartment immediately. Do not collect a bunch of garbage, as it will interfere with subsequent actions. It is also worth doing with other elements that you definitely will not need for installation work.

Having freed up space, you can proceed to dismantle the lag. It is important to remember that they can be securely fastened to the floor, and they must be dismantled carefully, trying not to damage the base. Otherwise, you will add to yourself additional work and expenses that will be spent on sealing the holes that have formed.

When you free the room from the old coating, it is necessary to carry out its thorough cleaning, as far as the base allows, of course. After completing this procedure, you can begin preparing the floor for installation work.

Dismantling a wooden floor: video

Removing the concrete floor

Removal of old concrete pavement is done as a last resort, as it lends itself well to repair. Drastic measures are taken only if the old cement coating cannot be preserved. For example, it was constantly exposed to moisture without regular drying. In such a situation, mold and fungus could form in the concrete layers, which can cause health effects for residents - asthma, allergies, lung diseases, rhinitis, and others. Naturally, it is simply necessary to dismantle such a coating.

Another reason for dismantling is the low ceilings in the apartment. If you are going to install the floor with insulation, then be prepared for the fact that it will become higher, and the coating must be removed to make room for the sound and heat insulation structure.

If you plan to dispose of the screed, make sure it is placed on a concrete floor and proceed with extreme caution.

To remove the screed layer, it is better to use a perforator. With its help, its individual pieces are removed. Typically, such a layer leveling the slab is from 50 to 120 mm.

When the old screed is removed, you must also perform cleaning activities. However, in this embodiment, it is unlikely that it will be possible to make an ideal cleaning, but you will have to make every effort.

Preparatory work

In order for the new flooring to be laid qualitatively, it is necessary to bring the cleaned base from the old floor into proper condition.

Carefully remove all dust from the surface. This is done in order to detect serious flaws in the base (holes, cracks, crevices, areas of coloring or peeling, places where the concrete has been impregnated with certain compounds, or where traces of mold and dampness were visible).

If you find such, they must be well repaired, otherwise they may reduce the effect of sound and thermal insulation. This can be done with mounting foam, cement mortar or sealant. It is necessary to make a choice of repair materials, starting from the size of the damaged base. In case of mold or fungus formation, the base must be impregnated with special aseptic compounds.

Once the base is dry, the subsequent preparation steps are carried out, which will depend on what kind of flooring is being done instead of the old one. For this reason, these processes should be considered in conjunction with the installation of each type of floor.

But keep in mind that even if you are going to install a wooden floor instead of a dismantled screed, the surface will have to be leveled with a new concrete coating (small layer).

Making a new screed

You can make a new screed in different ways. If the base is more or less even, and a wooden coating is laid on top of it, then put it in perfect order by making a self-leveling floor. One of the best options would be to pour a self-leveling coating.

The bulk coating can hide small flaws or differences in the base. To do this, you need a ready-made dry mortar intended for self-leveling floors.

You can get acquainted with the technology of preparing the solution on the package, and it must be strictly followed. Next, the finished solution must be poured over the surface, then distributed with a wide spatula or doctor blade, and then pierced with a spiked roller to release the remaining air bubbles.

The leveled floor must be left to dry so that it gains strength. All compositions are characterized by their maturation period, depending on the components from which the building mixture is prepared.

Then on the leveled floor you can:

put a thin insulation and lay a decorative coating;

equip plywood flooring with laying a special film of infrared underfloor heating;

lay a wooden floor on the installed logs.

Screed with expanded clay insulation

The second type of screed is laid directly on expanded clay, which is a high-quality sound insulator and insulation. Moreover, the material is quite light, which means it will not make the interfloor floor heavier, which should be taken into account when performing a screed in an apartment. Moreover, the process of laying this screed is as follows.

If the screed is carried out on the first floor, located above the cold basement, then first of all, waterproofing is done. Its installation is carried out in various ways: cast, plaster, painting, pasting and others. It is applied not only on the floors, but also on the lower part of the walls, on a pre-primed surface.

A dense polyethylene film is laid on a pre-prepared waterproofed surface, extending 20 cm onto the walls. The sheets of the film must be glued to each other using a special adhesive tape.

Further, a damper tape is attached on top of the film around the perimeter of the room, which helps to keep the screed intact during strong temperature changes.

Further, beacons are installed on top of the film, aligned in level. Usually they are fixed on a concrete solution. At the same time, the height of the beacons must correspond to the height of the expanded claydite layer to be filled in + the planned thickness of the screed.

Further expanded clay is poured in a layer slightly below the installed beacons and is well leveled.

Then, a concrete solution is poured over the expanded clay, which is leveled on the top of the beacons.

When the screed dries, it will most likely settle a little, it can be finished with a thin layer of self-leveling floor.

Further on top of this design any decorative floor covering is laid.

Screed without insulation

An ordinary concrete mortar screed is produced to strengthen the floor for further wood flooring or on floors of an apartment building where insulation is not required.

A special damper tape is glued around the entire perimeter of the walls.

On top of the laid waterproofing film, it is necessary to lay a reinforcing mesh (fiberglass or metal), and then install beacons that are leveled in a horizontal plane.

Thus, the entire room is poured and leveled, after which the screed is left for 3-4 weeks, during which time it will harden and mature.

After it is ready, proceed with the installation of the log, insulation, and boardwalk.

Dry screed

Another option for arranging a new floor is a dry screed, which is perfect for a device in an apartment. She has proven herself well in that she does not have to knead the solution and breed a swamp in the dwelling. Dry screed floors are made in this way:

A dense polyethylene film is laid on the floors, which should be 5-10 cm on the wall (height margin). A board is installed in the doorway to limit spillage of the mixture. The flooring should fit as tightly as possible to the surface of the base.

Further, beacons made of even wooden beams or a metal profile are laid on the film. But in this version, the screeds cannot be fixed to the base, otherwise, after leveling the surface, the guides from the backfilled layer must be removed.

The beacons themselves must be leveled at the building level to a flat horizontal plane.

The next step is pouring the filler onto the film. Its layer should have a greater height (by several millimeters) compared to the installed beacons.

With the help of the rule, the dry filler is leveled, focusing on the beacons.

The last stage is the laying of gypsum-fiber boards with docking interlocks. Glue is applied to them, after which the next panel is laid. This is done in such a way that the lock parts fit perfectly. The plates are additionally fastened in these places with the help of self-tapping screws.

The finished floor is made using a decorative coating, the choice of which depends on your personal preferences.

Wooden floor

The floor, made of plywood or tongue-and-groove boards, is installed on a prepared screed. Moreover, it can be laid directly on a concrete base or laid on logs.

The most popular among these options is the first one, because it has many advantages. For example, between the lags it is possible to lay sound insulation and insulation. Moreover, the surface is raised above the concrete, which in turn adds an insulating effect. Another advantage is that the lags add more rigidity to the coating, and it becomes more reliable. Floors on logs or bars are installed in several stages:

Before fixing the logs, the layout of the room is performed. The lines are beaten off with a colored stretched twine. The distance between the lags should correspond to the width of the insulation material (in the case of mineral wool, it can be reduced by 30-50 mm, it will be much better).

Next, cut the logs of the required length. But it is important to remember that they should be at a distance from the wall, no less than the thickness of the insulation. As a rule, mineral wool is used for insulation - when using low-quality polystyrene foam in closed residential areas, the atmosphere will not be so environmentally friendly.

The distance between the lag racks, which are fixed to the floor, should be within 40-50 cm. The level of the future floor can be brought to a horizontal plane by adjusting the height of the racks.

At the end of this work, you need to lay the insulation. First, this must be done between the wall and the logs, around the entire perimeter of the room, then lay it between the log bars.

The next step is to cover the entire structure with a special vapor barrier film - it should be fixed to the logs with a stapler.

Boarding is the most important process. Starting floorboards should be 5-7 mm from the wall, which will provide ventilation and compensation for linear expansion from increased humidity or thermal changes in the room.

If you plan to lay plywood on logs, then provide a joint between two sheets so that it falls in the middle of the log bar. You need to calculate the size of the plywood. For surface rigidity, the sheets must be fastened according to the brickwork system, namely with a shift of the next one by half the sheet.

Updating or replacing an old, worn floor in an apartment is one of the most time-consuming operations in the overall renovation process. Just imagining all the scale and cost of the future, many homeowners very often refuse to repair the floors, limiting themselves only to changing the decorative coating on them. But time takes its toll, and sooner or later the moment comes when it becomes simply impossible to delay such work.

In this case, it is not at all necessary to immediately look for a team of craftsmen - especially since in such a service sector one can often meet frank "hacks". As a result, everything can result in a completely unnecessary waste of time, nerves and money with a low-quality result. Why not try doing it yourself? If the owner has certain skills in general construction work, and if he does it in the apartment with his own hands in stages, in compliance with the recommended technological rules, then everything should work out!

The stages of repair, of course, depend on the type of floors, their initial condition, the purpose of the premises in which the work is being carried out, and the type of finish. In this publication, several of the most common options will be considered.

The initial stage is to decide on the scope of work

Since the owner of the apartment is thinking about repairing the floor, then, most likely, there are motivating reasons for this, unless, of course, this is a cosmetic replacement of the coating due to another whim of the wife. Therefore, first you need to identify and clearly formulate problems - the whole scale of further preparatory and repair work will depend on this.

This publication is about a city apartment, and in the vast majority of multi-storey buildings, any floor has a base in the form of a reinforced concrete floor slab. But here the further design can already differ significantly. The floor can be arranged on logs fixed to the base, or laid directly on a concrete screed.

The wooden floor on the logs usually begins to show its defects with a creak, instability of the coating - the floorboards “play” underfoot, the appearance of an unpleasant smell of rot, the formation and gradual expansion of cracks. Even worse, if suddenly one of the boards cracks or its fragment falls down.

The dilapidated wooden floor reminds of itself with a creak and "playing" boards

The old screed, on which the coating is laid, from “old age” can also begin to present surprises, especially if it was once filled with poor quality. So, the appearance of obvious squeaks and rustling from sand or small pebbles, the “floundering” of the screed, the appearance of washed out areas of the surface, the violation of the evenness of the finish coating, and sometimes the obvious instability of the whole large fragment are also not excluded.

In any case, if there are obvious defects, remove the old coating.

Removing the old coating

All furniture will need to be removed from the room, completely freeing it for further work. If the repair is not carried out in the entire apartment at once, but from room to room, it will be necessary to provide protection against the spread of dust, for example, by covering the entrance with a curtain made of thick polyethylene film or a frequently damp cloth, and covering the gap under the door with a wet rag roller. True, the full effectiveness of this method is very doubtful, and the best option is to provide for the resettlement of family members for the duration of the repair. However, a dust barrier is necessary in any case.
Next, the old baseboards are removed. Do this carefully so as not to damage the bottom of the walls to which they are attached. If the plinths are supposed to be used further, then they are numbered according to their location and temporarily removed.

If someone has not come across this case before, then we can remind you that the skirting boards are attached to the wall, and not to the floor surface, that is, you need to correctly direct the lever force. It will be easier if the skirting boards are fixed on self-tapping screws or on special brackets.

The next step is actually removing the old coating. There are several options here:

BUT. If the floor is covered with some kind of rolled material, then it is hooked on one of the sides and they try to carefully roll it into a roll - this will make it easier to take it out. In the event that the coating (for example, linoleum or carpet) was once laid without glue, directly on a concrete screed, this will not be difficult to do. You can first, to facilitate the action, make parallel cuts with a sharp construction knife, thereby dividing the entire canvas into several narrower tapes.

But often there are situations in which the old material departs along with the layers of the exfoliated screed. Then you will have to remove it fragmentarily and immediately take it out of the room along with pieces of concrete so that this construction debris does not interfere with further work.

It happens that once high-quality glued linoleum, when removed, begins to delaminate itself, leaving dried layers on the screed. In this case, you will have to work with a scraper (spatula), warming up these areas with a building hair dryer or moistening the old adhesive layer with a floor detergent solution.

B. More trouble can deliver the old "playing" parquet. If it is of no value, then its dies are sequentially removed, immediately loaded into bags, which are taken out as they are filled. If the parquet was once glued to bituminous mastic or organic-based glue, then the removal of individual dies or even entire fragments can be difficult. The "recipe" is the same - a scraper, a chisel and heating with a hair dryer.

AT. To remove the old tile, it is most convenient to use a puncher switched to chiseling mode with a chisel-shovel installed. If such a tool is not available, then everything is done manually, using a hammer and chisel.

G. When stripping a plank floor, the hardest part is probably picking up and separating the first floorboard. Further, when it will be possible to freely start the lever, the work will go faster. For work, you will need a nail puller with a long lever handle, a hammer, and pliers. You need to try to take out the nails carefully, without destroying the boards, since, quite possibly, this material will still serve for a new flooring after repairs or for making logs.

If the old coating was fastened with screws (self-tapping screws), then you can try to dismantle it with a screwdriver.

Well, if the plank coating is no longer of any value, then it will be most convenient to make cuts using a manual vertical circular (carefully and prudently so as not to hook the concrete base, not damage the logs and not “run into” a nail). After such a separation of long floorboards, their removal will be an easy task.

Is it worth removing the entire plank flooring if obvious defects were observed only in certain areas, and there are no plans to replace it with a different type of surface finish? Of course, you can limit yourself to only partial repairs - the replacement of worn or deteriorated parts. But experts unanimously advise - shoot everything completely. There is no guarantee that if the decay process manifested itself in one area of the floor, then it will not show itself in another in a year, or even earlier. It will be cheaper to renew the base and re-lay the floor, even using old material, than to return to such repairs again after a short period.

Foundation audit

After the floor covering is removed, it is necessary to carefully examine the base.

If there are logs left on the floor, and it is planned to re-lay the boardwalk, then you should carefully check the condition of these load-bearing elements and the supports on which they are installed. Log beams should not have areas of decomposition, rottenness, fungus damage - such parts are subject to mandatory replacement. Each lag is checked under load - it should not hang out, bend, creak, etc. If necessary, update the linings that hold the guide at the desired height.

If the state of the lag does not cause concern, then after a thorough cleaning in the spaces between them it will be possible to lay a new coating. Perhaps most old floorboards are fine for this. After such a bulkhead, the floor will stop creaking and gain the necessary stability. If required, thermal insulation material can be laid between the lags, which will also take on the role of a sound insulator.

However, on an old wooden floor, very often the logs themselves are quite worn out, and their repair is impossible or does not guarantee durability. In this case, they will have to be dismantled in order to subsequently install new ones. When removing the lag, remember that they can be firmly attached to the base base. It is necessary to exercise accuracy and discretion in order to prevent a strong destruction of the concrete base and not add unnecessary worries to restore it.

After removing the lag, the most thorough cleaning of the base of the floor is carried out so that you can proceed to the next steps.

In the event that, after removing the old topcoat, a concrete screed opens under it, it is most carefully examined. It must be assumed that the concrete is strong in itself, and repair of such a surface is optional.

The screed must be tapped - this will help to reveal areas of its delamination, which must be removed to a “healthy” base. The surface is checked for the presence of loose places, those where, due to a violation of the pouring technology, the solution did not gain strength or was eroded due to moisture. These areas also need to be cleaned.

It should not be left on the surface of large cracks - from here the process of destructuring of the base may continue. Slots and cracks lie cutting in breadth and depth of at least 10 - 15 mm, for subsequent repair.

Sometimes, after removing unstable sections of concrete, a generally unsightly picture opens up, such as, for example, as shown in the photograph. However, it is quite repairable.

After removing defective areas and cutting cracks, a thorough cleaning is carried out. It is best to use a powerful construction vacuum cleaner in this matter - by other means it is extremely difficult to clean the surface and the resulting cavities from small debris and dust.

Sometimes you have to resort to the complete dismantling of the entire screed to the floor slab. This can be caused by the extremely low quality of the coating, which is impractical to repair, but it is better to refill completely. Often, mold or fungus finds a “shelter” in a screed in damp rooms. Another option is when the floors require additional insulation and sound insulation, and the height of the ceilings and the dimensions of the doorways in the apartment will not allow raising the level of coverage (taking into account the thermal insulation layer and finishing). The same measure is resorted to when it is planned to make a wooden floor on logs instead of thin coatings.

A difficult, but often simply necessary operation is the complete removal of the old screed

Of course, the process of completely dismantling the screed using a jacking tool is very tedious, noisy and dusty, but no other way has yet been invented. This requires some care not to damage the concrete floor slab. The screed is cut off in separate pieces, which are immediately raked to the side with a shovel and packed in bags for export. It is not recommended to use even small fragments as a material for filling a new solution, since they will not enhance, but, on the contrary, worsen the quality.

After removing the old screed, a thorough cleaning of the surface is carried out - as described above.

Base surface repair

What was the floor was not planned in the future to the flooring, the concrete base under it must be put in order. So, poorly sealed seams between floor slabs, cracks along the perimeter of walls, potholes or cavities, etc. can be exposed.

Such repairs are necessary even if it is planned to fill in a new solution. The solution may not penetrate into these flaws, there will be air cavities that reduce the solidity of the coating and become the starting point for the destruction of the screed. This is all the more important and mandatory if the screed is to be poured onto a separating layer or onto a waterproofing film (floating screed).

All surface defects must be thoroughly cleaned, if necessary (for example, slab joints) cut, and then remove even the smallest crumbs and dust with a vacuum cleaner.

The next step is to surface thoroughly, at least twice, which is designed specifically for concrete.

Such treatment will significantly strengthen the surface, which is especially important when it is loose, increase the hydrophobic qualities, reduce the absorbency of concrete, and improve adhesion with repair compounds. They proceed to further work after the last applied layer of soil is completely absorbed and dried.

As a repair composition, you can use a conventional cement-sand mortar. However, it dries and gains the necessary strength for a long time, and it is better not to spare money for special repair compounds, also on a cement or epoxy basis.

The primed imperfections of the surfaces are filled as densely as possible with a repair compound, compared with the general level of the floor. To do this, you can use a regular spatula. Some repair compounds are sold in plastic tubes, and it will be more convenient to apply them using a construction syringe or a special “gun”.

If the defect is large in volume, then in some cases it is possible to resort to filling it with mounting foam. After it dries, the excess is cut off, and then this area is brought to the general surface level with a repair staff.

Repair "patches" are given time to completely solidify, in accordance with their instructions, after which you can trim the surface with sandpaper wrapped on a bar. Then it is recommended to walk again over the entire surface with a primer. If an increased absorption of the composition is noted at the repair sites, then primed twice in these areas.

After the soil has dried, the surface can be considered ready for further work.

Leveling screed

If the old screed or wooden floor was removed and the floor slab opened, then most likely its level is very far from the horizontal. The house shrunk over time, and even during its construction many years ago, builders could not really care about the strictly adjusted level of floors. So, what kind of floor was not planned to be done further, it is recommended to strengthen the base and at the same time level it with a screed. The thickness of this poured layer must be at least 30 mm at its highest point.

First of all, it is necessary to determine the magnitude of the difference, that is, to identify the peak, highest and lowest points of the surface and “break through” the zero level line. A system of beacons will be set at this mark.

To fill the screed, you can use the usual cement-sand mortar, which is prepared right at the place of work. Usually they proceed from the proportion of three parts of sand to one of M-400 cement - this ratio gives an optimal surface in terms of strength and wear resistance, on which any of their existing floor coverings can then be mounted.

Those novice builders who do not want to get involved in self-proportioning can be recommended to use ready-made building dry mixes. Their composition is already optimized for the screed, and it remains only to properly close it with water, in accordance with the attached instructions.

How many materials will be needed in one case or another? It all depends on the level of height difference at the extreme points, the planned minimum thickness of the screed, the area of \u200b\u200bthe room, and the characteristics of the solution.

Usually, on the packaging of dry building mixtures, their normalized consumption is indicated in kilograms per 1 square meter of the area to be poured with a layer thickness of 10 mm. Based on this, it is possible, by simple calculations, to determine the required amount of material.

To make it easier for readers, a calculator is provided that allows you to quickly and accurately make such calculations.

Often there is a need to replace floors. This procedure is costly in terms of time and finances, which requires a lot of work. Unfortunately, having done the work of poor quality once, efforts and money are invested to correct it. Our article will help you avoid mistakes and share tips on how to optimize coating repairs.

Typical reasons for changing floors.

House of the old age;
Ancient wooden boards;
Capital repairs;
Installation and installation of "warm floor";
Thermal and sound insulation;
High humidity;
Deformation and creaking of floorboards or lag.

The most difficult thing is to repair and change it in an old house. The boards there are dried up, and therefore difficult to remove.

Replacing a wooden floor with concrete in an apartment or house

If you decide to replace the floor yourself, then first you need to prepare. Save up a certain amount of money, buy the necessary tools and, if possible, find someone to help you. Boards must be purchased at a hardware store or at a trusted wholesale warehouse. Decorative, finishing coating can be anything: linoleum, parquet, laminate. During the repair of the tenants of the room should be relocated to another room.

Required tool:

Shovel;
a hammer;
nail puller;
axe;
screwdriver;
mount;
Grinder;
level.

How is dismantling carried out

Removing skirting boards around the perimeter of the room.
Raising old flooring. Use a nail puller to remove nails, and a screwdriver to remove screws, respectively. It is advisable not to reuse wooden boards; take them to a landfill or leave them for firewood.
Dismantling the lag. This step is available only if the space of the room is absolutely free. Logs must be removed carefully, they are often firmly attached to the rough base. Otherwise, you will waste time repairing the remaining damage.
Thorough cleaning. Remove all debris, notice the remnants of boards and other debris.

These steps helped you get ready to start your renovation. Now the room is free and clean, you can safely replace the boards in it.

Removing the concrete floor

The concrete floor is rarely removed. It is obligatory only if it is categorically worn and in poor condition. Also in the event that it will not be enough cosmetic repairs. As a rule, it can be repaired if the condition is only slightly different from the norm. It is necessary to remove it if the house has low ceilings, and the design project provides for thermal insulation. If you decide to remove the screed, then approach this procedure carefully. It is best to spend some amount of money to entrust the work to professionals and avoid damage to the flooring. After removal, cleaning and removal of construction debris is again needed.

Bringing the surface to the appropriate form.

Remove dust carefully. So you can notice defects: dents or cracks, if any. Pay attention to whether there is mold or dampness.
Repair the defects listed above. If you skip this step, then there is a risk of lowering sound and heat insulation. Use mounting foam or sealant for such purposes.
Let the rough finish dry. This is an important step, the violation of which can affect the quality of the coating.

New screed

The screed helps to even out the resulting flaws. For example, minor damage. With its help, the surface of the floor becomes smooth and even. A solution for its manufacture can be purchased at any hardware store. In the same place, the consultant will tell you which manufacturer and from which components it is best to choose in your case.

Application technique:

Prepare the mixture following the directions on the package.
Pour the mixture over the surface, level it with a spatula. With a needle roller, you can pierce the resulting film in order to remove excess air that has turned into bubbles.
Leave the filled surface to dry. She needs to be strong.

The drying time of the mixture depends on the components included in it. The expiration date is indicated on the package. On average, it is 7-30 days.

Screed advantages:

the possibility of laying insulation on a flat surface;
sheets of plywood can be applied;
the possibility of quick installation of a warm floor;
strong fixation of wooden boards on the logs.

Screed with expanded clay thermal insulation

It is used when replacing coatings in multi-storey buildings. However, it is also used in the repair of floors of cottages and private buildings. The reason for this is simple: a screed using expanded clay does not put pressure on the floors between floors. Installed as follows:

Waterproofing. This procedure is required when pouring on the first or basement floor. It is best to mount it with a plaster or cast method. The material should be placed not only on the floor, but also on pre-primed walls.
We cover the room with a dense plastic film. It should go onto the walls by about 17 cm. Pieces of material must be fixed with finishing tape.
Damper tape sticker. It is placed on top of the film. This method helps to protect the screed from damage due to temperature changes.
Location and installation of the same even level of beacons using a level. They are installed and fixed with a concrete solution. The height of the landmarks must correspond to the sum of the thicknesses of the screed and the expanded clay layer.
Spreading expanded clay. It should be placed just below the level of the installed beacons, and then leveled. Pour the concrete solution on top.
Pour the mixture into a thin layer. This step must be performed after the screed has dried.

A huge advantage of the work done will be the possibility of laying any decorative coating on the floor.

Pouring without subsequent insulation

This work is difficult and painstaking. It is performed according to the following principle:

Flooring film for waterproofing. It should be placed directly on the base.
Sticking damper tape.
Placement of reinforcement on material to protect against water.
Installation of beacons on top of the grid. Beacons are located on the corresponding level of the plane.
Pour concrete solution. You need to place it 1.5 - 2 cm higher than the landmark on the far wall. This is the distance that the fill will sag. During the laying of the mixture, you need to move only along the landmarks.
After leveling the entire floor surface, the screed must be left to dry. This takes 3.5 to 4 weeks. It all depends on the substances used to make the screed. Temperature and humidity are also important.
Log laying.
Heater placement.
Floor laying.

Dry screed installation

Dry screed is also a well-known method for leveling the surface. It is mainly used in multi-storey buildings. When using this method, it is not necessary to knead the solution in water. The floor using this technique is also installed in several stages.

Laying a plastic film in such a way that it captures up to 10 centimeters of the future coating. In this opening, it is necessary to mark the board so that the dry mixture does not crumble.
Installation of beacons made of wooden beams or metal. It is necessary to align the landmarks with a level.
Pour in the filler. In terms of level, it should be slightly higher than the installed beacons.
Leveling dry material.
Laying gypsum fiber boards with interlocking joints. The places of their connection must be treated with a composition of glue, it is also necessary to monitor the accuracy of joining the plates. In addition, fasten the blocks with self-tapping screws.
Installation of a decorative coating.

Do-it-yourself wooden floor replacement

Floor structures are installed on a pre-prepared screed. Let's talk about the correct replacement of the lag in the living room. The process takes several steps.

Room layout. For such purposes, a stretched strong thread or twine is used, which is painted in some kind of paint. Most often this happens blue. Installation is carried out in compliance with a certain distance between the lags. This distance should be equal to the width of the extension.
Cutting bars of appropriate sizes. Do not forget that the space between the wall and the laid bar should not exceed or be less than the thickness of the extension. Minvata helps for such purposes. We do not recommend the use of polystyrene foam. Its use adversely affects the body of the inhabitants of the room. May cause some illnesses.
Logs need to be fixed at the base. They need to be fixed on the concrete floor.
Do not forget to keep a distance of half a meter between the lags and their racks. The level is reached and adjusted by the instrument of the same name.
Insulation lining. Recall that the procedure is performed in 2 stages. First, between the lags and the wall along the perimeter of the room; after - between the installed bars.
Covering the structure with a film for vapor barrier. All this should be fixed with a construction stapler.
Creation of flooring from boards. First, the floorboards should be laid at a distance of up to 7 cm from the wall. So you can create a ventilation and compensation gap. It will come in handy in case of subsequent linear expansions. These occur due to fluctuating levels of humidity and temperature.
Fixing skirting boards over plank flooring. It should be fixed to the wall.
Watch the location of the junction of the sheets. it is necessary that they border approximately in the middle of the bar - the lag. Sheets of plywood are laid like bricks. This method helps to give additional rigidity to the structure.
Seal gaps after installation is complete. To do this, you should use putty. We remove the excess immediately, after complete drying, you can walk along the seams with a fine-grained sandpaper.
Installation of absolutely any floor covering. For example, linoleum, parquet or laminate.

If your house does not have a freight elevator or it does not exist at all, then take care of a person who will help deliver boards to your apartment. Of course, you can hire movers.

If you are not experienced in installing floors and you do not have an assistant, entrust the work to professionals. However, remember that here you will not need to spend money on the purchase of tools and the removal of construction debris. It depends only on you to purchase the necessary building material and control the work. This method will help you if the repair of the floors needs to be completed as soon as possible.

Calculate the time correctly. An inexperienced person, usually the owner of an apartment, spends a full day repairing floors in one room with an average area of 12 square meters. If the repair cannot last for a long time for some objective reasons, consider hiring at least a few workers who can help you.

In the event that you want to save on the purchase of flooring, choose linoleum. It will serve you for a long time. Linoleum corresponds to the price-quality ratio.

In general, replacing floors is a difficult and costly job. If you decide to do it yourself, then take your time. Invest in quality materials. It is better to pay a little more initially than to pay huge amounts of money later on for a future overhaul of the floor. If you decide to hire a team of workers, be sure to pay attention to the portfolio of work performed by the company. Also listen to reviews. Don't overpay for poor quality work. If you have any questions regarding the replacement of floors, you can consult with specialists in hardware stores when purchasing working material.

If you have any questions, or we have not covered any topic, write to us in the comments and our experts will prepare the relevant material.

The need to replace the elements of the flooring in the apartment may arise for various reasons. Regardless of why it was necessary to do a major overhaul, the amount of work to be huge. Replacing the floor in the apartment with your own hands is done in stages.

Reasons why you need to change gender

Reasons for flooring repairs may include:

the need for installation of heat and sound insulation;
making a decision regarding the arrangement of a "warm floor";
the appearance of creaking sounds when moving on the surface;
deformation of the wooden floor;
increasing the level of humidity in the air coming from the basement;
desire to change the interior of the apartment.

The list of works to be performed largely depends on the material of the old coating and the choice of a new type of floor surface. For example, dismantling tiles from the floor will not be so easy. In addition, it will be necessary to plan activities related to protecting the premises from dampness and improving heat and sound insulation.

Information on how to change the floor in an apartment with your own hands will help to plan in advance all stages of the implementation of the plan.

Removal of obsolete wood flooring

This process is the most time-consuming and unpleasant, but it is impossible to do without it.

When the old floor covering is wooden, then the following tools will need to be prepared for dismantling:

hammer with a nail puller;
hatchet;
mount;
screwdriver;
electric saw or electric jigsaw (they will be required for cutting old boards);
shovel;
trash bags.

Dismantling begins with the removal of skirting boards along the perimeter of the room.

If it is planned to re-lay the floorboards or the old boards will be used for the construction of lags, then they should be dismantled with the utmost care, trying to minimize damage. With a nail puller, you need to pull out previously hammered nails, and with a screwdriver - self-tapping screws.

When the removed wooden elements are no longer required, they should be removed from the apartment. After freeing up space, they begin to dismantle the log. Very often they are securely attached to the rough base, so they must be removed carefully so as not to damage the base. Otherwise, you will have to spend time sealing the resulting holes.

When the old coating is removed from the room, it is necessary to carry out a thorough cleaning in it. At the end of this procedure, you can begin preparing the floor for installation.

concrete floor cleaning process

The old concrete pavement is removed only as a last resort, as it can usually be repaired. A major overhaul of such a floor is done on the condition that it cannot be saved. For example, when the concrete base was regularly exposed to water and was not dried. During this time, fungus and other microorganisms that are harmful to human health began to multiply in the concrete structure. The coating in this state must be dismantled without fail.

Also, sometimes the concrete floor is removed if the apartment has low ceilings, and it is planned to equip the floor with thermal insulation, as a result of which it will be raised a certain distance. The old coating is removed and thus frees up space for the installation of an insulating structure.

When deciding to remove the screed, it must be remembered that it was mounted on an interfloor ceiling, and therefore it should be removed very carefully. The concrete layer is removed with a perforator, splitting it into separate fragments. Usually the height of the screed is 50-120 millimeters. After its dismantling, construction debris is cleaned.

Carrying out preparatory activities

Before laying a new floor covering, the base cleaned of old material must be brought into proper form:

Dust is removed from the surface to see if there are defects in the base, for example, cracks or crevices, areas with peeled or crumbled pieces. Also pay attention to the presence of traces of mold and dampness.
If the above flaws are found, they must be eliminated - otherwise the effect of thermal and sound insulation will be less. To do this, use a cement mortar, sealant or mounting foam. The choice of material depends on the extent of damage to the base. If a fungus or mold is found, the concrete is treated with impregnating antiseptics.
After the subfloor has dried, the list of further measures depends on the type of new floor surface.

Creating a new screed

There are several ways to make a new screed. When there are slight height differences on the rough base and it is planned to lay wooden floors in the apartment on it with your own hands, then its surface can be made perfect using a self-leveling coating such as in the photo. It is able to level minor defects and flaws on the base.

The technology for using a dry mix for a self-leveling floor is as follows:

The solution is made according to the instructions on the package.
The finished mixture is poured and then leveled over the surface with a wide spatula or doctor blade. In order to remove air bubbles from the solution, the coating material is pierced using a spiked roller.
The leveled floor surface is left for a while so that it dries and gains strength.

All materials have their own maturation period, which depends on the components that make up the dry building mix.

lay a thin layer of insulation and lay the finish on top of it;
put sheets of plywood and mount an infrared warm floor;
fix the wooden covering on the logs.

Screed plus expanded clay thermal insulation

A completely different version of the screed is used when it is poured onto expanded clay - a good heat and sound insulating bulk material (in more detail: ""). In addition, it is distinguished by its low weight and therefore its use will not exert a strong load on the interfloor ceilings.

This is a very important point in the arrangement of such screeds in the apartment, which are performed as follows:

When constructing a concrete layer on the lower floor, located above a cold basement, waterproofing is first done. It can be mounted in various ways, for example, cast, glued, plastered, etc. Waterproofing material must be placed both on the floor and on the lower part of the walls, treated in advance with a primer.
A dense polyethylene film is placed on the already prepared surface so that it extends 15-20 centimeters onto the walls. Pieces of material are fastened with special adhesive tape.
A damper tape is glued over the film along the perimeter of the room, which helps to keep the screed intact in case of temperature changes. See also: "".
On top of the waterproofing, they are placed and leveled according to the level of the beacon. Usually they are fixed with concrete mortar. The height of the landmarks must correspond to the sum of the thicknesses of the expanded clay layer and the screed.
Expanded clay is poured a little lower than the edges of the mounted beacons and leveled. Concrete solution is poured from above.
When the screed dries, it will sag a little and finally it can be poured with a thin layer of self-leveling compound.

On top of such a base, you can lay any kind of decorative coating.

Filling screed without insulation

The work is performed in the following sequence:

A waterproofing film is laid on the base, and a damper tape is glued around the perimeter of the walls.
Reinforcement (metal or fiberglass) is placed on the material for waterproofing, and beacons are mounted on top of the mesh, which must be set according to the level in the horizontal plane.
Concrete mortar is poured from the far wall above the landmarks by 1.5–2 centimeters. Laying the mixture is carried out by the rule, moving strictly along the guidelines.
In this way, the entire floor surface is leveled, after which the screed is left to harden - this will take up to 4 weeks (read also: "").
Then follows the installation of a log, laying insulation and flooring flooring.

Dry screed installation

Another way to level the base before changing the floor in the apartment is the so-called dry screed. This option of bringing the base is great for multi-story buildings. Its advantage is that there is no need to mix a solution containing water.

Equip the floor using a dry screed in stages:

A polyethylene film is laid on the surface of the base so that it captures the wall to the thickness of the future floor covering with a margin of 5-10 cm. A board is placed in the doorway, which should prevent the dry mixture from spilling out.
Beacons made of wooden beams or a metal profile are mounted on top of the film. Landmarks are leveled using the building level until a horizontal plane is obtained.
A filler is poured onto the film, the layer of which should be several centimeters thicker than the level of the mounted beacons.
Dry material is leveled according to the guidelines by the rule.
At the end of the process, GWP (gypsum fiber boards) with docking lock joints are laid. The mating points are treated with adhesive and the next panel is applied so that the locking elements dock evenly. Plates are additionally fastened with self-tapping screws.
A decorative coating is mounted on top of the prepared surface, depending on personal preference.

Wooden floor structures

The wooden floor in the apartment is being replaced with a pre-equipped screed. Flooring is done either on logs or directly on a concrete base.

Usually, property owners choose the first option, since it has many advantages. The fact is that it is possible to lay heat-insulating and noise-absorbing materials between the lags. In addition, the floor structure raised above the concrete enhances the insulating effect. Also, the logs give the flooring additional rigidity.

The lag in the apartment is being replaced in several stages:

After dismantling the old logs as described above, and arranging the screed, the installation of new bars begins.
First mark the room. For drawing lines, stretched twine, dyed blue, is used. Installation is done, observing the gap between the lags, which should correspond to the width of the insulation.
Then proceed to cutting the bars of the desired length. At the same time, one must not forget that they should be installed from the wall at a distance not less than the thickness of the insulation. Most often, mineral wool is used for these purposes. As for the use of expanded polystyrene in living rooms, low-quality products can adversely affect the health of residents.
During the next stage, the lags are fixed to the base. They can be fixed either on a concrete floor, or raised above it to a certain height using special studs or metal holders.
Between the racks of the logs attached to the concrete floor, a distance of 40 to 50 centimeters must be observed. By adjusting the height of the racks, the level of the mounted floor surface is brought to a horizontal plane.
Then the insulation is laid. First of all, this procedure is performed between the lags and the wall along the perimeter of the room and then between the bars.
At the next stage, the entire assembled structure is covered with a vapor barrier film, fixing it to the logs with a stapler.
Creating a flooring from boards is one of the most important processes. The first floorboards are laid at a distance of 5-7 millimeters from the wall, thereby creating a ventilation and compensation gap in case of linear expansions as a result of increased humidity or temperature changes in the room.
When the plank floor is laid, a plinth is attached on top of it. Fix it directly to the wall, and not to the wooden floorboards.
In the event that plywood was mounted on top of the logs, the joint of the two sheets should be located in such a way that it falls in the middle of the log bar. In order to give the surface additional rigidity, plywood sheets are fixed by analogy with bricklaying, shifting the next element by half the product.
After completing the laying of the material, it is necessary to seal the gaps between the sheets with putty, and after it has completely dried, the surface should be scraped off.
On plywood, you can mount different floor coverings, completing the design of the floor with the installation of skirting boards.

Often, a wooden floor is replaced with a concrete one in an apartment as a result of a decision to lay such a floor covering as tile, laminate, etc.

Self-dismantling and installation of the floor structure will help save a significant amount, since such services from professionals are expensive.