How to make a floor screed - you will find the answer to a similar question on this page. We will tell you and show you how to prepare the floor, select a solution and do all the work on forming the screed yourself. Photos and video materials will make the article more visual.
The screed is the most effective method creating a durable, flat surface for laminate, tiles.
There are several types of screeds, the most commonly used are:
- Beacon screed it is also called continuous or rough - the required space is filled with mortar and leveled using a tool;
- Self-leveling– the area is filled with liquid consistency compounds, which create a flat surface under their own weight.
Each type has its own implementation technology.
Preparing the floor surface
It is a mandatory step for both beacon screeds and self-leveling screeds. It is performed almost identically for both varieties.
The screed is made on a solid foundation. They can be served concrete plates or well compacted slag.
The old screed must be removed using a hammer drill (in the case of rough filling). The joints of the slabs are covered with mortar. It is an excellent material for this, as it provides waterproofing. The base under the screed is cleared of debris and dust.
If the screed is laid on wooden floor, then it is advisable to cover it with sheets of plywood or so that there are as few cracks as possible.
Only after preparatory work you can begin the main work.
Beacon screed technology
Beacons are necessary to create a flat screed surface; they are also called guides. For this purpose it is most often used plasterboard profile 27x28 mm. In order to enhance their rigidity, you can nest them one in one.
Installation of beacons
First of all, it is necessary to determine the zero level. This is the upper limit of the screed. It is needed to install beacons at the same level, regardless of the unevenness of the base.
The zero level is a strip along the perimeter of the room above the base level, which is drawn with chalk or beaten with a special construction thread. Displayed using a bubble or laser level.
Note. Both types of levels have the same accuracy. At the same time, it is much more convenient to work with laser. Using the beam, you can immediately hit the zero level along the entire length of the wall. Using the bubble variety is a more labor-intensive process that takes longer because it is necessary. At the same time, draw individual sections of the wall. The laser level is more expensive.
Installing Rail Supports
After determining the zero level, you can begin installing supports for the guides. Plastic choppers with self-tapping screws are perfect for this. The supports are installed in rows along the walls from the far corners of the room to the exit.
The distance between them should be 15-20 cm, but more is possible, it all depends on the length of the rule that will be used to level the solution. It should be no less in length than the distance between the guides. As you work, it will become clear how to do everything correctly. You can also watch the video for clarity.
Using a hammer drill, holes are made in the base where the supports are placed. The screw heads should be 10-15 cm apart from each other, at the same level as the line marked on the wall. Checking is carried out using a bubble or laser level.
If the base for the screed is not strong, you can place the beacons in piles of mortar.
After installing the beacons, the guides are placed on them with the edges down. They should slide freely along the screws, touching the surface with all the supports in the row. Now you can prepare the solution.
Selection and preparation of solution
The construction market today offers a huge number of screed mixtures. Most of them are already ready-made formulations, including all the necessary additives. They just need to be brought to the desired consistency with water. This is convenient and practical, but the cost of such mixtures is higher than that of conventional cement. This causes high financial costs, and the larger the screed layer, the more money will have to spend.
The optimal solution in this case would be a cement-sand mortar. It is the most practical and versatile. When dry it creates durable surface resistant to mechanical damage and moisture. And much cheaper than ready-made mixtures.
The thickness of the cement-sand mortar screed must be at least 3 cm. Otherwise, the structure of the screed may crack when drying.
Do not confuse brands of cement and ready solution. The grade of mortar is formed due to the proportion of cement and sand.
For example, with a ratio of 1 to 3 cement and sand, the result will be 150th solution provided that the cement is 400 grade, and a 1 to 1 ratio with the same brand of cement will give a 300 grade solution.
The preparation of the screed solution begins with mixing the components. This must be done carefully using a spatula or by hand. To improve the properties of the solution, a plasticizer can be used. It is added to the water prepared for mixing the solution. The required quantity is 200 g. Per 50 kg of cement. Taking into account water consumption 22 liters per bag.
It is necessary to add mixed sand and cement to water, and not vice versa. This avoids the appearance of lumps, which are difficult to break and reduce the quality of the solution.
When adding a cement-sand mixture to water, it is necessary to stir the resulting solution with a spatula or other tool. As a result, it should turn out thick. The consistency is checked by putting a heap of mortar on a spatula and placing it in a vertical position relative to the floor. It should remain on the spatula.
Solution consumption
Derived from the calculation of the area of the screed. Let's say it is 20 m. After this, you need to calculate the volume. To do this, you need to multiply the area by the height of the screed.
For example, it will be 5 cm: 20 m x 0.05 m = 1 m (centimeters are converted to meters).
If the ratio of cement to sand is 1:4, then 0.8 m of sand and 0.2 m of cement are required.
One 50 kg bag contains about 0.038 m3. But it is recommended to take an indicator of 0.03 m when calculating, since the volume of the starting material decreases when mixing the solution.
Theoretical calculations are a very conditional indicator. Practice shows that you need to add another fifth of it to the resulting data.
Laying the mortar
It is carried out by gradually filling the space from the base to the upper plane of the guides. It is immediately necessary to level the solution, generally away from the walls and towards the exit. This is done in such a way that the surface of the guides remains visible. After the solution has dried, they must be removed, and the cavities formed after them must be filled with the solution and leveled.
You can see more details about the process of pouring screed in a private house in the video.
Drying time
Depends on the set various factors, such as:
- Type of mortar used for screeding;
- Screed thickness;
- Air temperature and humidity in the room;
- Drafts, contact with straight screeds sun rays.
It should be noted right away that the cement-sand mortar takes a very long time to dry. On average, a 4 cm thick screed dries within a week - 7 days. Every centimeter above adds another week. This is provided that the temperature in the room is maintained from +20º to + 25º C, and the humidity will be 65%. Accordingly, as these indicators change, the drying time changes.
This is data that needs to be guided by, but it is not completely accurate. To obtain accurate indicators, there are special measuring instruments. But they are quite expensive and are used by specialists. It is not advisable to buy a device to monitor one screed.
Many people confuse the setting of the solution with its complete drying. In the first case, the structure becomes monolithic and durable, you can walk on it, but moisture remains in the solution and lay it on a screed finishing coating it is forbidden. Drying is considered to be the complete removal and evaporation of moisture, only after which you can continue to work.
Screed with self-leveling mixtures
Many experts do not consider this a screed at all. The reason is the small indicators of the minimum and maximum permissible layer from 0.5 to 1 cm. It is also believed that self-leveling mixtures are a finishing material in the apartment after the rough screed, which was discussed above.
Be that as it may, such a technology exists, it is associated with solutions and is carried out using a similar technology to the beacon screed, only a little simpler.
Surface preparation
Here, in addition to the classic one described at the beginning, there is the so-called protective or separating one. This is when it is necessary to make the layer of self-leveling mixture independent of the base. To do this, before pouring, it is necessary to lay polyethylene on the base, and lay damper tape near the walls.
Attention! If the finishing leveler layer is independent, its thickness can reach 20 - 30 mm.
When pouring on rough screed For self-leveling mixture, some experts recommend using a special primer. Others are opposed to its use. But practice shows that it is better to use it and, before starting work, coat the surface that will be filled.
Technological process
Screeding with a self-leveling mixture is carried out in the same technological sequence, which is the same as the draft, but only in a simplified version. There will be no need to install beacons or work with guides. You just need to determine the zero level. This is done in the same way as when screeding along beacons. A line is marked or stamped on the wall. This is much easier to do with a laser level. After this, you can start preparing the mixture and start pouring.
Material calculation
Everything is a little simpler here too. To determine the amount of self-leveling mixture required, you simply need to calculate the volume that needs to be poured. Manufacturers of mixtures indicate their consumption on the packaging, so calculations are much easier to carry out. This is also facilitated by the fact that the mixtures are already ready for use and do not need to be mixed with sand or other additives. Just mix with water and bring to the desired consistency..
It is difficult to talk about more or less accurate figures in terms of material consumption, since construction market Today, a huge number of manufacturers offer their products - self-leveling mixtures and their consumption rates vary.
Preparation of the solution
It should be liquid and easily pour out of the container in which it was mixed. The average water consumption when diluting the self-leveling mixture is 6 liters per 25 kg. It is better to bring it to a homogeneous liquid mass using a construction mixer.
Carrying out work
The finished solution must be poured evenly onto the surface until its level reaches the mark on the wall. In this case, there is no need to level anything; the mixture will level itself under the influence of gravity and its own weight. It is necessary to fill from the far corners to the exit. The result should be a mirror surface.
The self-leveling floor dries out, also called screed with self-leveling mixtures at the same optimal conditions from +20º to 25º C with humidity 65% for about 3 days.
In order for the laminate or linoleum to lay perfectly flat, the base for them should be made as smooth as possible, for which you need to learn how to do a professional finishing floor pour, the construction instructions for which are described in detail below. Why it is preferable to do it yourself is quite obvious. After all, this will mean considerable savings of money (which would otherwise be spent on paying for the work of craftsmen) and the acquisition of considerable experience.
Of course, the process of filling the floor can be entrusted to specialists. But many people strive to do and control everything on their own. The first thing you need to do before you start is to prepare everything necessary tools, as well as equipment, the availability of which is required by the technology for installing floor screed in an apartment.
Required Tools
By priority of application you will need: hydraulic level, pencil, tapping thread, tape measure. Also make sure that you have a cord, knitting wire, a stationery knife, wire cutters, a hammer drill and a screwdriver, usually a trowel and a grater, as well as a shovel on hand. Some of the work will be easier to do if you put on rubber boots, which you should think about in advance.
It is logical that, without building materials, the screed can only be made dry, poured old-fashioned method made of clay, which can be dug behind the house, and then covered with shields. However, this is not the best solution, so we stock up on the required amount of cement and sand. We calculate the mixture consumption by multiplying square meter(in centimeters) to the height of the fill, according to the standard volume formula. One part of the resulting figure is cement, 50 kilograms of which will require 15 liters of water, and another 4 parts are sand. For elasticity, 100-150 grams of liquid soap are added as a plasticizer for heated floor screed.
Add liquid soap for elasticity
And finally, the process itself. The role of the screed is not only to level the floor, it is necessary both to hide underfloor heating pipes and to create an additional layer of insulation or sound insulation in combination with a water barrier. There are different ones, and if you want to get a heat source by hiding pipes in the thickness of cement, in this case a floating one will be used. Simply put, it will not lie on a rigid base of the ceiling, but on a rather soft layer of thermal insulation (we take polystyrene foam boards with sufficient hardness), on top of which the pipes will be located.
The site’s site masters have prepared a special calculator for you. You can easily calculate required amount cement.
How to make a floor screed - sequence of actions
First and main process– measuring the premises, not purchasing building materials, because while you don’t know the scope of work, you don’t know how much cement or sand you will need. There are many stages of work ahead, and only after taking the first step will you know what numbers to use for screed components.
Master class floor screed - step by step diagram
Step 1: Defining the Horizon and Fill Level
When preparation for floor screed is completed, use a hydraulic level to find the horizon at a height of 1.5 meters, and use a chalk-covered tapping thread to make marking lines.
Then we use a tape measure to measure the distance to the base and find the point farthest from it and the closest to it, thereby determining the difference in levels in the room 
Based on the measurements, you can calculate how to properly fill the floor screed, as well as the amount of materials that will be required for it. is 40 millimeters. We complete the marking work by moving the markers down in the corners to the filling level and tapping new lines with a thread along which the new base surface will pass.
Step 2: Preparing the Base
The next stage, preparing the floor for the screed, will not require much labor if you plan to install a heating system in the room under the finishing coating.
The role of the substrate in this case will be assigned to the insulation, separated from the floor slab by film waterproofing. A reinforcing mesh is laid on top, and metal-plastic or metal-plastic or propylene pipes, recorded special fasteners. If you plan to pour a heated floor screed for a film electric heater directly onto the ceiling, it must be thoroughly cleaned and even washed.
Step 3: Installing beacons by level
Having achieved an acceptable condition of the base or insulation substrate with heating elements, it’s time to move on to installing beacons, without which installing a screed under a heated floor is impossible. To do this, we drive dowels 1-1.5 meters apart into two opposing walls along the line of the future screed, to which we tie a cord (possibly nylon).
Exactly along the strings stretched in one plane, lifting and lowering with the help of wooden wedges, we place parallel beacons made of a metal profile 20x40 millimeters at equal intervals (two at a distance of half a meter from the walls).
They are necessary so that the screed under the heated floor will subsequently be leveled against them.
Step 4: Fastening the beacons and installing a thermal seam
Since during the process of laying the solution the beacons can move and change their position in space, they should be carefully secured. Holes are drilled in the ceiling, into which a pair of screws are screwed on both sides of the profile, at a short distance from each end of the pipe and in the middle.
Then a binding wire is wound around the screws so that the beacon is firmly fixed in place.
All that remains is to make a thermal seam around the perimeter of the room, securing a belt of leftover insulation along the lower edge of the walls with liquid nails.
Step 5: Mixing the solution
So, beacons are placed around the room, the thermal joint is securely fixed, it’s time to start making the floor screed. For the solution, we take 50-kilogram bags of cement grade 400, no less, sand is sold by weight or by cubic meters, for work you will need 4 times more of it. Accordingly, in a large container, which can serve as old bath(it is better to use a compact mobile concrete mixer), mix cement and sand in proportions 1:4; When the composition becomes homogeneous, add water. The consistency should be like thick sour cream.
When adding a plasticizer, care should be taken; an overdose will slow down the hardening process of the composition.
Step 6: Filling and leveling with the rule
If you have prepared a water heating system in the form of pipes laid on insulation, laying a heated floor in a screed will not require any special technology.
We make sure that a small portion of the solution, placed on a flat place, floats slightly, but does not spread like liquid, that is, it corresponds to the proper degree of density. Then we simply fill the area between the wall opposite the door and the second beacon from it with the mixture (the first one should hide under the solution).
Level the solution using a shovel.
Leveling the solution
Using the rule, we finally bring the mixture to the level of the beacons.
Step 7: The nuances of leveling and removing voids
For those who are not confident in their abilities, it is advisable to watch in advance a training video on how to properly make a rough floor screed with your own hands; the video will tell you a simple way to achieve the desired result without flaws.
For example, few beginners know that when working with the rule, it is advisable to level the solution so that it is slightly higher than the beacons, then after shrinkage it will be level with them. If you have a heating system, it is extremely possible to screed a floor without voids. simple method– it is enough to slightly support the reinforcing mesh so that the mixture covers it and the pipes from all sides.
Step 8: Leveling with a rule after hardening
When cement mortar will cover the entire area of the room, you usually have to work by walking directly on the liquid mixture, for which, in fact, you need to prepare rubber boots before laying the screed on the floor.
Then all that remains is to wait for the filling to harden enough to move around on it. As a rule, the drying time of the floor screed takes at least two weeks, during which you need to regularly moisten the surface with water every other day. After the cement has hardened, you should take the rule and remove it by scraping. upper layer to the lighthouses, collecting the excess in a bucket.
Step 9: Removing beacons from hardened cement
The video will best tell you how to complete the floor screed, but there is nothing complicated about it, and often only instructions are enough. After the surface has become smoother and the beacons have appeared from under the layer of mortar, take a spatula and carefully cut through the thickness of the fill on both sides of the profiles.
Then we cut the binding wire with wire cutters and remove the pipes, tapping them with a hammer in the process to avoid lifting the stuck layers.
Pipe extraction surface
To do this, add a little fresh cement and water to the scraped solution, which is placed in a bucket, mix thoroughly and fill the grooves from the profile pipes with the mixture.
When the remnants of the cement-sand mixture are removed, all we have left is to grout the floor screed.
It is made using a grater and water. We start from the far corner of the room, lightly moistening the fill with water and carefully smoothing the surface with a grater.
After finishing the “polishing”, when the base takes the proper form that you wanted, use a utility knife to cut off the excess thermal seam flush with the surface, the rest will subsequently be hidden under the baseboards. Now the work has been successfully completed and you can move on to the next room.
The most important and most responsible stage repair work is a floor screed in an apartment. The reliability and durability of the finishing floor covering depends on the quality of workmanship. The work is complicated by the fact that the floor slabs are laid with a smooth surface in the direction of the ceiling located below the apartment, and the side with numerous irregularities has to be used as a floor. It is often possible to hide and level out existing defects only with the help of a screed.
Types of screeds used in apartments
There are several methods of screeding, used in certain conditions, each of them has advantages and disadvantages
Dry screed
For this type of screed, gypsum fiber boards with a waterproofing surface are used, which can be replaced with chipboard or waterproof plywood. The backfill will be made with burnt perlite, expanded clay, metallurgical slag, and vermiculite.
It is advisable to install a dry floor screed:
- If it is necessary to carry out repairs in a short time and there is no time for filling wet screed.
- During restoration or major repairs of buildings with floors not intended for significant loads.
- At negative temperatures.
- For heated floors on wooden floors.
- In office complexes, residential buildings individual development.
It has a high degree of fire safety, which is due to the use of only non-combustible materials. In addition, the coating is characterized by numerous advantages:
- high heat and sound insulation;
- does not emit toxic fumes;
- does not create additional load on the slab, which is important when choosing a method of pouring screed in Khrushchev-era buildings;
- convenient for installing home communication systems (laying cables, wires, etc.);
- withstands distributed loads up to 1000 kg/m2.
Besides obvious advantages, this type of screed also has its disadvantages:
- the formation of a large amount of dust, therefore during installation it is necessary to provide respiratory protection - the use of a respirator or a cotton-gauze bandage is mandatory;
- hydrophobia of the finished coating, which excludes the use of dry screed for rooms with high humidity;
- Floor screed material is quite expensive.
Wet
The screeding method got its name due to the fact that the mixture being poured contains water. In addition, the composition includes finely sifted sand and cement of a grade not lower than M200.
Wet screed has the following advantages:
- high mechanical strength, abrasion resistance, low dust formation;
- low cost due to the use of inexpensive components;
- possibility of laying communications (electrical networks, “warm floor” systems);
- the ability to create layers of significant thickness if it is necessary to remove the level.
Wet screed is a popular method of installing smooth surfaces under the finished flooring laid in apartments or individual houses, despite some disadvantages. These include:
- long curing time is about 4-6 weeks;
- formation of a large amount of dirt;
- significant weight of the screed;
- inevitable shrinkage of the coating;
- high labor intensity of work.
Self-leveling
A modern method of obtaining a flat surface for laying the face covering. The compositions are made based on polymers or sand and cement with the addition of polymer ingredients.
The specificity of self-leveling floors lies in their ability to spread evenly under the influence of gravity thin layer. At the same time, all unevenness of the floor is eliminated, creating a flat horizontal surface.
When installing a self-leveling floor, due to its high fluidity, it is not necessary to assist the spread of the mixture along the base. All that is required is rolling with a spiked roller to displace air bubbles from the solution. The thickness of the coating is 35-100 mm.
Most often, such floors, due to their perfectly flat surface, are not installed as a separate screed, but as an additional covering laid on a concrete base.
Which screed is better?
To decide on the appropriate type of subfloor for a particular room, you need to consider all types of screeds in the apartment, study their advantages and disadvantages:
- Dry screeding is not allowed in restrooms, bathrooms, and other rooms with high humidity due to the likelihood of flooding, leading to the layer getting wet and the development of mold and fungi colonies.
- The installation of wet screed in cottages and apartments is not always justified due to labor intensity and a long wait for drying and hardening. Installing an expensive face covering on an unfinished rough surface is dangerous and can lead to damage. On the other hand, in garages and other non-residential premises There is no alternative to using a “wet” coating, since other methods cannot compare with it in strength and hardness.
- Dry screed is more suitable for individual houses With wooden floors, because it does not affect durability and does not reduce the strength of structural elements.
The optimal solution is to use a combined screed, which combines a semi-dry or wet screed with a self-leveling floor, resulting in a durable and even surface.
Stages of work
Having decided which screed is better for an apartment and which for a garage, you can start pouring it. Step-by-step instruction considered for a classic screed.
Step 1. Determining the zero line
Will help simplify your work laser level- it’s good if it’s available in household or it can be borrowed from neighbors or friends. Using this tool, horizontal lines on walls are cut faster, and control of the horizontal position of the guides is easier.
If you don’t have a laser device, you can get by with a water level or an ordinary building level.
Marking begins with drawing a zero line, for which you must first determine the base line. Actions are performed in this sequence.
- Visual determination of the highest corner of the room. To do this, mark a point on the wall at any height.
- Using a water level, the point is moved to other walls and connected with a solid line. If the line passed along all the walls and coincided exactly on the last one, the transfer was completed accurately.
- From basic level Measurements are taken strictly vertically every 50 cm. The values are written down in a notebook or on the wall. From calculated in highest point The thickness of the screed is subtracted from the value - at least 3 cm.
- Next, a zero is transferred along the walls of the room - the resulting value is subtracted from the base value, points are marked and connected in a straight line.
You can often find that the level in the central part of the room is higher than the level near the walls. This is checked by stretching the cord between the opposing walls and measuring the distance from it to the slab. This check is performed at several points. If there is still a rise in the center, the zero line should be moved upward to ensure the minimum permissible layer of screed.
Step 2. Surface preparation
When constructing a concrete floor on the ground (in ground floor or an individual house without a basement), it is necessary to remove a layer with a thickness of 50 cm. Then a sand cushion with a thickness of 10 cm is placed and thoroughly compacted, and a gravel layer is poured on top of the sand. A preliminary filling of a solution with expanded clay 15-20 cm thick is carried out to create an insulating layer.
After the first layer has hardened, it is waterproofed using roofing material or dense polyethylene to prevent penetration groundwater below. The material used for waterproofing is laid with an allowance on the walls of an amount slightly greater than the height of the screed. You can place an additional insulating layer on top, and then fill in the finishing screed.
When working in an apartment, the existing concrete sub-base should be removed for the following reasons:
- The old base can peel off, crack, and transfer deformations to the new layer.
- Laying a new layer of screed on top of the old one leads to an increase in the strictly regulated load on the floor slab. To thicken, it is necessary to obtain permission from the relevant supervisory authorities and it is far from a fact that the issue will be resolved positively for the apartment owner.
- Most ceiling heights apartment buildings does not allow raising the floor level.
To remove the old screed, you can use a hammer drill; the work should be done carefully to avoid damaging the slab.
To increase adhesion to the mortar, a penetrating primer is applied to the surface of the slab. A shock-absorbing tape is glued around the perimeter of the room to compensate for the expansion of concrete, which leads to cracking and deformation.
Step 3. Placing beacons
Marking for beacons is performed immediately after determining the zero level. The work is carried out in accordance with the following recommendations:
- guides are laid along the direction of pouring;
- It is recommended to lay the guides at a distance of 25-30 cm from the nearest parallel wall.
- the gap between adjacent guides is not regulated; the main requirement is that when leveling the cement composition the right tool extended 20 cm on both sides.
- The distribution of guides throughout the room should be at an equal distance from each other.
Beacons are being placed different ways, among which installation using self-tapping screws is considered the simplest and most accurate. The work is carried out in the following sequence:
- At the far end of the room, at a distance of 25-30 cm from the corner between the opposing walls, a cord is pulled at zero level without sagging;
- At the point where the cord intersects with the guide closest to the wall, a hole is made, a dowel is driven in, and a self-tapping screw is screwed into it. The top plane of its cap should coincide with the zero line.
- The same operation is carried out on the other side of the room, closest to the door.
- The self-tapping screws are connected to each other with maximum force using a stretched cord so that it is adjacent to the top of the heads.
- Other holes for the dowels are marked and drilled at intervals of 35-40 cm. Self-tapping screws are screwed into the dowels so that the plane of their heads coincides with the level of the cord; checking is carried out by applying a building level.
- On the opposite guide, a line of screws parallel to the first is arranged. They are installed in the same way on intermediate guides. The level is checked in all directions - along, across, diagonally.
- The cords are removed, and a thick solution is applied along the lines of the screws in low slides. A U-shaped profile is placed on top of the piles and pressed firmly into the concrete until the transverse flange comes into contact with the screw heads.
In screeds of significant thickness, it is recommended to make reinforcement using a mesh of zinc-coated steel wire measuring 50-100 mm. For maximum efficient work The reinforcement should be located approximately in the middle along the depth of the solution.
Step 4. Mixing the composition
Before screeding floors in an apartment, you need to prepare a solution. A mixture made in the “classic” proportion of 3 to 1 is considered standard.
In order not to spoil the future screed already initial stage, several nuances should be taken into account:
- to make the solution, not river sand, but quarry sand without clay inclusions is used;
- It is necessary to optimally select the amount of added water so that the resulting solution does not become too thick or too fluid.
An excessively spreading composition after the water evaporates will cause significant shrinkage upon drying; it is impossible to achieve a flat surface determined by the zero line.
The strength characteristics of the coating will also decrease - it will be crumbly, with weak bonds, with highly educated dust.
The solution is made dense and plastic, which does not form voids when poured. The approximate amount of water is 1 liter per 5 kg of dry sand concrete.
Step 5. Filling and leveling the screed
The optimal temperature conditions for pouring and hardening the screed are considered to be in the range of 15-25°C. At lower temperatures, the hardening time of concrete will increase, and in hot weather it is recommended to refrain from pouring altogether - the surface layer will dry out too quickly and crack.
The technology involves the work of two workers - one prepares the solution, the second is engaged in pouring it and smoothing the coating.
The work must be done starting from a distant corner of the room, gradually moving towards the exit. To ensure the uniformity and strength of the coating, the pouring should be carried out in one day, otherwise the area will have to be divided into separate sections with jumpers placed between them.
The pre-prepared solution is laid out with a reserve in the spaces between the guides 1.5-2 cm above the zero line. The initial distribution of the mixture is carried out using a shovel or trowel. In this case, you need to ensure that no voids form under the reinforcing bars or in the corners of the room.
Before leveling, the solution is “bayoneted” to remove air - pierced with a trowel or shovel.
The rule is laid on the guides and the mixture is leveled using wobbling movements to the surface of the profile and a smooth and even coating is obtained.
The solution is added gradually to ensure continuity of the process. Excess must be removed upon completion of work.
Step 6. Checking the work
After filling is completed, it is not recommended for pets and people to walk on the floor for 5-7 days. For effective maturation of concrete, it is advisable to moisten its surface with water daily, and in extreme heat, cover it with plastic wrap to prevent drying out.
The readiness of the cement-sand mortar for operational loads occurs after 3 weeks.
After hardening, the screed is checked for the quality of the resulting surface and its evenness. A rule is set on the guides remaining in the screed and the gap in the central part of the room is checked. Level discrepancies of up to 2 mm are allowed.
To get perfect smooth surface Screeds are often coated with a thin layer of self-leveling compound.
Further use of the floor
When using a freshly poured screed, you should adhere to the following recommendations:
- Do not allow sharp or heavy objects to fall onto the screed;
- when laying heated floors on a system, wait at least 30 days from the moment of pouring to turning on the heating;
- It is not allowed to install scaffolding, stepladders or turrets for 10 days, despite the fact that 5 days after pouring other finishing work can be carried out.
All of the above actions can damage the surface to such an extent that you will have to remove the screed and do the work again.
During the renovation process, sometimes there is a need to level and concrete the surface. Prepare the floor for laying linoleum, laying parquet, laminate. Exist different kinds and screed technologies, which differ in varying degrees of complexity and labor intensity.
In the selection process, you need to take into account not only your financial capabilities, but also the characteristics of the room in which this work will be performed.
The essence of the screed?
Perfectly level the surface;
- Provide rigidity and good strength to the base coating;
- Give the floor the required slope;
- Correct unevenness;
- Hide open elements of engineering and technical communications;
- Make a hard, stable coating in production areas.
It will not be amiss to familiarize yourself with photo illustrations and videos that explain in detail the entire process of screeding the floor with your own hands. How it is done, what you need to purchase for this.
Classification
There are different types of screeds that have different functionality, suitable for a specific floor covering. In the process of compiling the classification, the following screed parameters are taken into account:
- Laying method;
- Coupling method;
- Composition of the material.
- Purpose.
Clutch method
Cohesive wet screed. Without heat and waterproofing. Apply directly to the work surface, is attached to it. Large warehouses, premises with equipment and large items are its scope of application.
Screed with separating layer. Durable mineral slabs are its basis. Used in bathrooms, bathrooms, and basements.
Floating. It is used for quick installation when sound, hydro and thermal insulation is needed, the room has a heated floor.
Laying method
Manual continuous with subsequent leveling.
Self-leveling. Apply to a sealed base. Due to its weight and fluidity, an ideal surface smoothness is achieved.
Dry, semi-dry. Expanded clay is used. The most economical, less labor-intensive and complex option. Ideal for do-it-yourself floor screed.
Prefabricated screed - from parts ready for laying. Are used large sizes sheets of plywood or fiberboard. Easy to assemble, disassemble, does not require drying. Mounted on top of the sheathing.
Material composition
Cement-sand screed. It is considered the best among all existing ones. Many floor coverings suitable for her. Its structure provides ideal waterproofing.
Plaster screed. Practical, environmentally friendly. Maintains humidity and temperature well. Available for a beginner when everything is strictly followed according to the instructions.
Industrial concrete, with mandatory reinforcement. Able to withstand increased power load.
Screed with plasticizers. Increases strength, viscosity, adhesion, and thermal conductivity.
The use of synthetic fiber fibers to achieve hardness and rigidity of the surface.
Classification by purpose
- Leveling.
- Thermal insulation.
Step-by-step instructions for performing a wet floor screed
The entire work process is divided into preparatory and main stages. It is important to strictly follow the instructions so as not to redo everything again or spoil the existing material.
Let's start screeding the floor in an apartment with our own hands with some necessary preparations:
- Clean and prime the base. We form a layer of expanded clay and sand 100 mm thick, moisten it with water, and compact it tightly.
- We carry out thermal insulation work. We use rigid, solid material (for example, polystyrene foam).
- We install waterproofing.
- We stretch the reinforcing or steel mesh.
- We carry out installation additional elements and structures (warm floors or wiring).
Basic technology of floor screed
We use slats as beacons for distribution to areas of the floor surface. At a distance of 200 mm from the wall, self-tapping screws are screwed in parallel to it. Step – up to 800 mm, height – up to 10 mm. We get a line. We “draw” the next line at a distance of 1000 mm from the first. We carry out the activity until we install all the beacons. You can make a floor screed without them. But this way it’s more convenient to control the entire process.
Prepare the filling mixture. We use concrete or sand-cement mortar. Can be purchased at finished form, and prepare it yourself in the required proportions.
Fill the strips between the beacons one by one and align them. We pierce the solution in several places with a thin wire (let out the air). It takes an hour for the solution to begin to harden. During this time we try to completely fill all the areas between the beacons.
We wait for the surface to dry completely (24 hours). We carry out grinding work and smooth out minor irregularities.
During the selection process optimal screed For our conditions, we must take into account the load on the surface, the temperature and humidity level of the room. We also strive to ensure that the material used is environmentally friendly.
Photo of do-it-yourself floor screeds
Comments:
Having figured out how to make a floor screed yourself, you can qualitatively prepare the base for installation finishing coating, leveling elevation differences and eliminating other defects. Used to prepare floors different types screeds. At the same time, you can handle the implementation of each of the main methods yourself.
Types of screeds
Before you figure it out yourself, familiarize yourself with the features of the main types of such coating. The following types of screeds are distinguished:
- Concrete screed. The most popular and widely used option. Most often used for initial leveling of the base if large unevenness is present.
- Self-leveling mixtures. Perfect for preparing the base for laying any finishing finishing material. The maximum layer thickness is 30 mm.
- Dry. Allows you to level out 3-12 cm height differences. They can be installed by laying plywood, chipboard and other similar materials on joists, as well as using special sheets based on gypsum fiber.
When choosing a specific option for arranging a screed, you need to take into account the initial state of the floor, as well as the requirements for the base, determined by the characteristics of the finishing coating and other points characteristic of a particular situation.
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Requirements for floor screed
The screed must meet the following requirements:
- have the same density throughout the thickness different points premises;
- correspond regulatory requirements by strength and compressive loads;
- have a thickness of at least 20 mm for the floors and at least 40 mm for the heat or sound insulation layer.
In places where pipes are covered with a screed, the thickness of the layer should exceed the diameter of the hidden products by 15 mm.
If the screed is installed on top of a soundproofing layer, a 20-50 mm gap must be left between the walls and the leveling coating. The main soundproofing material is used to fill the gap.
A continuous monolithic screed is poured over a pre-installed moisture-proofing film, laid with an overlap on the walls of the room.
The surface of the screed should not have cracks, chips or other types of defects.
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Preparatory activities
Work on arranging any kind of screed begins with competent preparation. Take these measures seriously and you can significantly save time and effort in further stages.
Set for work:
- Building level.
- Tape measure for measurements.
- Master OK.
- Rule.
- A construction mixer for preparing the solution or an electric drill with an appropriate attachment.
- Putty knife.
- Sharp knife.
- Profiles (slats) for arranging beacons.
- Container for preparing mixtures.
For screeding, you can use both ready-made and homemade mortar.
Traditionally, the mixture is prepared from a portion of cement, three times more clean sand and water, in a volume sufficient to obtain a solution of normal thickness.
To prevent the appearance of cracks and various types of chips in the screed, the composition of the finished cement-sand mixture is supplemented with plasticizers.
When eliminating differences exceeding 50-70 mm, you need to use metal mesh or special fiber.
Thanks to this addition, the strength of the screed will be significantly increased.
Start preparing the base. The preparation procedure largely depends on the initial state of the base being treated. The general list of preparatory activities is as follows:
- The floor covering, if present, is dismantled.
- All kinds of construction waste are removed.
- The base is dedusted and degreased using appropriate solvents.
- The maximum permissible lifting height of the foundation being constructed is established. To do this, appropriate marks are created on the walls of the room along the perimeter. The most convenient and high-quality work is done using a laser level.
- Beacons are being installed. The most convenient option is flat metal profiles. For the rest, be guided by the situation.
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Guide to pouring concrete screed
Examine the prepared base for curvature. Set the maximum differences in height and calculate the composition of the mixture for pouring the screed.
If necessary, lay a layer of waterproofing material.
Install the beacons in accordance with the level and secure them with suitable fasteners. For example, alabaster can provide reliable fastening.
Carefully prime the surface with an appropriate compound.
Prepare the mixture for pouring the screed. Prepare the mixture in small portions. Focus on your own capabilities. In general, experts recommend preparing the mixture in a volume that you can use in 1-1.5 hours.
Apply the prepared composition to the base. You must have time to screed the room within 24 hours. Breaks are not allowed.
To level the solution over the surface, use the rule. You can also use a needle roller or simply a flat board of suitable length.
After arranging the screed for some time (usually up to 10 days), it will need to be moistened abundantly. Without wetting, the screed may crack.
Eliminate the possibility of drafts. Do not expose the poured solution to direct sunlight. In hot weather, after moistening, it is recommended to cover the screed with a thick layer of polyethylene.
After the screed has hardened to such an extent that you can safely walk on it, check the evenness of the coating. Cut off the protrusions with a metal rule. Treat the surface with a special plastering and troweling machine.
According to standards concrete screed dries within 28 days. If it is planned to use as a finishing cladding ceramic tiles, the waiting period can be reduced to a week.
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Arrangement of a self-leveling screed
Prepare the base. Remove dirt and dust. Approach these events as responsibly as possible. In the future, all uncleaned dirt may float to the surface.
Prime the base. In some situations, the primer must be applied in a double layer (if the base is absorbent or highly dusty). Focus on the situation.
Prepare the solution according to the manufacturer's instructions. To stir the mixture, it is best to use a mixer or at least a drill with an appropriate attachment. As a rule, after mixing, self-leveling mixtures should be left for a few minutes to oxygenate. Please clarify this point individually in the instructions for the selected mixture.
Start pouring the finished composition onto the floor from the wall opposite to front door into the room. Control the thickness of the fill using a level. Pour the solution parallel to the wall, in small portions.
Level the poured mixture with a distribution roller.
The drying time of the mixture depends on the conditions in the room and the thickness of the poured layer. In most cases, the floor can be walked on 10-12 hours after pouring.
It is important that during drying the mixture is not exposed to temperature changes, direct sunlight, drafts or moisture.
