Construction of a private house is a long process required high costs time, labor and finances. Many, in an effort to save money, decide to carry out some of the work themselves. How to make floors in private homes without resorting to the services of builders? It’s quite possible to make the floor yourself if you have necessary materials, tools and knowledge.
Which floor design to choose?
Before you begin work on the construction of floors in a private house, you need to decide on the type of construction of the future coating. Experts distinguish three types of structures:
- Single;
- Double;
- Concrete floor.
The choice of one type of construction or another depends on the characteristics of the building in which the floor is laid. The operating conditions of a private home can be considered the determining factor. Single floor represents the most simple design, the construction of such a floor does not require a lot of time and materials, since the floorboards are attached with nails directly to the joists. The main disadvantage of a single plank floor is the limited use of it: such a coating would only be appropriate in small areas. summer houses and at the dachas. For a home where it is planned year-round accommodation, single design is not suitable.
Scheme of the possible implementation of a “double” floor and a concrete one. If you want to do a private house, suitable for living at any time of the year, then you will have to arrange a double floor. This type of construction is warmer, reduces heat loss and ensures comfortable living in the house during the cold season. A double floor consists of several layers, the main ones being rough and finishing coatings. Between these two layers, hydro- and heat-insulating materials are additionally laid, protecting both the floor itself and the entire house from destruction.
Most often, the subfloor in a private home is assembled from an unedged board, and the finished floor is made from a tongue-and-groove floorboard. All work, including laying thermal insulation from sawdust or expanded clay, can be easily done with your own hands.
Boards for the subfloor. The third possible type of floor construction in a private house is pouring a concrete screed. Compliance with all rules preparatory work, laying waterproofing, pouring cement mortar and timing its drying will allow you to get a solid, high-quality floor, ready for finishing with any decorative coating.
Installation of wooden floors
When building a private house, many people prefer to make the floor out of wood. This desire to have high-quality wooden flooring under your feet is explained by the desire to use environmentally friendly materials, which include wood. In addition to being highly environmentally friendly, such a floor has a number of other advantages.
Wooden floors are easy to install and easy to repair during use. Due to the low thermal conductivity of the material, such a floor will retain heat inside the house without letting it out. Plank flooring made from high-quality wood has a long service life and an attractive “natural” appearance.
To make a floor in a private house, you need to choose the right wood. Choice starting materials should be based on the design features of the structure itself. Floor installation in country house should in mandatory provide for the presence of an underground floor that acts as an air gap. If such a layer is missing, the wooden floor will quickly become unusable due to exposure to moisture. In addition, for a good floor, it is important to have all the layers of the structure, including joists, rough flooring, hydro- and thermal insulation, and a finishing coating.
The floor in a private house is subject to significant mechanical loads, so for its construction it is necessary to choose wood with good technological characteristics. The boards must be well dried, the recommended moisture content is no more than 12%. Any chips or cracks on the surface of the material are not acceptable. Experts recommend giving preference to coniferous wood; pine, larch, fir, and cedar are suitable. To increase the service life of the future floor, all boards must be treated with an antiseptic and fire retardant.
Installation wooden floor starts with identifying locations support pillars and their installations. The fertile layer of soil around the entire perimeter of the house is removed and removed, gravel is poured in its place, and sand is poured on top of it. Layers of gravel and sand must be compacted well. Placed on the ends of the support pillars waterproofing material, most often ordinary roofing felt is used for these purposes.
Backfilling with gravel. Next we make the beams that need to be secured to the posts metal corners. It is better to make floors in a private house with double insulation. Experts suggest first laying plywood sheets on the sides of the beams, and then placing mineral wool or other insulating material on them.
When the insulation layer is ready, you can begin laying the rough covering. The boards of this layer should fit well to each other; ordinary screws can be used to attach them to the beams. It is better to leave some distance between the flooring and the walls of the house: a gap of 1.5 cm can be considered the norm for this part of the floor. These gaps provide ventilation to the entire floor structure and protect the walls from expansion of the floor boards as they subsequently dry out.
A layer of vapor barrier made of polyethylene film with a thickness of 200 microns is laid on top of the subfloor. The joints of individual pieces of film must be taped, and the edges must be folded onto the walls to a height of about 20 cm - to the height finishing coating. When the film is laid and secured, you can proceed to assembling the finished floor.
The finished floor is assembled from solid wood boards or plywood sheets. Plywood sheets are easier to attach, but in the end they don’t look very attractive. Therefore, if you want to leave wooden floors in your house, then it is best to immediately assemble the final covering from a tongue-and-groove board, and if you plan to cover it with decorative material, just secure plywood sheets. After assembling the finished floor, plank floors must be coated with varnish, which will not only protect the material from external influences mechanical and chemical nature, but also emphasizes the decorative qualities of natural wood.
Pouring a concrete floor
The installation of a concrete floor in a private house begins with preparatory work. First, markings and gravel filling are made on the site of the future floor. The soil is first cleared of plants and the top layer, and then compacted. Next, a layer of gravel is poured, which also needs to be compacted well. In the construction of a concrete floor in a private house, gravel will act as thermal insulation. Sand is poured on top of the gravel. After compacting it, a thick polyethylene film is spread on the surface, acting as a waterproofing material.
How to make a concrete floor in a private house? After installing the waterproofing layer, you can begin pouring the screed. A cement screed in a country house is poured in the same way as a screed in an apartment: levels are set and the mortar is poured, which is leveled from wall to door according to the rule.
When pouring a concrete screed, several features should be taken into account. The solution for pouring must be fresh; for its preparation it is recommended to use cement of a grade not lower than M-300, screening out sand and water. To increase the strength of the concrete layer, you can add special compounds to the solution - plasticizers, which will give the future coating additional strength.
When pouring a screed with a height of 5 cm or more, you can use reinforcing elements or a reinforcing mesh, which is laid on the waterproofing layer before pouring. In the case of installing warm water floors in a private house, the use of reinforcing mesh and the addition of plasticizers to cement mortar are mandatory procedures.
When the concrete hardens a little after pouring, you can remove the beacons. The voids left after their removal are filled with the same solution. After filling and leveling all the cracks, the floor is covered with polyethylene and left to dry. Drying a concrete floor is a long and responsible undertaking. The concrete must dry on its own within a month; if you have a heated floor system, heating should not be turned on until the screed is completely dry. Turning on heating elements, you will help the concrete crack even before the premises are used. When drying, it is recommended to periodically moisten the concrete screed with water and cover it again with polyethylene: if this requirement is met, the coating will gain maximum strength and will not crack.
To do it right cement pouring, remove the beacons and dry the concrete, it is recommended to look at photos of the work of builders who specialize in arranging floors in private homes.
Finishing
Making just a finished floor in a private house from scratch is quite simple, but sometimes additional installation is required decorative covering. You can also cope with this problem yourself. How can you cover the floor in a private house?
The most the best option For a private house, a double floor made of boards can be considered. The finishing coating of this design does not need to be coated with anything additional. This option is practical and beautiful, and also has a long service life. proper care. Before using the boards, they should be treated protective compounds and coat them with varnish that will protect them from sand, dirt, water and chemicals. For coverage you can choose either clear nail polish, leaving the natural color of the wood, and colored, giving the floor a different shade.
A concrete floor in a private house requires a top layer of decorative coating. Parquet or parquet boards will look chic as a floor finish. This coating is quite expensive, but is highly environmentally friendly, has good antistatic and thermal insulation characteristics. It makes no sense to make parquet, but in a house where you plan to live permanently, such a covering will look appropriate.
As analogues to parquet, you can consider more affordable laminate, linoleum, carpet and ceramic tiles. Laminate flooring is suitable for the living room and bedrooms, ceramic tile It will look appropriate in the kitchen, bathroom and hallway. It is also better to place linoleum only in the kitchen or hallway. The use of carpet is more limited: the material is suitable for finishing floors in bedrooms.
The range of modern colors and textures of the listed materials allows you to choose a coating to suit every taste. In a private home, floors with natural patterns that replicate the texture of wood or natural stone.
Every morning, waking up in his home, a person lowers his feet to the surface with which he will come into contact all day. Regardless of what kind of home it is, be it a high-rise apartment or private property, the floors in it are a three-layer structure, including a rough base, a leveling layer and finishing coat.
Peculiarities
The floor in a private house is somewhat different from the one installed in an apartment. In order for it to last long enough, it must be protected from interaction with water, that is, waterproofed. Waterproofing is an independent procedure aimed at protecting the surface from adverse effects moisture contained in the environment, which can cause harm to any substance.
Kinds
Depending on the materials used, floors in a private house can be concrete or wood. The choice of flooring material depends mainly on what the walls are made of. If the walls are wooden, then the floor is made of wood. If the walls are brick or concrete, then the floors will be made of concrete. Often the concrete base acts as a substrate for a wooden covering. Whatever type of device is used, it is important to strictly level all its layers, otherwise you will end up with an uneven surface.
Wooden
Wooden flooring is environmentally friendly safe covering with good thermal insulation characteristics. If there is good waterproofing, such a floor will last long years. Depending on the technologies used, a wooden floor is built:
- on joists on the ground;
- on support pillars;
- on a cement screed.
Concrete
Concrete floors are considered perhaps the most impact-resistant and durable. Cement monolith, which acts as concrete surface, will become an insurmountable barrier to fungus, mold and other microorganisms. Its disadvantage is that, When using concrete, it is necessary to provide additional floor insulation, since concrete cools quickly, it does not retain heat at all.
Which ones to choose?
The preference given to one design or another depends on the purpose of the building. In a summer kitchen or in a country house, which are used in summer time years, no need to create complex structures. In this case, the boards are laid on the logs. Of course, such a floor will not retain heat.
IN capital house used for living all year round, it is better to use more massive structures.
If there is no basement, then the most cost-effective and less complicated to implement is the installation of the first floor floor on the ground. In this case, two options are possible: either use a concrete base (the so-called screed), or install multi-layer wooden floors on joists.
What the floor will be like on the second floor is directly dependent on the method of constructing the floors between the floors. At wooden bases use beams and joists. If the floors are reinforced concrete, then only logs are used. The floor on the second floor, as on the first, can be on beams, on joists, on concrete slabs.
If the building has a basement or cellar, then the floor in it must meet certain standards. Due to the proximity of the land, it must be as insulated and stable as possible. The material is chosen depending on the further purpose of using the room: if it is planned to living room, then they prefer wood; if a workshop is being created, then it would be appropriate concrete screed, and if a cellar is being built in which supplies will be stored for the winter, then there is nothing better than clay.
In order to avoid unpleasant surprises, when constructing a cellar, it would be a good idea to find out the depth of the cellar. groundwater.
Step by step guide
During construction country house is often preferred wooden surfaces. This is explained by the fact that wood is environmentally friendly pure material. In addition, laying such a floor is easy to do from scratch yourself. Installation does not take much time, and there are no difficulties with repairs in the future. The poor thermal conductivity of wood will help the wooden covering keep the house warm. A big plus will also be a long service life and an attractive, “natural” appearance.
New floor
New flooring in your home begins with choosing materials. The final result depends on the correct choice. So, you will need:
- Wooden beams or round timber for making logs. The joists are the transverse beams on which the floor is located. In this case, the height of the cross-section of the beam should be one and a half or even two times greater than its width.
- Unedged board for rough coating.
- Tongue and groove floor board for finishing flooring.
- Material for thermal insulation: sawdust, expanded clay or mineral wool.
- Materials for waterproofing.
The following example will help you determine how many boards you will need. Let's say you plan to lay floors in a room measuring 5x6 m. The lath is 2 m long, 0.13 m wide and 0.05 m thick. For such a board, the logs are laid in 1 m increments. Calculations are carried out according to the following algorithm:
- The length and width of the room are multiplied to obtain its area. IN in this case 6*5 = 30 m2.
- Find the volume necessary lumber in cubic meters, multiplying the thickness of the board in meters by the area of the future floor: 30 m2 * 0.05 m = 1.5 m3.
- Calculate the volume of one board by multiplying its length, width and thickness: 2 m * 0.05 m * 0.13 m = 0.013 m3.
- The number of boards is determined by dividing the total volume of required lumber by the volume of one board: 1.5 m3/0.013 m3 = 115 boards.
The amount of building material for the rough covering is determined in the same way. Since the floor surfaces in the house are subject to mechanical pressure, for their construction you need to choose high-quality wood without cracks and chips with a moisture content of up to 12%. Pine, cedar, and larch are considered more suitable. Before starting work everything Construction Materials treated with an antiseptic and impregnated fire retardant compounds.Install the wooden floor in the following sequence:
- Remove a layer of soil around the perimeter of the room.
- Install support posts.
- Fill with gravel at least 10 cm thick.
- Add a layer of sand.
- Compact.
- Lay roofing felt or other waterproofing material on the support pillars
- Prepare the logs. If round timber is used as lags, then it is necessary to trim one side.
- Secure the logs to support posts.
- Do double insulation. For this purpose, sheets of plywood are laid on the sides of each joist, on which a heat-insulating base is placed.
- Place the rough covering, tightly fitting the boards to each other and fastening them with self-tapping screws to the joists.
- Leave a gap up to 2 cm wide between the walls and the flooring around the perimeter. This will provide ventilation and protect the walls of the house when the floor expands while it dries.
- Lay a waterproofing layer on the subfloor. To do this, you can use thick (from 200 microns) polyethylene film. The joints of the polyethylene strips are glued with wide tape, the edges are wrapped on the walls to the height of the finishing coating.
- Lay a clean surface. If the floor surface in the house remains wooden, then the finishing coating is made immediately from a tongue and groove board, which just needs to be varnished. Varnish will highlight the beauty of natural wood.
If you plan to lay laminate, linoleum or other decorative material, then the expensive tongue and groove board is replaced with cheaper plywood.
If you need to make a concrete floor in a room, then it is poured according to the following algorithm:
- preparatory work.
- Clear the soil from the top layer and compact it.
- Add a layer of gravel and compact it.
- Add a layer of sand and compact it.
- Cover the entire area with thick plastic film for waterproofing
- Cement strainer.
- Set levels.
- If the screed is more than 5 cm high, or it is planned to install a heated floor, then a reinforcing mesh must be laid on the waterproofing.
- Prepare a solution consisting of cement grade no lower than M-300, sifted sand and water. For additional strength, add a plasticizer to the solution.
- Pour in the solution.
- Level the surfaces in the direction from the wall to the door.
- After the concrete has set, remove the beacons and fill their traces with the same concrete. Fill and level all cracks.
- Cover the floor with polyethylene and leave to dry for at least a month, periodically moistening it with water.
- Do not turn on the heated floor until the concrete has completely dried, as this will lead to cracking of the surface.
- Lay the top decorative covering.
If the technology is fully followed, the floor will please the owners both in hot and cold times, without requiring costly repairs.
Warm cover
The floor in the house should not only be beautiful, but also warm. Modern technologies allow you to install a heating system into the floor during construction or renovation. Most often, preference is given to the following systems:
- Cable floor using a special heating cable. The cable generates heat as it passes through it electric current. The installation method depends on which cable (single-core, two-core or self-regulating) is used in the system. This flooring is usually installed under tiles.
- heating mat, unlike cable flooring, it does not require cement screed. It is a thin cable attached to a synthetic mesh. A heat insulator with a reflective surface, such as foil, is laid under the final coating. The unfolded roll is secured on top with tape or glue. To change the direction of the layout, it is necessary to cut the base without damaging the cable. A finishing coating is laid on top. You can use tiles, laminate and other materials.
- Film or infrared floor is a special film capable of emitting infrared radiation when an electric current is passed through it. The film is ultra-thin, and the infrared radiation it emits is harmless to humans. All the advantages lie in simplicity: just spread the film and cover it with any floor covering. If several canvases are used, they are connected by wires. The heating temperature is controlled by a thermostat.
Installing floor heating using modern technologies will not only provide comfort in use, but will also not cause any particular difficulties in case of repairs. All renovation work comes down to replacing a failed element or section.
How to properly care?
You should take care of the floor based on the rules for caring for the material of its finishing coating. The floor is one of the main elements of the interior, so it is important to adhere to the established requirements when choosing materials for the floor. The coating is selected depending on the purpose of the room. For example, linoleum cannot withstand heavy loads, and parquet does not like moisture.
The materials used for finishing can be classified in different ways: hard and soft, stone and wood, synthetic and natural. Each type of material has its own installation characteristics and methods of care.
Hard materials include tile and stone. They are durable and not afraid of moisture. Modern technologies make it possible to lay tiled floors not only in the bathroom and kitchen, as before, but also in other rooms. If desired, the tile can easily be replaced with another one. The tiles can be made from natural stone: marble, granite, and if financial capabilities allow, then from malachite, jasper, rhodonite.
Synthetic materials, such as, for example, vinyl, concrete, are practical, but are afraid of humidity, temperature fluctuations, as well as chemical and mechanical influences. Floor rubber is a mixture of cement, cork, rubber, marble chips and chalk. It is flexible, durable, resistant to mechanical stress and temperature changes.
Natural, oddly enough, is linoleum. It is made by applying fabric base hot mixture containing resin, beeswax And linseed oil. Natural linoleum is an expensive but very effective material.
The most common surface is wood. Wood coverings made from various types of wood. The most durable and very expensive is oak flooring. Maple, beech, elm, ash, linden, birch, cherry, and pine are also used. Modern wooden material is a laminate, which is represented by a multilayer structure. He has upper layer, made of wood. Laminate flooring is easy to install, inexpensive, and looks like natural wood.
During the construction or renovation of a private house, the owner is forced to look for answers to many questions - what materials to use in the construction of walls and decoration, what methods to use construction works, how to protect a building inside and outside from negative influences, etc. Among them is the problem flooring- how and from what to make it. One of the most popular options on this moment is a concrete floor in a private house. And you will learn how to arrange it in two main options - on the ground and on the floors - in this article.
Let's start by considering the advantages and disadvantages of using concrete when creating flooring in private construction. The advantages of flooring made from this material are as follows.
Also, every owner of a private home should be aware of some of the disadvantages associated with using a concrete floor.
Tools needed to create your own concrete floor
Before we start reviewing step by step instructions for arranging a covering from concrete mortar, we present a list of tools that the master will need to complete this job.
Table. Concrete floor in a country house - tools for work.
| Tool name | What is it used for? |
|---|---|
| Mixing concrete from the main components. |
| Leveling soil, sand and gravel, mixing concrete, excavating soil for the floor pit on the first floor. |
| Storage and transportation of cement and other concrete components. |
| Compacting the soil, as well as cushions of sand and gravel, to create reliable support for the concrete slab. |
| Monitoring the position of beacons, applying markings before starting work on arranging a concrete floor. |
| Making the newly formed concrete screed smooth and even. |
| Working with small volumes of mortar, initial leveling of concrete for floor screed. |
| Elimination of small cavities with air in the thickness of uncured concrete screed. |
| Transportation of sand, cement and other bulk construction materials. |
| Removing “cement laitance” from hardened concrete. |
electric concrete mixer
Important! When working with large area floors, it is more advisable not to mix all the concrete yourself, but to order it along with a truck with a mixer - the time savings will cover the increased costs.
Do-it-yourself concrete floor on the ground - step-by-step instructions
When arranging the floor on the first floors of private houses, one of the most popular options today is to create a concrete covering directly on the ground, without laying any floors. First, let's look at the conditions under which similar works worth producing. Next, let's move on to describing the main stages of creating a concrete floor on the ground.
Installation of a concrete floor on the ground
Concrete pavement laid on the ground consists of several layers different materials, each of which performs specific task. The first layer is the soil itself. It must be dry and thoroughly compacted. Pillows of sand and gravel are poured on top of it - they are necessary to further level the surface and distribute point loads over the area. These layers also help to reduce the influence of soil heaving, which occurs when temperature changes. In some cases, when creating a simplified concrete floor, only sand is poured over the ground, without a gravel cushion.
Important! It should be understood that a concrete floor on the ground is allowed only if certain conditions– the groundwater level should be located at a depth of 4-5 m or more, and the ground should not be waterlogged. Also, various movements and heaving of the soil at the construction site should be minimal, otherwise such a coating will quickly become unusable.
Next, if a large load on the floor is expected, a rough material is placed concrete covering. A film for vapor and waterproofing and insulation is placed on top of it. The latter, as a rule, is extruded polystyrene foam. high density. On top of them, a clean concrete screed with a thickness of 30-50 mm or more is created, reinforced with reinforcing mesh.
vibratory rammer
Preparation and carrying out measurements
After purchasing the materials and missing tools, you need to prepare the construction site. First, clear it of debris that will interfere with work - stones, vegetation, pieces of brick and other unnecessary things. Next, if the walls have already been erected, mark the lowest point of the doorway in the room - this is the level of your future floor. If necessary, make an adjustment for the thickness of the finishing coating in the form of parquet, tiles or linoleum.
Now you need to make a solid line around the perimeter of the room, indicating the level of the concrete screed. For convenience, first make it at a height of 1 m from the bottom edge of the doorway, and then repeat this pattern at the bottom - where the floor is on the ground and will end. After this, use a shovel to remove the soil to the depth of all layers of the coating you are creating.
Compacting the soil, adding a layer of sand and insulation
Now let's move on from preparation to step by step description arrangement of all layers of concrete floor on the ground.
Step 1. Level the soil with a shovel and rake so that it lies more or less evenly over the area. Remove stones from it if you see it.
Step 2. Compact the soil in the area where the concrete floor will be installed. Most often, a manual rammer is used for this - with this tool they go around the surface with a “snake”, evenly tapping the ground with force. If necessary, repeat this step two or three times.
Important! If you don’t have a factory-made manual rammer, you can make it yourself from scrap materials found on the site. For this purpose, either a piece of log with a hand or metallic profile with a fairly heavy and thick steel sheet.
Step 3. Prepare the sand for backfilling. To create a cushion under a concrete screed, use quality material with a minimum amount of foreign inclusions. Pour sand onto the area where the floor will be built and distribute it evenly over the area. Minimum permissible thickness layer – 10 cm.
Step 4. Distribute the sand more evenly over the area using a rake.
Step 5. As in the case of soil compaction, take a manual or mechanical rammer and “snake” it across the entire area of the future floor.
Step 6. Pour water over the sand - this will make it denser and it will be possible to compact it even better.
Step 7 Go again with the rammer over the entire area of the sand cushion. If necessary, repeat this operation until there are no deep shoe marks left on the sand - only in this state will it be sufficiently compacted for a concrete screed.
Advice! To achieve the best condition of the sand cushion after compaction, level it horizontally using a rule or simply a fairly level wooden board.
Step 8 Place polyethylene or any other suitable film on the sand cushion to create a layer of vapor and waterproofing. “Adjacent” sections of the film are connected to each other with an overlap, which should be at least 5-10 cm - thus reducing the likelihood of moisture or water vapor penetrating through this layer from the soil to the concrete screed.
Advice! If the construction of a concrete floor on the ground is carried out when the walls have not yet been erected and there is strong wind on the site, then temporarily protect the film from blowing away with the help of boards or other objects.
Step 9 Lay a layer of insulation on top of the vapor and waterproofing, using high-density polystyrene foam. As a rule, working with it is not very difficult - individual panels can be easily adjusted to each other. If necessary, they can be cut using regular construction knife with retractable blade. When laying insulation, remember that the rows of slabs are joined according to the same principle as bricks with laminate - the transverse seams should not be on the same line.
Pouring concrete cover
After creating the auxiliary floor layers, we will proceed to a step-by-step description of the arrangement of the most important part of the structure - the concrete screed.
Step 1. Prepare and install a reinforcing mesh over the insulation. Using plastic supports, slightly lift it so that it remains in the lower half of the concrete layer - the reinforcement will take on tensile loads concrete slab on an elastic base made of insulation and sand cushion.
Step 2. Mix a sufficiently dense cement mortar to secure the beacons. They can be made from ordinary steel or aluminum profile, cut to fit the width of the room. Each beacon is fixed at several points, each of which is a small amount of dense solution. The interval between beacons must be less than the length of the rule. The optimal figure is 70 cm.
Step 3. Wait until the cement mortar holding the beacons dries.
Step 4. Mix the concrete, its grade should be at least M150. At the same time, try to minimize the amount of water used - this way you will achieve high quality material and a small number of cracks and microcracks formed during hardening. When mixing concrete, it’s a good idea to add special plasticizers to the mixer, which can be purchased at any large hardware store.
Important! Some craftsmen, when mixing concrete, use liquid detergent as a budget replacement for specialized plasticizers.
Step 5. Place the mixed concrete between the beacons and do the initial leveling with a trowel. Then take the rule and form as smooth a surface as possible, corresponding in level to the beacons. Work with in small areas concrete. Having finished with one of them, repeat the same steps - lay out the material, level it with a trowel and finally bring the surface to a smooth state using the rule.
Step 6. Cover the concrete with plastic film to protect it from drying out too quickly - otherwise the risk of a large number of microcracks or cracks, but quite large ones, increases. In some cases, it is possible to moisten the concrete screed with a small amount of water. Wait until the mixture gains strength and hardens, and then apply a layer of self-leveling self-leveling floor - this will give you a perfectly flat surface suitable for any type of finishing.
Important! If too much large quantities water in concrete, when it comes out, it washes away a certain amount of cement. As it dries, it remains on the surface in the form of a crust. light color, also known as laitance. It must be cleaned off, otherwise the coating underneath will have less strength and durability than it should.
Video - Do-it-yourself floors on the ground
Video - Floating floor screed. Types of solutions, filling methods, nuances and subtleties
Floating screed on the interfloor floor in a private house - differences from the ground floor
According to the process of its creation, the concrete screed interfloor ceilings does not differ significantly from what was stated in the previous section of the article. But there are several nuances that you need to be aware of.
When creating a concrete floor in your cottage yourself, remember that only strict adherence to technologies and standards will provide you with a reliable and durable coating that will be able to last for decades.
Very important stage home improvement is the choice of suitable flooring and its correct installation. One of the most preferred options is wooden flooring. Wood is an environmentally friendly, “breathable” material with excellent performance and properties. If you have the proper knowledge, you can handle the installation of such a coating yourself.
Select suitable wood for flooring. At this stage, you need to take into account the climatic conditions of the region, the level of planned loads on the surface, the characteristics of the operation of the premises and, of course, your financial capabilities.
In small living spaces, it is best to install softwood flooring. This material is sold at a relatively affordable price, while being distinguished by fairly high strength and durability.
Among representatives of the middle and higher price ranges, give preference to oak. Aspen wood is also used for flooring. This material is especially suitable for installing floors in children's rooms and bedrooms.
For self-flooring For coatings in residential premises, only dry wood can be used. The problem with wet boards is that as they dry, they shrink in size, which is why unsightly and completely unnecessary cracks appear in the coating.
When purchasing material, make sure that it does not have any noticeable defects such as splits, third-party stains, cracks, etc. Don’t buy this kind of wood even at a good discount.
Perform a preliminary calculation to determine required quantity material. To do this, you just need to know the area of the premises. Buy the material itself with a 10-15 percent reserve.
For flooring, it is recommended to use a board with a length of 200 cm. It is highly desirable that all boards offered to you be included in one batch. This way you will be sure that all the purchased material was manufactured and processed in accordance with the equal conditions. Therefore, texture, color, etc. external characteristics the boards will be approximately the same.
Flooring is best done using edged and tongue-and-groove boards. This material does not require additional grinding, which will allow you to significantly save time on installation work.
Wood flooring can be done using several different materials, namely:
- solid wood boards;
- solid parquet boards;
- glued parquet boards. It has the same appearance and is practically not inferior in performance characteristics to solid parquet boards, but costs less;
- parquet
Preparing for flooring
The flooring is done in two layers. First the base is laid, then the wood itself.
There are two main ways to install flooring: laying it on the ground on joists and on floor beams. When choosing the appropriate method, consider the characteristics of a particular room and your personal preferences.
Before installation, thoroughly treat everything wooden elements antifungal and fireproof impregnations.
The base of the constructed floor must be waterproofed. For moisture insulation, it is convenient to use penofol or polyethylene. Penofol simultaneously provides high-quality hydro- and noise-insulating properties, therefore it is more preferable.
Base installation
The functions of the base for self-flooring can be performed by logs, plywood and concrete. Familiarize yourself with the features of the methods and choose the most suitable one for your case.
Foundation on joists
Fastening the flooring to joists is the most popular option for arranging the floor. This design allows you to easily and effectively hide uneven floors and lay various communications under the base without any problems.
The base is assembled from 10x5 cm timber. In low rooms it is better to abandon this method - the finished structure will take about 8-10 cm in height.
Before you start installing the base, you should bring the logs into the room and let them sit for a couple of days to wood material adapted to the conditions around him.
Select the lag fastening step in accordance with the dimensions of the boards used. It is important that the boards do not sag in the future.
First step. Lay it down opposite walls one lag at the same level.
Second step. Stretch tight parallel threads between the laid joists. The distance between the threads depends on the thickness of the flooring boards. If your boards are more than 3 cm thick, stretch the threads at a distance of about 80 cm, but if the flooring elements are thinner than 3 cm, then the threads should be tensioned at a distance of no more than 60 cm. In the case of using boards thicker than 4 cm, you can increase the distance between the threads up to 100 cm.
Third step. Install logs based on stretched threads. Adjust their mounting height using wooden wedges. It is important that all logs are installed strictly at the same level.
The logs must be fastened to the base. If the base in your house is made of wood, fix it with screws or nails; if it is made of concrete, use dowels or anchors.
Fourth step. Fill the space between adjacent joists with thermal insulation material. You can lay polystyrene foam, mineral wool, expanded clay, etc.
During the flooring process, boards will need to be attached to each established lag. First, you need to prepare holes in the material for self-tapping screws. An electric drill with a drill of the appropriate diameter will help you with this.
An excellent base for future high-quality flooring can be made from plywood. High quality plywood is almost not subject to deformation during use of the floor. The material is characterized by high strength and reliability.
If necessary, the floor on the plywood sheets in question can be quickly and easily removed. When laying the base, you do not have to carry out any additional work - the flooring is mounted directly on the plywood sheets.
First step. Place sheets of plywood on the base and, using ordinary chalk, draw a diagram of the future arrangement of the elements. Based on this marking, you will install the logs, and then lay sheets of plywood on them.
Second step. Install logs. Optimal step– 400 mm. Level the joists using pads made from the same plywood. All elements must be installed strictly at the same level. Attach the aligned joists to the base. Select fasteners in accordance with the base material.
Third step. Glue the finished structure with glue to prevent the floor from cracking in the future.
Fourth step. Cover the system with rolled glassine or other material with similar properties.
Fifth step. Lay down the plywood. The edges of each sheet should lie on the joists. Place the plywood sheets themselves with a small gap, no more than 1-2 mm. To fasten sheets, use self-tapping screws - about 8-9 fasteners per sheet. Sand the joints thoroughly.
If desired, you can level the concrete base using a screed and lay the flooring directly on the floor, without installing an additional base.
In such a situation, it is important that the boards cannot come into direct contact with the concrete. Ground mastic or ordinary foamed polyethylene will perfectly cope with the functions of the intermediate layer. When using polyethylene, place insulation sheets with an overlap of 10-15 cm.
First step. Start attaching boards from any wall. Leave a 15mm gap between the wall of the room and the starting row boards. Once the decking is complete, you will cover it with baseboard. Drive self-tapping screws or nails at a slight angle, trying to deepen the heads of the fasteners into the wood by about 2 mm.
1 - lag; 2 - bracket; 3 - wedges; 4 - doboynik
Second step. After installing the first flooring board, step back about 50 mm from the edge and drive staples into the bars with an insignificant gap, and then insert a thin strip into the gap that appears after this.
Third step. Drive a wooden wedge slightly larger than the gap left between the installed rail and the fixed brackets. Thanks to the wedge, the edges of the laid boards will be pressed as tightly as possible, which will prevent the appearance of cracks. The staples can be removed after fixing the boards with screws or nails.
A - construction bracket; b - wedge compression with a movable bracket; c - rack compression
1 - bracket; 2 - wedges; 3 - lags; 4 - spur; 5 — emphasis; 6 — movable bracket; 7 - clamping screw; 8 — stops; 9 - gear wheel with ratchet - pawl; 10 — handle; 11 - screw with stop
That is, you need to work according to this scheme: lay a couple of boards, press them with a batten and a wedge, and secure them with self-tapping screws. Lay the entire flooring according to this pattern. Before attaching each subsequent board, it must be further compacted using a mallet.
Fourth step. Sand the joints of the boards.
Fifth step. Hide gaps between walls and boards using floor skirting boards.
Sixth step. Lay the finishing coating, for example, parquet boards or any other material of your choice. You can do without finishing flooring, and simply paint the boards, coat them with varnish or other composition.
Wood is a quality and durable material with excellent performance and properties. However, in order for the flooring to fully demonstrate its properties, you, as the performer, are required to strictly follow the instructions and follow the recommendations received at each stage of the work. Follow this simple guide and everything will work out.
Good luck!
Video - DIY wooden flooring
Natural materials are experiencing peak popularity today. Thus, when installing floors in a private home, consumers give preference to wood. But before you feel all the charm of such natural finish, you need to lay wooden floors in a private house, and this is not an easy task.
Wooden floor
Why choose wood?
Wooden floor - classic version arrangement in a private house. The board used for this is either solid or glued. This material has its advantages:
- Great looks. The natural beauty of wood is incomparable to any other material.
- The boards can be tinted, so the floor can be given the look that is required from it to fit into the design style.
- Wood gives off a pleasant smell, especially conifers.
- Wood is an excellent heat insulator; even in the cold season it will provide comfort.
- Resistant to stains. Solid wood floors can be sanded and painted.
- An old wood floor can be used as a base for a new coating.
- Relatively low price. This concerns pine boards. If we talk, for example, about larch or oak, then such a floor covering will not be cheap.
Wooden floors are also not without their disadvantages:
- Low-quality boards that are poorly or not dried at all will begin to creak over time.
- As the material dries, cracks form in the floor. No matter how well the boards are dried, you cannot escape the natural process.
Idea! To minimize the number of cracks, it is worth laying narrow boards, they have smaller area drying out, which means the cracks will be barely noticeable. This technology is also called deck technology.
Types of wooden floors
There are different types of boards laid on the floor:
- Massive.
- Parquet board. It has grooves on all sides, the length of the elements is within 0.5-2 meters, thickness - 1.4-2.5 cm.
- Glued. It is practically no different from parquet appearance and ease of use. It consists of several layers, which gives it increased strength and stability.
- Parquet is small planks made of solid wood.
Wooden floor joists Floor design
You can make a wooden floor in a private house with your own hands, but it is important to follow the installation technology without skipping steps. This type of flooring has key structural elements, without which it cannot be made:
- Supporting elements: leveled soil, concrete screed, columns.
- Joists are supports on which boards are attached.
- The actual boards that form the floor.
Another element that is often used between the joists and floorboards is the subfloor. It is mounted on a support beam or joists from below. This additional floorboard serves as a support for the insulation. Even if insulation material is not used, air gap will make the finished floor warmer. There are different methods of laying floors.
Floor on joists
Make a floor in the house with your own hands from wooden planks installing them on beams is easy. This technology, in which support beams are laid directly on the ground, is the simplest, as it does not require additional time and money.
The sequence of work is as follows:
- Preparing the base, that is, the soil. The soil layer is removed to a depth of at least 7 cm, and the entire extracted volume is covered with sand. Such a sandy pillow will become reliable basis for future beams. The sand is well compacted and leveled.
- Fine crushed stone is poured on top of the sand in a layer 10 cm thick. This is also leveled and compacted.
- A layer of vapor barrier is laid on top. For this, oilcloth, roofing felt, and a special membrane are used. Moreover, this layer should overlap, and the edges of the vapor barrier should extend 10-15 cm onto the wall.
- Next, the logs are laid, the distance between them is 60-80 cm. At the same time, indentations of about 3 cm are made from the walls - compensation gaps that will allow the wood to expand freely. The beams are fixed to the foundation walls using special plates.
- Next, the subfloor boards are installed. A sheathing is made on top of it, and the finished floor is already nailed onto it. Another option is to install the subfloor under the joists, and the finishing floor directly on them. But this option is somewhat more difficult to implement. Insulation is laid between the floor levels.
Installation of floorboards on brick posts Pole Mounting
Before making wooden floors on posts in a private house, you need to install the posts themselves - the supporting pedestals. The material for their creation is brick, although if you have time and materials, you can pour concrete ones. This method of installation on joists in a private house with posts is used if it is necessary to raise the floor level.
Preparing the base and posts
The first step is to prepare the base - dig holes for the posts. The distance between them is 1-1.2 m. It must be taken into account that the pillars closest to the wall are located at a distance of 40 cm from the foundation walls.
The depth of each hole is 40-50 cm; I place a layered cushion of sand and crushed stone in them. The process for creating each column is as follows:
- 10 cm of sand is poured into a recess with a compacted bottom. It is convenient to compact it by spilling the sand with water in small quantities.
- The rest of the pit is filled with fine crushed stone.
- A piece of roofing felt is placed on top.
- Metal rods are inserted into the hole.
- The resulting “pie” is filled with concrete mortar.
As soon as the foundation of the pillars has dried and set, you can lay the brick and achieve the desired height. At each stage of creating supports, it is necessary to control the level.
An important point is the cross-section of the columns, each of them is no less than 50 × 50 cm.
Installation of logs and boards
Now the wooden floor on the joists is arranged in almost the same way as in the previous proposed method. In order for all the work to be successful, it is important to first carry out calculations of the location of the pillars and the materials for their creation. Some subtleties of creating such a floor:
- It is necessary to lay roofing felt on the posts. If this is not done, within a few years the beams will rot under the influence of moisture from the supports, and they will have to be replaced.
- The logs are attached to the posts using special hardware - this will ensure the durability and strength of the subfloor.
- In cases where the length of the joists is not enough for the full span from wall to wall, they are made from edged material, and its joints must meet on the post.
- If a subfloor is not installed, you need to add insulation. The best option- This is expanded clay. Its quantity is equal to the beams.
Installation of a wooden floor on a screed
This solution is used by home owners who want to install a natural floor, but already have a concrete screed. A structure made in this way will also last a long time, provided that the installation technology is strictly followed.
Wooden floor joists on screed. The sequence of work is as follows:
- Preparing the base. If the concrete base is uneven and there are differences of more than 3 mm per 1 meter, leveling is required. In this case, it is recommended to use self-leveling mixtures.
- Next, a layer of waterproofing is installed; it needs to be placed on the walls.
- Markings are made on the floor for installation of logs. The distance between them does not exceed 60 cm; if the room is small, then you can make it 80 cm. This way the load will be distributed evenly.
- Special pins are installed in the designated areas, with the help of which the beams are attached to the floor. A hole is drilled in the floor and in the beam for the studs.
- Next, the logs are installed on studs and leveled in height.
- The space that has formed between the joists is covered with insulation. You can use expanded clay, mineral wool or polystyrene foam. Regardless of the type of insulation chosen, it is insulated from both the concrete floor and wooden boards.
- We must not forget about the gaps between the wall and the first board.
- Finally, the floor boards are installed.
Fill concrete base with expanded clay for wooden floors Rules for installing wooden flooring
There are a number of mandatory requirements in accordance with which any wooden floor must be laid, regardless of the chosen method.
- The humidity of floorboards should be no more than 12%. The durability of the flooring depends on the quality of drying. By observing humidity conditions, it is possible to minimize the deformation of the material.
- The boards must not have external defects. Before you buy solid boards or laminated veneers, inspect them carefully. Cracks, chips, and other defects are not allowed. If you do not pay close attention to this, the flooring will soon have to be changed.
- Treat all wooden elements with antiseptics and fire retardants. This will extend the life of the floor and increase fire resistance.
- The quality of the wood must be high. Savings are not appropriate here; it is better to buy material that meets all the requirements than to re-lay it in a few years.
- Don’t forget about insulation, it will also extend the life of the floor, and it will also be more comfortable in the room. When installing insulation, follow the technology; most of them do not like moisture, so you will need waterproofing.
Note! The best period for laying a wooden floor is considered the end heating season. During this period, humidity is optimal.
For flooring, you can use solid and glued boards. Will fit sheet materials and folded boards.
Insulation with penoizol - Before fastening, arrange the boards along the joists to determine the location of their installation; number the boards in the order of fastening.
- Start laying from the wall, not forgetting about the expansion gap.
- Nail the boards or fasten them with self-tapping screws.
- If the board is tongue-and-groove, the end tongue will have to be cut.
- Cover the gaps between the wall and the boards with plinth.
About the choice of lumber
Compliance with installation technology, the use of waterproofing and insulation will not give the desired effect if the wood is chosen incorrectly. In this case, various factors need to be taken into account:
- financial opportunities;
- climate zone;
- degree of load;
- the type of room in which the flooring is installed.
Yes, for small rooms They select coniferous species, they are affordable and perform well in operation. More expensive species: oak, larch, aspen, alder. But their performance characteristics are also better.
Selection rules:
- The material must be dry.
- You should not choose materials with cracks, tar stains, or splits. This applies to both boards and joists.
- The board must be purchased with a reserve of 15% or more.
- The most convenient boards are 2 meters long.
- The lumber must be from the same batch - this will ensure relatively the same processing, dryness, color and pattern.
- The best option would be a tongue-and-groove board, which is more convenient to install and operate.
Insulation with mineral wool Conclusion
Installing a wooden floor is a task that anyone can do. It’s not difficult to make such flooring yourself. It is important to follow the technology; in this case, the wooden flooring will last for many years.