How to make a rough screed correctly. Installation of floor screed in an apartment - possible methods, preparation and sequence of arrangement

If planned big renovation in the apartment, instructions about how to make a floor screed with your own hands with a video on the topic will be extremely useful. Leveling the floor is the most serious and critical step in finishing it. Durability and durability depend on the quality of the work performed. appearance finishing coating.

What type of screed should I choose?

The choice of base for a covering made of any material should be made taking into account the load on the floor, the strength of the floors and the characteristics of the premises where leveling is required. Depending on this, choose one of the types of screed:

The base connected to the floor is suitable for leveling the floor in the garage and in rooms with high loads.
The screed on the separating layer, or floating, provides for the presence insulating material between it and the ceiling. This type is chosen for rooms where waterproofing, insulation or installation of underfloor heating systems are needed.
Compared to concrete mortar, the mixture for semi-dry screed has minimal shrinkage. It can be used under the same conditions as concrete mortar.
Dry screed is performed on the principle of using loose and fairly light materials (expanded clay, Knauf loose floor, etc.). The only drawback of this leveling is the impossibility of using it in rooms with high humidity.

Before you start repairs do-it-yourself flooring in an apartment, you need to take care to clean the base from construction waste, dismantle the old screed. When remodeling, it is best to first install gypsum plasterboard partitions, electric installation work, complete rough finishing walls and ceiling. Only after the room has been prepared can you proceed to installing the screed using one of the selected methods.

How to make a screed yourself?

If one of the “wet” methods (tied, floating) is chosen, then it should be noted that it takes about three weeks for concrete or a cement-sand mixture to acquire full strength. Only after this will it be possible to continue work related to the installation of flooring. When choosing a semi-dry screed, the time to gain strength is reduced to two weeks, and you can walk on the new subfloor in 2-3 days.

Deciding how to make a floor screed in an apartment, many choose the dry method: leveling the bulk layer and laying the slabs is done with less effort. The technology allows you to use such a screed immediately after installation. Applying the topcoat to the base can begin after completion finishing works indoors without waiting for the moment when the full strength of the concrete solution is achieved.

Installation of screed made of DSP and concrete

Before how to make a concrete floor screed, with a connected method of performing work, the surface of the ceiling should be primed to improve the adhesion of the solution. When making a floating screed, this step is optional, but a number of other works are performed instead:

laying a waterproofing membrane (polyethylene film);
installation of damper tape around the perimeter of the room;
laying a layer of thermal insulation (expanded polystyrene, mineral wool, isolon, etc.);
reinforcement.

Only after the base is prepared does the process of pouring the screed begin. In order for the floor to be level, you need to install beacons. Are these long slats or special hardware, which need to be laid on mortar supports. Check the horizontalness of each slats using a level. Check that the height of the adjacent beacon matches the height by placing the spirit level on both slats at the same time. If necessary, lower the beacon by pressing it into the solution.

While the solution with installed beacons is setting, you can prepare equipment and materials for pouring the screed:

cement, sand and crushed stone for concrete;
rule for stretching the solution;
shovel;
concrete mixer or container for manual mixing.

If the overlap is fairly even, then there is nothing easier, how to make a cement floor screed. To make it you need to take 1 part of cement grade M400-M500 and 3 parts of seeded river sand. Add water as needed until you obtain a mass that will not spread on its own.

The concrete mixture is used to fill the base with height differences of more than 5 cm. To obtain concrete, you need to take 3 parts sand and 4 parts crushed stone to 1 part cement. Water is added in a proportion of approximately 0.5 parts to 1 part of the mixture of dry ingredients.

The thoroughly mixed solution should be placed in the far corner of the room and distributed using a rule that should be based on 2 adjacent beacons. You need to stretch a portion of the solution until it forms a layer whose thickness is equal to the height installed beacons. If they were placed correctly and accurately, then the surface of the screed will be perfect. After the solution has hardened for 2-3 days, wooden slats need to be removed and the grooves covered with the same substance, leveling it with a trowel. Metal beacons remain in the screed body.

Semi-dry screed

In, how to make a semi-dry floor screed with your own hands, there are practically no differences from the traditional wet method. The difference lies in the amount of water. According to the recommended method, the finished mixture should, when squeezed in your hand, stick together into a lump that retains its shape. No water is released from it.

The proportions of the components are the same as for the DSP. The dry ingredients need to be mixed and placed on a plywood sheet in the form of a slide with a recess on top. Gradually add water to the well and stir the mixture until a sticky lump is obtained. You can also use a concrete mixer for this work.

The setting time for this mixture is about 45-50 minutes. Therefore, you need to quickly distribute part of the solution between the beacons to approximately 2/3 of the height of their installation and compact it. Apply the next layer, which needs to be stretched according to the rule along the beacons, as when installing a concrete screed or DSP. While stretching the mixture, it is compacted.

The laid screed must be sanded immediately, rubbing more than liquid solution. Cover the finished floor with plastic wrap and dry for 7-10 days. During this time, the semi-dry mixture will become stronger and stronger, reaching the hardness of ordinary CPS.

Dry floor screed

Despite the use of rather fragile materials in installation (gypsum plasterboard, chipboard, gypsum fiber board, plywood, etc.), the strength of such a base is practically not inferior to concrete. Dry screed can be successfully used to repair floors in a garage or hallway public building. The only limitation is the impossibility of using the dry installation method for installing floors in wet rooms.

A dry screed is constructed according to the floating principle, that is, using a layer of material that insulates the backfill from the walls and ceiling. If it is necessary to insulate the room, you can use various porous layers, which are also used for traditional ways screed installation: mineral wool, EPPS, penoizol, etc. Foam mats are also used for laying water heated floors. The dry screed cake is formed as follows:

waterproofing;
damper tape;
insulation or backfill;
compensating layer of gypsum fiber board (only for floors with heavy load);
substrate;
actual screed of 2 layers sheet material(gypsum board, plywood, etc.).

Before how to make a dry floor screed , plastic film need to be spread on a rough base. Glue to the walls along the perimeter of the room edge tape(it can be replaced by the edges of moisture insulation raised on the wall). Install beacons in increments of no more than 1.5 m, starting from the walls. Check the horizontal level of the entire floor. After this, you can do different things:

Spread mineral wool or other porous material between the beacons. In this case, the lighthouse batten performs the functions of a log, so it must be made of a block required thickness. After laying the insulation, spread it on the joists chipboard sheets or other material, secured with self-tapping screws. The next layer of sheet material should be oriented so that the slab overlaps the junction of the lower floor elements.
Dry screed with backfill is carried out along the beacons. They need to be laid on the poured material and set horizontally to a level. The loose floor from the Knauf company, expanded clay, perlite, slag or other backfill should be stretched as a rule. Remove the beacons and begin laying the leveling sheets, starting from the entrance to the room. You cannot step on the backfill. To move, you need to place islands of GVL debris on it. Lay the sheets as described in point 1. Video instructions from Knauf will tell you how to do this work yourself.
If necessary, you can lay 1 layer of gypsum fiber board on the backfill, cover it with porous material and make a screed according to general principles.
If the subfloor is not on the ground, then you can pour perlite or vermiculite directly onto the floor. Lay the screed on top in 2 layers.

After the dry screed is completely installed, proceed to laying the floor covering (carpet, laminate, parquet or your own version).

If the type of installation of screeds is chosen correctly, they are successfully purchased necessary materials and the installation technology is followed, the base for the floor in a garage or apartment will be durable and very smooth. It is very easy to lay any floor material on a well-made screed.

Leveling the floor according to beacons

The screed is used for leveling floors, strengthening weak concrete foundations, repairing minor defects, and filling heated floors. It is also necessary as a base for most floor coverings. The main types of screed are cement-sand mixture (can be poured and semi-dry), self-leveling mixture, combined, and examples - GVL technology.

Before making a floor screed, you should decide what operational strength of the screed is required. For residential premises it is sufficient if the strength is equivalent to M-150 concrete and, therefore, simple cement-sand mixtures can be used, for commercial or industrial premises polymer-cement ones are required, equal in strength to concrete M-400.

Cement to sand ratio table

First you need to find the highest point on the floor. If the height difference is 1-1.5 cm, then it is recommended to use a self-leveling leveling compound, if more - cement-sand mixture.

It is necessary to apply a special primer mixture to the floor to increase the adhesion of the screed to the concrete. The degree of dilution of the primer also depends on the degree of unevenness of the floor. It is believed that if the height difference is up to 2.5 cm, it must be diluted to the state of “jelly”, more than 2.5 cm - to the state of “sour cream”.

Screeding the floor with your own hands using a self-leveling mixture is the easiest way. Simply dilute the mixture according to the instructions and apply it to the floor. Next, you need to carry out preliminary leveling with a large roller. The mixture will level itself to a horizontal level due to its high fluidity. The mixture will gain full strength in two weeks. The most common method is screed with a cement-sand mixture.

Currently, fast and inexpensive way This .

After detecting the highest point of the floor, you need to install beacons. It should be noted that the height of the screed should be 3 cm above this point. The beacons are attached with alabaster, or they can be installed in specially drilled holes in the floor. Now we dilute the mixture and apply it to the floor. Using bulk mixture, it is enough to apply the required amount to the floor and level it with a rule of 2 meters in length, periodically checking with a level. If you take a semi-dry mixture, then first apply a base layer and lay it on it. metal mesh and apply a second layer of the mixture, which is narrower and leveled with a wide spatula. If necessary, the mixture can be added.

When the screed can support the weight of the body, remove the beacons and cover everything with film or a damp rag for 10 days. This will create optimal conditions for drying and acquiring strength properties. The screed will dry completely in four weeks.

During construction or overhaul In the building, much attention is paid to the arrangement of the floor. To ensure all its functions, the intermediate layer (screed) must be correctly laid under finishing coat. If you screed the floor yourself using modern technologies, from high-quality certified materials at the appropriate temperature and compliance with the required deadlines, the result is a high-quality floor covering.

Regardless of the manufacturing technology, the screed performs the following tasks:

creates the optimal or design level of the foundation, technological slope (if necessary);
increases the strength of the structure, helps distribute the load on the floor slabs;
gives the flooring heat and sound insulating properties;
Levels the plane of the base.

In accordance with the quality and condition of the floor, choose one of the types of screed.

1. Solid – it is based on sand-cement mortar, gypsum or anhydrite mixture. This type is divided into two types: single-layer or multi-layer. In the first case, the screed is laid at a time, in the second case, the laying is done in layers, but each layer must adhere to the previous one.

For the initial leveling of the base in a private house, the floor screed is most often made of concrete - it is characterized by high strength and helps eliminate height differences of up to 20 cm. Finish adjustments (up to 3 cm) are made using self-leveling mixtures.

If the thickness of the screed layer does not exceed 5 cm, a semi-dry screed is sometimes used: a sand-cement mixture with a small amount of water, supplemented with fiberglass, is used as the basis. In this way, concrete is laid in two stages: the rough layer levels the “horizon”, and the finishing layer eliminates the shortcomings of the rough layer.

According to the method of construction, solid screeds are:

connected - do not have separating layers; they lie directly on the base, are designed for high loads, but are susceptible to cracking during shrinkage and absorb moisture;
on the separating layer - its role is played by bituminized or oiled paper or film, on which the concrete mixture is laid; this type provides sufficient waterproofing;
on an insulating layer - not at all connected with the ceiling on which fiberglass slabs, mineral wool or cork are placed; With good insulating properties, this option has low strength parameters.

The disadvantage of a continuous screed is the need to allow each layer to harden, gain strength, and dry completely before installing the finishing coating.

2. Team. This type of screed is produced using the dry method and is used if the height of the base ranges from 3 to 12 cm. There are two technological types of dry leveling:

using gypsum fiber sheets - this progressive floor screed was developed by Knauf and acquired good reputation in European countries; the bottom layer is a granular backfill (for example, expanded clay), on top of which sheet material is laid;
on joists - first a frame of beams is mounted, then sheathed with plywood, fiberboard or particle boards; This technology is quite labor-intensive.

How to make a screed yourself

Preparing for work

To begin with, the thickness of the layer of mortar to be laid is determined - it corresponds to the project or is measured experimentally after clearing the base. The following initial data is taken as an example:

according to measurements, floor depth is 7 cm;
finishing coating – laminate (1 cm);
waterproofing film – 1.5 mm;
insulation under laminate – 3 mm;
room area – 12 m2.

The calculation of material for floor screed is carried out according to an algorithm.

1. Determine the thickness of the screed: 70 – (10+1.5+3) = 54.5 mm = 0.00545 m.

2. Calculate the volume of the solution by multiplying the resulting number by the area of the room: V = 0.00545* 12 = 0.654 m3

3. According to the standard, 1 cubic meter of solution requires 410 kg of M500 cement. Therefore, the cement consumption will be: 410 * 0.654 = 268 kg or 11 bags of 25 kg.

4. For strong screed For 1 portion of cement take 3 portions of sand: 268 * 3 = 804 kg. Water is added in a ratio to cement as 0.5:1, that is, 0.5*268 = 134 liters or 13.5 buckets.

To level the floor with a concrete mixture, in addition to sand, water, cement, you need a reinforcement mesh or fiberglass (if the screed is thicker than 5 cm), beacons, and a waterproofing film. The fiber consumption is 0.9 kg/cube of solution - it is introduced directly during mixing. Beacons are placed at a distance of 0.8 - 1 m from each other - you will need 6 profiles 3 m long.

To carry out the work you will need a set of tools:

building level;
roulette;
water level;
trowel;
putty knife;
rule;
mixer, drill or hammer drill with an attachment (the power of the hammer drill is at least 750 W);
mounting knife;
solution container.

Stages of arrangement concrete screed

1. Removing construction waste from the surface (in a new building) or dismantling the old one flooring.

2. Repairing holes or chips in the ceiling cement mortar, into which a non-shrinking dry additive is introduced - for example, Penetron.

3. Accurate marking using a level - the difference in the base is determined and the amount of materials for the screed is calculated.

4. Applying a primer to the surface.

5. Laying construction mesh and waterproofing. If you screed a warm water floor with your own hands, install the layers in this order:

insulation;
moisture-proof (parabarrier) film;
reinforcing mesh;
water heating pipes;
screed - at least 3 cm, so that the floor is heated evenly and the concrete does not crack;
finishing coating.

The total thickness of the “pie” is 8 – 14 cm. Before pouring the concrete solution, it is recommended to check the tightness of the heating system.

6. Installation of beacons on waterproofing film or a floor heating system. Using a level, the upper coordinate of the surface is found, and beacon markers are installed from it. At the highest point, the layer of solution will be the thinnest (but not less than 1 cm).

Beacons are special guides in the form of an inverted letter T, having the necessary strength and rigidity. The profiles are attached to the base with ordinary mortar or using alabaster. Beacons placed on the floor form maps: they should be narrower than the rule, 30 - 40 cm. By placing the guides on piles of mortar, they are leveled. The height of the beacons is adjusted using spacers made from scrap materials. The plane is controlled lengthwise and crosswise - the level must be zero everywhere.

7. After the solution fixing the beacons has hardened, begin screeding. In order not to interrupt the process, the work is carried out by two people: one mixes the solution, the second pours it. Several buckets of mortar are laid out against the wall opposite the door and pulled 0.5 meters towards the entrance. The mass is leveled with a trowel and pulled with a rule, performing zigzag movements. After pouring a batch of solution, immediately place the next batch. Working hours are calculated so that in one room wet screed was carried out continuously for no longer than a day.

8. Drying the screed. During the drying period, the concrete is moistened so that it does not dry out. Close doors and windows to prevent sunlight and drafts from entering the room. To prevent the screed from drying out, it is covered with thick plastic film.

According to building regulations, concrete mixture stabilizes within 28 days. If you plan to tile with ceramic tiles, you should wait another week for the surface to gain the necessary strength.

How much does a screed cost?

The cost of floor screed work performed without the involvement of builders corresponds to the price of materials - their quantity is multiplied by market price, sum up the resulting products and get the result. According to previously carried out calculations, for a room of 12 m2 they purchase:

cement, 11 bags x 25 kg – 1,000 rubles;
sand, 804 kg – 250;
polypropylene fiber 160.;
film, 14 m2 – 150;
beacons, 6 pcs. – 144.

The total amount is 1,704 rubles. The cost of the screed per square meter is: 1704: 12 = 142.

Price of screed with expanded clay

Initial data: room area - 12 m2, screed layer thickness 80 mm.

Materials needed:

KNAUF sheets 1,500x800x12.5 mm – 10 pcs x 264 = 2,640 rubles;
expanded clay sand (fraction 2 - 5 mm) - layer thickness 67.5 mm, volume 0.81 m3 or 25 bags x 150 = 3,750.

As a result total amount is equal to 6,390, and the price square meter– 532 rubles.

Advantages of dry screed:

it dries in 2 days, after which installation of the floor covering is possible;
the floor can withstand weight loads of 0.5 t/m2;
expanded clay provides a high degree of sound insulation;
short specific gravity screed makes it suitable for houses with wooden floors;
the surface does not need to be further processed: it is ready for laying any coating.

If the work is carried out by builders, the cost of installing the floor increases - labor costs are added, depending on the complexity of the work. The table shows the average prices for services for laying screed (up to 40 mm thick) and preparing the base.

An increase in layer thickness by 10 mm entails an increase in the cost of work by an average of 10%.

The screed is the layer between concrete base floor and its top covering. It is necessary for quality leveling floor. The durability of the work result depends on the screed. Installation of the screed is necessary regardless of the type of coating used: parquet, tiles, linoleum, laminate, carpet, etc.

By manufacturing method

Wet. It is a cement-sand mixture. A special dry composition is also sold - it is made using cement based, or using gypsum. It is poured over and the surface is completely leveled. If cement or sand was used for the screed, the surface is reinforced. Dry mixtures do not require this procedure. The option is universal and common in construction. 10 cm or less is the optimal layer thickness.
Dry. Also called prefabricated screed. It is a structure made of large sheets with a thickness of 15 to 30 mm. In case of strong differences in surface levels, the dryness of the screed will not allow achieving the desired degree of leveling. Then, under the floor covering, a layer of dry screed is placed on top of the wet one.
Semi-dry. It differs from the classic, wet production method by a significantly smaller amount of water in the mixture. Benefits of this type screeds are a short period of time between laying the screed and the floor, no leaks. The presence of fiber fiber in the mixture helps to minimize the number of shrinkage cracks.

Mechanized semi-dry floor screed ensures a minimum amount of construction waste after installation. The mixture is usually mixed outside and supplied through a hose. For convenience, you can contact companies involved in laying semi-dry floor screed. One of these, “EUROSTROY 21 CENTURY” (company website www.prestigehouse.ru), uses modern equipment and German technologies in its work.

By number of layers

Single layer. It is laid at a time to the required thickness.
Multilayer. Consists of rough and finishing surfaces. For example, to ensure rigidity at the junction of the slabs with the floor, first lay rough concrete option, and when finishing, an absolutely smooth finishing screed is laid on top. The rough screed thickness is 20 mm or more, the finishing screed is from 3 to 20 mm.

By connection type

Solid. It is firmly adhered to the base coating layer.
Floating. Not connected to anything. It is used when it is necessary to use a film with waterproofing properties, as well as sound or heat insulation. The optimal thickness is 35 mm or more.

Screed materials

Cement is the most common binder for screeds, as is gypsum. The following fillers improve the properties of the mixture: sand, polymers, mineral-based additives. To obtain the required consistency, the composition is diluted with water.

. Its screed is moisture-resistant and can be used for any type of floor structure. Cement is mixed with sand, the optimal ratio is 1 part cement to 3 parts sand.
There is also sand concrete - a mixture sold in stores. Sand concrete has a drawback - rapid shrinkage. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure the uniformity of the composition and the thickness of the poured layer, which must be at least 30 mm, otherwise the screed will crack.
To ensure uniform stress distribution and protection from cracking, the screed is reinforced from the inside or a portion of propylene-based fiber is added to the solution. After installation, the screed is periodically wetted for approximately 10-14 days. The screed takes a long time to dry and for moisture-sensitive coatings - laminate and parquet - it will remain too wet for at least 20 days.
Gypsum. Plastic, easy to install screed. Does not shrink, it can be laid thin layer. Complete drying in 1-2 days. Recommended for wooden floor. But not suitable for rooms with high humidity, as the plaster will become like dough. If polymers are added to the plaster, the screed can be used in rooms with moderate humidity.
Concrete. In terms of composition and manufacturing technology, concrete screed is similar to cement screed. The main difference is that it is added to the mixture cellular concrete. There are different types of concrete screed: foam concrete, expanded clay concrete, perlite concrete.
Self-leveling or self-leveling mixture. Sold in finished form, designed for various floor coverings. It can be thin-layer, from 2 to 7 mm, and thick-layer, from 5 to 30 mm. If the floor unevenness is large, first make a rough rough screed, and a self-leveling mixture is placed on top.
. The composition is similar to drywall. Is durable building slabs, coated with a waterproofing compound. Laying is done on a pre-filled layer of polystyrene. The slabs are laid slightly overlapping each other to close the joints. The main advantage of the screed is that you don’t have to wait for it to dry. The final floor covering can be installed the next day. Often used for installing screeds in apartments.

Materials

1. 1. Concrete mixer.
  2. Hydraulic level.
  3. Rule.
  4. Construction bubble level.
  5. Master OK.
  6. Drill with mixing attachment.
  7. Stationery knife.
  8. Bucket.
  9. Pencil, marker.
  10. Roulette.
  11. Ruler.

Stages of work

Stage 1. Defining the horizon

The zero level is measured using a spirit level - otherwise called the water level. Marks are placed in all rooms. Optimal height- from 1.2 to 1.5 m from the floor level. The starting mark can be placed anywhere. The second and all subsequent ones are marked by the water level along the horizon, but not the floor.

All points are connected and a zero level is obtained. Throughout all installation work it will define the horizontal plane. Check the accuracy several times zero level.

Sometimes expanded clay or gravel is poured under the screed. Then they retreat a few cm from the marked point and make an additional line for pouring the selected pillow material along this level under the screed.

Stage 2. Determine elevation differences

This is necessary to calculate the correct screed level and the required volume of solution.

IN different rooms measure the distance from the old floor to the zero level point. We write the resulting value at each measurement location. It is better to make more points so that the measurements are more accurate. The minimum value is the maximum level of the old floor, and highest value shows it minimum height. The difference in values is the difference in height of the old floor.

For example, max = 1.30 m, min = 1.25 m.

1,30 – 1,25 = 0,05.

That is, the height difference is 5 cm.

30 mm – minimum thickness cement screed, where a plasticizer is added. We mentioned earlier that otherwise cracks will appear along the screed. Builders sometimes add as a plasticizer liquid soap. And on the packaging of the self-leveling mixture, the manufacturer indicates optimal thickness layer.

For multi-level screeds, calculate the difference in heights. Height differences in floor level at the joints of coverings are not allowed. The screed is planned differently according to levels: the thickness of the coatings is not identical. The difference in it must be compensated for by differences in screed levels.

Let's say there are ceramic tiles in the kitchen and parquet in the room. The layer under parquet will be thicker than for tiles, and it is multi-layered. We sum up the thickness of all layers, including the parquet itself, and subtract the sum of the tile layers, including the tile itself. We get a screed difference. It is recommended to take a spare 2 mm from the tile side if the layer for the parquet turns out to be higher.

Stage 3. Surface preparation

Cleaning base coat. Commonly used construction vacuum cleaner. If it is missing, you can simply sweep it well, then wash everything with a regular cleaning agent. Using a primer you can do additional dust removal. It is optimal to use the Betonokontakt product - it provides good adhesion for the screed and the base, making the surface rough.

Temporary waterproofing is required for partitions and walls. For this purpose, you can use roofing material. The height of the roofing felt tape is 10-15 cm from the level of the screed.

Next, we inspect the base. Peelings are not allowed, they must be cleaned. If there large cracks, cover them with a thick solution based on non-shrink cement. If the floors were “ironized” during construction or coated with “cement milk”, then the film is removed so that there is proper adhesion to the base coating.

Stage 4. Placing beacons

The screed is aligned along them. Usually rigid elements are used as them - metal profiles, which can be fixed in a stationary position and not be afraid that they will bend at the wrong moment.

The mounting method is different: you can build a slide from cement or simply screw the beacons into the floor. Important Requirement– parallelism of the guides. The distance between adjacent ones should allow you to put on the ends of the rail, along which the composition will be leveled.

Using a rack level, the beacons are aligned in length and in relation to each other. Where differences in height occur, plywood formwork is placed so that the solution cannot flow into another room or area.

Stage 5. Mixing the composition and pouring the screed

Few people do it manually; more often they use a concrete mixer - this way the composition turns out to be more uniform. You should not increase the proportion of water to make the mixture homogeneous, otherwise the screed will be fragile. For this purpose, special additives are sold that make the solution plastic and homogeneous.

The filling should resemble a thick dough without lumps, spreading, but not spreading over the surface. It is used for 1-1.5 hours and in one go. It is not allowed to leave it for several days. Also, you should not flood the room in parts over several days. The exception is different levels of screed or different rooms.

The solution is poured between the beacons and leveled with a rule, which is moved strictly along the beacons, shifting the excess mixture. To level the surface of the screed, the rule is to additionally make left-right movements.

The process of leveling a concrete mass using a rule

Video - Floor screed

Stage 6. Post-installation care

A simple operation, often ignored by workers. It consists of watering the coating 2 times a day. If this is not done, the screed will crack. The watering period is 10 days.

The cement screed needs up to 28 days until it becomes strong enough. The chemical processes that occur require a sufficient amount of moisture.

The beacons are pulled out approximately 3 days after the installation of the screed is completed. The recesses are primed and filled with a new portion of the solution. After this, we wet the coating again and cover it with polyethylene film for 2 weeks. In some cases, this is not recommended, then moisturizing is also done often - 2 times a day.

Stage 7. Checking the work

It is done in several stages.

To make your floor serve you a large number of years old, and looked perfectly straight before starting styling floor tiles, first you need to carry out preparatory work and level the floor surface. Now let’s try to consider how to competently approach solving this problem. Let's learn how to screed a floor indoors together with the portal.

What kind of screed is there?

If you don’t know how to make a floor screed with your own hands, then you should watch the video below. Before we start talking about this process, we need to talk about what a floor screed is.

So, floor screed can be done using all kinds of materials and using various techniques. There are the following types of screeds:

Concrete screed. This type screeds are one of the most common. This screed is used mainly for the initial leveling of the surface of the floor. If the surface has a large number of differences, then this method can be called the most suitable. The mixture fillers for this leveling method are usually sand and cement. But to complete this work you will need to spend a lot of time and effort.

Self-leveling screed It is performed mainly from already prepared mixtures. The leveling layer is approximately 3 cm thick. It is used at the end of the work to level out various differences in the floor surface. This method Suitable for almost all types of existing floor coverings.

Dry screed It is mainly produced if you need to level a floor that has very large uneven surfaces ranging from 4 to 11 cm in height. There are two options for making this type of screed.

A) Alignment by lags. Materials used are plywood, chipboard or various other types of sheet materials.

B) Leveling using gypsum fiber sheets. For this type of screed, German materials from KNAUF are often used. For the right choice material needed to level the floor, you need to know what the general condition of the floor surface is and what type of floor covering you will use when completing all the work.

Purpose of the screed

In order to carry out complex repairs to your floor, in any case, you should screed its surface. Now let’s try to find out what functions this screed has.

The main purpose of the screed is to form a flat floor surface. For example, a material such as laminite, parquet or linoleum requires a perfectly flat base on the floor surface.
Another main function of this base is to increase the rigidity of structures.
The base has excellent heat and sound insulation properties.
Thanks to the use of a screed, you can raise the floor to any level without any problems.

Requirements for floor screed

To perform its functions to the maximum, the screed must meet all necessary requirements and standards. Namely:

The screed must be strong in order to withstand established by standards compression loads.
The density of the constituent substance of the screed over the entire surface of the room should have the same thickness.
If the screed is poured over a soundproofing layer, then its thickness should be at least 4 cm and no more than 2.5 cm for floor slabs.
The screed should have a thickness 2 cm greater than the diameter of the pipes that need to be hidden in it.
When pouring onto a soundproofing layer, you need to retreat 3-6 cm from the edge of the wall. This indentation will also be filled with soundproofing in the future.
A monolithic layer is poured onto the waterproofing. To do this, as a rule, they use a film made of very thick polyethylene or use roofing felt. Waterproofing layer in in this case, placed 6-11 cm on the walls of the room.
The surface layers of the screed should not have chips or cracks.

Necessary preparatory work

The amount of work that, as a rule, must be done before laying the screed depends mainly on its type and on the condition of the floor surface. However, you will still need to do the following:

First, you should inspect the floor and, if necessary, dismantle the old covering.
After dismantling, it is necessary to completely remove construction waste.
Now it’s time to wet or dry clean the floor surface using a brush or vacuum cleaner.
Determine the required floor level for its subsequent raising by using a laser tape measure.
Now it’s time to install the beacons.

Work technology and features

In this article we are talking about what a do-it-yourself floor screed should look like in an apartment. In addition to our tips, there is a video in this article that will also help you see this.

Correct execution of floor screed depends on compliance with all standards provided for this work. You should know what composition of the mixture should be used, as well as how to properly mix it and install it. The order of your further actions will depend on what type of screed you have chosen.

Carrying out work on laying concrete screed.

Leveling the floor using this method is very popular and quite common, despite the fact that this work is quite complex and time-consuming. First of all, it is necessary to completely clear the entire surface of the floor from objects: remove furniture from the room, various items interior, etc. Then they begin to remove the old covering from the floor, while painstakingly examining its base. The composition of a concrete screed usually includes the following components: sand, cement and other fillers. To complete this work you will need:

Building level.
Roulette.
Beacons.
Spatula and trowel.
Dishes for the mixture.
Construction knife.
A drill with an attachment for kneading the mixture.

Most hardware stores sell already prepared mixtures of sand and cement for making concrete mortar. As a rule, all these elements are already present in them. But if you do not want to spend money, then it is quite possible to make this solution yourself, if you have all the necessary equipment necessary ingredients in the required proportion.

Basically, in order to make a screed, you should take three parts of sand to one part of cement. And plasticizers will help the mixture become more elastic, and it will not harden quickly enough, which will prevent chips and cracks from appearing on it. In case you need to level the floor with the presence of large differences(more than 6 cm), then fiber should be added to this mixture, which has reinforcing properties, or a metal mesh should be used for laying.

Pay attention to the article on the site: How to glaze a balcony with your own hands

Screeding the floor surface in a room using concrete mortar should be done in the following sequence:

The floor surface is measured using building level, then all existing differences and irregularities are determined.
All chips and cracks on the floor surface are carefully cleared and smoothed out.
The surface of the floor covering is cleaned of debris and dirt.
The waterproofing layer is laid (if necessary).
Using a building level, the beacons are installed and fixed to the floor surface.
Now the floor is being primed.
After which a concrete solution is made from dry ready mixture and additional components. As a rule, immediately after preparing the mixture, it is laid on the floor surface.
When leveling the solution, you should pay attention to the installed beacons. In one room, you should try to install the solution within one day. To ensure better adhesion of individual areas filled with mortar, it is necessary to use a metal mesh or reinforcement.
After all work on filling the floor is completed, you need to start laying polyethylene film over its entire surface and leave it until it completely hardens. This procedure will help you avoid cracks.

You should also ensure that the room is completely protected from drafts and sun. Depending on what mixture was used to fill the floor, the first steps on it can only be taken after 4 days. Using a building level, you need to once again carefully check the floor surface to see if it is level, or if there are small irregularities somewhere that, immediately after detection, will need to be smoothed out with a special device. You must always remember that the time for complete hardening of a concrete screed is 25-30 days. Only after the end of the specified period can you begin laying the flooring or laying thermal insulation. An exceptional option in this case is laying ceramic tiles. This work can be carried out within 6 days after screeding.

Laying a self-leveling screed

This screed is used mainly to obtain a perfectly flat floor surface. In this case, we mean finishing installation linoleum, laminite, or any polymer coatings. The majority of construction stores sell a variety of self-leveling mixtures, the preparation of which is carried out at home according to the instructions attached to them. These works must be carried out in the following order. All debris and dirt should be removed from the entire floor surface. This work must be done with special care, since the small debris that may remain after cleaning may float to the surface of the poured layer.

According to the instructions, you need to start preparing the solution. When making it, to avoid the appearance of lumps, the mixture should be added to the liquid, but not vice versa. Construction mixer will help you stir the mixture thoroughly. The resulting solution should look like a creamy mass. It is saturated with oxygen and left for 10 minutes.

Filling is usually done starting from the farthest corner of the room to the corner of the door along its entire wall.

Thanks to the use of a metal brush and a needle-shaped roller, the solution is leveled and its thickness is leveled. Based on this, the floor surface dries quickly enough, unlike concrete. You can take your first steps on the floor after 9-10 hours. These terms may depend on the internal climate in the room and the thickness of the resulting layer. After pouring the floor, it must be protected from sun rays and draft, as well as water ingress on its surface.

If you try to follow all of the above recommendations, you will end up with a very hard surface that will not absorb any moisture in the future.