Wet floor screed: cement, concrete, self-leveling mixtures. Making a self-leveling floor screed Application to the surface

To ensure that when laying the floor the material lays tightly and without gaps, it is used self-leveling screed. It fills all the cracks and imperfections, providing a perfectly smooth surface. However, to obtain such a result, you should take into account some nuances when laying the bulk base. When laying parquet, tiles or laminate, a high-quality, even base is of paramount importance. One of the most popular self-leveling fillings today is self-leveling floor. It has proven itself to be inexpensive universal way get a perfectly smooth base for further work with expensive material.

General characteristics of self-leveling screed.

IN composition of the self-leveling screed includes modernized dry mixtures with the addition of special chemical impurities. This gives the solution the necessary elasticity and ensures easy filling of the floor surface with the mixture. At the same time, to work with a self-leveling screed, standard tools that can be purchased at every hardware store. Filling a self-leveling screed does not require special skills; a beginner amateur who has minimal skills and knows how to work with construction tools can easily cope with this task.

Can be used in any room where level differences are up to 30 mm. It is intended for final leveling floor surfaces, both in residential buildings and public institutions.

Provides perfect high-quality styling various floor coverings. And this, in turn, increases the service life of the flooring material several times. Parquet, laminate or other material laid on a perfectly flat base has no gaps, which prevents it from moving away from the base. Self-leveling screed technology is quite simple and does not require the participation of highly qualified specialists. All the work can be done with your own hands. It is enough to follow a few rules and adhere to the established recommendations of professionals.

Self-leveling flooring has a number of advantages:

• the operational period of the floor covering increases several times;
• self-leveling screed is easy to apply;
• perfectly ugly surface;
• low cost of bulk mixtures.

It is these qualities that make it possible to widely use poured floors for arranging private properties and public buildings.

Procedure for working with self-leveling floor.

Preparation of materials and necessary tools

Any construction process begins with the preparation of working equipment, materials and auxiliary equipment. For a self-leveling screed you will need:

• primer;
• dry mixture;
• container for mixing components;
• drill;
• roller for applying primer;
• needle roller to remove air bubbles from the mixture.

In the case where the self-leveling screed is poured onto an epoxy base, highly specialized polymer materials are used. The modern market offers a huge selection of various polymer fillers, the cost of which is determined by a wide price range.

Compositions of epoxy self-leveling floors.

Preparing the base for pouring.

Quality of self-leveling floor largely depends on careful surface preparation. The main preparation criteria are that the surface must be perfectly clean, dry and durable. It is necessary to eliminate deep flaws, chips and other construction defects using putty, and thoroughly clean the floor of debris and dust. To ensure reliable adhesion between the floor and the base of the filling mixture, the surface is treated with a special primer.

Self-leveling floor tends to change in volume upon drying. Therefore, you should avoid sticking the filling mixture to the walls. To do this, a special edge tape is glued along the perimeter of the room to the bottom of the wall. This prevents the screed base from cracking when drying.

To prepare the bulk mixture All components are poured into a clean container and filled with the specified amount of water. Using a special mixer, which can be used as a drill with a special attachment, mixing is carried out until a homogeneous solution of the required creamy consistency is obtained.

Waterproofing of self-leveling screed.

With the help of waterproofing, the screed provides additional resistance to the destructive effects of precipitation, protects it from cracking and provides additional stability during operation. Waterproofing is carried out on the surface before pouring the self-leveling floor.

Self-leveling floor application technology.

In order for the self-leveling floor to have the most even surface possible, the time between new portions of the solution should be minimized. To do this, it is better to fill the floor, working with a partner, who will mix a new portion of the solution as needed. This will avoid joints between sections self-leveling surface, making it smooth from beginning to end of the room.

Self-leveling floor technology.

Subsequent work can be carried out following the recommendations of the mixture manufacturer. Approximate period hardening of self-leveling floor lasts about a day, after which you can start painting or priming. However, if the manufacturer has specified a slightly longer period, it should be maintained to avoid coating defects.

The subsequent laying of the finishing floor covering can be carried out no earlier than two weeks later, when the screed has completely dried and shrinks. As a covering, you can use not only traditional laminate, tiles or parquet. The modern construction industry offers new polymer flooring products, and even three-dimensional floors. Special coloring compounds are also widely used, which the modern market offers in a wide range.

A major renovation of any residential space begins with the renovation of the floor. An old concrete floor is usually a depressing sight. Height changes, potholes, chips, cracks... You cannot lay a new coating on such a base. How to fix this?

The traditional solution is a cement-sand screed. It has a number of significant disadvantages: high consumption of material, leveling it is very difficult without skills and experience, concrete hardening takes at least a month. It is much easier and faster to use a modern self-leveling screed - start finishing It will be possible the next day.

Self-leveling screed is a method of leveling the floor, which involves the use of a special mixture. Its composition includes not only the main substance (cement, gypsum) and binder (sand), but also glue and plasticizers, thanks to which the mixture becomes much more plastic than ordinary concrete. It acquires the ability to independently fill in the defects of the main coating and spread over the entire area of ​​the room. If necessary, it can be supplemented with pigments and become a decorative coating.

IN different conditions operation, one of several types of self-leveling mixtures can be used. The choice must be made based on the following factors:

• indoor humidity;
• likelihood of direct contact with moisture;
• Is the floor required to be resistant to aggressive chemicals?
• Will it be laid on top of the screed? decorative coating;
• type of base;
• the need to give the floor additional properties - noise absorption, thermal insulation, anti-slip.

There are not many types of mixtures for screed - it will not be difficult to choose. They are classified based on the variety of constituent components:

• Cement. The cheapest and weakest option, most often used as a primer. If you need to create a full-fledged screed, it is better to supplement the cement with acrylic. In this case, it will be durable, frost-resistant and undemanding to the properties of the base. However, like ordinary concrete, cement screed It will take several weeks to gain strength.
• Plaster. It is stronger than cement, does not require preliminary leveling of the base, and conducts heat well. Eco-friendly. It can be of any thickness and is perfect for underfloor heating systems. The base must be dry, since gypsum absorbs moisture very well.
• Epoxy. The screed is durable and resistant to chemicals, but does not withstand abrasion. May crack when hit with heavy objects.
• Polyurethane. Best suited for industrial and commercial premises. Resistant to all types mechanical impact, changes in temperature, humidity. Long service life. The main disadvantages are demands on the condition of the foundation and high cost.

Pros and cons of this alignment method

Self-leveling screed has many advantages:

• Easy to use. The dry mixture just needs to be diluted with water, stirred and poured onto the floor. It will spread on its own and create a perfectly flat and smooth surface.
• Fast drying. You can walk on the screed within a few hours after pouring; it gains full strength in just a day.
• High strength, resistance to the most different types influences.
• No shrinkage.
• Minimum screed thickness – 5 mm.

It also has disadvantages:

• The base must be prepared - cracks sealed, dust and debris removed, surface dried.
• It is very difficult to remove a failed screed.
• Relatively high cost.
• Toxicity. Plasticizers can release health hazards into the air chemical compounds, therefore, during drying, the room must be well ventilated, and work must be done with the mandatory use of personal protective equipment.

Characteristics, manufacturers, approximate price

One of the main properties of the screed in question is the smoothness of the resulting surface. It is ensured by the use of fillers having dimensions of no more than 260 microns. They are bound by plaster or cement. Additional properties - elasticity, fluidity, ability to adhere to the base - are imparted by various plasticizers. They can be polymers or minerals. The exact composition depends on the manufacturer of the mixture, and technical specifications materials.

When choosing, you need to pay attention to the range of permissible screed thicknesses (for example, 3-60 mm), the time of initial strength gain, the possibility of use for outdoor work, strength (indicated in MPa).

Today's market for self-leveling mixtures is represented by the following manufacturers:

• Knauf(Knauf) is the undoubted leader. The basis of the product is high-strength gypsum mixtures with the addition of fine quartz sand, improving performance characteristics screeds – adhesion to the subfloor, abrasion resistance. Price - approximately 220 rubles. per package 20 kg.
• Vetonit. Mixtures based on cement and limestone can be used to create a floor finish. Screed thickness – up to 5 mm. High strength and wear resistance. The initial strength gain takes only 3 hours. Consumption – 1.5 kg/m 2 /mm screed. Price - 360 rub. per bag 25 kg.
• Ceresit. Ceresit mixtures are suitable for making screeds on any base and under any finishing coating. Suitable for heated floors. A dry base is required. Screed thickness – up to 60 mm. Fast drying. Price - 400 rub. per bag 25 kg.
• Bolars. The mixtures differ in that with their use it is possible to create a heat and sound insulating screed. Price - 300 rub. for 25 kg.

Calculation of material quantity

You can calculate the required amount of mixture using the consumption information provided by the manufacturer. The mass of the mixture required to form a screed 1 mm thick is indicated. For example, if the packaging indicates a consumption of 1.5 kg per m2, then to form a screed 5 mm thick in a room of 10 m2 you will need 1.5 * 10 * 5 = 75 kg of the mixture, or three bags.

Such a calculation will be fair only in ideal conditions– when the base of the floor does not have height differences. If the surface has depressions even after rough leveling, you should add a little mixture. Additionally, you need to take into account the volume of materials such as insulation and reinforcing mesh, if used.

Work order

Leveling the floor using this method is carried out in several stages:

1. Preparing the base. Cracks need to be repaired, the floor dried and cleaned. Then the primer is applied in two layers.
2. Preparation of the solution. The mixture must be diluted in accordance with the recipe specified by the manufacturer on the packaging of the material. In order for the mixture to be of high quality, it is necessary to maintain the room temperature within 15-30 degrees. You need to stir the poured mixture quickly, without lumps, so this should not be done manually, but using a drill with a spatula attachment.
3. The finished mixture is poured onto the floor surface. You should start from the far corner of the room, gradually moving towards the exit. If necessary, you can walk on wet screed in paintshoes - special shoes with spikes.
4. You need to go over the entire area with a needle roller to remove any air bubbles that have formed.
5. Then all that remains is to wait for the screed to gain strength. It is not recommended to overdry it, so you should protect the floor from exposure sun rays, heat sources, drafts.

If a self-leveling screed is formed in a large room, you do not need to make a lot of mixture at once. It will dry out very quickly, and the unused material will have to be thrown away. If you don’t have an assistant, you can work alone in sections - the screed has no shrinkage, so it dries with at different speeds the places will not differ in height.

In the following video you can clearly see how to work with such a mixture with your own hands:

How long does it take to dry?

Depending on the manufacturer and brand of the mixture, the initial strength gain may take 3-8 hours. After this period it will be possible to walk on the screed. You can apply the decorative coating in 1-2 days. The screed will reach its maximum strength (indicated on the packaging in MPa) in 28 days.

In a house under construction, everything must be done conscientiously so that a person feels comfortable and calm. In my opinion, the floor, as a structural element, plays one of the main roles. Therefore, in order to achieve a smooth and reliable floor, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the axioms of laying screed

A screed is one of the layers of the future floor, due to which a flat surface is achieved on which the floor covering is directly laid.

The concrete screed is designed to achieve greater strength of the floor, which after many years will be able to withstand the weight of not only furniture, but also industrial equipment.

There are two options for laying a concrete floor screed:

Dry floor screeds

It is considered a new way of leveling. It prevails because it is easy to style. When choosing this method, you will be spared the need to prepare solutions, for fear of “flying over” with the proportions of the components, and smoothing the surface for an incredibly long time. After completing the installation of such a screed, the floor is immediately ready to receive the finishing coating. Accordingly, you save significant time. They make a layer of all kinds of “dry” slabs, chipboard sheets, GVL, fine-grained expanded clay.

Liquid floor screeds

They are made using liquid mixtures, which turn to stone after a short time. When hardening, the cement screed will certainly shrink, so during the work do not forget about shrinkage joints, especially if the area covered by the screed is more than 30 m2, and the side length is more than 6 m. After the concrete screed has completely hardened, it is necessary to seal these seams so that the floor looks monolithic. A floor with such a screed is more durable.

Preparing floor screed

When making floor screeds, the main thing is to arrange the liquid mixtures so that chips and cracks, as well as elevations/depressions exceeding 2 millimeters, do not appear.

To decide on the materials for the screed, let’s find out the purpose of the room. In factories and workshops, the floor will become more reliable when used in concrete screed. Often used in apartments special mixtures, providing not only reliability, but also heat retention. They are rarely used in private homes because the floor always remains cold.

Currently, when making concrete screeds in residential buildings, preference is given to cement-sand mixtures. They are quite common, and purchasing them is not a problem. Usually this is a bag of powder gray, which is diluted just before starting work.

Before using the mixtures directly, prepare the surface. The quality of preparation depends on what will play the role of the floor covering. If you plan to lay tiles on the floor, there is no need for a screed at all.

Choosing a floor screed

When choosing a floor screed, carefully read the product description given by the manufacturer on the mixture packaging. Pay attention to such points as the method of diluting the mixture, room temperature, humidity, drying time.

Unlike concrete structure, a self-leveling floor screed does not need beacons when pouring and leveling the surface after hardening. Only one category of dry mixtures has self-leveling properties - self-leveling flooring.

For floor screeds, a budget mineral self-leveling floor based on gypsum and cement is usually used.

At the initial stage, an individual developer needs to decide on the terminology:

• in the regulatory documentation of a joint venture, a screed is the layer under the floor covering;
• it is necessary for making slopes (bath, shower), camouflage engineering systems(electrical, underfloor heating pipes, cold water, hot water, heating or sewerage), insulation and sound insulation, leveling floor slabs or providing rigidity over a wooden subfloor;
• A self-leveling screed is made only from a self-leveling floor with gypsum or cement binder.

Budget gypsum self-leveling mixture.

Self-leveling self-leveling floors are chosen by individual developers because of the ease of making screeds (no need for beacons, drying time is much less than that of concrete).

To ensure that a self-leveling screed with your own hands lasts longer, when choosing a self-leveling floor, you should be guided by the table below:

Unlike concrete screeds a structure made from self-leveling mixtures can be brought to “zero” and not be reinforced.

Self-leveling screed technology

Due to the short life of the self-leveling floor solution, the preparation of the base must be completely completed before preparing the mixture. The volume was pre-calculated, bags of dry mixture were prepared in the required quantity and opened in the adjacent room.

If necessary, insulation, reinforcing mesh and the contours of a water-heated floor are installed. One room is filled at one time; the needle roller and paint pads must be prepared in advance.

Preparatory work

In order for self-leveling mixtures to have the resource declared by the manufacturer, it is necessary to prepare the base and determine the thickness of the layer. To do this, you must perform several operations in strict sequence:

To screed a self-leveling floor on a plank flooring of a subfloor, lining paper is spread on the surface with an overlap of strips of at least 8 cm.

The main problem during repair/redevelopment is the presence of partitions or false panels made of gypsum plasterboard:

• on the one hand, they are prohibited from being supported by ties;
• on the other hand, drywall loses strength when absorbing moisture, which is inevitably present in rooms with wet processes.

The frame of the partition from the profile is assembled before making the screed.

Therefore, it is recommended to build a frame from a galvanized profile for the false panel or partition as a whole. Sheathe it only at the lower level with gypsum board strips 20 - 30 cm high, install the rest of the drywall after completely dry screeds.

Preparing the mixture

To eliminate errors self-made self-leveling mixture has instructions for use on the packaging. It is recommended to use large containers, inside of which a bag of self-leveling floor will fit, taking into account required quantity whole water.

After adding the mixture to the water, initial mixing and settling (usually 5 - 15 minutes), the self-leveling floor is stirred again with a mixer.

Attention: If the volume of water is indicated incorrectly (found in little-known brands), it is necessary to calculate the proportions experimentally, ensuring a spreadability of 1:3. In this case, the solution from the cap of a 1.5 liter bottle poured onto glass should be three times the corresponding container size.

Surface application

Begin pouring the self-leveling mixture prepared according to the manufacturer’s instructions at the corner farthest from the door. Despite the fact that the solution spreads well under the influence of gravitational forces to a horizontal level, it is necessary to additionally level the thickness of the layer with a squeegee, spatula or rule.

Distribution of the mixture over the base.

Since the viability of the mixture is quite low, you should not delay applying it to the surface. Benchmark beacons are transferred to new areas after preliminary leveling of the solution, so they do not need to be purchased in large quantities.

Removing air

When mixing, a self-leveling floor inevitably dissolves air, which must be removed after leveling the mixture over the surface of the base. Otherwise, remaining bubbles will reduce the performance of the screed.

The operation is carried out with your own hands using a needle roller, which evenly rolls the entire poured surface of the structure. To walk on the liquid solution, paint shoes are used, attached with straps to the master's shoes.

Removing air with a roller.

When using the contact pouring method, the adhesion strength of the self-leveling self-leveling floor to the base should be more than 1.5 MPa. If the packaging indicates a lower value, you should not buy such a product. If the screed is made on a separating layer, the developer must pay attention to another characteristic of the dry mixture - compressive strength. According to the standards SP 29.13330, this parameter for the screed must be higher than 20 MPa.

Thus, when choosing a self-leveling floor for a self-leveling screed, it is necessary to take into account the amount of work, the type of finishing coating, the purpose and the humidity inside the room. Such materials are specially created to reduce labor costs and qualifications home handyman. Therefore, all work can be done on your own.

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When entering a room, the floor is the first thing we see after the doors. Therefore, there are always increased requirements for it, and for finishing they are used best materials. But no matter how high quality it is, uneven surface or insufficient floor stability will destroy the expected effect. Therefore, before carrying out decorative works, laying linoleum or carpet, ceramic tiles or even painting, the floor surface must be perfectly level and stable.

An old concrete or wooden floor can “come to life”, and potholes and chips can disappear thanks to modern fast-hardening plastic compounds. You no longer need to use old technologies and special preparations, forget about complex leveling and long term solidification. Now you can make a floor screed much faster without any special knowledge using a self-leveling mixture. All you need to do is strictly follow the manufacturer's recommendations.

The composition for a self-leveling floor screed is a set of specially selected components. When the mixture is diluted to a liquid state, it acquires the ability to spread, creating a completely smooth surface. This composition of the mixture components has the property of rapid hardening, creating the opportunity to resume construction work in a short time.

You will not need heavy construction equipment to carry out the work.

The advantages include high levels of hardness, wear resistance, as well as a complete absence of shrinkage. Since the layer thickness is small, use in buildings with low ceiling will not affect general feeling room height.

Scope of application of self-leveling screed

1. Preparation for finishing the floor. Used to remove defects rough coating, in which a thin layer of self-leveling screed from 2 to 25 mm in height is applied.
2. When installing floor waterproofing. It is used when the base is saturated with oils or other aggressive media, and when the base is wood covering. The thickness of this screed ranges from 25 to 60 mm.
3. When installing thermal insulation.
4. When creating warm floors. A self-leveling screed hides cables and water pipes of heated floors well, at the same time leveling the surface. The thickness of the layer directly depends on the height of the laid heating element, but the total height of the screed layer should not exceed 60 mm.

Types of mixtures for floor screed

Self-leveling mixtures can be roughly divided according to the main binding component or intended purpose.

Mainly when construction work The main component of the mixture for leveling floors is cement or gypsum. There are also polymer mixtures, but they have a special scope and purpose.

Cement

Cement-based mixtures other than cement and construction sand, contain polymer additives.

Plasticizers give the liquid mixture increased spreadability and increase the rate of hardening. The finished floor is characterized by a high strength index. The product can be used in any room, regardless of the level of air humidity. A thin coating layer of several millimeters is achieved using a cement-based screed.

Plaster

Included gypsum mixtures Cement is also included, but the main binding component is gypsum. Used for screeding in rooms with controlled air humidity. It is often used when leveling large differences in heights, when it is necessary to make a thick screed, sometimes the filling layer is up to 100 mm.

In terms of strength, gypsum screed is not inferior to cement screed, and taking into account the thickness of the layer, sometimes exceeds it.

Gypsum has high thermal conductivity, which is why it is actively used in the construction of heated floors.

Mixtures can be divided according to their intended purpose:

• for rough leveling. It is used for screeds with a very uneven base or large defects, and the thickness of the created layer can reach up to 10 mm. Can be used as a base for laying ceramic tiles or laminate;
• for fine leveling. Scope of application: finishing, perfect alignment. Usually done by pouring cement mixture onto the already leveled screed. The thickness of this coating is up to 5 mm. The quality of the finished floor is suitable for installation of all kinds of finishing and decorative coatings;
• for difficult bases. The composition of such mixtures includes reinforcing fibers and plasticizers with special properties, which give the screed additional properties: increased compressive strength, hydrophobicity, etc. Such compositions are used to install screeds on complex wood coverings, on a base with a separating layer.

Calculation of the amount of material

We calculate the amount of material

Calculation of the quantity of purchased material - the most important stage for a person who makes his own screed. Since the material is quite expensive, purchasing even an extra bag will be burdensome, and vice versa - an insufficient amount of prepared material will not allow the work to be completed, which means that the screed layer will not be monolithic and will lose the necessary quality characteristics.

Before purchasing, carefully analyze the market for the proposed mixtures; do not neglect to carefully read the instructions printed on the packaging or on the manufacturer’s website.

Although externally similar, the compositions have various purposes, characteristics, indicators of thickness, strength, consumption. Be sure to pay attention to the units of measurement in which the flow rate is indicated.

Mathematical calculation of the required amount of self-leveling screed can be carried out using the formula:

Material = Area * Average Thickness * Consumption * 100

Dividing the calculation result by the weight of one bag, we obtain the required amount of mixture in the bags. To correct the result, taking into account the “just in case” reserve, we multiply the resulting number by 5%. You don’t have to adjust the “margin” at all if you feel that your calculations for the required height of the applied layer are accurate.

For clarity, let's give an example. Let the room be 17 square meters. meters, and the average floor level should rise by 6 mm. Let us assume that the instructions on the packaging of the mixture indicate the material consumption - 14 kg per 1 sq. m. meter of area, and the package weight is 20 kg.

M = 17 * 0.006 * 14 * 100 = 142.8 kg

5% reserve = 7.14 kg

142.8 + 7.14 = 149.94 kg

149.94 / 20 = 7.497 ≈ 8 bags

This way you can calculate the amount of dry construction mixture in bags. Even with such a small area and thickness of the future coating, a lot of material will be needed, which is why special attention must be paid to careful measurement and calculation of the layer thickness.

Tools and materials

The specificity of the work on creating a screed is the continuity of the pouring process. The presence of all the required devices and tools will help ensure the speed and accuracy of actions.

A squeegee will be more convenient when distributing the solution, especially taking into account the possibility of adjusting the gap between the floor and the fill itself.

In addition to the dry mixture, you will also need some materials for the work. When the base for the screed is concrete, you will need a primer; if it is wooden, you will need an antiseptic. The damper tape laid around the perimeter of the room should be slightly wider than the height of the future floor.

Putty for eliminating defects during coating preparation; it must match the base coating. When screeding the base with a separating layer, waterproofing will be needed.

Preparing the base

Due to the small thickness of the screed, any foreign inclusions (shards of old concrete covering, wood chips, etc.) can ruin the whole job. The floor must be thoroughly cleaned of dust and washed from dirt. This will make it possible to see potholes, chips and cracks in the base. Loose surface particles should be removed.

If the basis is wooden surface(For example, parquet board), you need to check individual elements for rotting, wobbling, or falling out. All imperfections in the base surface must be corrected and sealed with putty or a solution of cement and sand.

Check the evenness of the base with a level; if there are significant deviations in height, level it as much as possible using the same materials. The smoother the floor is after preparation, the lower the cost of the base material.
When all defects have been eliminated, the floor needs to be cleaned and washed again. After drying, prime the surface taking into account the consumption indicated on the packaging.

If the primer is absorbed quickly, it means that the base has high porosity, so after the first primer layer has completely dried, apply a second one.

Process of applying the mixture

There is nothing complicated in this process; organization is important, since you need to work at a pace and without delays. It will be difficult for an untrained worker to cope with this task alone.

The whole process consists of repetitive actions: kneading, pouring, leveling. These steps are repeated several times until the entire surface is covered with a self-leveling solution. You only have 6-8 minutes between kneading and finishing leveling.

In detail it looks something like this:

Please note that the poured solution hardens quickly. If you work without an assistant, the constant lack of time will lead to the fact that your solution will not have time to mature or you will not have enough time to properly level the poured mixture over the surface. If there is a delay, when part of the surface has already hardened and fresh solution is poured nearby, sagging will form. Which will negatively affect the evenness and quality of the finished coating.

Video - Mixing and applying the solution

Video - Secrets of leveling floors with a self-leveling mixture