How to make a floor without pouring concrete. Concrete floor in a private house

Concrete base gender is currently perhaps the most widespread in both residential and industrial construction. It is suitable for almost any finishing coating or can, after appropriate processing, be used independently. Its main advantages, subject to the filling technology, are high strength, resistance to destruction, and durability of use. It is not surprising that when conducting private construction or when renovating an apartment, in the vast majority of cases, homeowners opt for this particular flooring technology.

Is it worth inviting specialist builders, or is screeding a concrete floor with your own hands a completely affordable process for the average homeowner? This publication is devoted to answering these questions.

Types of concrete floor screeds

Concrete floor screeds may have different design, performed using slightly different technologies and intended for different purposes.

Thus, they can serve exclusively for leveling the floor, which is carried out before installation. finishing coating. Powerful screeds serve as a reliable foundation in rooms where increased mechanical loads are expected. They can also perform the functions of ensuring the required thermal balance, acting, for example, as powerful heat accumulators in “warm floor” systems. Screeds are often used to cover communication systems. They can they are used and in order to create a certain slope in those rooms where it is necessary.
Concrete screeds differ according to the number of layers:

— They can be single-layer, that is, poured simultaneously to the entire calculated height. This is usually used in industrial, commercial or utility applications. non-residential premises, where there are no increased requirements for the evenness of the floor.

— Multilayer screeds are poured in several stages. Usually the first layer serves as a rough base, and the top one creates a smooth surface for further work on floor coverings. This approach is also used in cases where the total thickness of the required screed reaches too large dimensions, and it is more expedient to do it in layers.

Screeds also differ in the degree of adhesion to the base:

— Bound ties have direct contact with the base. Of course, with such a filling technology, maximum homogeneity of the materials and their high adhesion to each other must be ensured. Such coatings are characterized by good strength qualities in terms of withstanding high mechanical loads. However, the condition of the surface layer will largely depend on the moisture level of the base. Such screeds are mainly performed on dry floor slabs on the floors of buildings.

— In the case where the base does not have sufficient waterproofing, a screed is used as a separating layer. A layer of waterproofing material (roofing felt, polymer film, coating composition) becomes a barrier to the penetration of moisture from below, and the screed itself has no contact with the base. With this technology, the layer of poured mortar cannot be less than 30 mm and, as a rule, requires reinforcement.

This technology is often used when constructing screeds on the ground, for example, in garages, sheds, basements, and on the first floors of houses without basements. They also use it in rooms with high humidity levels.

— Where enhanced thermal insulation of the floor is required or there is a need for sound insulation, floating screeds are used. In this case, the concrete solution is poured over a layer of insulation of one type or another. The screed turns into completely independent design- a slab that is not connected either to the base or to the walls of the room. Minimum thickness the fill in this case is at least 50 mm, and reinforcement of the screed becomes a prerequisite.

The humidity of such a screed is absolutely independent of the condition of the base, and a good insulating effect is achieved. Disadvantages - excessively large thickness, and therefore - load on the floor. Typically, such screeds are used only on the first floors of residential or ancillary buildings, especially if the filling is carried out on the ground.

Screeds can be made with a homogeneous solution or include certain fillers:

— The addition of a cement-sand solution of polystyrene foam chips significantly increases the thermal insulation qualities of the coating.

Typically, such screeds require a second, strengthening and leveling layer.

— Where ties are required large thickness or with increased thermal insulation qualities, expanded clay is added to the concrete solution.

Expanded clay concrete has sufficient strength, but for laying some coatings, you will also need to fill in the front layer from ordinary mortar. But ceramic tiles can be laid directly on such a base.

Good performance show screeds with micro-reinforcement fiberglass. This technology allows you to dramatically increase the strength of the coating to mechanical loads, stretching, and bending.

Such screeds usually do not crack, are less susceptible to shrinkage during hardening, and have less dust formation. They are great for underfloor heating systems.

flooring can be done using classic, “wet” technology, or using semi-dry technology. Semi-dry screed is a relatively new thing, and not all more ready to try it out in practice. In addition, it requires special professionalism in preparation. mortar mixture, in laying out, compacting and leveling the mortar. Most home builders prefer to use proven “wet” technology, which will be discussed later in the article. However, if you are limited in time, consider inviting a semi-dry screed installation specialist. When choosing a contractor, pay attention to the technology used - the presence of a mechanized supply of the composition will ensure cleanliness in the apartment. For example, laying a semi-dry screed along latest technology is carried out by the company "EUROSTROY 21 CENTURY" (company website www.prestigehouse.ru).

Solutions for pouring concrete screed

It is quite natural that if you need to pour a concrete screed, you will first need to decide on the type of solution. There are some options in this matter.

According to the existing SNiP canons, the minimum strength of conventional concrete screed, regardless of the type of further cladding, must be at least M-150 (the coating can withstand a force of 150 kg/cm²). If used self-leveling jellied composition, then here the requirements are even higher - from M-200. The solution should be selected in accordance with these requirements.

1. The “classic” concrete mortar used for pouring a regular floor screed is considered to be a cement-sand mixture in a ratio of 1:3. This “recipe” is time-tested and fully justifies itself. However, there are several nuances, without taking into account which you can easily ruin the future screed:

To prepare concrete, you cannot use ordinary “washed” river sand, failed special processing. The frozen surface will not be durable and will begin to crumble, crumble and crack over time. The fact is that grains of sand have smoothed outlines due to prolonged exposure to water, not providing adequate clutch. Much better in this regard quarry sand, with its faceted grains of sand irregular shape. True, when choosing, you need to look carefully so that you don’t come across large quantity clay inclusions - this will also reduce the strength of the screed.

The presence of a small amount of fine gravel component will not affect the strength properties of the screed. However, if a smooth surface is required, it will be necessary to sift the sand through a sieve.

Very important condition The strength and durability of the screed being poured is achieved by the optimally selected amount of water. It is no secret that some novice home builders, in an effort to make the work of pouring and leveling concrete easier, use excessive amounts of water, getting semi-liquid, easy spreading solution. By doing this, they are laying a “time bomb” - at the end, the screed will not have the required qualities.

First of all, it's excessive liquid solution It will definitely shrink strongly during hardening. In this case, one cannot expect a flat surface in accordance with the set level. And secondly, a violation of the cement-water balance will certainly reduce the strength qualities of hardened concrete. The surface is loose, unbound, with increased dust formation.

There are, of course, special amounts of water in concrete mortar, but they are usually adhered to by the technologists of production enterprises. reinforced concrete structures and large mortar units. In home construction, people often rely on their own experience, intuition and common sense. In addition, it is very difficult to accurately calculate the amount of water due to the fact that it largely depends on the moisture content of the filler. The sand can be wet and heavy - and this is also water, which will participate in the process of preparing the solution.

Ideally, the concrete solution should be dense, but sufficiently plastic, so that when it is poured and leveled, there are no air voids left in the thickness of the floor. You can roughly focus on the following ratio - a liter of water per five kilograms of cement-sand dry mixture.

It is important to choose the right “golden mean” so that the solution is both dense and plastic

It is very difficult to mix the screed solution by hand using a shovel. It is better to use a concrete mixer or construction mixer of sufficiently high power for this. First, mix the dry ingredients in the required ratio (maybe with a little moisture), and then add water very carefully, portionwise.

An important condition for the quality of the future concrete screed is the purity of water. It is prohibited to use process water containing fats, oils, petroleum product residues, etc. Also, dirty, oily containers should not be used to carry water to the concrete mixing site.

2. The modern range of building materials on sale can significantly simplify the process of pouring screed. For these purposes, ready-made dry construction mixtures can be used.

Compared to using the usual cement-sand mixture, this technology has a number of advantages:

In terms of strength and other performance indicators, screeds made from ready-made mixtures, are in no way inferior ordinary concrete, and can even surpass it in a number of parameters.
To prepare the solution, you do not need powerful equipment or heavy manual labor - a mixer or even a powerful electric drill (perforator) with an appropriate attachment is enough.
In principle, there are no problems with the dosage of components - everything is already provided by the manufacturer, and the master can only strictly follow the instructions for preparing the solution.
Many solutions prepared from such mixtures are much lighter, which reduces the load on the floor, reduces transportation costs and makes it easier to lift materials to floors.

It is possible to select the required composition for specific operating conditions. Thus, there are solutions for rough or leveling screeds, for underfloor heating systems and for rooms with high humidity. Special plasticizers or microfibers added to their composition not only increase the strength characteristics of the coating, but also reduce the time it takes for the screed to completely harden, reducing the overall duration of construction work.
What is very important for beginners is that working with such compositions is simple and does not require particularly high skills. The main thing is to follow the recommendations for pouring technology, which are necessarily attached to any batch of material.

All this will be true only if a high-quality dry mixture is purchased. Alas, there are a lot of fakes or low-quality mixtures on the building materials market in this segment. It is best to choose formulations from reputable manufacturers, be sure to check the certificate so as not to run into counterfeit products. It is also important to check the shelf life of the material - it is limited, and an expired mixture can significantly lose its quality.

The only drawback of this approach to pouring screed is that the price may be slightly higher than with self-production solution. Well, you have to pay for convenience and quality.

Prices for various types of screeds and self-leveling floors

Screeds and self-leveling floors

Preparing the surface for pouring concrete screed

The surface for pouring the screed is prepared in different ways, based on the conditions:

If the floor will be laid on the ground, for example, in a private house without a fall or basement room, then the work is carried out in next sequence:

— The soil is selected to a depth of 500 mm.

A sand cushion 100 mm thick is poured and carefully compacted. A gravel layer is poured on top of it in the same way.

— Rough pouring of concrete with the addition of expanded clay is done to a height of 150 — 200 mm – for insulating the floor surface.

— After the base has hardened, it must waterproofed- roofing felt or thick polyethylene film to prevent the ingress of ground moisture from below. Waterproofing material must definitely go out on the walls on height, slightly greater than the height of the planned screed. If necessary, another layer of insulation can be poured on top, and then a reinforced finishing screed can be poured.

In apartments, first of all, it is necessary to remove the old screed. This is done for several reasons:

— Firstly, the old screed does not guarantee integrity, since it can peel off, crack, and these deformations will be transferred to the newly poured layer.

— Secondly, do not forget about the maximum permissible loads on floor slabs. So, in serial high-rise buildings old building permissible load about 400 kg per square meter - static and 150 kg - dynamic. And the news is one square meter concrete screed, 50 mm thick, approaches 100 kg. Therefore, all work related to thickening the screed will have to be coordinated with design organizations. And it is far from a fact that such permission will be obtained.

- And thirdly, the height of the ceilings in apartments is usually not so significant that you can afford to significantly raise the floor level.

The old screed is dismantled with a hammer drill, but very carefully to prevent destruction or damage to the floor slab. The remains of the chipped concrete are removed, and then the surface is thoroughly cleaned and dust-free.

If a bonded screed is planned, then it is necessary to thoroughly clean the existing recesses, cut cracks or crevices to a width of at least 5 mm so that the concrete solution can freely penetrate into them when pouring.
If the screed is floating or on a separating layer, then all defects must be repaired immediately. Do not leave voids under the waterproofing layer - condensation can accumulate there, and these areas high humidity, it is likely that they will become a “problem area”.

Defects are repaired repair crew, epoxy putty or ordinary concrete mortar. In case of large defects, polyurethane foam can sometimes be used.

The corners between the walls and the floor are especially carefully checked and repaired - water from concrete mortar when pouring, the screed can penetrate deep into the ceiling or even leak to the neighbors below.

Then, in any case, the surface of the ceiling should be treated with a penetrating primer. This measure will additionally remove dust from the surface of the slab and improve its adhesion to the concrete being poured. In addition, the ceiling will not actively absorb moisture from the solution. This is extremely important. A lack of water in the layer of wet concrete adjacent to the base will lead to incomplete maturation of the cement stone, and the screed will peel off or collapse under even minor loads.

The soil is poured over the surface in strips and distributed evenly with a roller. IN hard to reach places For example, in the corners, it is better to use a brush.

An elastic damper tape is glued along the perimeter of the walls. It will become a compensator for the expansion of the concrete screed, which will prevent its deformation or cracking. In addition, under no circumstances should the screed come into contact with vertical structures, be it walls, partitions or columns.

If the screed is on a separating layer, then first the entire surface of the ceiling is covered with a dense polyethylene film, at least 0.2 mm thick. The strips are overlapped by at least 100 mm. The joints must be taped with waterproof construction tape. You need to try to very carefully lay the film in the corners so that strong wrinkles and folds do not form - air “pockets” may remain there. The edges of the film on the walls should be 5 ÷ 10 mm higher than the planned screed - it will be easy to trim them later.

Schematically - waterproofing film and damper tape for screed on the separating layer

After the polyethylene is laid, the damper tape is glued - just as mentioned above.

Beacon system and reinforcement

To achieve horizontal screed and its required height, it is necessary to create a system of beacons along which the concrete mortar will be leveled.

Definition of zero level

It is very successful if the farm has it or if it is possible to take it from friends. In this case, the work will be significantly simplified - it will be much easier to cut horizontal stripes on the walls and control the level of alignment of the guides.

If this is not possible, then you can set up beacons just as well using water and conventional building level.

The water level consists of two cylindrical transparent vessels with the same scale applied, connected by a long elastic thin hose. According to the physical law of communicating vessels, the liquid level in them is always at the same height from the horizon. Thus, having made one mark at a certain level, it can be transferred with high accuracy to other surfaces within the length of the flexible hose.

Marking begins by determining the zero level of the future screed. To do this, first of all, you need to carry out a basic horizontal line. This is done as follows:

The estimated highest corner of the room is visually determined. A mark is made on the wall in this corner at an arbitrary height. It is better, of course, to make it so that it is as convenient as possible to work, for example, one and a half meters from the floor.

Using a water level, this mark is transferred to all walls of the room. The distance between the risks should allow you to connect them with a line using an existing ruler (you can use a long building level or a pure rule).
The drawn line should run along the entire perimeter of the room and close at one point - this will indicate the correctness of the measurements.
Measurements are taken from the applied baseline to the floor surface. Measurement points are usually every 0, 5 m. It is imperative to ensure that the measurement is carried out strictly vertically. The obtained values need to be written down (on a piece of paper or even on the wall with a pencil).

The measurement point that gives the minimum height of this distance will correspond to the highest section of the base.

The thickness of the future screed is subtracted from the obtained value at the highest point (minimum 30 mm). For example, minimum height– 1420 mm. We subtract the thickness of the screed (30 mm) and get 1390 mm. This is the distance from the drawn reference line to the zero level.
Now it will not be difficult to draw the entire zero level line around the perimeter of the room - to do this, you need to measure the resulting value from the base down, mark the points and connect them with a straight line. To simplify your work, you can make a template and quickly move the marks from the base line. After connecting them, you get the main line of the zero level.
In construction practice, it is rare, but it still happens, when in the center of the room the floor level is slightly higher than at the walls. This must be checked by pulling the cord to the zero level between opposite walls and measuring the height from it to the floor. A similar check should be carried out in several places. If it is determined that there is a hill in the center, it will be necessary to shift the zero level up to ensure a minimum permissible thickness screeds throughout the entire area of the room.

Marking for beacon system

It is advisable to mark the beacons and guides immediately after hitting the zero level, guided by the following principles:

The orientation of the guides should correspond to the intended direction of the most convenient pouring of the screed. This is usually done along the room, from the far wall to the exit.
It happens that due to the complexity of the room configuration, it will be necessary to change the direction of pouring in a certain area. This should also be immediately taken into account when marking beacon lines.
The distance between the wall and the parallel guide closest to it is usually maintained no more than 250 - 300 mm. If you leave it large, a poorly leveled area or even a failure may form along the wall, which will require additional intervention later.

The distances between adjacent guides are not particularly regulated. The main thing is that the leveling rule installed on them protrudes on both sides by about 200 mm. The guides should not be spaced too far apart - quite large gaps may appear in the center between them after the hardening concrete shrinks.
I distribute the guide lines across the width of the room, usually at the same distance from one another.

How to set beacons and zero level guides

Previously, various available materials were used as guides for the beacon system, for example, wooden blocks or unnecessary pipes. Today, metal profiles are mainly used for these purposes.

Thus, galvanized U-shaped profiles from plasterboard systems. They are resistant to deflections and create a reliable “rail” for working as a rule.
Plaster profiles are very popular, although they are not without some disadvantages. They have a stiffener, however, on long sections when working as a rule, they can still sag. Therefore, when using them, the number of support points must be increased.
In some cases, you can do without using profiles altogether.

There are many ways to install a beacon, and it is impossible to consider everything. Let's look at just a few of them.

One of the most accurate and simplest is using self-tapping screws.

— At the far end of the room, at a distance of 250 - 300 mm from the corner between opposite walls, a strong cord (for example, a fishing line or a thick nylon thread) is pulled strictly at the zero level. It is important to tighten it as much as possible so that there is no sagging in the center.

- At the intersection of the line of the extended cord with the line closest to the wall, directing in the floor is drilled a hole into which a plastic dowel is driven and a self-tapping screw is screwed in. Using a screwdriver, it is screwed in so that the upper edge of its cap exactly coincides with the zero level.

— A similar operation is repeated on the opposite side of the room, closest to the exit.

— Two self-tapping screws defining the guide line are connected to each other with a tightly stretched cord, so that it runs along the top of their heads.

— On this segment, mark and drill holes for dowels, distributing them evenly so that an interval of 350 ÷ 400 mm is maintained between them.

— Self-tapping screws are screwed into dowels until their heads coincide with the tensioned cord. A check must be carried out using a building level - if necessary, the required adjustments can be made.

— In the same way, a line of screws is made on the opposite guide, and then on the intermediate ones. In this case, the check must be carried out in all directions - longitudinal, transverse and diagonal.

— Once the same zero level has been reached along all lines, the stretched cords are removed. Prepare a thick concrete solution. It is laid out in small slides along the line of screwed-in screws. Then put on top U-shaped profile and pressed into the solution. The transverse flange of the profile should rest against the head of the screw. It is important that the profile “sits” evenly on both sides, without distortions.

Installation and fixation metal profiles— guides

— After the solution has set and securely fixed the profiles in the installed position, you can proceed to pouring the screed.

With plaster profiles it turns out to be somewhat more complicated - it is more difficult to fix them using the heads of the screws. For these purposes, special fastening elements can be used - “eared”, which are placed on self-tapping screws, and their petals are used to crimp the side flanges of the profile.

Video: placing beacons using screws and fasteners -“ Ushastiki»

Another subtlety is that plaster profiles also have their own height, and this must also be taken into account when setting the screws to the zero level.

In addition, much more fixing solution will be required - to the point that I even resort to laying out a solid shaft into which the profile is embedded with emphasis on the screw heads.

Some craftsmen are accustomed to doing without metal profiles altogether.

— The exposed self-tapping beacons are tied with thin wire, thereby creating a kind of reinforcement cage. Then the solution is laid out along the entire line in a slightly excess quantity, so that the resulting shaft is slightly above the zero level.

— When the solution begins to set, a guide plane is formed. Using the rule, the upper edge of this shaft is compared and smoothed down to the screw heads.

- After hardening, you will get excellent guides along which you can work as a rule, and then they will enter the structure of the poured screed.

If the screed is carried out on the floor, then the self-tapping method becomes inapplicable - the tightness of the film cannot be broken, and in addition, there should be no rigid adhesion of the new screed to the base. In this case, you will have to tinker more, laying out piles of mortar and accurately inserting the guides at the zero level along the stretched cords.

To speed up the readiness of the beacon system, tile adhesive is often used instead of conventional mortar - its hardening time is much shorter. But gypsum compositions are unacceptable. Firstly, they practically do not shrink, unlike cement ones. Secondly, gypsum compositions have completely different indicators of water absorption, adhesion, strength, ductility, etc. We can say with 100% certainty that cracks will appear on the screed where the beacons are located.

Nuances of screed reinforcement

Of course, this measure is useful, especially with thick ties. Most often used for this purpose is a metal mesh made of galvanized steel wire with cells from 50 to 100 mm - it can be purchased at finished form in shops. Only when placing it, many people make a serious mistake.

If you look at numerous photographs on the Internet, you can see a mesh laid directly on the floor slab or on a layer of waterproofing. There are many doubts about the usefulness of such reinforcement. Ideally, for the reinforcing belt to play its role, it should be placed in the thickness of the mortar being poured, approximately in the middle of the height of the screed.

To do this, you can purchase special polymer stands. However, it will not be difficult to make supports from wire or even to raise the mesh on linings from pieces of broken tiles or fragments of old concrete screed. Wooden pads should not be used under any circumstances.

Obviously, it is necessary to install the reinforcing grid before setting the guides. Most often, the installation of the beacon system and reinforcement is carried out in parallel, and the mesh can also be fixed on those piles of cement into which metal profiles are embedded.

Filling the screed

Oddly enough, the process of pouring the screed itself looks, in the series of all technological operations, probably the most uncomplicated. If all preparatory work done correctly, this stage will not present any difficulties.

For normal pouring and hardening of the screed, the optimal temperature is from 15 to 25 degrees. It is also possible to carry out work at lower temperatures (but not lower than +5), but the maturation period of concrete will increase significantly. In too hot weather It’s also better to refrain from filling -= upper layer can quickly dry out and crack. It does not like screed and drafts, although the access to fresh air cannot be completely blocked.
It is best, of course, to work together - one is preparing the concrete solution, and the second is directly pouring and leveling the screed. The technology for mixing the solution has already been described above.
Work is carried out from the far corner of the room, gradually moving towards the exit. You should try to complete the pouring within one working day - this way the screed will be as uniform and durable as possible. If for some reason this is not possible, then the floor surface is divided in advance into sections (they are called fill maps) with jumpers installed between them.
spread in excess quantities between the guides, so that its layer is 15 - 20 mm above the zero level. Initial distribution is carried out using a trowel or shovel. It is imperative to ensure that there is no unfilled places- this happens often under the guides, under the bars fittings or at corners. It is necessary to achieve maximum compaction of the concrete solution, leaving it air bubbles. To do this, you can carry out “bayoneting” - the solution is pierced with a shovel or trowel before leveling.
Next, on on the rulers set the rule. Using forward and transverse zigzag movements, the solution is leveled to the level of the guides, so that a flat, smooth surface is obtained.

If the sand has not been sifted and large fragments (pebbles or shells) remain in it, then certain difficulties may arise - these inclusions can leave grooves and you will have to suffer a lot, removing them and smoothing out unevenness in order to bring the surface to an ideal state.

Concrete mortar is added as needed so that work continues uninterrupted. Excess mortar is carefully removed at the end of filling the room.

Video: a visual example of pouring screed along beacons

After the filling is completed, it is necessary provide measures, excluding accidental entry of people or pets into the premises during the first 5 - 7 days. In order for the maturation process to proceed effectively, the surface must be moistened with water daily (starting from the second day), keeping it moist. In extreme heat, it makes sense to cover it with film after initial setting to avoid drying out.

If a regular one was used sand-cement mortar, then we can talk about the readiness of the screed with operational use no earlier than after 3 weeks. When using dry building mixtures The deadlines may be different - they must be indicated in the attached instructions.

After the screed is ready, it is checked for evenness and surface quality. To do this, set a rule on the embedded guides and measure the resulting gap in the center. There is no escape from concrete shrinkage, and if the gap does not exceed 1 - 2 mm, then this will be within normal limits.

Often a thin layer of compound is poured over the screed to make the surface perfectly smooth. However, this is a topic for separate consideration.

To personally pour a concrete floor in a private house or country house, you don’t have to be professional builder or have special skills in this matter. The main thing is to prepare correctly by purchasing the necessary consumables, and also calculate them required quantity. In this case, you will make your task easier, and the filling processes will be as efficient and simple as possible. We must remember that a smooth concrete floor is considered to be one that has best base for flooring flooring (ceramic tiles, parquet, linoleum and others).

How to fill floors in a private house or country house and what is needed for this?

Filling the floors in the house photo

You will need to prepare or purchase the following tools and materials: a vibrating tamper, a certain amount of roofing felt, plastic film, expanded clay, foam boards, reinforced mesh, limiting corners, level, shovels, trowels.

First, prepare the desired surface for your floor. Remove the top layers of soil to the required depth. Make the area as level as possible. Then compact it using a tamper with crushed stone or pieces broken bricks. If you were unable to get such a tool, and the required surface is not large, then do this work manually.

Your next task will be the insulation device. The best material for this work, is roofing felt. If you want to do this job at the lowest possible cost and be sure that groundwater is far from reaching your floor, then you can simply put several layers of polyethylene. Here everything will depend on your personal desire and financial wealth.

Once you have insulated, start laying heat insulating material. It can be expanded clay or foam boards. This type of material is already old, but in terms of the functions of this material, not many will argue with it. You can also use regular glass wool for this work. When insulating the floor, calculate the amount correctly consumables so that floor insulation does not cost you too much.

Having insulated the floor, proceed to pouring the concrete onto the floor. Start pouring it in the far corner of the room, moving little by little towards the doors. In this work, use a limit rail that is pre-leveled. At this stage of work, it is very important that the last layer of the floor is reinforced with a metal frame. You can use an ordinary chain-link mesh as reinforcement. Last layer Thus, it will become resistant to various possible impacts.

Your final step will be to install a neat screed using pure cement diluted with water. You can buy a self-leveling mixture for this job.

How to fill floors in a private house video

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Concrete floors are an integral part of industrial buildings: factory workshops, garages and hangars. Nowadays, concrete floors are present in residential private houses and apartments. This floor covering is considered the best, as it can withstand heavy loads due to its strength and wear resistance.

Why concrete floors?

The characteristics of high-quality concrete floors are the answer to this question. These include fire safety, strength, moisture resistance, tightness, impact resistance and the relatively low cost of material and labor. If we talk about floors in residential premises, then to the qualities described above we can add hygiene, since insects and various types harmful microorganisms. That is why such a floor will be a good choice for both a residential building and industrial premises.

Preliminary work before the concreting process.

Concreting the floor on the ground - optimal choice for the basement, garage or first floor of a private house. Such work is the least expensive and can be easily done with your own hands, even without prior preparation.

In order for concrete floors to have all the necessary characteristics, a well-prepared base is needed for it.

The first thing to do is level the base on which the concrete floor will be installed.
The second stage for preparing the base is compacting the soil, preferably using crushed stone or small stone. The base must be sufficiently solid to avoid the appearance of cracks when the base shrinks if it is poorly compacted.
A sand cushion is laid on the compacted soil; its thickness can be from 0.5 m to 1.0 m.

When compacting, the thickness of the cushion will decrease by about 25%, so this must be taken into account when choosing a layer of sand to be poured.

Next, the sand is leveled and watered, while it is compacted with a roller or, if the base for the floors is made in production premises with a large area, using vibrating tamping machines.

If new floors are installed on top of old concrete covering, it is necessary to carry out work to clean it, inspect and repair it.

The old coating must be cleaned very well to reveal its flaws.
If cracks and chips are found on the coating, they must be widened and repaired. polymer composition or sand-cement mortar.
If there are areas that cannot be repaired, they are completely dismantled.
It is also recommended to correct differences in height of the old floor using milling machine. The dust generated after milling must be carefully removed, otherwise the new layer of concrete will not provide good adhesion to the old coating.
If old floors cannot be brought to a completely level state, it is necessary to level them using a layer of sub-concrete covering.

Technology: steps and instructions, materials, meshes

When installing a concrete floor, it is necessary to carefully study the technology of this process. In this section we will look in detail at the materials that will be needed and the stages of work. Let's consider step by step all the aspects of constructing concrete floors.

Waterproofing concrete floors

The first stage after preparing the old coating or sand bed is waterproofing the floors. This is a very important part of the work, since its result determines whether moisture will penetrate into the room, thereby causing the appearance of fungus, which is dangerous to human health and destructive to the floors themselves.
Waterproofing is made from rolled bitumen or polymer materials, sometimes a fairly thick polyethylene film is used.
Waterproofing materials are laid over the entire floor area with an overlap and then secured with construction tape. The coating must be continuous, without damage. It should be placed on the walls - approximately 20-25 cm in order to protect the joints between the wall and the floor from moisture. After laying the last, finishing layer of the floor, the excess exposed parts of the waterproofing are cut off.
Waterproofing can also be done on a rough concrete layer, in which case you will have to resort to the method of coating with insulating materials.

How and what formwork is made of

The next stage is the installation of formwork. It is installed if the area of the room is large and it cannot be concreted in one day.

The formwork is made of boards 2-2.5 cm thick around the entire perimeter of the room. It divides the floor area into squares, the size of which depends on the speed of work during the day. Those. if it is impossible to fill the entire area of the room in one day, this is done in squares.

Mesh for floor reinforcement

The next step is the installation of reinforcement for concreting. Strengthening floors with reinforcement is usually used in cases where they are expected to bear a large load. The choice of type of fittings also depends on the purpose of the room. Basically, for the strength of floors, road mesh is used, the diameter of the rods is 0.5 cm.

If a very large load is planned on the floors, a metal rod with a thickness of 10 to 16 mm is used together with the reinforcing mesh; it is mounted directly on site. Metal fiber can also be added - this is metal fiber that is mixed with the concrete mass.

Concrete laying

Having completed all the preparatory work, it is necessary to proceed directly to concreting the floors. If this process is carried out on industrial enterprise and large areas are covered, the best option is if the concrete is supplied into the formwork uninterruptedly by a concrete mixer, possibly even using a concrete pump.

At the first stage of pouring concrete, cement grade M500 or higher, mixed with marble or granite chips, it is also good to add a hardener or plasticizer to this layer of concrete.
Next, the mixture is leveled using a vibrating screed along the beacons. If the areas are large, a deep vibrator is used.
Beacons are displayed as follows:

half the volume of the required level is filled with concrete mixture, and hills are formed on it - these will be the beacons along which the main surface will be leveled;
on top of the beacons you need to place a rail with a mark, which is aligned on the line of the level established by leveling;
the top of the beacons is adjusted to the bottom of the rail;
beacons should be placed no further than two meters from each other.

When using a vibratory screed for leveling, before starting work, it is necessary to install the guides on zero level. Then a vibrating screed is installed on them. It is pulled along the guides on top of the concrete mortar laid 2-2.5 cm above their level, leveling and compacting the concrete.
If there is a need for the concrete screed to harden faster, but not lose its strength, it makes sense to use concrete vacuuming. This is done as follows:

when the leveling stage is completed, filter material is laid out on the concrete and covered with an airtight mat on top;
a vacuum pump is connected to the nozzle in the center of the mat, it will pull excess moisture without damaging the quality of the concrete.

Grouting work

When the laying of concrete is completed and the surface is leveled, it is necessary to give it time to harden. If the vacuum method was used, the time for the desired hardening will be about seven hours. The concrete should harden to such a state that, stepping on its surface, the foot will leave a mark 3-4 mm deep.

The concrete begins to be grouted with coarse grout from those places where it first hardens (these are wall areas and door openings), and only then all remaining floors are grouted. It is good to use a topping for grouting - it is a concrete hardener. It is scattered on the surface and grouted until the mixture is completely combined with the concrete. After rough grouting? of the entire topping, a second rough grout is immediately performed. The last floor grouting is done when, when stepping on the concrete, a mark 1 mm deep remains. The grout should be applied as follows:

if light loads are planned on the surface of the screed, three to five kilograms of topping per 1 m2 is sufficient;
for medium and heavy loads - five to eight kilograms per 1 m?;
colored floors also require five to eight kilograms per 1 m².

Watch this video to learn in two minutes how to concrete the floor in your house yourself:

Types of seams and their cutting

Exist following types expansion joints when installing screeds:

to isolate the floors from the walls of the building, insulation joints are made to protect the screed from deformation of the walls;
to protect the screed from the appearance of cracks during the hardening of the solution - shrinkage joints;
When dividing floors into squares with formwork, construction seams appear at the points of their contact; slats are used for them, laid in the middle of the depth of the concrete screed, across the seams.

The seam is cut to one third of the thickness of the screed.

Sealing work

Sealing the seams is necessary to protect them from moisture, which can begin to destroy the entire floor structure under a certain load on them. IN industrial buildings PU-40 emphymastic is used for sealing; it gives the seam elasticity and allows it to withstand loads. Before sealing, the seam must be cleaned of dirt and dust by blowing.

Floors of the house, bathhouse, bathroom and how to make them

To install floors in a room at home or in a bathroom, you need to follow the instructions described above. You can add that the floors in the house need to be made warmer. If you lay a layer of expanded clay on a compacted layer of soil, this will help retain heat in the room. There is also a type of insulated floors that require special equipment. It is placed approximately in the middle of the thickness of the screed and is connected to the power supply or to the heating system of the house.

How to properly arrange bath floors

The installation of concrete floors in a bathhouse has its own nuances. In this case, you cannot do without drainage systems, which must be connected to a special drainage pit or to a central sewer system. To do this, it is necessary to install pipes in the foundation of the bathhouse through which the water will leave the room. When the problem with the pipes is solved, you can begin installing the floor. IN this building it is necessary to provide for the slope of the floor in the direction where the water will go, so that it can easily drain into the pipe. They begin to arrange this slope when compacting the soil under the concrete floor and adhere to it throughout the entire work. The construction of the floor occurs in three stages.

Filling the floor with concrete mixed with stone chips or pebbles with a thickness of 7 to 10 mm.
Laying insulation - it can be glass wool or expanded clay, the thickness of this layer can reach up to 15 cm. If used soft insulation(for example, glass wool), additional waterproofing is necessary.
Pouring the third and final top layer before grouting.

We must not forget that during all work it is necessary to maintain the initially specified slope.

Garage floor, basement

A popular flooring choice for garage and basement floors is concrete.

In a garage, floors must have the following characteristics:

impact resistance;
fire safety;
immunity to various active substances;
water resistance;
strength;
durability.

All this is typical for concrete pavement.

In the basement, the floors should have almost the same characteristics, with a few exceptions. The only condition that needs to be provided for basement floors is enhanced waterproofing, since groundwater can destroy concrete from the inside.

Nuances and pitfalls

It is necessary to provide various nuances, arranging concrete floors in the above-described rooms.

It is necessary to know the depth groundwater under one building or another.
When installing concrete floors in a garage, it is necessary to take into account the possibility of flooding of the structure and the slope of the site on which the structure is located.
To avoid severe shrinkage of the floors, the compaction of the soil under them must be of very high quality.
In order for the floor to be durable, you need to wait a certain period of time before starting the next stage.
When leveling concrete, you should try to remove as many air bubbles formed in the solution as possible, otherwise unwanted voids may form in the screed.
You cannot neglect the waterproofing of floors or allow flaws in it - this can damage the screed and provoke the appearance of fungus in the house.

Caring for concrete surfaces

When caring for a concrete surface, you need to adhere to two principles:

care should begin from the moment the material is laid;
Do not allow hardening concrete to come into contact with water - this will promote the appearance of cracks.

When concrete hardens, it is advisable to cover it with materials such as matting, sand or straw mats so that the moisture evaporates gradually. But such a shelter cannot be made for large areas, so you can use a moisture-proof film.

These conditions must be observed until the concrete surface has completely hardened.

Prices for concreting a floor

If you are still not confident in your abilities and want to entrust the work of concreting the floor to a specialist, then in this table you can see the approximate cost of pouring the floor with concrete:

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The need to create a concrete floor arises before finishing in residential and sanitary premises, as well as in garages, sheds, and places where increased load on the surface is expected. Until recently, its only drawback was low temperature, however, with the advent of the “warm floor” system, this problem was successfully solved.

Technology for pouring concrete floors - main stages

Waterproofing and thermal insulation of the base;
Reinforcement;
Arrangement of beacons;
Subfloor installation;
Filling the screed.

The cost of carrying out the entire complex of work depends on the thickness of the layer and the composition of the applied solution, as well as the complexity of the work. The most affordable option considered a cement-sand screed. Using reinforcing mesh will cost a little more. The most expensive option is the one in which a top hardened layer is applied; in comparison with a conventional floor, it is 30-40% more expensive.

If it is necessary to pour a concrete floor on the ground, preparatory stage“zero” marking of the finished floor is made (the level at which the solution will be poured is noted). To do this, from the lowest point on doorway We put 1 meter up and draw a horizontal line on the walls using a level and a ruler. We set aside 1 meter down from this line and draw another horizontal line on all the walls of the room. This will be the finished floor level. We hammer nails into the corners and tighten the cord.

We remove the top layer of soil to a depth of 35 cm below the mark. We compact the soil using improvised means or a vibrating machine.

If the building is on strip foundation, and distance from finishing level to the ground exceeds 35 cm, pour a layer of sand, after which we carry out compaction.

We produce bedding

We fill in gravel (5-10 cm) and water it with water, after which we compact it.
We arrange a layer of sand 10 cm thick, pour it with water and tamp it down.
We create a layer of crushed stone with a fraction of 40-50 mm (10 cm), which we carefully level and compact, and sprinkle sand or crushed stone chips on top.

Laying waterproofing on the floor

It can be roll materials, roofing felt, membranes or polyethylene film with a density of 200 microns. After the material is spread over the entire surface of the base, the edges along the perimeter are brought to the “zero” mark and attached to the walls with tape. The joints are also taped.

To ensure the proper level of thermal insulation, expanded clay, extruded polystyrene foam, perlite, polystyrene foam, basalt wool required density or polyurethane.

In some cases, hydro- and thermal insulation can be carried out on a layer of “lean” concrete (a solution of liquid consistency) in order to eliminate the risk of damage to the insulating materials.

Concrete reinforcement for floors

Reinforcement is necessary in order to increase the strength of the floor. The reinforced base is able to withstand increased loads, as they are distributed evenly over the surface.

The reinforcing material can be plastic or metal mesh or a frame made of reinforcement (a more expensive option). Most often, a 10x10 cm reinforcing mesh is used, which is laid on “chairs” 2-3 cm high. This will allow it to fully demonstrate its functions.

Installation of beacons on the floor

Profiles can act as guides, metal pipes or wooden blocks. The guides are laid on concrete “buns”. The location of the “beacons” must correspond to the “zero” marking and be strictly horizontal. We knock down the formwork-frame made of wood. The height of the formwork is set to zero.

Pouring concrete solution

To ensure high strength characteristics, the solution is created on the basis of M400-M500 cement. Before we start pouring, we lay a damper tape along the walls and along the perimeter of the protruding structures of the building. This will prevent the mortar from sticking tightly to the wall surfaces.

We fill the floor with concrete, after it we level the mixture and compact it using a deep vibrator until cement “laitance” appears. Using the rule, we level the solution.

Over the next week, constantly moisten the surface. You can cover the base with film to prevent it from drying out and cracking the concrete. The floor will reach maximum strength in 4-5 weeks.

Creating a leveling screed

Often, when pouring a concrete floor, it is not possible to obtain a perfectly flat surface, so you have to apply a screed. The best option will use self-leveling compounds. Simply pour them onto the base and smooth them out using a special brush. Air bubbles are removed from the solution using a needle roller. This screed takes an average of 1 week to dry, after which you can begin laying the finishing material.

If you are faced with the question of installing a concrete floor on the floors, as opposed to pouring mortar on the ground, there is no need to backfill it. The rest of the work is carried out by analogy.

Seam cutting

In places where the concrete floor comes into contact with walls, columns and other structural elements of the building, it is necessary to create insulating expansion joints. The depth of such seams is 1.3 times the thickness of the base.

After cutting, the seams are filled with a special sealant. This event carried out before cracks appear on the floor, but after the concrete has gained the necessary strength.