≡× MENU

• Interior
• Window
• Walls
• Projects
• The buildings

Sex can be done in a very effective way. How to level a floor under laminate. Pouring cement-sand screed - work carefully

Leveling the floor- a mandatory step during repair and finishing works, followed by montage flooring. Why is it mandatory? The fact is that over time, floors lose their original shape - bulges, crevices and cracks form in them.

If you want to update the appearance of the room and lay, for example, laminate or carpet, this initially not so noticeable defect becomes a serious obstacle to the realization of your cherished goal. The only way out of this situation is alignment, which you can do yourself.

Floor leveling mixtures

Leveling mixtures form a screed that has many advantages. First of all, this is:

• the ability to install any floor coverings (linoleum, tiles, parquet boards, etc.);
• perfect adhesion to the substrate;
• high strength;
• environmental friendliness;
• low abrasion;
• ease of installation;
• no shrinkage;
• unpretentiousness in subsequent care (no need for daily watering);
• gaining strength within a few days.

Classification of mixtures

Leveling mixtures are divided into leveling and self-leveling. The first ones must be leveled manually. High viscosity values ​​make it possible to obtain thick screeds and develop slopes. Second - thanks high turnover create an even horizontal surface virtually without any active human participation. By the way, they can be called differently: levelers, self-levelers, self-leveling floors, self-leveling solutions - the imagination of ordinary people knows no limits.

There are self-leveling mixtures for initial and finishing application. The difference is in the size of the fractions. Solutions for initial application consist of large particles, which means there is no need to talk about a smooth surface. Finishing mixtures include fine fractions and provide the opportunity to obtain an even horizontal screed.

Conditions required for application

Not everyone knows that when working with leveling mixtures, several important rules must be followed, on which the quality of the coating depends. First of all, you need to close the windows and doors. No air movement should be felt above the floor surface during work and for the next 24 hours.
The base temperature, as well as the room temperature, should vary from +5 to +25 degrees. No more. Concerning relative humidity, then the maximum allowable mark is 90%.

Breeding rules

Pour warm water into the prepared container. Not hot - otherwise the mixture will set quickly and achieve a smooth surface. Add the dry mixture in small portions, stir with a drill special nozzle operating at low speeds.
There should be as much water as indicated on the package. Amateur work is fraught and leads to foaming, poor hardening, and delamination of the screed. Breeding should begin only after the final preparation of the base. Please note that the active participation of an assistant is mandatory. While you are applying the solution, your assistant is preparing a new portion.

Floor leveling methods

There are several types of leveling; the choice of one method or another depends on the time allotted for the work, differences in floor level, and the features of the sound insulation device. So, let's look at the most popular alignment options.

• cement-sand screed- the easiest way to prepare a subfloor. If the budget is limited, then you should give preference to a polymer-based screed (cement, sand, PVA). The screed is made along the beacons; after it hardens, a thin layer of glue or self-leveling mixture is applied on top;

• dry screed- becomes in Lately a more popular method of floor preparation. It is based on a far from new bulk principle. Dry floor screed has many advantages, among which, first of all, it is necessary to highlight the speed of installation, high thermal insulation properties, the possibility of laying cable and film electric heaters and low weight.

The laying technology does not present any difficulties; the only condition is to maintain consistency.

1. Flooring with a vapor and moisture barrier (polyethylene film or glassine). It is necessary to lay it with an overlap (20 cm), at the edges the material rises by about 5-6 cm. To ensure sound insulation, gaps (10 mm) should be left around the perimeter of the walls, which are glued with a special tape.
2. Lay out the bulk component (expanded clay, sand, fine-grained slag). The thickness of the backfill layer is about 4 cm, with significant unevenness - up to 6 cm.

3. Level the backfill. Then we lay chipboard, gypsum fiber board, and waterproof plywood on the compacted surface. The sheets are attached with glue and self-tapping screws.

• Self-leveling floors- the optimal solution to the problem of preparing a rough surface. They are durable, easy to use and will be a real salvation for those who decide to level the floor under laminate or linoleum with their own hands. So, the features of the technology.

1. Clean the floor and degrease it with a cleaning agent, remove the baseboards, and cover the cracks with bars.
2. Fill Potholes mortar, level it out.
3. Draw lines along the length of the room in accordance with the length of the rule and screw in screws along these marks in increments of 30 cm.
4. Using a laser level, determine the highest point on the base, add the thickness of the self-leveling floor to it and screw in the screws perpendicular to the marks made. For beacons, place alabaster near each screw.
5. According to the instructions, mix the mixture with water and after testing for homogeneity, feel free to pour the solution onto an area no larger than 2 m2.
6. As a rule, level the mixture along the beacons. Go over the surface with a needle roller.

Leveling a wooden floor

A wooden floor quickly surrenders to the crushing power of time - it bends and loses its original shape. But even in the most difficult case, when the floor is drying out right before your eyes, you can find a way out - the correct leveling method. Let's consider options for eliminating defects in more detail.

1. Looping- a labor-intensive but effective way to level a plank floor. It is advisable if you plan to only varnish, without laying the floor covering. Cycling is carried out manually or mechanically. To be fair, it is worth noting that the manual method is less effective, so it is better to arm yourself with a scraping unit.

• we prepare the room - cover the furniture with film, remove curtains, take out unnecessary interior items;
• We examine the surface for nails, carpet buttons and other fasteners. If we find any, we either remove or recess the caps below floor level;
• put on protective clothing (remember gloves and headphones) and get to work;
• We begin to loop from the corner, moving around the room like a snake. After the top layer is removed, we cover the holes with putty and take a break - wait for it to completely polymerize;
• We process hard-to-reach areas with a manual scraper;
• After completion of work, remove dust and sawdust industrial vacuum cleaner. All that remains is to wipe the floor with a lint-free cloth soaked in white alcohol and apply varnish.

2. Leveling with self-leveling mixtures becomes necessary if a coating needs to be laid on a warped, old floor.

• prepare the surface again (recess the caps, secure the spring boards with self-tapping screws). Sanding the floor. If voids are found, fill them with acrylic-based putty;
• We apply a moisture-proof primer that will ensure the necessary adhesion of wood and mortar;
• We clean the walls around the perimeter insulating material. Do not forget about creating an expansion joint from polystyrene foam;
• We use the water level to determine the level of the future self-leveling floor. IN doorway install a wooden beam;
• We attach a reinforced mesh to the floor with an overlap of 6 cm;
• Prepare the mixture according to the instructions, let it sit and stir. Pour the solution onto the mesh, remove bubbles with a rubber roller and level the surface (with a rule, a rubber spatula or a mop);
• Drying time depends on the composition of the mixture. Information about this can be found on the packaging.

Leveling a wooden floor with a self-leveling mixture increases the level of the floor. This fact should be taken into account when carrying out construction activities.
3. Leveling a wooden floor with plywood guarantees a smooth subfloor. The method is most justified when it is necessary to lay laminate flooring. Plywood is purchased with a thickness of 12 mm, class 4/4 and higher.

• We install beacons (screws). Then we begin to lay 30 cm wide logs, covering the voids with plywood blocks. We fasten them with glue or self-tapping screws;

• We prepare sheets of plywood - we divide a standard sheet into 4 parts. It is necessary to cut carefully - there should be no delaminations or chips;
• We lay the plywood offset to avoid the seams intersecting at one point. We cut the sheets, paying due attention to the shape of the floor in the places of arches and protrusions;
• We fasten the plywood with self-tapping screws with a countersunk head and countersink the fastening points.

Ready. If you planned to level the wooden floor under a laminate, then you can start arranging the substrate, if under linoleum, you can start sanding and varnishing.

Leveling a wooden floor: video

Modern floor coverings delight the eye with their design and interesting texture. But for any of them, be it laminate, linoleum or parquet boards, the subfloor must be absolutely flat, without drops or waves. If there are differences in height, cracks or other defects on the concrete screed, then before laying the finished floor it is necessary to repair and level the base. Let's try to figure out how to level a concrete floor quickly, correctly and efficiently.

Surface analysis and floor marking

First of all, it is necessary to carefully analyze the quality of the concrete floor. Using a level, measurements are carried out and irregularities are determined. To do this, use a water level or a laser axis level. The latter device allows you to create the most even horizontal plane.

The laser axis builder will automatically level itself, and in the “horizon” mode it will create an even, strictly horizontal plane

After this, armed with a tape measure or a long ruler, you need to measure the room around the perimeter and determine the minimum distance between the floor and the horizon. This will be the zero point of the new floor. IN panel house measurements are carried out only along the perimeter, since it is used as a ceiling reinforced concrete panel quite smooth. In a private home, significant differences are possible.

After measuring the floor and determining the zero point, they begin to eliminate existing unevenness.

Alignment methods

The time has come to choose a method for leveling the concrete floor. Technologically, there are several ways to level a concrete floor. Depending on the existing differences and the required height of the build-up, leveling the floor with your own hands can be done in three ways:

• cement-sand screed;
• dry screed;
• self-leveling mixture.

To work you will need:

• water and laser levels;
• rule longer than 1.5 meters;

Equalizing the mixture using the rule

• set of spatulas;
• squeegee;
• electric drill;
• nozzle for stirring the solution;
• bucket;
• beacons for screeds.

Depending on the chosen installation method, you will need a mixture to prepare the solution or a set of individual components.

Cement-sealed screed

Most often, home craftsmen use cement-sealed screed. To prepare the mixture, cement and sand are taken in a ratio of 1:3. For floor screeding, it is better to use cement grade of at least 400.

Leveling the concrete floor using this method is done in stages. It is important to follow not only the technology, but also the procedure:

1. Remove the old coating down to the concrete base.
2. Check the moisture content of the coating. If it is high, then wait until it dries.
3. Inspect the floor, widen and clear possible cracks and defects.
4. Thoroughly clean the floor from dirt and dust.
5. Prime the floor surface to ensure maximum adhesion to the mixture.

Priming the floor surface

Before laying the mixture, beacons are installed

This leveling method allows you to eliminate differences in height up to 5 cm.

Dry screed

This method allows you to level the floors in an apartment in a short time.

Dry screed organization diagram

The procedure is as follows:

1. A layer of waterproofing is laid on the base. Most often this is ordinary polyethylene film. The film is laid overlapping and with small runs on the wall. Roofing material can be used for the same purposes.
2. Expanded clay or granular leveling mixture is poured onto the waterproofing layer. The thickness of this layer is 5-7 centimeters. It evens out large differences, and performs additional function thermal insulation. Thanks to the presence of this layer, the floor does not require additional insulation.

A layer of expanded clay levels the floor and serves as additional thermal insulation

Laying sheets of thick plywood

Important! It is necessary to provide compensation gaps between the floor covering and the wall, which will prevent further deformation of the floor when humidity changes.

1. The seams between the sheets are puttied or filled with sealant.

At each stage of floor leveling, horizontal level measurements are taken using this method. At this point, the installation of the screed is completed, and you can begin laying the finishing coating without much waiting.

This installation method has a number of significant advantages:

• there is no need to mix the screed solution;
• such a screed has a relatively low price;
• the work will require low labor costs, and it is possible to do the work alone;
• installation can be carried out at the desired pace and in parts;
• additional insulation of the floor is carried out due to a layer of bulk material;
• it is possible to quickly and conveniently lay engineering communications;
• if necessary, the project can be completed in the shortest possible time.

Self-leveling mixtures

Such mixtures appeared on the building materials market not so long ago, but immediately won the love of consumers. This leveling method makes it quite easy to obtain a completely flat floor surface. This coating is sometimes called liquid linoleum. After applying the self-leveling mixture, the floor can be used as a base for the finishing coat, or as an independent coating that does not require additional finishing.

Filling the floor with self-leveling mixture

The self-leveling mixture is stirred according to the instructions on the package. After dilution, a solution with the consistency of liquid sour cream is obtained, which, when applied, spreads and forms a smooth surface without unevenness.

Please note! Differences in the floor on which the self-leveling mixture is used should not be more than 2 cm. Otherwise, financial costs increase sharply and the drying time of the surface increases.

Stages of laying self-leveling floors:

1. Repairing existing cracks and cleaning chips.
2. Cleaning the base from dust and dirt.
3. Priming concrete for adhesion of the base with liquid linoleum;
4. Preparation of a solution that is mixed depending on the type of self-leveling floor. For polymer floors, carefully mix the components of the composition according to the manufacturer's instructions. If a dry mixture based on cement and sand is used, it is diluted with clean water.

A portion of the solution is mixed using an attachment for an electric drill.

When using this leveling method, it is necessary to fill the entire floor surface in the room at once.

The solution is mixed in a handy container (basin or bucket) with a construction mixer or a special attachment attached to a drill. Kneading is done at low speed. The mixture should be homogeneous, without compactions or lumps.

Please note! All self-leveling mortars, regardless of the type of mixture used, harden very quickly, so you should not prepare a large portion of the mortar. There should be as much solution as you can fill in a short period of time at a time. The flow time of the mixture ranges from 20 to 60 minutes, depending on the brand of the solution.

The mixture begins to be poured from the wall opposite to the entrance. To speed up the spreading process of the solution, use a squeegee. Possible bubbles and excess air are removed from the solution with a special needle roller. When performing work, monitor the air temperature in the room. It should be at least 5 degrees Celsius. The drying time of the self-leveling mixture is about an hour, but it is better to wait for the surface to completely harden for 2-3 days. Until the mixture has completely dried over its entire thickness, proceed to finishing works it is forbidden. Small bumps that may arise are sanded with sandpaper or a stone.

Optimally smooth concrete floor

Leveling the floor with your own hands is quite a feasible task for home handyman. You can, of course, entrust this work to professional builders, but this will significantly increase the cost of the floor. To avoid unnecessary costs, we advise you to study our recommendations and perform this procedure yourself. More interesting and useful tips you can watch in the video below.

Video: filling the floor with your own hands

How to level the floor yourself: stages of work

Agree, it’s difficult to imagine a beautiful and cozy home without a flat floor, because this is the basis of all foundations. When moving into a new house or apartment, every owner strives to first of all deal with the arrangement of the floor. And modern building materials and Newest technologies They allow you to make the floor beautiful and even with your own hands, even for a person who does not have sufficient experience.

In the vast majority of cases, building slabs are used as the base of the floor covering, often having a far from even surface, which inevitably entails differences in floor level. Of course, you cannot install a new coating on such a surface. The floor must be leveled, in other words, a cement screed is required.

It should be noted that self-leveling the floor concrete screed- This is a rather long and very dirty process, but even a beginner can do it.

Surface preparation

The video describes how to take measurements to level the floor in all rooms of the apartment to the same level.

Before starting work, the surface to be leveled must be carefully prepared - cleaned of dust, paint, loose parts of concrete, and oil stains. All cracks in the base are sealed, as they lead to material leakage.

Professional builders, in the process of laying electrical wiring in the cavities of slabs to illuminate the center of the room, often do not drill one side of the slab from the ceiling side, but make a “high-tech hole” using a sledgehammer and a crowbar, punching through the slab to its entire depth from a higher floor. This, of course, will save the builders some time, but will give you decibels of noise and “odors” from the apartment below.

If you are a victim of “high domestic construction technologies", then carefully and thoroughly seal all the holes, otherwise you will have to get acquainted with your neighbors later under different circumstances.

Marking the concrete screed level

When the surface is well cleaned, you can begin to mark the level of the future coating. For this purpose, a construction hydraulic level is used, made up of a pair of flasks with marks connected to each other by a long hose. The operation of this instrument is based on the principle of connected vessels - the liquid in vertically located flasks will be located at the same level.

The marking should be carried out by two people: one will install the first flask in the corner of the room, marking the initial strip on the wall, and the other should move with the second flask, making marks along the entire perimeter of the room at the same level. Next, by taking measurements from the floor to the marks, the level of the future floor is determined directly.

Primer for concrete screed

The primer makes it possible to increase the adhesion (adhesion) of the screed to your surface, and in addition, it helps waterproof the base. And this operation cannot be neglected, since savings can lead to the floor subsequently cracking.

If you are leveling floors in the kitchen or bathroom, then use specialized waterproofing primers. Choose a primer marked “for concrete”. For the primary treatment of bases, primer compositions are usually called “primer primers”.

Dry building mixtures for concrete screeds

It is better to make a cement screed for leveling floors using dry building mixtures. The binding components in them are non-shrinkable types of cement. Fine-grained sand is used as filling material. After mixing with water, this composition forms an emulsion that spreads well over the surface and fills all unevenness well.

When compared with conventional cement-sand mixtures, dry mixtures have a number of advantages. First of all, we are talking about the short drying time of the coating - you can walk on the floor within a day. And secondly, the high strength of the coating, which is ensured by the use of small filler materials.

• mixtures for primary leveling. Allows you to create the main layer of coatings. The surface ends up being uneven, since such mixtures use filler materials of a large fraction;
• finishing mixtures of the second type correct the shortcomings of the first. They contain small fractions of fillers, and they spread very well over the surface, resulting in a smooth and smooth coating. The finishing mixture is applied in a thin layer, the thickness of which should be only a few millimeters.

Installation of beacons for concrete screed

After the priming has been carried out, it is necessary to install beacon profiles on the floor surface - they will be a kind of level for setting the thickness of the screed. In cross-section, such profiles resemble the letter “T”.

The slats need to be mounted on the floor parallel to each other - so that the top is located at the same level as the marks on the wall. This can be done, for example, using a stretched cord or a regular building level.

Highly professional specialists do not install these profiles, since they know how to create horizontal surfaces without them.

But if you are not confident in your abilities, it is better to install them, as slats really improve the quality of work.

Laying concrete screed

Upon completion of the installation of the beacons, we begin to form the actual coating. But first, to do this, you need to find out what the maximum difference in floor level and the maximum permissible layer of leveler specified in the manufacturer’s recommendations are. If floor differences exceed permissible level, the emulsion should be applied in several layers.

To prepare the leveler, you will need a large bucket. In it, the emulsion is mixed with water using an electric drill equipped with a special attachment (this construction mixer).

It is extremely important to observe all the ratios recommended by the manufacturer, since an excess amount of water can lead to delamination of the material and a decrease in its mechanical strength. The emulsion is poured onto the base in such a way that the space up to the beacons is filled.

Then the mixture is leveled with a regular spatula or a rule along the beacons. Air bubbles that form in the material are eliminated using a needle roller.

Final alignment

If you need exceptionally smooth and smooth surface, then the original floor screed must be covered with the so-called finishing leveler. Such solutions are diluted to a very liquid state - this will give the material the opportunity to spread well over the surface, it will be able to fill even the smallest depressions and crevices. The cooking process is the same as in the description above. The material is poured onto the surface, after which it is leveled to a layer of several millimeters.

• it is possible to lay any covering on the floor: laminate, carpet, ceramic tiles, linoleum;
• you can make heated floors yourself;
• a thin layer of leveler slightly changes the height to the ceiling;
• high coating strength.

• accuracy of all measurements, spatial thinking and endurance are required;
• a lot of dust and dirt is formed;
• a significant period of complete hardening - for laying ceramic tiles on the floor, for example, you will have to wait at least a month

Leveling the floor yourself is quite a painstaking and labor-intensive process, which requires accuracy and great patience. Therefore, it is better to immediately assess your strengths, and if you are not sure that you will be able to do everything correctly and efficiently, it is better to contact specialists - they will carry out all the work at the highest level. As for the issue of cost, it will be determined by the complexity of the process.

Basic methods of floor leveling

During the overhaul In an apartment or private house, you most often need to level the floor yourself. This is especially true for old housing purchased on the secondary market. In this case, the ceiling may be blocked, and its level in different rooms will be different. Before laying laminate, linoleum or parquet and other finishing materials, you need to prepare the surface. A huge number of products and methods are used to level the floor, each of which has advantages and disadvantages.

Ties

This method combines several technologies. Wet screed is traditional; it has been used for decades. Relatively new methods of floor leveling using dry and semi-dry mixtures are considered not so common.

Wet screed

In this case, two types of solutions are used: concrete and cement-sand mixture. Both are made on the basis of cement, the filler is sand, and the solvent is water, but crushed stone is additionally introduced into the concrete. This material is inexpensive, which reduces the cost of the entire solution. But it is not suitable for leveling floors in residential areas, where high demands are placed on the surface.

Then use a cement-sand mixture. It costs a little more, but after drying it gives an even coating.

Wet floor screed If speak about positive aspects

1. wet screeds, the following stand out in particular:
2. A simple technology for manufacturing and pouring the solution, which does not require special tools or qualified specialists.
3. The result is a durable coating that can last up to 50 years. According to technology, rough screed
4. can be made up to 10 cm thick, this is enough to level almost any surface. If it happens that the blockage is larger, then you can lay two layers of screed.

Relatively low cost of materials and work. It is also important to note that, unlike some other building materials, cement and sand can be purchased in almost any region, this will save on delivery costs. Wet screed does not require much experience and, it’s easy to do it yourself

There are also disadvantages:

• Long period of drying and strength gain. You can begin further finishing work only after 28 days. The coating must be protected from heat and drafts, and also regularly moistened in the first week after pouring.
• The surface may crack due to shrinkage. This is partially mitigated by laying damper tape before pouring the floor, but there is still a risk.
• If the screed layer is more than 5 cm, it must be reinforced with special meshes, metal rods, and so on. This is also reflected in the cost of work.
• Before starting, it is necessary to lay a waterproofing layer so that moisture from the solution does not seep into the neighbors below.
• The work is quite hard and dirty. A huge amount of material needs to be transferred and mixed.

Semi-dry screed

This technology came to us from Europe not so long ago, but has already gained popularity. Manufacturing involves the use of a minimal amount of water and several plasticizers. These substances ensure reliable adhesion of filler particles. Since the solution turns out to be relatively dry, it is not poured, but poured onto the floor slabs between installed beacons, then compacted and sanded with special machines.

Semi-dry screed requires special equipment, but is characterized by high strength and durability

Advantages of this method:

1. After compaction and grinding, there is virtually no shrinkage of the coating, so the risk of cracks is minimized.
2. After drying and gaining strength, a stronger surface is obtained than when pouring using the wet method.
3. The ability to lay large layers of material without reinforcement, which allows you to level floors with almost any blockage.
4. No need to install reinforcing elements.
5. 28 days after completion of the work, any topcoat can be laid.

• High price. All processes are carried out with the participation of specialized equipment, the purchase or rental of which costs a significant amount. In addition, materials for leveling floors in this way are relatively expensive. It is also important to consider the need to hire specialists to service the equipment.
• Organization of special conditions. Semi-dry formulations are prepared outside and served indoors through special sleeves. In cold weather they constantly freeze, which reduces the feeding speed. Therefore, it may be necessary to erect a temporary structure with mobile heating equipment.
• Strengthening time. According to the technology, the period of complete drying and polymerization is 28 days. That is, the same as in the case of the wet method.

Dry screed

Leveling materials of this type were first developed by the German company Knauf; now many of them are produced brands. The essence of the method is to fill the floor slab with a dry composition: expanded clay, vermiculite, perlite and others. This layer is covered with boards, plywood, gypsum, plasterboard or gypsum fiber boards. Since hollow materials are used for backfill, additional thermal insulation is not required.

Dry screeds have the following advantages:

1. Immediately after leveling the floors in the apartment, you can begin further finishing activities. This distinguishes dry screeds from other types.
2. The work happens quickly and does not require special equipment, so installation can be done independently.
3. The backfill layer shows high performance soundproofing.

Dry screed has high sound and heat insulation properties and allows repair work to be carried out in a short period of time

The main disadvantage is low moisture resistance, because of this it is necessary to additionally insulate the bulk layer with a membrane.

In addition, the backfill and slabs for covering it will cost a little more than the sand-cement composition.

Leveling mixtures

These materials replaced standard cement or gypsum based mortars. They are manufactured in factories using strict technologies, so they are of high quality. The modern market offers two main types of self-leveling solutions.

Regular

A budget option for the material, it is made on the basis of lime, cement or gypsum with various fillers. Manufacturers supply a variety of mixtures: the simplest and cheapest are used only for leveling floor coverings, the more expensive ones contain insulating materials. The composition necessarily contains plasticizers and components that protect against moisture and frost. They also make the coating more durable and abrasion resistant.

Industrial mixtures for leveling floors are of higher quality compared to compositions made independently Among positive qualities

1. it is necessary to highlight:
2. Short drying time. In most cases, one week is enough to begin further installation.
3. Versatility. Such coatings are suitable for premises of any purpose.

There are no significant shortcomings. You can note the cost, which is slightly higher than the prices for standard cement-sand mixtures. In addition, the work is quite dirty.

Self-leveling composition

This material is also called self-leveling. In this case, the solution just needs to be applied in small portions to the surface so that they touch. Over the course of some time it will spread over the floor slab. The result is a perfectly smooth coating that does not require further processing.

It should be noted that this method is only suitable for relatively flat substrates. The maximum permissible layer of material is 3.5 cm; if there is a large blockage, it will simply not be possible to level the floors. The minimum layer is 3 mm, so self-leveling mixtures are often used for finishing coatings.

Self-leveling screed is used at the last stage of floor installation and usually does not require further finishing.

• Easy to fill.
• Short drying time for the solution.
• Possibility of use in conjunction with the “warm floor” system.

The coating also has all positive properties concrete screeds, for example, strength and wear resistance. Of the shortcomings, only two can be noted: high cost and the inability to eliminate serious defects.

Wood materials

The described methods for leveling the floor involve creating a cold stone covering. But there is another option - using wood. In recent decades, wood and products made from it have experienced another wave of popularity.

Plywood

This material is probably familiar to everyone. It is inexpensive, and you can buy it at almost any hardware or construction store.

Leveling the floor with plywood

1. Glue installation. In this case, the base is carefully prepared, tile adhesive is applied to it, and then a sheet of plywood is pressed to the floor. Sometimes dowels and screws are used to increase the reliability of contact.
2. Installation on logs. Logs are installed on the rough coating at a certain interval, which depends on the thickness of the plywood (the thinner it is, the smaller the step). For fastening, use ordinary wood screws.
3. Using anchor bolts. This is a relatively new technology that involves the use of a certain type of plywood. First, sheets of plywood with holes are laid out on the floor, and the locations of future fastenings are marked on the surface. The slabs are removed, holes are drilled in the floor with a drill and anchors are installed in them, the height of which is set using a laser level. After adjustment, the plywood is put in place and tightened with nuts. The protruding metal products are cut off with a grinder, and then a second layer of plywood is placed on the glue.

• Wear resistance and strength.
• Environmental friendliness.
• Easy to install and handle.
• Low cost of materials and labor.

• Exposure to moisture.
• Flammability.
• Limited sizes.
• Need for further finishing.

Boards

This is a more expensive flooring option. There are a huge number of models that differ in size and availability lock connections. The boards are mounted either on logs or on a prepared base. Compared to plywood, they are more expensive and more difficult to work with. In addition, after installation, the boards need to be sanded.

Plank floor installation

Nevertheless, a floor made of this material will last much longer and it looks more presentable. Usually the boards are impregnated with special primers, and at the end installation work they are treated with varnish or wax, so the products are not susceptible to water, mold and insects.

Tile

Leveling the floor tile adhesive followed by installation of tiles is used quite rarely. You can do without tiles, but then the surface will be subject to abrasion and the formation of a large amount of dust. This method is not suitable if the floor is heavily blocked; ideally, it is better to level the floor with tiles only in case of minor defects.

The essence of the method is that the zero level is first struck, and then, taking it into account, a tile is laid, the height of which is regulated by the amount of glue and pressure. The leveled floor can be used within a day.

Some flooring methods are suitable for DIY use, others are only available experienced craftsmen. Before choosing materials for leveling the floor, it is recommended to consult a specialist or take a competent person with you to the store.

Do-it-yourself floor leveling

Any construction, repair or restoration work is unthinkable without leveling the base of the floor. The service life and quality of further use of expensive finishing materials such as laminate, parquet, carpet or ceramic tiles depend on how reliably and efficiently the surface preparation is done. Floor leveling work is carried out in accordance with certain technologies using high-quality certified materials. Do-it-yourself floor leveling can be done using any of these technologies. Let's take a closer look at them.

Preparatory work

There are several effective ways to level the subfloor. First of all, a traditional screed comes to mind, which is made from ordinary cement and sand or a self-leveling mixture. The base can also be constructed using dry methods, including using ready-made prefabricated elements made from gypsum fiber moisture-resistant sheet or separate sheets from gypsum fiber. This can be done with pre-prepared boards or moisture-resistant plywood.

If the height difference reaches 5 - 7 cm, then most often a traditional screed or wooden logs using plywood or chipboards are used. If the slope is no more than 3 cm, the situation can be resolved by pouring a self-leveling mixture.

Before choosing a leveling technology and purchasing materials, it is necessary to take all measurements of the actual dimensions of the room. In addition, it is necessary to identify all obvious shortcomings and problems with the quality of the foundation. Using special tools, you need to beat the floor level. For this purpose regular one will do liquid level or laser devices.

Carrying out rough leveling using a concrete screed

This method is the cheapest and most proven. It is available for independent implementation by anyone with at least initial knowledge in the field of construction and the slightest experience in carrying out repair work.

First of all, you need to prepare the base. If you find large enough bumps and bulges on it, then they must be chipped off and leveled. Concrete mortar is poured into the recesses and carefully leveled. If the differences are higher than 6 cm, and the slope is also large, then it is first necessary to install guide beacons according to the level. To make the structure rigid, the beacons are attached to the floor with a special alabaster mortar at intervals of 50 to 80 cm. During the installation of the beacons, the correctness of the work is checked with a building level.

Before pouring the screed, the entire surface is very well cleaned of dirt and dust, after which a primer layer is applied to obtain better adhesion. The consistency of the screed is selected in accordance with the instructions given by its manufacturer and it depends on the thickness of the layer. To prepare the solution, only certified cement, very well sifted sand, preferably river and warm water are used. You can add special reinforcing fiber and plasticizing substances inside the screed, which is especially recommended if there are significant differences in floor height. After the screed has set, which is 28 days according to building codes, it is necessary to remove the beacons from it and fill the grooves from them with mortar. The surface must be rubbed and treated with a primer, which must penetrate deep enough into the concrete to increase strength.

Leveling the floor using a self-leveling mixture

To use this method of leveling the floor, it is necessary that the base complies with SNiP standards and has a humidity of approximately 4%. As in the previous case, preparatory work must begin with high-quality cleaning of the entire surface from dust and dirt, bitumen and paint coating residues, as well as glue. Unstable surfaces and laitance must be removed.

Potholes and defects are cleaned and vacuumed. They are treated with a primer, after which they are filled with the repair compound CN 83. This must be done about a day before applying the self-leveling mixture. Primer treatment of the entire subfloor is required. To prepare the mixture, you need to take exactly the amount of water specified by the manufacturer with a temperature of no more than 20 degrees. Then the mixture is gradually added to the container with water, stirring it constantly until a homogeneous mass is achieved. It is best to stir this solution with a mixer or drill with a special attachment. Then you need to maintain a five-minute technological pause, during which the final maturation of the mixture occurs. After this, the finished solution is mixed again. It will need to be used no more than 40 minutes from the date of manufacture. You should not pour more water than indicated in the instructions, as this leads to delamination and a decrease in the strength of the coating.

If the floor is leveled in a thin layer, no more than 1–2 cm, then the mixture is simply poured onto the base and distributed evenly over the entire surface. The level is controlled using point beacons. Using a needle roller, roll the mixture to remove air bubbles from it. All work must be carried out at air temperatures from 5 to 30 degrees with humidity not exceeding 80%. After the leveling layer is ready, it must be protected from too rapid drying, drafts, heating devices and exposure to sunlight.

Leveling the floor with plywood

The use of sheet materials such as OSB, fiberboard or plywood involves two technologies. In the first case, the leveling surface is arranged along wooden logs. This is justified when there are significant level differences. The second technology is direct leveling along the base itself. This technology is applicable only if the floor slope does not exceed 2 cm, or when laminate or parquet will be used as the finishing material.

A well-known traditional leveling method is double flooring. As the first layer, wooden blocks are installed, which are selected in accordance with the existing actual height difference. The bars are attached to the base using special tongues. When the bars are laid and form a wooden frame, sheets of material are placed on them, fixed with special screws. During the entire installation of such a structure, it is necessary to systematically use a level to avoid the formation of a slope of the entire structure. This leveling method has the advantage that an additional layer of sound and heat insulation can be installed inside the frame.

In addition to sheet materials, wooden boards are now widely used. It can be grooved or special floor. Previously, this technology was used in the construction of wooden houses. Today it is also in demand when carrying out restoration and repair work in modern houses and city apartments.

If the height differences are insignificant, then moisture-resistant plywood or fiberboard can be used to level the floor. The sheets are installed directly on the base. The floor materials are fixed with special dowels. Most often, this technology is used as a preliminary preparation for laying laminate, parquet boards or type-setting parquet.

Leveling the floor with a dry screed

This unique technology is now increasingly being used in the process of repair and restoration work. It got its name “dry screed” due to the complete absence water processes during the entire installation. The screed is sold ready-made, made from prefabricated elements of gypsum fiber sheets and can be perfectly combined with any finishing coatings and underfloor heating systems.

If there is a difference in the floor of more than 30 mm, you can use expanded clay sand to level it. It is best to take the smallest fraction from 6 mm. This substrate significantly increases sound insulation and thermal insulation properties. Work on installing a dry screed is carried out in the following order:

First, spread over the entire surface with a 10 cm overlap on the walls. vapor barrier film. You need to take polyethylene film with a very dense structure. To make sound insulation even better, it is necessary to glue an edge tape around the perimeter of the room. It should be noted that if the basis is wooden boards, then instead of film you need to use bitumen paper or any other paper impregnated with drying oil.

Then beacons are placed, which can be used as a U-shaped profile. Expanded clay sand must be scattered and leveled over these beacons. After this, GVL is laid, and if the room is damp, then this material must be moisture resistant. All sheets are laid out one after another in two layers, displacing one sheet relative to the other, like brickwork. All sheets are glued together using dispersion glue and secured with self-tapping screws. All these measures allow us to achieve maximum rigidity and strength of the coating.

There is nothing difficult about leveling the floor with your own hands. The main thing here is to choose the most suitable way based on your own knowledge and skills. To choose a specific technology, you need to measure the actual level of floor difference, determine the purpose of the room, as well as its operating conditions. Of no small importance in choosing a method is the type of finishing coating and the speed of the repair work itself. In the process of creating a leveling layer, you must always adhere to the rules and regulations that are prescribed in building regulations, as well as safety precautions.

Advantages cement-sand screed:

Among the main disadvantages it is worth highlighting:

• long hardening period;
• the need to have the skills to perform such work or involve professionals.

The execution of the screed begins with zero level determination. To do this, you can use a building level, with the help of which a single line is created at a height of about 1.5 m from the floor, from which the distance to the floor level is measured. It is worth focusing on the minimum distance, which will help determine the level of floor height, but it is worth considering that the minimum thickness of the screed is 2 cm. You can along the bottom of the wall, also mark the lines of the future floor level, which will help make the screed as even as possible.

Next stage - display of beacons, which allow you to achieve the most even surface. They can be used as T-shaped metal guides, which are attached to the base with adjustable screws. An easier way is to install guides on slides made of thick cement-sand mortar of the required height. The evenness of the beacons is constantly checked using a building level. The first one is installed at a distance of 20 cm from the wall, the rest are mounted parallel to it in increments of 40-60 cm.

The basis of the self-leveling mixture is cement, but in addition to it, the composition also includes special modifying additives that can increase the plasticity and fluidity of the solution. Some additives make it possible to suppress the appearance of microcracks in the future. Depending on the composition Self-leveling mixtures are divided into:

• high strength;
• For ;
• fast-hardening;
• thin-layer.

In addition, there are self-leveling mixtures on sale, intended not only for rough finishing, but also for the finishing, as well as compositions with special properties. There are also compositions for rough leveling, they are intended for surfaces with significant unevenness.

All self-leveling mixtures boast a number of advantages:

• simplicity and high speed of working with them;
• speed of hardening;
• high strength indicators, so this leveling method is quite suitable for rooms with a high degree of traffic;
• resistance to temperature changes.

Disadvantages of this method there is little leveling of the floor - these are rather its features. Large differences in the level of the floor surface cannot be leveled with a self-leveling floor. You need to work with the mixtures very quickly - if you hesitate and allow it to dry out, then it is unlikely that you will be able to achieve a smooth surface.

Working with such mixtures is really simple. They are usually used to level concrete and sandy foundations. Preparing the mixture consists of diluting the purchased powder the right amount water. For mixing, it is better to use a construction mixer or a drill with an attachment. The composition is prepared in portions, since its properties are lost within 20 minutes. Naturally, before starting work you should carefully prepare original surface: clean from dust, seal all cracks, treat with primer.

When the mixture is ready, it is immediately poured onto the floor. The principle of its operation is based on the law of gravity, so there is no need to install beacons and level the solution according to them. It is also worth remembering that this solution is self-leveling and not self-spreading, so after pouring it onto the floor you need to level with a wide spatula or a needle roller. It is better to immediately fill the entire floor in the room, but if the area is large, apply the solution in strips, acting very quickly and not allowing the edge of the strip to dry out. In this case, only professionals can achieve a perfectly flat surface.

The hardening speed depends on the room temperature, humidity and layer thickness. On average, after 6-12 hours you can move on the surface, and after 3-4 days – install the finishing coating.

No. 4. Leveling with gypsum fiber sheets (GVL)

Leveling with GVL is called dry screed. This process is much simpler and faster, but the quality of the finished screed is inferior to a monolithic one. A layer of expanded clay is laid under the gypsum plasterboard, which plays. The technology allows the use of other materials that have similar thermal insulation properties.

Begin leveling the GVL with surface cleaning from dust and dirt, after which it spreads waterproofing material, which can be polyethylene film. Its strips are laid with an overlap of about 10-15 cm and overlapping the walls by 10 cm. Along the perimeter of the room it is better to use an edge strip, which is placed between plastic film and a layer of expanded clay.

Expanded clay must be thoroughly compacted and leveled at the intended level. The first slab is installed in the closest

Agree, it is difficult to imagine a beautiful and cozy home without a flat floor, because this is the basis of all foundations. When moving into a new house or apartment, every owner strives to first of all deal with the arrangement of the floor. And modern building materials and the latest technologies make it possible to make a beautiful and even floor with your own hands, even for a person who does not have sufficient experience.

In the vast majority of cases, building slabs are used as the base of the floor covering, often having a far from even surface, which inevitably entails differences in floor level. Of course, you cannot install a new coating on such a surface. The floor must be leveled, in other words, a cement screed is required.

It should be noted that leveling the floor yourself with a concrete screed is a rather long and very dirty process, but even a beginner can do it.

Surface preparation

The video describes how to take measurements to level the floor in all rooms of the apartment to the same level.

Before starting work, the surface to be leveled must be carefully prepared - cleaned of dust, paint, loose parts of concrete, and oil stains. All cracks in the base are sealed, as they lead to material leakage.

Professional builders, in the process of laying electrical wiring in the cavities of slabs to illuminate the center of the room, often do not drill one side of the slab from the ceiling side, but make a “high-tech hole” using a sledgehammer and a crowbar, punching through the slab to its entire depth from a higher floor. This, of course, will save the builders some time, but will give you decibels of noise and “odors” from the apartment below.

Preparing the surface for screed

If you are a victim of “high domestic construction technologies,” then carefully and thoroughly fill in all the holes, otherwise you will have to get to know your neighbors later under different circumstances.

Marking the concrete screed level

When the surface is well cleaned, you can begin to mark the level of the future coating. For this purpose, a construction hydraulic level is used, made up of a pair of flasks with marks connected to each other by a long hose. The operation of this instrument is based on the principle of connected vessels - the liquid in vertically located flasks will be located at the same level.

Marking using a hydraulic level

The marking should be carried out by two people: one will install the first flask in the corner of the room, marking the initial strip on the wall, and the other should move with the second flask, making marks along the entire perimeter of the room at the same level. Next, by taking measurements from the floor to the marks, the level of the future floor is determined directly.

Important point: For greater strength, it is not recommended to make a coating less than 30 millimeters thick.

Primer for concrete screed

The primer makes it possible to increase the adhesion (adhesion) of the screed to your surface, and in addition, it helps waterproof the base. And this operation cannot be neglected, since savings can lead to the floor subsequently cracking.

Primer for concrete screed

If you are leveling floors in the kitchen or, then use specialized waterproofing primers. Choose a primer marked “for concrete”. For the primary treatment of bases, primer compositions are usually called “primer primers”.

Dry building mixtures for concrete screeds

It is better to make a cement screed for leveling floors using dry construction mixtures. The binding components in them are non-shrinkable types of cement. Fine-grained sand is used as filling material. After mixing with water, this composition forms an emulsion that spreads well over the surface and fills all unevenness well.

Dry mixes

When compared with conventional cement-sand mixtures, dry mixtures have a number of advantages. First of all, we are talking about the short drying time of the coating - you can walk on the floor within a day. And secondly, the high strength of the coating, which is ensured by the use of small filler materials.

Groups of building mixtures:

• mixtures for primary leveling. Allows you to create the main layer of coatings. The surface ends up being uneven, since such mixtures use filler materials of a large fraction;
• finishing mixtures of the second type correct the shortcomings of the first. They contain small fractions of fillers, and they spread very well over the surface, resulting in a smooth and even coating. The finishing mixture is applied in a thin layer, the thickness of which should be only a few millimeters.

Installation of beacons for concrete screed

After the priming has been carried out, it is necessary to install beacon profiles on the floor surface - they will be a kind of level for setting the thickness of the screed. In cross-section, such profiles resemble the letter “T”.

Guide profiles are fixed with mortar

The slats need to be mounted on the floor parallel to each other - so that the top is located at the same level as the marks on the wall. This can be done, for example, using a stretched cord or a regular building level.

The slats are fixed to the base at several points along the entire length of the walls using plaster or mortar. Maintain a distance between the fastening points - 1-1.5 meters, based on considerations of the length of the leveling tool. In particular, if it is a 1.5-meter instrument, the distance should be 120-130 centimeters. If the three-meter rule is used, the slats can be spaced 2-2.5 meters apart.

The slats are fixed at several points along the entire length

Highly professional specialists do not install these profiles, since they know how to create horizontal surfaces without them.

But if you are not confident in your abilities, it is better to install them, as slats really improve the quality of work.

During a major overhaul, work such as leveling the floor is carried out. This will significantly increase the soundproofing and thermal insulation properties. But few people know how to level the floor on our own. It is worth noting that this procedure should be carried out first. For this, there are the following methods: leveling the floor with your own hands using beacons, building up or pouring method. Each of the listed methods has its own pros and cons.

How to level the floor yourself?

Before starting work, the surface must be carefully prepared, that is, cleaned of all kinds of dirt and dust. If the floor has chips or cracks, they need to be puttied and then treated with a primer. After 24 hours, you can begin leveling directly. Many experts recommend covering the lower part of the wall with special tape so as not to contaminate the surface. But this is not important. To work you will need some materials and tools:

• special mixture or other material;
• water;
• needle roller with a fairly long handle;
• drill for mixing the solution;
• large containers;
• Master OK;
• building code;
• paintshoes.

Today, quite a few different mixtures are produced specifically for leveling old floors. Some models have self-leveling properties. If you do not want to use ready-made solutions, then you have the opportunity to use cement.

To calculate how much mixture is needed for one room, you need to know how many square meters it has and what height of floor elevation you plan. For example, for 1 m² for a layer of 1 cm you need about 13-15 kg of dry mixture. Therefore, 15 needs to be multiplied by the total square meters premises. If a layer of 2 cm is required, then you need to multiply 30 by the area of ​​the room.

If you do not want to buy paint shoes, which are expensive, you can make them yourself. To do this, you need to prepare 2 boards equal in size to your shoes, 24 screws and regular tape. Water must be prepared in advance, since dry leveling mixtures thicken quite quickly, so the liquid must be ready.

Return to contents

Basic methods for leveling the floor with your own hands

First of all, you need to focus on the beacon method. It is deservedly popular among builders, as it is considered the highest quality and durable. Before leveling the floor in this way, you need to stock up on iron slats, which in other words are called beacons. As a rule, this method is used for very uneven surface gender and large premises. A huge disadvantage is the long drying time, that is, it may take about a month to dry, but you will get a perfectly flat surface.

The pouring method is the fastest and easiest. It consists in the fact that the floor is filled with a special liquid solution, which is based on cement. Main feature This mixture is considered to be spread over the entire surface completely evenly. This screed dries out quite quickly because it has a smaller layer than with the beacon leveling method, that is, the layer should be from 3 to 35 mm in height. The huge advantage of the bulk method is low cost and excellent quality. The only drawback is that it cannot be used on very uneven surfaces.

And the third way is to build up the floor. To do this you will need logs made of wood and plywood sheets, thanks to which the surface is leveled. During leveling with extensions, you can use thermal insulation material and various communications, laying them between the layers. This is a rather painstaking method, so it is used less often.

There is another way to level the floor, but it is used only when laying tiles. Founded this method on the fact that when installing tile material, you need to pour large quantity solution. To do this, you need to determine where the highest point of the floor is, and, according to it, lay the tiles and pour the mortar.

Return to contents

How to measure the level at home?

Before leveling the floor with your own hands, you need to make certain measurements of the height level. First of all, you need to dismantle the old flooring and use a building level (long) to check the height of all areas of the room. Then the lowest and highest points are marked. Uneven surfaces may be due to the fact that the floor slab itself is uneven or is laid at an incorrect slope. It can also be caused by chipping, flaking, and so on.

If there is an uneven slope of 35 mm, experts advise leveling the floor exactly bulk method or using extensions. If the height of the unevenness exceeds 35 mm, it is necessary to use the beacon leveling method. After the maximum height point has been designated, the level near the door and balcony must be checked. Sometimes in these places the height can be much higher, therefore, you will not be able to open the door. It is possible that the heating radiator is too low. In such cases, it is necessary to raise the structures.

It also happens that the main plane is flat, but at the joints of the floor slabs there are irregularities, the seams are sloppy. Then you should use a hammer drill to knock down these irregularities, and then lightly level them with cement. This can be a cement mortar with added sand or dry floor mixes.

Return to contents

Leveling the floor according to beacons

As mentioned above, in this case you need perforated metal corners, which must be placed along the room. The first strip is laid at a distance of about 30 cm from the edge of the wall, the rest should be placed at a distance of 1 m from one another. Beacons must be carefully fixed. For this you can use cement or gypsum solutions. To carry out these actions, you need to apply the solution in a row using the slap method with a distance of 22-25 cm. Lay on top metal slats and adjusted to the level. When the beacons have set a little, it is necessary to fill the resulting voids with a solution.

After everything has dried, the floor is leveled by pouring a solution, the thickness of which should be similar to the consistency of sour cream. If the mixture turns out to be thin, then it will be problematic to level it; if it is too thick, the surface will not be smoothed out. Therefore, it is best to stick to the golden mean. The farthest corner of the room is poured first, after which the direction continues towards the exit. Simultaneous filling of the first two rows is done. This is due to the fact that the first and last rows have a distance from the wall of only 30 cm. Next, one row is filled.

The poured mixture must be distributed throughout the entire sector using a trowel, squeezing out the voids formed inside.

Next, using the construction rule, you need to level the solution along the sector. To do this, holding the rule with an edge, movements are made from side to side (toward yourself). After the floor surface becomes level, you need to move along the beacon. The temperature for quick drying should be warm enough, so in winter it is advisable to turn on the heater.

In most private and apartment buildings act as the base of the floor concrete plates, not characterized by a perfectly flat surface. Therefore, before laying the finishing coating, they need to be repaired and leveled. How can you tidy up such a floor, and how can you level it?

Why is the alignment procedure necessary?

A smooth floor surface is the key to its successful cladding

By leveling the floor we mean creating a strictly horizontal surface. The fact is that the installation of many modern finishing materials is unacceptable if there is curvature. Laminate or parquet boards will quickly become unusable if they are laid on a base with a large height difference.

More and more often cabinet furniture without legs is used in interior design. If the floor is “littered”, any curvature will be noticeable when installing the same wardrobe.

When should floors be leveled? There are several such cases:

• The floor is made of concrete slabs with a large height difference.
• Removed old parquet or hardboard laid previously using bitumen mastics. Small sagging cannot be eliminated, so you will have to screed the floor.
• The old wooden base creaks a lot and wobbles noticeably.
• The old screed was cracked and unusable.
• Before laying ceramic tiles.
• Before installing a “warm floor” system.

There is no need to start a complicated process if you need to hide electrical wiring. It can simply be placed in a groove or box.

There are a lot of alignment methods. Let's look at the main ones.

Modern techniques

The choice of floor leveling method depends on the condition of its surface, the amount of work, the repair budget and the type of future floor covering. The amount of time allocated for all this, as well as the need to insulate the surface and its sound insulation, also matters. Some technologies take place in several stages, including rough and finishing leveling.

The most popular methods are:

• Cement-sand screed.
• Self-leveling floors.
• "Dry" screed.
• Leveling the floor using joists.
• Using self-adjusting plywood.
• Glue method.

Preparing the base

Any of the listed technologies requires preliminary preparation grounds. To begin with, it is completely freed from old finishes, paint, debris, flaking materials, oil stains and other defects. If the base is concrete, it is necessary to repair cracks and potholes, dimples and crevices in advance using a solution.

It is advisable to examine the slabs for the presence of “technological” holes. Even at the stage of building a house, many workers do not stand on ceremony and, in order to save time, simply punch holes in the concrete, through which they then lay utilities. The latter lack reliable insulation, so during repairs it is necessary to eliminate the results of careless work of builders.

Note! “Technological” holes must be carefully sealed. This will provide additional heat and sound insulation of the room.

Rotten and damaged parts must be replaced with new ones

If the floors are wooden, examine each floorboard, replace rotten parts, repair damaged areas, check the reliability of the joists and fastening elements, as well as the strength of the entire base.

After all these steps, use a building level to check for height differences. To do this, find the smallest and highest points of the floor and determine the difference in height. This value will let you know how to proceed. When the difference is less than 5 centimeters or more, different technologies are used.

For example, using the adhesive method or using sheet material, a surface with a height difference of 2-3 cm is leveled. Cement-sand and “dry” screed allows you to eliminate a difference of 5-7 centimeters. The installation of logs is used when it is possible to steal 10 centimeters or more from the height of the room.

Let's look at each method in more detail.

Cement-sand screed

To make a cement-sand screed, you must first use a hydraulic level and an upholstery cord to mark its upper edge. And then install beacons under it. They can be used as ceiling aluminum profile, which is simply pressed into piles of cement and sand mortar in a ratio of 1x3.

Beacons are placed in parallel steps with an optimal distance between two crossbars of 1.5-2 meters. First, the first and last landmarks are placed according to the marks on the walls, then others are placed in relation to them. Curvatures in profiles can be identified and eliminated using stretched nylon threads. A special tape is attached around the perimeter of the room to prevent deformation of the screed during seasonal temperature changes.

Screed alignment

The next step is preparing the solution. To do this, you need to mix one part of cement with three parts of sand in a large container. First, mix the dry ingredients thoroughly and then add them to the water. In this case, it is necessary to achieve homogeneity of the mass. In addition, it should not be too thick or thin.

The prepared solution should be left for 15 minutes and then stirred again before use. It is better to use a construction mixer for these purposes. It is not necessary to buy it, since there are companies on the service market that provide Building tools for rent.

Filling the floor

Before laying the mortar, the floor surface must be primed with two layers of penetrating primer. It will ensure good adhesion of the new screed to the old concrete base.

The solution is placed in a niche between two beacons, leveled with a rule and polished with a trowel. It is better to carry out the pouring work in two hands - one works with the screed, while the other mixes the solution. The continuity of the process will ensure the creation of a uniform, flat surface.

Drying the screed correctly

After laying the screed, it must be covered with plastic film. After 12 hours, the bumps are knocked off the hardened screed with a metal spatula, and the surface is rubbed with a wooden trowel.

The grouting solution is prepared at the rate of 1 part sand to 1 part cement. The sand should be well dried and sifted through a coarse sieve. The screed is moistened with water using a spray bottle and a long strip is placed on it to check the quality of the base and identify defects. Small irregularities are immediately corrected with grout. At this stage, the beacons are also pulled out. And the traces from them are filled with solution.

The screed also needs to be dried in several stages. Sand or wood shavings are poured onto the film covering the new floor and moistened well with water. As the layer of shavings dries, it must be constantly moistened during the first two weeks. Then the film can be removed and the screed can be watered again for 5 days, after which it can be left to dry completely.

Note! In total, the screed takes 28 days to dry.

Self-leveling floors

Universal mixture M-150

On sale you can find ready-made screed mixtures, which, in addition to sand and cement, include: polymer additives. They increase the plasticity of the base, its strength, frost resistance and resistance to corrosion processes. Mixtures make the process of preparing the solution easier, but also increase the cost of the work.

Depending on the main component, there are 4 groups of self-leveling floors:

1. Methyl methacrylate.
2. Epoxy.
3. Cement-acrylic.
4. Polyurethane.

All of them allow you not only to level floors, but also to decorate them without additional finishing coatings. The scope of application of such mixtures is quite large. Self-leveling self-leveling floors are used in rooms with maximum low temperatures, high pedestrian loads and exposure to chemical reagents.

The technology for laying self-leveling floors is similar to the technology for cement-sand screed. The only difference is that you need to go over the surface of the poured composition with a needle roller to get rid of air bubbles.

The self-leveling floor has:

• Great appearance.
• Long service life.
• Moisture resistant.
• Fire safety.

But this technology also has disadvantages:

• Under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, such a floor quickly turns yellow.
• Before application, the surface of the slab must be prepared more thoroughly.
• This material is not natural.
• It will be very difficult to get rid of the annoying polymer finish.
• When laying a self-leveling floor, you need to control the level of surface humidity, which a simple consumer cannot do on his own.

Therefore, this method is not very popular yet.

"Dry" screed

Dry floor leveling option

You can do this method yourself. It involves leveling the floor using expanded clay and sheet material.

The installation technology is simple:

1. The floor in the room is covered with thick polyethylene so that its edges extend 10-15 cm onto the walls. Beacons are placed on the gypsum mortar, and expanded clay with a grain size of up to 5 mm is poured into the niche between them. A polyethylene film or vapor barrier membrane is again laid on top of the expanded clay.
2. Any sheet material. This can be plywood or fiberboard sheets, but it is better to use Knauf Superfloor - a special prefabricated system that allows you to quickly and easily complete the process. It consists of separate segments. Each element is a gypsum fiber sheet manufactured in a factory. It consists of two small-format bases connected to each other with an offset of 50 millimeters.
3. It is these indentations that help connect the two elements. First, they are glued with glue, and then fastened with self-tapping screws for greater strength. You need to lay such sheets from the threshold, gradually moving towards the farthest corner of the room.

Note! “Dry” screed saves a lot of time. There is no need to wait 28 days to begin installing the topcoat. But she has one significant drawback- She is afraid of moisture. Any flood from neighbors will lead to irreparable consequences.

How can you level the floor if there is a very high difference in heights in the room?

Leveling the floor using joists

Sheets of plywood are stuffed onto exposed joists.

There are simple methods to eliminate significant elevation changes. For example, you can lay the logs on concrete base. The lags are ordinary wooden blocks with a cross section of 40×60 or 40×80 mm.

In this case, height differences are compensated by installing wooden spacers, which are attached to the base of the floor after preliminary waterproofing. They should not be too thin or small, as they will certainly break under the weight of the flooring. Then the floor will begin to sag and the floorboards will creak.

First, the first two logs are set, and then a cord is pulled between them, serving as a guide for the location of other elements. The step between the lags should not exceed 50 cm. The distance between the jumpers depends on the material from which the rough flooring is made. If it is plywood, then the jumper should be at the junction of two sheets and in the middle of each module.

Note! For the subfloor, it is better to choose moisture-resistant plywood with a thickness of 10-12 mm.

At this stage, the floor can be further insulated using mineral or basalt wool mats, as well as any bulk materials. All joists are treated with bitumen mastic on top. If insulation is laid, then the wooden base is additionally covered vapor barrier membrane or ordinary plastic film, and then just fill it with plywood, chipboard sheets or ordinary wooden slats. Fastening is carried out using self-tapping screws or self-tapping screws.

This leveling is used for soft flooring - parquet, laminate, linoleum or ceramic tiles.

Self-adjusting plywood

If it is impossible to reduce the height of the room, use self-regulating plywood. A honeycomb frame is assembled on the base using plywood logs. Height differences are compensated by wooden pads, which are screwed to the base or glued to it.

First, sheet material is laid out on the floor and its location is marked with chalk, and then a honeycomb frame is built along these lines. On top it is covered with sheets of moisture-resistant plywood in 2 layers.

The second layer should lie on the joints of the first. Before laying the soft finishing material, the joining seams are lightly sanded and then coated with varnish. If laminate or parquet board, it is advisable to cover the plywood base of the new floor with a shock-absorbing underlay.

Glue method

The adhesive method is used when there is a concrete base with a height difference of up to 3 centimeters. Squares of plywood are glued directly onto it. But first you need to check the moisture content of the base. A piece of polyethylene is laid out on the floor and pressed down on all sides with wooden blocks. If after 4 days condensation has formed on the inner layer, you will have to waterproof it.

After leveling, proceed to floor covering

Next, the sheets of plywood are cut out and laid out on the floor in a checkerboard pattern - just as they will then be glued to the floor. This operation allows you to adjust the required dimensions. Usually the sheets are cut into small fragments, which are then assembled into one large puzzle. The laid out plywood is numbered, and its ends after cutting are inspected to identify delaminations.

The base is pre-primed and treated with an adhesive composition, bitumen mastic and gasoline.

For gluing, use undiluted adhesive mixtures, which can be found in a specialized store. They are applied to plywood in a two-millimeter layer and rolled out with a needle roller. The first sheets are laid against the walls, leaving a temperature gap of 10-15 cm. Craftsmen recommend additionally securing the plywood to the base with anchor bolts.

Note! This leveling is perfect for laminate, parquet or boards.

Generalization on the topic

Now you know the most popular floor leveling technologies that you can do yourself. Choosing the most suitable option, you will end up with a horizontal surface suitable for decorating with the latest finishing materials.

Ruslan Vasiliev