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How to level uneven floors. How to level an uneven concrete floor - three ways to a perfectly horizontal surface. How to level a concrete floor: video

If implemented overhaul or complete replacement old flooring, you will need to level the concrete floor. This will give an opportunity high-quality installation new finishing material.

It must be said that you can carry out this procedure in an apartment with your own hands. There are several ways:

1. By . This method is suitable for pouring concrete or cement-sand mixture. In this case apply metal slats, for the installation of which it is necessary building level. This method is optimal in an apartment with large rooms. This leveling has a certain advantage: the floor surface is durable and perfectly flat. However, for the screed to dry completely you will need at least 2 weeks, and this will significantly delay the repair time. This method of correcting unevenness is also suitable if you want to lay linoleum or laminate.
2. With help . This leveling of the concrete base in the apartment is carried out using a special self-leveling mixture, which easily spreads over the entire area, forming an even and smooth surface. The advantage of the method is the ability to make the base with your own hands, the small thickness of the layer. However, if the horizontal differences in the concrete floor are too large, then this method will not work.
3. By extension. This method involves the use of wooden logs, which are placed at a certain level. It is fixed on top of them, which creates a perfectly flat surface. This leveling of the concrete floor is best used in private houses, in an apartment on the ground floor. It allows for additional insulation of the room, as well as hidden installation of communications and engineering systems. However, you should not use it in rooms with low ceilings, as it takes up some of the usable space.
4. Using tile adhesive. This is an individual method and can only be applied if you use tiles for finishing.
5. Using dry screed. This leveling of the concrete floor is done using polystyrene foam, dry quartz sand or expanded clay. Next, sheets of plywood or chipboard are laid on this material.

Features of base preparation

Before leveling the concrete floor, it is necessary to prepare it for work. First, eliminate the old flooring and carefully evaluate the surface. Determine how uneven the floor is by using a long level. Naturally, during the work you need to mark two points: the lowest and the highest.

Preparation includes sealing cracks and crevices in the old foundation

After correcting all the defects, try to clean the floor from dust and debris. Be sure to treat the surface with a primer. This will ensure maximum adhesion with the solution that will be used for leveling.

You can do all this work with your own hands.

Leveling technology

By lighthouses

• So, in a large apartment this method is very popular. The whole process consists of the following stages:
• Cleaning and treating the base surface with a primer;
• Laying beacons (perforated metal profiles) over all areas of the room. In this case, the installation step is 30 cm. Please note that the last beacon should be located at the same distance from the wall. The elements are fixed using gypsum or cement mortar. Heaps of the mixture are applied to the concrete floor and beacons are placed on them. After leveling them, it is necessary to allow the solution to dry;
• Applying the solution to an uneven base. The mixture is poured in parts. The filling process should begin from the far corner. The rule used to level the screed is;

Laying flooring. Before this, the solution must dry well. This may take from several weeks to a month. It should dry naturally, however, if necessary, you can use a heater to speed up the process. After this, it needs to be further sanded and dust removed. Next, you can begin installing the flooring.

Beacon alignment technology

Installation of self-leveling floor

Now you will learn how to level a concrete floor. In an apartment, this method is also very popular, as it makes it possible to use a floor covering such as laminate. At the same time, the mixture dries quickly enough, which reduces the repair time.

1. It is not difficult to perform all the manipulations with your own hands. You just need to follow the sequence of work:
2. Cleaning and priming the surface.
3. Eliminate air bubbles using a special roller. Its needles should be slightly larger in size than the thickness of the layer.

Self-leveling flooring technology

Thus, an uneven floor turns into an ideal surface on which laminate or other flooring can be laid. This alignment is done very quickly. The base is of high quality.

Extension of a wooden floor

In the apartment, which is located on the ground floor, this best option, which, in addition to leveling, will allow you to hide communications and organize a warm floor. The work involves the following manipulations:

• Eliminating cracks or other damage in the base, priming the surface of the concrete floor;
• Laying vapor barrier material. Please note that here we must not forget about allowances for adjacent canvases and walls. The sheets of film are fixed together using special tape;
• Installation of logs. You can do it quickly with your own hands. They are fastened with anchors. At the same time, constantly monitor the level of the horizontal plane. If between wooden element and there is a gap in the concrete base, it can be eliminated by placing a plastic or wooden wedge (don’t forget to fix it with a self-tapping screw);
• Laying insulation. This is especially important in an apartment under which there is an unheated basement;
• Installation of plywood or wooden boards. These materials are fixed with self-tapping screws. This is the final stage of leveling.

Step-by-step technology for leveling by extension wooden flooring

Now you know how to level a concrete floor. As you can see, doing all the work with your own hands is not so difficult. Follow the alignment technology. But if you are sure that you cannot cope with the work yourself, you can always use the services of a master.

Leveling the concrete floor is necessary for laying the subsequent decorative covering. Therefore, this is an important part of decorating a room, including classic and modern methods leveling, such as wet and dry screed, pouring the composition and pouring multi-component mixtures.

Peculiarities

In apartments where people live for a long time, top part concrete covering the floor is gradually disturbed, sometimes falling into disrepair. In this case, it is mandatory to carry out a major overhaul of either the entire floor or a separately leaky part of it.

In new homes, concrete floor screeds are usually better prepared and look smoother. But here, too, it is necessary to take into account certain shortcomings that arise at the junction of individual plates with each other. And when purchasing such an apartment, residents most often have to carry out additional minor repairs. Before the beginning repair work Careful measurements, cleaning and other types of floor preparation for leveling are carried out.

The preparatory stage includes removing the outer covering and inspecting all uneven areas and chips found. Some of the defects exist in houses from the moment of construction and then become even worse during operation.

The height of the concrete covering should ideally be the same over the entire floor area. To determine this indicator, a long instrument is used, which is called a level. Often connected to the process and modern devices– axle builders, laser or water levels.

Preliminary measurements reveal, first of all, two main parameters - the highest point on the surface and the largest and deepest dent. The gap between them must be filled evenly with concrete or other material.

It is necessary to raise sagging areas to the maximum level, counting from zero - between the horizon and the floor plane. Only after this is linoleum or tile, parquet or laminate applied to the subfloor. At the same time, we must not forget that all parts of the interior are interconnected: if the covering is excessively raised, difficulties may arise with opening doors and operating heating batteries. In order not to redo the work twice, these factors must be taken into account in advance.

What is the best way to level?

The ideal material for leveling, as many experts believe, has not yet been invented. Putty can eliminate minor roughness, putty and cover chips conveniently with the help of tile adhesive.

A liquid mixture of concrete and water combined with other fibers is an excellent leveler for filling small dents. To prepare the sand-concrete composition as a filler, M-400 grade cement, sand and a thinner are used. A construction mixer mixes all the ingredients, since it is quite difficult to obtain a high-quality leveler manually.

Cement mortar is used to smooth out significant defects, achieving results even in the event of serious damage to the concrete base during construction. The gypsum composition is used to secure metal guides during the screed process, the so-called beacons. At home, when doing repair work with your own hands, ready-made dry mixtures and polystyrene concrete, which combines synthetic plasticity and rapid, durable hardening after application, are preferred. In the case of using a universal ready-made or mixed mixture of concrete and sand obtained in a mixer, the poured floor is subjected to additional grinding with a special machine.

Work technology

A completely smooth and even floor looks beautiful and elegant, while a crooked coating worsens the aesthetic perception of the entire room or kitchen. During a major renovation, the floors in the house are the last to be dismantled, and they are the first to be put in order. If total leveling of surfaces is carried out during preparatory work, the floor is leveled first, and then proceed to the walls and ceiling.

Among the common defects in floor screed, both in private and multi-storey buildings standard layout, experts call:

1. Local small errors that look like “noises” in the level, creating unevenness on the floor.
2. Changes and changes in the form of periodic waves, especially noticeable on the surface of concrete or other material. In private buildings, such waves on the floor can be quite significant, up to several centimeters.
3. Small wave changes or “chill”. These defects usually remain after use. construction tools- rules.
4. Small cracks, lenses and cavities, protruding pieces of rubble, as evidence of floor destruction. In this case, it becomes unsafe to move around the house; furniture and household appliances cannot be securely secured. In addition, the coating’s ability to provide insulation from noise, odors and excess moisture is lost.

The floor needs to be cleaned, uneven areas and chipped parts must be puttied. In order to reduce the consumption of concrete-based leveling compound or not to break the plywood sheet, large bumps are knocked down with a chisel.

Leveling methods used by builders: the use of concrete or dry screed with or without pre-set beacons, as well as the method of self-leveling floor covering. Right choice method depends on the magnitude of the differences between the maximum and minimum levels.

If the unevenness is insignificant, up to two or three centimeters, a technology such as installing a self-leveling floor will be suitable. This is an expensive method, since a significant amount of leveling mixture is used per square meter of area. Therefore, dry screed or beacon leveling are most often used.

In order to make a high-quality screed based on a sand-concrete mixture, metal slats are laid on the base, which will indicate guidelines for movement when screeding. The process is labor-intensive, but it allows you to level out potholes and differences of several centimeters, making the coating ideal in any room.

The work is carried out step by step as follows. Necessary:

• Prepare the floor by removing oil stains and dirt.
• Put waterproofing material, gluing the joints. Leave allowances along the walls of the room.
• Using a level, mount metal guides - beacons. The distance between them is allowed no more than one meter, otherwise leveling the surface will be more difficult.

• Prepare a concrete-sand mixture, preferably for the entire site to be poured at once. Stirring time is from an hour to an hour and a half so that the composition does not harden. Most often, a construction automatic mixer is used, bringing the composition to a semi-liquid state. The finished mixture should spread only slightly to the sides without spreading.
• Alignment is done from a distant angle, in small parts, using the rule. When applying the mixture, it is immediately leveled. To reliably close all dents, the mixture is scattered on the sides, and not just along the guides. To prevent air gaps from forming, each layer of screed must be pierced with a metal knitting needle.

• The thick screed is reinforced with another material, and special seams are cut for shrinkage. The distance between them is selected up to three meters. After which the filled surface is left for about a day. After this time, the screed should be moistened with water from a spray bottle and left for another two days. Then you can check whether the sand concrete mixture has hardened well.
• At the next stage, the surface is moistened again, and a polyethylene film is placed on top to protect it from cracks.

• Over the next week, the screed needs to be moistened daily, then the film is removed, leaving the floor to dry naturally. The complete drying process takes at least a week or even two.
• The dry finished surface has a uniform grey colour. Tapping on it with a block of wood causes the layer to sound the same anywhere on the platform.
• If the leveling is done efficiently, you can begin installing laminate, linoleum, and parquet flooring. Tiles can be laid simultaneously with the last layer screeds.

When performing alignment, you should not rush too much, but it is also undesirable to delay the procedure. “Cold seams” may appear. Therefore, it is recommended, especially in the case of a large room, to invite an assistant and work together.

Material

Whatever the main covering is laid - tiles, parquet boards or linoleum, they are used to level the floor. auxiliary materials. Most often, plywood, layers of concrete and gypsum fiber board are placed under the flooring. Only in this case is the required quality achieved - an impeccable surface that is ready to serve for many years.

Screed based on sand and cement is one of the classic options, since it provides a flat surface even in those rooms where differences reach four or more centimeters. Dry screed is provided with self-leveling mixtures based on quartz sand, granular particles and expanded clay, and expanded polystyrene. A smooth surface is provided by sheets of plywood, chipboard, fiberboard or gypsum fiber sheets that are resistant to moisture.

Room

It is customary to level the floor, achieving an ideal coating, with polystyrene concrete, wet or dry mixture. This method, along with cement-sand screed, prepares the floor well for laminate and parquet in the living room and bedroom, nursery or dining room. If the apartment is small with a low ceiling, and the differences in the floor are not more than three millimeters, it is better to resort to a poured floor, which will dry in 12-14 hours. The entire process of laying the floor, as a rule, does not take more than two weeks.

Polyurethane-based poured flooring is not intended for rooms with temperature changes; it is better to use this method starting from the second floor. But it is a great option rough foundation under laminate Before applying the self-leveling mixture, the floor is thoroughly primed. Then the finished liquid composition is poured onto the floor, leveling with a spatula.

To eliminate air bubbles that cause coating defects, use a needle roller, piercing the filled layer. The flooded floor dries in literally 15 minutes, so you should do all operations together with an assistant. Slows down hardening cold water, which wets the coating.

If you are going to lay linoleum, the surface needs to be absolutely flat. To achieve these goals, a suitable method is dry screed for differences of no more than a centimeter and a half. If the repair needs to be done quickly, strengthening the floor with almost no defects, leveling is done with sheets of plywood or chipboard. They are strengthened with self-tapping screws and dowels after gluing them to the floor surface.

For kitchens and balconies, beautiful ceramic tiles. There is a simple way to lay it flat at the same time as eliminating small defects in the concrete base. The method does not completely level the floor, however, it allows you to lay the tiles evenly. First you need to draw horizontal lines above the floor surface on the walls along the entire perimeter of the room. This will be the level at which the tiles are laid.

Before finishing the floor, it is necessary to level it, for which a screed is installed. At the same time, the performance characteristics of the floor covering laid on top of it depend on the quality of the screed. If mistakes are made during the work, they will certainly complicate the installation of linoleum, laminate or carpet, and reduce operational terms floor coverings. However, there is nothing overly complicated about screeding, so if you want and have free time, home craftsmen who do not have any experience in finishing can level the floor with their own hands.

• cement-sand;
• plaster;
• self-leveling mixtures (self-leveling floor).

2. Dry (prefabricated) screed made from building boards.

Installation of cement-sand screed

1. This method is chosen if the difference in floor level in the room exceeds 5 cm. To determine this value, find zero level rooms using a water level. By using of this instrument At a height of about one and a half meters from the floor, points on the wall are measured and connected into a single line. Then measure the distance from this line to the floor in several places. The smallest distance will serve as the maximum possible floor height. Several points are marked along the bottom of the wall, which are also connected into one line, which will play the role of a virtual edge of the screed being performed. At the same time, remember that minimum thickness cement-sand screed equals three centimeters, and the maximum is 7 cm.

2. Next, they begin to prepare the surface of the concrete subfloor. The surface is thoroughly swept and dust is removed using a vacuum cleaner. Next, the base is primed and filled with waterproofing solution. After this, the priming procedure is repeated again. This will ensure better adhesion of the screed to the subfloor.

3. At the next stage, beacons are placed, which will make the floor perfectly flat. Beacons (T-shaped metal guides) are attached to a concrete base using adjustable screws or simply placed on thick cement-sand mortar laid out in slides. Instead of a solution, you can use Rotband - high quality gypsum plaster, produced by the German company KNAUF. Beacons must be leveled using a building level and a stretched cord in height. The first guide is placed from the corner at a distance of 20 cm. The next guides are placed parallel to the first, while maintaining a distance between them that is 40 cm less than the length of the rule.

4. The material can be a mixture of sand and cement M-300 or ready-made dry mixtures intended for floor screed. When adding water, you should adhere to the proportion indicated by the manufacturer on the packaging of the mixture. When mixing screeds, use construction mixer, in the absence of which they dispense special nozzle, put on the drill. The solution is stirred until the consistency of a thick dough, and there should be no lumps in it. The prepared mixture should spread slightly on a flat surface, but not spread. The solution is prepared for the entire area of ​​the room at once and used for a maximum of one and a half hours.

5. A portion of the mixed solution is poured between two beacons, after which, using the rule, it is leveled across the beacons, moving it towards you. Start from the far corner of the room, gradually moving towards the doors. Do-it-yourself floor screeding is best done with an assistant. One person will level the mixture, and the second will stir the next portion of the solution. During the process of pouring the screed, professional builders recommend “piercing” the freshly laid screed more often. sand-cement mortar using thin metal rod. This will avoid the formation of air voids in the thickness of the concrete screed.

6. It takes several days for the screed to dry, after which it can be walked on. However, complete drying occurs only after 2-3 weeks. To prevent the screed from becoming cracked, it should be covered, if possible, during this time plastic film. Instead of laying film, you can evenly wet the screed twice a day.

7. You can check the quality of the floor screed using several criteria:

• the color should be gray and uniform throughout the entire area of ​​the room;
• smooth screed when checked by the rule, it forms a gap not exceeding two millimeters;
• The horizontal deviation should not exceed 0.2%; to visually represent this value, an example can be given: in a four-meter room, the deviation can be no more than 8 mm.
• the same sound produced when the screed is tapped with a wooden block.

8. The selected floor covering can be laid on the finished screed.

How to level a concrete floor: video

Leveling mixtures - self-leveling floors

In the case of a small difference in floor levels of no more than 3 cm, floor leveling mixtures are used, which are divided into two types. Some are able to spread over the surface of the base on their own, which is why they are called self-leveling mixtures. Another type of mixture requires human intervention, who manually spreads it on the floor using a spatula.

Self-leveling mixtures intended for finishing floors are otherwise called self-leveling floors, floor levelers, self-leveling mixtures, etc. The main purpose of these mixtures is the preparation of floors made of various building materials(concrete, wood, plaster) under finishing floor coverings such as:

• linoleum;
• carpet;
• PVC materials;
• cork;
• ceramic tile.

They produce dry self-leveling mixtures on a cement base containing special modifying additives that increase the plasticity and fluidity of the mixed mortar. Some compositions contain fibrous reinforcing additives that inhibit the development of microcracks. After drying, self-leveling floors form a fairly dense and durable layer. However, they are not intended for use without a floor covering, since an unprotected surface can become dusty and absorb moisture, oil, etc.

Thin-layer self-leveling mixtures are available for sale, which are intended for finishing. You can also buy special mixtures suitable for rough leveling of bases that have significant unevenness. These mixtures are applied in a layer, the thickness of which can reach 30-40 mm. At the same time, polypropylene foam tape is laid around the perimeter of the room, which relieves the stress created by the self-leveling floor. Since these mixtures have reduced fluidity, it is not possible to obtain a perfectly flat surface. Therefore, a thin layer finish is usually applied on top.

Pouring a self-leveling floor

1. Work begins with preparing the base, which must be dry and durable. In the room where the floor will be poured, it is necessary to exclude the occurrence of drafts and air drafts. There are also requirements for the floor temperature, which should not be lower than 5-10 degrees Celsius. The base is cleared of various kinds contaminants that may reduce adhesion. Weak and flaking areas of the old coating are removed. All cracks and holes through which the mixture could leak are sealed. Dust is removed with a vacuum cleaner; sweeping the surface alone is not enough.

2. Next, the cleaned base is treated with a primer, otherwise called a primer, which is applied in a thin layer with a brush, roller or spray. The use of a primer is mandatory, as it increases the adhesion of the leveling compound to the subfloor. The primer also prevents the formation of bubbles by limiting the adsorption of water from the mixed mixture during its hardening. It is advisable to choose those primer compositions that are recommended by the manufacturer of the leveling mixture.

3. At the next stage, begin preparing the mixture. This operation is carried out in strict accordance with the instructions, without allowing any amateur activity. For intensive stirring, use an electric drill with an attachment, which allows you to achieve a homogeneous mass, free of lumps and clots. The mixture is prepared in portions, as its qualities are preserved for 10-20 minutes. Exact time indicated on the original packaging.

4. Immediately after preparation, the leveling mixture is applied to the floor in the form of strips, the width of which reaches 30-50 cm. Using a wide steel spatula mounted on a rod, distribute the solution over the surface of the base. You should not hesitate when pouring, because you should not allow the edge of the previously applied strip to dry out. It is advisable to pour the floor into the room in one step. If its area is large, then the filling is carried out in strips, and professionals who have experience working with self-leveling floors can achieve a perfectly flat floor surface. Many companies involved in installing self-leveling floors have a special pump equipment, allowing the application of self-leveling mixtures with greater productivity.

Leveling the self-leveling floor: needle roller

Important! You cannot change the thickness of the self-leveling floor layer recommended by the manufacturer of the leveling mixture. Since this may lead to a decrease performance qualities completed screed.

5. The drying time and complete hardening of the self-leveling field depends on:

• on the thickness of the applied layer;
• on room temperature;
• on the humidity level.

Usually they begin to walk on the surface of the self-leveling floor after 6-12 hours, and full load is possible only after three days. Before gluing the finishing floor covering, control the moisture content of the leveling layer. The obtained result is compared with the moisture level of the material selected for finishing, allowed by the manufacturer.

GVL - dry “clean” leveling

Dry floor screed involves the use gypsum fiber sheets(GVL) for leveling the floor, which are laid on a layer of expanded clay with thermal insulation properties. Instead of expanded clay, you can use other bulk building materials that have similar qualities.

When choosing this technology, leveling the floor occurs faster and cleaner, but in quality it is inferior to a monolithic concrete screed.

Dry screed installation: progress of work

1. A waterproofing material is laid on the cleaned surface of the base, which can be an ordinary polyethylene film, the thickness of which is 50 microns. Lay strips of film with an overlap of 10-20 cm, while making a ten-centimeter overlap on the walls. Also, along the perimeter of the room, an edge strip made of porous material. Position the tape so that it is between the film and the layer of expanded clay poured a little later.

2. Beacons are not provided for in this technology, however, some people who do dry screed with their own hands use them. This makes it easier for them to pour the expanded clay evenly and makes it easier for them to move along its layer. For lighthouses, U-shaped ones are chosen metal profiles, which are laid base down, leveled and secured. The void in the profile is filled with expanded clay.

3. Expanded clay is scattered and leveled in accordance with the beacons.

4. Then they begin laying gypsum fiber sheets, which have edges along which they are aligned and fastened with special cone-shaped screws. Additionally, PVA glue is also applied to the edges. This ensures reliable adhesion of the sheets to each other, turning into a single, flat floor. So, for sheets laid away from the wall, this edge is cut off to provide a double layer of material. When laying sheets, you cannot move them along the expanded clay layer, so you must try, despite their decent weight, to place them immediately in the right place.

5. At the final stage, the joints of the gypsum plasterboard sheets and the places where the screws are attached are primed. Then the entire surface of the dry screed is treated with a primer. Excess plastic film and edge tape are carefully trimmed to the level of the screed.

Important! Unlike concrete screed, work can be carried out in several stages, which is very convenient when doing the work yourself.

How to dry screed: video

Now you have learned several ways to properly level the floor in a room, so you can choose the most suitable option. The main thing is to take your time and follow the technology for performing each operation, then the result will be brilliant. If you think that you cannot cope with the volume of work on your own, then invite professionals.

New modern materials appear in the construction industry almost every day, but an equivalent replacement for the cement-sand mixture for leveling the floor has not yet been found. At a budget level of cost, this material, laid using technology, provides high strength and a smooth surface. Therefore, screeding floors with cement mortar is invariably popular both among professional builders and among home craftsmen who practice performing repair work with their own hands. On a surface leveled with this in the classic way, almost any floor covering can be laid.

We calculate the amount of materials

Cement - comparatively inexpensive material, leveling the floor, especially if done by yourself, will not require large financial investments. In any case, before starting repairs, you need to calculate the amount of materials needed for it. First of all, let's measure the level of our unevenness and determine their highest and lowest points. The difference between them will be the maximum height to which the concrete floor needs to be leveled , or simply the thickness of the screed. This value is necessary so that you can determine the total volume of the mixture.

Let's calculate the required volume of the mixture by multiplying the thickness of the screed by the area of ​​the room. The further calculation is extremely simple: it is enough to know that for 1 m 3 of M200 cement-sand mixture, 490 kg of M400 cement is used, and for 1 part of cement there are 3 parts of sand and 0.5 parts of water. To be sure, we will add 1 extra bag to the amount of cement obtained as a result of the calculation to protect ourselves from surprises. You can also carry out calculations using ours.

Tools required for screed installation

To fill the floor with your own hands, you will need tools and equipment that are usually available in household. If any of the items listed below are missing, be sure to purchase or rent one. All these tools are necessary to quickly and efficiently complete the work:

• building level and rule;
• perforated corners used as beacons;
• spatula and trowel;
• electric drill or construction mixer;
• container for cement mortar.

It’s good if you have the opportunity to rent a construction vacuum cleaner, it will help to properly prepare the surface for pouring. To move on a freshly poured floor without leaving marks, they buy special shoes with spikes - the so-called paint shoes.

Preparing the concrete base for pouring

Remove from concrete surface old coating, thoroughly clean it from dust and dirt. Sweep with a regular broom or use a construction vacuum cleaner. If the destruction process has led to the appearance of cracks, be sure to putty them. The next step is priming the concrete surface. This work is performed for optimal adhesion of the old and fresh compounds. The time for complete drying of the primer is 24 hours. Exactly one day later you can start installing the corners.

Beacons for leveling screeds

The first perforated corner is placed at a distance of 0.3 m from the wall. To carry out the installation as accurately as possible, use a building level. To fix the position of the beacon, it is laid on cement mortar, distributed pointwise along the installation line in increments of 0.5 m. Absolutely the same work is performed on the opposite wall. After installing two beacons, the rest are distributed parallel and evenly between them, taking into account that the distance between them should not exceed 1 m.

Pouring with cement-sand mixture

Place the cement and sand in a special container, mix dry by hand, add the calculated amount of water and mix thoroughly again with a mixer. Pay attention to the consistency of the solution; it should look like thick sour cream. More liquid solution When it dries, it will certainly crack; if it is hard, it is extremely inconvenient to work with; it is problematic to level it properly.

Start leveling the floor from the far corner of the room, pour the solution between two perforated corners level it evenly and thoroughly with a trowel. This procedure helps get rid of air bubbles that are present in the mixture. When the space is completely filled with cement mortar, smooth it out level with the beacons and move on to the next sector.

Fill in the areas between the corners sequentially. Remember, work on leveling a concrete floor must be done quickly and without stopping to prevent cold joints from appearing. Such base defects significantly affect the final strength of the finished screed. Maintain a constant air temperature in the room. It should be no lower than +5°C; in the cold, concrete loses its properties.

Drying floors correctly

Extreme heat negatively affects the quality of the floor screed. As it dries quickly, it becomes covered with cracks. Try not to fill in the summer heat; the ideal temperature for high-quality hardening of the poured base is +20-25°C. Cover the surface with plastic wrap and irrigate for the first three days after pouring. The period of full readiness for operation is determined depending on the thickness of the leveling layer:

• 10 mm – 1 week;
• 40 mm – after a month;
• 70 mm – after 78 days;
• 80 mm – after 108 days.

As a result, you get a strong and fairly even base, which is quite enough for laying ceramic tiles. Without finishing it is used in utility rooms, garages and basements.

We prepare the base for different types of coatings

Often leveling the floor is done to lay floor coverings on it that require a perfectly flat base: laminate, linoleum or. In this case, it is necessary to additionally level the concrete by grinding the surface layer with special machines. If you want to get a perfectly smooth decorative floor, use a polymer self-leveling coating from epoxy resins. Even thin self-leveling epoxy floors along with perfect alignment the rough layer strengthens it, increases resistance to abrasion and mechanical damage and increases service life.

New floor leveling methods

The quality of the base obtained when leveling concrete floors cement-sand mixture, appreciated by generations of builders. Unfortunately, this method has one significant drawback that does not allow it to be used in all cases of life. If repairs need to be carried out as quickly as possible, this method is not applicable due to the long drying time of the screed. Today, thanks to the development of innovative materials, this problem is easily solved.

It is equally relevant for owners of apartments in old buildings and for residents of new buildings. The first ones are looking for an answer because the base coating in their living quarters is in a deplorable state due to already quite long periods of use (and, perhaps, it was never good, even in the years of its “youth”), but the second ones need to know this by the reason is that, despite the use of new technologies, the quality of finishing, even in newly commissioned buildings, is still far from ideal. While modern floor coverings sometimes require an almost flat surface. How to create acceptable conditions for them? What to do? How to level a concrete floor and what is the best way to do it? You will find the answer to all these questions in our review.

We evaluate the existing surface and select a new floor covering

It is worth noting that the alignment procedure can sometimes be quite expensive and quite lengthy. That is why, in order to reduce material and time costs, you need to be able to correctly assess the situation. That is, carefully examine the existing base and decide what kind of flooring will be used. As for the first one. The base surface may be different. Sometimes it is in quite good condition with the exception of some places covered with cracks. Or there are only small protrusions and depressions on it. In such cases, you can get by with little damage by leveling the floor locally, as they say, according to indications. If there are significant defects on the base coating, as well as huge differences in height, you will naturally have to level it from corner to corner. Now as for finishing materials. Some floor coverings are very demanding on the base. Take the same laminate. Even a slight difference of just five millimeters can nullify all finishing work. A laminate laid on such a base can simply become deformed and crack at the seams after a year. While linoleum is not afraid of such minor defects. So it is precisely from the choice of the finishing floor covering and the very state of the base base that you need to start when looking for an answer to the question of how and with what to level a concrete floor.

Variants of irregularities that require elimination

So, what kind of concrete floor needs to be leveled? It is necessary to put in order the basis that has:

• Roughness, chips, various cracks.
• All kinds of protrusions or holes that are noticeable upon visual inspection.
• Sloping or differences in height.

Depending on the existing defects, the leveling method and the material needed for the work are selected.

Types of alignment

If the floor does not have any significant differences in height, but has some defects such as cracks, then they are repaired using a self-made composition or epoxy concrete, having carried out some preliminary work to prepare the base. Local protrusions and holes are sealed in the same way. Height differences are eliminated by dry screed, leveling with beacons or using a self-leveling compound.

Getting rid of cracks

Such defects can appear both on an old foundation and on a recently poured one if the stages or requirements were violated technological process. Therefore, know how to get rid of cracks on concrete floor, every master needs it. So, you can’t just cover them up from above. Firstly, you need to carefully tap the entire surface of the crack, and in a very unique way - you need to drive the chisel as deep as possible into the defect using a hammer. Thanks to this procedure, you will, firstly, be able to detect chips hidden under the defect, and secondly, you will create required clearance for the mixture. After preparatory work will be carried out, you need to carefully remove all pieces of concrete, clean the cavities from dirt and dust, and fill them with water. After drying, the entire surface must be primed. The Grund composition is ideal for these purposes. Then you need to mix M400 cement with water. The solution should have the consistency of liquid sour cream. And then you should add to it liquid glass or PVA glue. The amount of additional ingredient must be equal to the volume of the prepared mixture. Then you need to fill the cracks with the resulting solution, wait until it dries and sand the surface. Very small cracks do not need to be widened, but simply sealed tile adhesive any brand, not forgetting to prime it first.

Filling up the holes

If the floor surface is fairly flat, then screeding is not necessary. All you have to do is get rid of the holes. To do this, their walls and bottom need to be treated with a grinder to remove chips and weak layers. After this, the pit must be cleaned of pieces of concrete, dirt and dust, filled with water, and primed after drying. You need to pour dry fine crushed stone into a fairly thin layer at the bottom, and then seal the defect with epoxy concrete. The domestic composition “Kleypol” is perfect for these purposes. Fill the hole with it so that the solution does not reach the top by two centimeters. After drying (after about an hour), we compare the surface using a special concrete putty. Experts recommend paying attention to the Elakor-ED brand.

As for the hillocks, it is enough to trim them off grinder, clean, prime, and then level the surface using the same Elakor.

Dry screed

How and with what can you level a concrete floor if you have little time and don’t really want to tinker with solutions? Make a dry screed. This procedure is quite simple, so almost anyone can cope with it. House master. The principle is the following. The base base is thoroughly cleaned of dirt and dust. Then a waterproofing film is laid on it (you can use regular thick polyethylene). Then a dry leveling mixture is poured over the entire surface in a layer five centimeters thick. It can be made of expanded clay, granulate, quartz sand or even polystyrene foam. And on top they are already laid on the logs and secured with self-tapping screws either plywood, or fiberboard sheets, or moisture-resistant drywall. But it is best to use a special one for these purposes. sheet material called "Superpole". After dry screeding, you can almost immediately lay the finishing floor covering. Experts recommend that home craftsmen first consider this method, since you can level a concrete floor with your own hands using this method without any problems.

Beacon screed

Since it is sometimes almost impossible to level floors using less expensive methods, you will have to consider a method such as pouring a new floor using beacons. Concerning financial side question, then it is not so scary, but the procedure will require significant time expenditure. In addition, in this case, you need to have at least minimal skills in working with beacons and cement mortar. What should be done? First of all, clean and prime the base. Then mark up, preferably using laser level, and stretch guide threads for beacons between the walls in the direction from the window to the door. And after that, install perforated guides along them on the floor, using cement (possibly gypsum) mortar for fastening. The step between each beacon should not be more than one meter. After which you need to prepare a solution of M400 cement (the amount of water will be indicated on the packaging), pour it between installed profiles and align with the rule, moving backwards in the direction from the window to the door. This screed takes quite a long time to dry; in addition, it must be moistened with water for the first three days. However, this particular method is quite inexpensive and allows you to get a truly smooth and durable coating. Therefore, if you have enough time and do not know, for example, how to level a concrete floor under a laminate, adopt this method.

As for lighthouses, some craftsmen leave them inside. However, experts recommend that you still take out the profile and fill the voids with tile adhesive. The budget, but no less durable composition “Lux” is perfect for these purposes.

Self-leveling floor

If the height difference is no more than five centimeters, and free funds are available, a leveling mixture for a concrete floor is ideal for arranging the base surface. It is quite expensive, but it is easy to work with, and the alignment procedure does not take much time. As for technology, you need to start, as always, with preparation. The base needs to be cleaned and primed. Then you need to mark using a laser level, drawing lines on the walls along which the upper boundaries of the new floor will pass. After this, you need to mix the solution according to the instructions on the package. The best mixtures for leveling, according to experts, are self-levelers Ceresit CN 69 and Ceresit CN 68, Vetonit 3000, EK FT03 FINISH. Many masters also praise the more budget-friendly domestic mixtures produced under the “Starateli” brand. So, we start leveling from the far corner, pouring the solution onto the floor and leveling the coating (according to the applied markings), first with a rule, and then with a special roller with needles.

How to level a concrete floor under laminate

Laminate is perhaps the most capricious floor covering, requiring an almost perfectly flat base. What is the best way to level a concrete floor for it? By and large, in this case, any of the three methods described above will do. However, there is another option. You can try leveling the concrete floor with plywood. Unlike the same tiles, laminate does not require the use of mortar when laying, so the presence of wooden sheets under this coating will not in any way affect the quality of the base base. But the alignment method itself is quite simple and fast. Concrete base cleaned of dirt, primed, after which sheets are laid on it without any fastenings moisture resistant plywood(a thickness of 10 mm will be enough), and according to the same principle as laminate (so that the seams of the elements do not coincide, but are staggered). After this, another layer is laid, but so that its joints do not coincide with those of the lower layer. This plywood is already attached to the bottom sheets with self-tapping screws. After installation, you need to go over the seams with a sander in order to finally level the subfloor.

A few words about the loggia

On the loggia you can also use all the methods described above. However, many experts consider it very attractive to level the concrete floor in this room using the same plywood, but on joists. How do they base their choice? Because thanks to this method, you can additionally insulate the floor of the loggia by laying appropriate material between the joists. Let's say foam plastic, mineral wool. Or professional, but more expensive TechnoNIKOL insulation.

... about the garage

It is quite clear that no one is laying laminate or parquet in this room. The floor here is usually made of concrete. The main requirements for the base are that it be level. And, of course, durable. How to level It is best to do it and then cover it with a special layer of hardener - the so-called topping - which will protect the surface from damage. The best compositions are considered to be mixtures of Caparol-Disbon, Neodur (Korodur), MasterTop (BASF) and domestic “Herkulit” and “Reflor”.

...and about ceramics

If you plan to lay ceramic tiles on concrete and the base itself is not particularly crooked, you can level the floor during the process by adding more or less tile adhesive under level control. True, this method is applicable only if the differences are no more than three centimeters. In addition, if you decide to resort to this method, you need to buy only high-quality, with improved characteristics, for example, intended for Ceresite, which is ideal for these purposes.

Conclusion

We tried to talk in sufficient detail about how and what is the best way to level a concrete floor in a given case. In addition, we touched upon issues of leveling technology and named brands the best materials used when carrying out this type of work. We hope that now you can easily choose the appropriate option for your specific case. After all, you already know as well as any professional how and with what to level a concrete floor.