Street coverings must be frost- and water-resistant, extremely strong and durable. Series liquid trains for outdoor work meets all these criteria, you just need to carefully consider the choice.

What are self-leveling floors for preparatory work?

This group includes compositions based on cement, cement-gypsum and gypsum base. Scope of application – leveling the base for further finishing with laminate, parquet board, linoleum, carpet, etc. They are also used to repair the underlying layer and eliminate minor defects on it. Mixes with water to form a highly mobile (liquid) solution that is easily applied and distributed over the floor. After hardening, a strong, even, dry base is obtained that meets the requirements of building regulations.

If you are faced with the question of which mixture to use for outdoor use, listen to the manufacturers' recommendations. - only cement self-leveling floor for the street. The composition is selected in such a way as to form a dense, moisture-resistant coating 6-10 cm thick, withstanding a compressive load of at least 200 kg/cm 2 (20 MPa).

Let us explain why you need to pay attention to this indicator when choosing a mixture. The load factor directly indicates the area of ​​application of the building material. Let's give an example: Bergauf Erste Grund is declared as a self-leveling mass that works up to 8 cm thick. Strength finished coating after 28 days it is determined by the manufacturer to be 20 MPa. That is, self-leveling flooring from Bergauf is suitable for constructing garden paths, areas for utility and entertainment purposes, and so on. Can be used as a screed for open gazebos, patios, etc.

For parking lots, garages open type, camping sites, landscaping near residential, industrial and public buildings would be better suited Bergauf Boden Street, the compressive strength coefficient of which starts from 30 MPa, and the permissible layer thickness is from 6 to 70 mm.

Advice! All manufacturers of bulk mixtures for industrial use strongly recommend using a final protective coating for streets after curing (topping, polymer mastics, etc.).

Another important factor is frost resistance, designated by the letter F. The number of freezing-defrosting cycles that the canvas will withstand when completely immersed in water is always indicated next to it. This characteristic largely depends on the type and amount of modifying additives used. Of course, the more expensive the mixture, the better the components used. So, for Osnovit Nipline T42 the declared coefficient is F50, and for Ceresit CN178 – F100.

If you are not sure whether the purchased mixture can be used outdoors, and the degree of frost resistance of the material is not indicated on the packaging, check it yourself. The test is very simple:

A rough self-leveling floor on the street can also be formed from dry polymer-cement mixtures. Their difference from analogues is that a small percentage (from 5 to 15%) of the binder is replaced by synthetic water-soluble elastomers, which interact well with the cement “dough”.

The so-called polymer-cement stone is characterized by excellent adhesion to most substrates, low water permeability, chemical resistance, increased ductility and, most importantly, exceptional strength.

This type of mixture is used for finishing floors at industrial facilities, forming tanks for water and oil products, airfield runways, parking lots for large-capacity vehicles, etc. In everyday life and for minor works practically not used. Firstly, there is no need, since there are many suitable products in small and medium packaging. Secondly, it is very expensive. For example, floor leveling compound Remmers Multiplan 25 kg costs from 4,200 rubles/bag. And since it is used in combination with a primer costing more than 3,000 rubles. and a polymer coating with a price tag of 10,000 rubles, it becomes obvious that the floor finish for a private owner will come out just golden.

Let's summarize the above. Self-leveling floors marked “for outdoor use” are mixtures exclusively based on cement. The advantages:

• High level of strength - no less than M200 grade;
• Waterproof;
• Frost resistance;
• Layer thickness – from 5 cm;
• Possibility of use without additional coating;
• Operating mode: from -50 to +70 ºС.

Technology for pouring rough self-leveling floors on the street

Private parking lots, garden paths, sports and entertainment grounds, areas around buildings, commercial parking lots - the foundation of any object is formed according to the following scheme:

Step 1. Preparing the base

The construction of a self-leveling floor for external use differs significantly from the classical process. First of all, this is directly related to the base. Its temperature must be no lower than +5 ºС, and the humidity must comply with SP 29.13330.2011. The latter indicator is checked with a contact or non-contact moisture meter. The grade strength of the surface, according to the standards, is set in the range of M150 and above.

Basic screed or concrete slab must be cleaned of dirt, dust, adhesive, oil and paint contaminants. That is, everything that can interfere with the adhesion of materials must be removed.

Irregularities, protrusions, and weak areas are sanded with an emery belt, or even better, with a mosaic sander. Cracks and potholes are opened and filled with quick-drying compounds. The resulting dust and small debris is removed by construction equipment. powerful vacuum cleaner. Next, the surface is treated with a deep penetration primer in 2-3 layers. All this work should be carried out a day before pouring.

Important! Priming is a mandatory process. If you skip this step, there is a high probability that the spreadability of the solution will worsen, and cracks and weak areas will form during the hardening period.

Natural or bulk soils (including weak ones) must be thoroughly compacted with a vibrating rammer or an artificial embankment must be created from crushed stone, gravel, or sand. The thickness of the underlying layer is calculated based on the expected loads according to the above sanitary rules. If there is a possibility of capillary rise of water (capillary suction), the base must be protected with cement waterproofing compounds(Bergauf Hydrostop, Penetron) or a separating layer (polyethylene film, geotextile).

To limit the pouring area, wooden formwork can be installed around the perimeter.

Step 2. Preparation of the solution

All tools and containers must be clean. Pour water at a temperature of +10 to +20°C into a bucket in a pre-calculated quantity (see instructions bulk mixture). Observe the proportions strictly, since excess leads to delamination and cracking, and deficiency leads to a decrease in strength.

Mixing the solution.

Next, you need to add the dry component and mix thoroughly with a construction mixer or drill with an attachment at a speed of approximately 400-600 rpm. The solution should be homogeneous, without lumps. Wait a few minutes and stir again. The mixture is ready and should be processed within 30-40 minutes.

Step 3. Formation of self-leveling floor

Carefully pour the solution, spread it with a spatula and level the squeegee with the extension handle. In the first 4-5 days after pouring, drafts and direct sunlight are contraindicated for the new floor, so the surface must be rolled with a needle roller to remove bubbles and covered with film or an awning (after the floor has set).

If the surface area exceeds 25 m2, then care must be taken to install expansion joints. To do this, after 12-24 hours, shrinkage “locks” are made in the formed layer in the longitudinal and transverse directions in increments of 3-6 m. The permissible depth is no more than 1/3 of the floor thickness, width is 3-5 mm. After a few days, the cuts need to be filled with the mixture used or repair compounds. Operation of the coating without protective treatment possible in 14-20 days.

Features of self-leveling floors for finishing

Self-leveling finishing mixtures: characteristics and types

This category includes thin-layer, highly mobile polymer-based compounds. After curing it forms seamless coating with increased strength properties. They are used at the final stage to protect the surface from abrasive loads, strengthen and remove dust from concrete. They are often used to create an anti-slip floor with a beautiful decorative effect. In demand in garages, parking lots, terraces, home areas, etc.

Self-leveling finishing floors are one- or two-component compounds. In the first case, polymerization occurs as a result of the elastomer binding moisture from the air. In the second, the process begins by mixing the hardener (activator) with the base. There are mixtures:

• Polyurethane (Remmers PUR Aqua, Huntsman Poliplan);
• Epoxy (SdelaiPOL Etalon, Enekon Eneklad CFS);
• Polymer cement liquid (Remmers Crete, CMT PurCem);
• And etc.

The first two types are most widespread, since the rest are used mainly at large industrial facilities.

According to experts, polyurethane-based compounds are more elastic and cover small cracks and minor defects in the base well. Recommended for areas fully or partially protected from direct sun rays, since the coating turns yellow over time under their influence. Suitable for covered verandas, balconies, street cafes, exhibition facilities, etc.

Epoxy compounds create a very abrasion-resistant film, so they are well suited for parking lots, adjacent areas with high level pedestrian loads, roadways, entertainment complexes and so on. The surface is partially repairable.

A coating based on epoxy resins can be used without a protective canopy, since neither heat nor rain and snow are harmful to such a floor. Many formulations contain UV protective additives, so they “hold” the color for a long time.

The difference between mixtures for interior and exterior use is frost resistance. To prevent the finished coating from cracking due to temperature changes, modifying additives are added to the compounds to provide the necessary elasticity to the coatings.

Polymer compositions are convenient because they can be applied to almost any material of mineral, cement or organic type: concrete, brick, stone, asphalt, slate, metal, wood and others. Some compounds work even on such capricious surfaces as marble and ceramic tile polished. After application, the compound seals and strengthens the base and removes dust. The monolithic coating is very easy to keep clean, but difficult to damage. Minimum service life is 10 years or more.

Installation of thin-layer finishing self-leveling floors

The basic requirements for the base are identical for all manufacturers: an absolutely flat, durable (from 200 kgf/cm2), dry (up to 4% CM) surface. Must not be:

• Places with standing water, dew drops;
• Slope more than 3%;
• Cement laitance, traces of dirt, oil, dust;
• Weak or peeling areas.

All defects are eliminated by grinding, milling or sandblasting. Holes and potholes are filled with quick-drying repair compounds. Permissible base temperature for work is from +10 to +25 °C, relative humidity air – no more than 80%.

Mixing Base and Activator self-leveling coating

Before pouring, the surface can be primed 1-2 times. It is advisable to use materials from the same series. After drying, mix the components, pour over the surface, spread evenly with a spatula and roll with a needle roller to remove air bubbles.

Epoxy compounds are generally thicker than polyurethane compounds. Similar to mastic or floor enamel, only the layer is thicker - up to 3 mm. Therefore it is applied paint roller. To create an anti-slip surface, after painting, chips or other decorative fine-grained fillers are scattered over it. After 3-7 days the floor is ready for use.

Advice! If you need repairmen, there is a very convenient service for selecting them. Just submit in the form below detailed description work that needs to be done and you will receive offers with prices from construction teams and companies by email. You can see reviews about each of them and photographs with examples of work. It's FREE and there's no obligation.

The content of the article:

Self-leveling mixture is a new generation building material. It is a fast-hardening plastic composition that has the ability to spread evenly over a horizontal surface. Such material is called a floor level among specialists. Literally a few hours after pouring it, you can begin finishing the resulting coating. You will learn how to level floors with a self-leveling mixture from this article.

Properties of leveling mixtures

The strength of a coating made using a leveling mixture is much higher than that of a concrete screed. Therefore, you can lay any finishing coating on such a floor without fear for its safety or use a self-leveling screed as a finishing layer.

It is prepared simply: the dry mixture is poured with water and mixed. The resulting liquid paste is poured onto the floor, fills all its unevenness and creates an ideal surface, the horizontality of which is ensured by the laws of physics.

Leveling mixtures are characterized by many other advantages:

• Quick drying, thanks to which, within a few hours after pouring the floor with a self-leveling mixture, you can move on the coating, and within a day you can lay any decor on it in the form of linoleum, tiles, etc.
• No shrinkage, hardness and high wear resistance.
• The minimum thickness is only 5 mm, which is important for low rooms.

The disadvantages of such mixtures are:

• The need for a qualified performer, given that dismantling a damaged coating is extremely difficult.
• The high cost of some compounds, their flammability and toxicity when dried.

The unique properties of leveling mixtures allow them to be used not only for their intended purpose, but also for more specific purposes: removing dust from concrete, improving the structure of floors, waterproofing, etc. From some compositions, which are called coarse levelers, it is possible to make entire subfloors and even “warm” systems.

The main types of self-leveling floor mixtures

Currently, three types of self-leveling floor mixtures are used for repairs: cement, gypsum and polymer. They have different purposes and composition, which determines the characteristics of the material.

Let's look at them in detail:

1. Cement based mixtures. These are the cheapest leveling materials. They have a dust-removing effect and serve as a good primer for the floor. As finishing coating The cement mixture can last 3 years, the outer layer of the floor must be at least 5 and no more than 50 mm. This screed has minimal shrinkage and high adhesion to the base, which can even be wet. The cement coating has high strength, frost resistance, hardening speed and does not crack during operation. The cement self-leveling screed gains its final strength 3 weeks after pouring. If it is used as a topcoat, its monotonous grey colour can be changed using special dyes that are added to the working mixture before use.
2. Gypsum-based mixtures. They are used to make screeds that are not picky about minor defects in the base and are perfectly suited to “warm floor” systems, having excellent thermal conductivity. Gypsum, or so-called anhydrite mixtures, have virtually no shrinkage, they are environmentally friendly and quickly set. To fill them, a well-dried base is required. There are no special restrictions on the thickness of the gypsum screed. Within reasonable limits, its value can reach 10 cm. Continuous leveling of the floor with a self-leveling mixture can be done using special machines with its supply through hoses or manually using ordinary buckets.
3. Polymer-based mixtures. They can have various compositions, including polyurethane, epoxy resins, methyl methane acrylate and other synthetic substances. The main advantages of coatings made from polymer leveling mixtures are: a fairly long service life without loss of external characteristics, complete waterproofness, resistance to temperature fluctuations in the environment and special strength, which makes it easy to withstand significant mechanical and vibration loads. The combination of these qualities is ideal for industrial flooring. In residential premises, such coatings are practically not used, since their price is “biting”, and the environment leaves much to be desired. Polymer mixtures are applied only to a dry and clean base.

Features of choosing a leveling mixture for the floor

All of the above mixtures contain fine-grained special fillers. Their particle size is about 260 microns. Thanks to this, the surface of a self-leveling screed is always smoother than the outer layer of a regular one. The binder of the mixture is most often cement or gypsum, and mineral fillers and modifying polymers improve its quality, impart elasticity, ability to spread, and increase adhesion.

When choosing a self-leveling mixture, the following must be taken into account:

• Room humidity and frequency of direct contact of the floor with water - relevant for the bathroom and kitchen;
• The need to clean the floor using chemically aggressive preparations, in the kitchen, for example;
• The purpose of the mixture is to level the floor or finish it;
• The ability of the base to absorb moisture;
• The need to give the floor additional properties - thermal insulation, sound absorption or anti-slip.

After determining your requirements for the future coating, you can safely go to the store to get acquainted with the products and brands of their manufacturers. Each of them has its own recipe for preparing a leveling mixture and guarantees the final result. Therefore, it is very important to find out the specifics of using the mixture of each brand, since it has its own distinctive features.

For example, with large differences in height of the floor base from 7 to 22 mm, the Knauf Nivellierestrich self-leveling mixture is suitable for filling the screed. Today, KNAUF is a leader in sales of such materials. She produces them from high-quality gypsum with modifying additives. In addition, the main composition is added quartz sand fine fraction, which helps to increase the adhesion of the leveling mixture to the base base.

The Vetonit mixture is slightly inferior in quality to Knauf Nivellierestrich. A screed made from Vetonit, thanks to the special additives included in the material, has excellent technical data. It hardens quickly and is easy to work with. A significant disadvantage of the material is the inability to give the coating desired color and use as a finishing layer of flooring.

The Horizon company closes this top three in sales of building mixtures. Its material has a cement-sand base, the maximum possible thickness of the self-leveling floor mixture is 10 cm, so “Horizon” compositions are very often used in the manufacture of its warm structure. Finished coatings can be finished and treated with various paints and varnishes.

Volma mixtures are perfect for installing a subfloor. Coverings made from this material have excellent heat and sound insulation and can be used in almost any room. An exception may be floors that are constantly in contact with water.

Ceresit CN-83 mixture is convenient to use when a high drying speed of the screed is required, for example, during urgent repairs. You can walk on the finished coating within 6 hours after it has been poured.

A lightweight screed can be made from a mixture of Ivsil Termolite (Russia). It is produced on the basis of cement, includes foam glass and a whole range of imported polymer additives. A coating made from this composition is ideal for a balcony or loggia. The main purpose of the Ivsil Termolite mixture is thick-layer leveling of the floor with further installation of the Ivsil self-leveling coating as a finishing layer. The main advantage of such a floor screed with a self-leveling mixture is sound and heat insulation with minimal load on the balcony or floor slab. The mixture consumption for a screed thickness of 10 mm is 4-4.5 kg/m2. The mixture hardens after 48 hours, the color of the coating is gray.

A leveling compound of class P2 is recommended for leveling gypsum coatings, concrete and wooden floors. This mixture has increased plasticity, that is, the ability to quickly spread over the surface. Its leveling lasts 15 minutes, after three or five hours you can already lay carpet or linoleum on the screed, and after a day - laminate. The composition of the leveling mixture P2 includes sand, gypsum, resins and modifying additives, which after polymerization give a perfectly smooth coating beige color. This mixture is not suitable for leveling industrial floors and outdoor work.

Technology of filling the floor with self-leveling mixture

Before you fill the floor with a self-leveling mixture, you need to prepare the base. To do this, remove cement or gypsum milk, traces of glue, varnish and other unnecessary materials from it. The base for pouring must be dry, clean, free of cracks, crevices and dust. The air temperature in the room should be within +10-30°C.

The work is performed in this order:

1. First of all, it is necessary to treat the floor with a primer. Before pouring concrete base primer PRIM-S is used, for wood - PRIM-PARQUET.
2. Next, mix the solution in a suitable container. The dry self-leveling mixture must be filled with water at the rate of 6 liters per 25 kg of powder and mixed well with a mixer until a homogeneous liquid paste is obtained.
3. The finished composition must be poured over a wooden base in a layer of 5-20 mm, on any other - 2-20 mm. The difference lies in the permitted minimum thickness of the screed.
4. After pouring is completed, the wet screed must be treated with a needle roller to remove air bubbles from it.
5. Natural drying of the screed completes the work process.

After drying, the floor does not require sanding or any additional manipulations with it. It is only important to ensure that the screed does not dry out in the first couple of days. It must be protected from drafts and sunlight.

When screeding a large area of ​​the floor, prepare a large number of The mixture is not worth it: you may not have time to distribute it and roll it with a roller. In this case, the remaining material may freeze right in the bucket. It would be correct to divide the entire floor into sections and work with each of them separately. There is no need to worry about the quality of such filling: leveling mixtures do not shrink, so there will be no differences in height at the border of the dried area and the recently filled area.

Self-leveling screeds are sometimes made without direct contact with the substrate. In this case, the mixture is poured onto a separating insulating base, for example, polyethylene film. It prevents moisture from entering the screed from the weak base, and the coating itself is held in place by gravity.

To install a reliable floor, you need a strong, as level base as possible. It is for these purposes that a floor leveling mixture is used, which allows you to create an ideal surface for any modern covering. Such mixtures have many advantages compared to classic screeds, so they are increasingly used not only by professional builders, but also by home craftsmen.

The advantages of leveling mixtures include:

• increased strength to mechanical stress;
• low abrasion;
• quick drying;
• absence of harmful secretions;
• high adhesion;
• durability;
• ease of installation;
• no shrinkage or cracks.

After the self-leveling layer has dried and the floor covering has been laid, additional maintenance of the base is not required. At proper preparation base surface and following the filling technology, you will not have to change or repair the floor for very long.

Types of mixtures and their composition

Leveling mixtures are divided into types depending on their purpose, constituent components, method of application, drying time:

• leveling and self-leveling compounds;
• quick-drying;
• basic and finishing;
• gypsum and cement.

These mixtures have a viscous consistency, so they are leveled with a wide spatula or a rule. They are designed for preparing substrates with large uneven surfaces, while maximum thickness layer is 100 mm. The rough base for such compositions is most often concrete floors and cement-sand screed, and less often - wooden floors.

Self-leveling mixtures

This type of mixture is characterized by high fluidity and plasticity; when pouring, they easily penetrate into all recesses, quickly spread over the surface, and require almost no manual leveling. Depending on the purpose of the mixture, the layer thickness can vary from 3 to 60 mm. Such compositions dry faster: 4-5 hours after pouring you can walk on the floor, and after 5-10 days you can lay the finished floor.

Quick-drying compounds

Quick-drying leveling mixtures make it possible to carry out repairs in the shortest possible time. With a layer thickness of 10 mm, the mixture dries in 3 hours, and lay flooring possible in a day. Concrete, cement screed, wood, previously prepared and treated with a primer, are suitable as a base.

Base mixtures

Mixtures for the base layer contain coarse fillers, so they cannot form a perfectly smooth surface. But they perfectly level the most difficult bases, can be filled with a layer of 5 mm, and have increased strength. The base layer of such a mixture cannot be used without a finishing coat, since its surface generates a lot of dust under mechanical loads and strongly absorbs water, oils and other types of liquids.

Finishing mixtures

After pouring, finishing self-leveling mixtures form perfectly smooth surfaces that are highly durable. In addition, such floors can be very decorative, so additional coatings are not needed. Finishing mixture poured in a fairly thin layer, which means the base should not have noticeable defects.

Gypsum-based compositions

Leveling gypsum mixtures allow you to form a screed up to 100 mm thick, and therefore are suitable even for the most uneven bases. The only condition is that the room should not be wet, otherwise the floor will become damp. Because of this, gypsum mixtures are not used for screeding in bathrooms and kitchens.

Cement compositions

Cement-based levelers are considered the most common and... They are suitable for any premises, have great strength, and are durable. The recommended layer thickness is up to 50 mm, the screed is additionally reinforced with mesh. You can make such a mixture yourself by mixing M400 cement with clean sifted sand in a ratio of 1:3 and diluting it with water to a paste.

Composition of leveling mixtures

The main binding component for levelers is cement or gypsum. Manufacturers add finely ground limestone and quartz sand as filler. Additionally, plasticizers, synthetic reinforcing fibers, and other chemical modifiers are added to the composition. Depending on the composition, the mixtures differ in fluidity, have different drying times, compressive strength, and density.

To choose the right leveler for the floor, you need to assess the condition of the subfloor, the conditions in the room, and decide on the type of finishing coating. The financial side also matters a lot, since the cost of leveling mixtures is quite high. The more unevenness there is on the base, the greater the consumption of leveler, which means the repair will cost more. In addition, you need to take into account the time factor, because the cement screed dries for about a month, and a quick-drying mixture will allow you to complete the work in a couple of days.

Pay special attention to the expiration date, since after its expiration the quality of the leveler noticeably decreases. Do not buy materials if the packaging does not indicate the expiration date, composition, or there are no cooking instructions. Also, do not take mixtures in damaged packaging or with unclear, blurry inscriptions.

Name	Application area	Rough base	Layer thickness	Consumption kg/m2	Drying time	Price
Floor screed, 25 kg	Preliminary surface leveling	Concrete, cement-sand base	10-50 mm	20	24 hours	128 rub./pack.
Self-leveling universal mixture Ceresit CN 175/20	Making screeds, repairing floor defects, leveling the base for floor coverings	Concrete, gypsum, cement-sand bases	60 mm	16	72 hours	340 rub./pack.
Floor screed BOLARS Base, 25 kg	Leveling the base for the finishing coat	Concrete, cement screed	10-100 mm	18	24 hours	217 RUR/pack.
Self-leveling floor finishing Vetonit 3000.25 kg	Finishing the floor	Concrete, cement-sand screed	Up to 5 mm	1,5	4 hours	622 RUR/pack.
Self-leveling self-leveling floor GLIMS-S-Level, 20 kg	Finishing the floor	Concrete, gypsum screeds, base levelers	2-30 mm	3 kg (layer thickness 2 mm)	24 hours	478 rub./pack.
Self-leveling floor Perfekta Multilayer, 20 kg	Basic surface leveling	Concrete, cement, gypsum bases	2-200 mm	14 (layer thickness 10 mm)	2-3 hours	312 rub./pack.

Floor leveling technology

For effective use leveling mixture, you need to know how to properly prepare the subfloor, knead and apply the working solution. Each process has its own nuances, and even experienced craftsmen sometimes make mistakes. So, let's study the intricacies of leveling the base for the finished floor.

Preparing the base concrete base

Step 1. All items are removed from the room, baseboards and coverings are removed. The old screed is removed only if the concrete is severely damaged.

Step 2. The exfoliated areas are cleaned, cracks are opened, and strongly protruding tubercles are knocked down with a puncher. If the difference in height is greater than the maximum thickness of the leveling layer, the depressions and cracks are separately filled with polymer or cement putty and wait until it dries completely.

Video - Sealing cracks

Step 3. Determine the highest point of the floor and use a level gauge to mark the fill line on the walls. Please note that the layer of mixture above the highest point should not be thinner than the minimum, otherwise cracks will appear there after drying.

Step 4. The base is covered with a layer of primer, wait until the floor dries, and prime again. On average, a layer of primer dries in about 4 hours.

Step 5. For a base layer of small thickness, a reinforcing mesh is laid on the floor, and to prevent the mesh from floating to the top, it is fixed with silicone. It is necessary to place thin pieces of plastic under the mesh, then the reinforcing layer will be located inside the leveling layer, which will provide additional strength. To prevent the liquid solution from spreading beyond the threshold of the room, you should install slats and secure them with plaster mortar.

Video - About laying electrical wiring, installing mesh and the secrets of pouring self-leveling floors

Preparing a Wooden Floor

A durable wooden floor with slight deformations can also be leveled using the pouring method. To do this, remove the baseboards and clean old paint, remove oil stains with a solvent, hammer in protruding nails. Thin planks are laid in place of the baseboards so that the leveling mixture does not flow into the gaps between the floor and the wall. All cracks, as well as joints between the floor and the boards, must be sealed with wood putty. After this, the boards are primed and covered with waterproofing material.

Regardless of the type, all levelers are mixed in the same way: dry components are poured into a container with water and quickly mixed with a powerful drill with an attachment or a construction mixer. When the mass acquires a homogeneous structure, it is left alone for 2-3 minutes, then mixed again. After this, the mixture must be applied over a certain period of time until polymerization begins. Each leveler has its own hardening time, and it must be indicated in the instructions on the package.

Conditions for preparing the mixture

1. When mixing and pouring the solution, the temperature in the room should be from +10 C to +25 C.
2. The water temperature is not lower than +10 C.
3. Air humidity is not higher than 80%.
4. Windows and doors must be closed in the room to prevent drafts.
5. Cannot be turned on heating batteries until the floor is dry.

If the room is large, the solution is mixed in portions and poured into narrow parallel strips. The interval between filling adjacent areas should not exceed 10 minutes. Since it is very difficult to manage all the processes on your own during this time, you will need an assistant.

IN small room the mixture is poured into the center of the floor and leveled with a squeegee. In a standard-sized room, the first portion of the solution is poured into one of the far corners and stretched with a squeegee along the wall in an even strip. After leveling, take a needle roller in your hands and roll it over the treated surface, expelling excess air from the applied layer. The length of the needles on the roller must correspond to the thickness of the layer, otherwise the quality of the fill will decrease. During this process, you can walk on the surface only in special shoes - paint shoes, which do not leave marks.

After pouring the next section of the floor, the boundary between the layers is leveled especially carefully, because thickening may form when the leveler is compacted. Make sure that drops of the solution do not fall on the already set surface, since it will no longer be possible to remove them without leaving traces. When the entire surface has been filled, cover the floor with film, close the doors tightly and allow the leveling layer to dry thoroughly.

The application of self-leveling mixtures is carried out using the same technology, but there is no need to level the solution with a spatula - it spreads itself over the floor.

A self-leveling floor is a very effective achievement of construction technology. However, a do-it-yourselfer should take it on for himself after thinking hard. The effectiveness of a spreading base for finishing flooring does not lie in its cheapness - the cost of components and equipment is significantly higher than for a traditional one. And not in the simplicity of the technology - self-leveling flooring is much stricter in terms of the qualifications and integrity of the performers. And not exactly leveling - an experienced worker will make the cement-sand base along the beacons no more inclined or humpbacked, and without rushing. And not in strength - the filling is weaker than concrete.

A self-leveling self-leveling floor has advantages that more than cover these disadvantages:

1. The technological break after screed formation is reduced from 20-40 days to 8-48 hours. There is no need to explain what this means for mass construction or renovation of residential apartments.
2. The cured coating is waterproof, i.e. has high hygienic properties.
3. The texture of the finished surface is smooth, which, in combination with the previous one, allows you to lay almost any finishing coating without a cushion: it will not rub off while “playing”, will not become damp and will not rot.
4. The elasticity and plasticity of the self-leveling floor base is several times higher than that of a purely mineral one, and specific gravity- smaller, which allows some types to be poured onto an existing wooden floor.

Therefore, it makes complete sense for those who still want to make a self-leveling floor with their own hands, to talk about some of the subtleties and nuances of this work, which are not sufficiently covered in the available sources or are completely hushed up. It is precisely because of their ignorance that home craftsmen who take up the “pouring” experience failures. But, alas, it is impossible to remake the “hedgehog” or “wave” covering: you have to knock down the entire litter to the supporting slab, which is equivalent. From what without extreme necessity - God forbid!

General remarks

First, all the methods described below will create a surface intended for finishing flooring. Self-leveling floors are not suitable for painting or independent use without finishing floor coverings. Decorative self-leveling floor, incl. and the increasingly popular 3D floors are a completely separate topic.

Secondly, you must work with a partner. And not with random person, but with a good friend with whom you worked together. If the next batch does not arrive exactly in time for its pouring (and the time is calculated in minutes), then the floor will not be level, but stepped.

Third - for premises with an area of ​​more than 40 square meters. m. or a length of more than 8 m is strictly not recommended for inexperienced workers. In such rooms/corridors it is impossible to do without temperature, expansion and technological seams. It’s easy to make a seam, but where – you need either the experience of a very skilled craftsman, or the exact calculation of a specialist builder.

Leveling the floor with a self-leveling mixture consists of the following steps:

• Revision of the underlying surface;
• Selecting the alignment method;
• Selecting a suitable mixture;
• Calculation of the thickness and volume of coating layers;
• Calculation of mixture consumption;
• Preparing the base;
• Preparation of the working mass (kneading);
• Pouring the floor;
• Laying flooring.

We do not describe the last stage here, because flooring is also a separate issue.

Audit

Before the inspection, you need to remove all furniture from the room and remove baseboards. If we are not pouring on a wooden floor, remove the floor covering. Next, you need to thoroughly sweep the floor twice with a hard-bristled brush, after sprinkling with water. Finally, vacuum; To prevent damage from stone dust, a household vacuum cleaner is connected through a factory or homemade (see figure on the right) dust collector.

Self-leveling mixtures are quite tolerant in the state of the underlying base. In most cases, they can be applied to the “bedding” unless it’s an emergency – you just need to choose the appropriate mixture and method of applying it. For the convenience of this very important procedure, it is advisable to evaluate the condition of the “litter” according to the following parameters:

1. Strength;
2. Humidity and moisture permeability of the base;
3. Indoor humidity;
4. Surface evenness, local and general;
5. Load bearing capacity;
6. Will there be a warm floor?
7. Surface wear.

Strength

The strength of reinforced concrete floors in professional construction is determined by various types of impact or pressure tools: Kashkarov hammer (manual), Schmidt hammer (electronic with digital display), ri-ri device (scratch). The essence of the method is the same: a tip made of a solid material of a strictly defined size and configuration is pressed into concrete with a precisely dosed force, and the strength is judged either by the degree of its penetration or by the size of the mark from it.

You don’t need to accurately determine the strength of the base for yourself. You just need to know whether it is suitable for pouring without additional processing or not. The easiest way to do this is to use roller glass cutter. If you have never cut glass before, “scratch” the fragment and remember the force at which the scratch appears.

Approximately the same force should be used to move the roller along the concrete. If the width of the scratch does not exceed the width of the roller (see figure), there is no need to harden the surface of the base. If the roller fails, either a thorough primer or surface repair is needed.

Base moisture

Check to see if the base is damp with a piece of plastic film measuring approximately 1 square meter. m. The test is done at a temperature of 15-25 degrees with the heating off, in clear, dry weather. The technique is as follows:

• Ventilate the room wide open open windows for no less than an hour.
• The windows and doors are closed, the film is laid in the center of the room, and its edges are pressed down with slats with weights.
• The middle of the film is pulled up slightly.
• They wait for a day.

If the film remains dry, great, you can fill it without anything. If there is perspiration, you need to prime it twice or thrice. If the fumes have collected in drops, in addition to the primer, you will have to lay waterproofing before pouring the floor, or it is better to refrain from leveling altogether for now and repair the base.

Room humidity

For a self-leveling floor, what matters is not the relative humidity (this is a physiological parameter), but the absolute content of water vapor in the air. Absolute humidity more than 2% by volume is unacceptable for gypsum-based mixtures suitable for pouring onto a wooden floor.

Everything is clear with kitchens, hallways and bathrooms - they need a moisture-resistant cement-based floor. IN living rooms you can roughly determine by the linen: if in the off-season, when the temperature in the room with the heating turned off does not exceed 22 degrees, the linen does not get damp, i.e. The dew point is not reached, the room is suitable for “filling”.

Base evenness

The size and depth of local (local) irregularities - chips, potholes, seams between slabs - are determined simply: depth - with an even piece of lath or a special tool - a rule and a mechanic's ruler; the share of the area of ​​local irregularities in the total - visually. With shrinkage hollows or bulges the situation is more complicated; they are often simply not noticeable, but manifest themselves in the fact that the seemingly precisely calculated amount of mixture is suddenly not enough, and all the work goes down the drain.

A method for independently identifying the general unevenness of the base is illustrated in the figure. The procedure is as follows: in different places, along, across and diagonally, we apply a regular bubble level 1 m long to the floor. We slip a match or a sliver under the lowered end until the bubble stands exactly between the risks. The amount of unevenness per 1 linear. m per this area will be equal to the size of the gap between the end of the level and the floor. Most often, there is a hole 3-7 mm deep in the center of the room.

Load bearing capacity

Since the self-leveling floor in many cases (wood, cinder block, vermiculite, shell rock, foam and aerated concrete) rests on a weaker base, not only the general value matters, with a uniform load on the square, its load bearing capacity, but also resistance to punching. Wood and EPS are quite durable in this regard, but you still can’t pour the floor on them directly; you need to pour it on a fiberglass mesh. It can float up, so the mesh is grabbed in increments of 100-250 mm with drops of silicone or mounting adhesive.

For porous materials this is not enough; you will have to use 3-6 mm wire. The chain-link is not suitable, because its nodes are free and will not save you from being pressed. There is, however, one positive point: the mesh can be laid on a sand cushion half the thickness of the wire, this will significantly reduce the consumption of expensive “filling”.

Warm floor

There is an unpleasant nuance here: pipes in a leveler that has not yet hardened can also float; The same applies to all other walled communications. To avoid floating, the pipes are filled with water before filling. room temperature and grab it with silicone, like a fiberglass mesh. Before pouring, cable ducts are attached to the base in a standard way.

Superficial wear

Superficial wear is, simply put, whether the floor itself is dusty or not. It is determined a day or three after the inspection, because before it there was a thorough cleaning and dust removal. If in indoors the floor became dusty again - cleaning again, and then impregnation liquid primer deep penetration.

The primer is applied with a fibrous (shaggy) roller, without making puddles. It's better to take primer composition, forming a film. Once dry, try to separate this film from the base. If it lags, rip it all off and prime it again. If the film does not stick firmly to the base even on the third layer, there is nothing you can do, you need to repair the ceiling, and only then refill it.

How to level

Compositions that are fluid enough to self-level to a smooth horizontal plane are called leveling or leveling compounds. Different manufacturers give the maximum thickness of the leveling layer at 12-15 mm, but this is in ideal conditions, about which further. It is highly advisable to limit yourself to a level layer no thicker than 5-6 mm. This is also important because the level is very expensive.

Most often, a leveler is placed under the level - a coarser mixture. If you dump a batch of leveler out of a bucket, it will just harden in a heap, only it will sag a little and spread out. Therefore, the leveler has to be additionally leveled under the level, but it is cheaper, and the layer thickness can reach 60 mm for cement-based compositions and up to 150 mm for gypsum-based ones. With a leveler, the thickness of the leveling layer can be neat work, bring to 2-3 mm.

Looking ahead, let's say that when pouring leveler, screw beacons provide great assistance, see fig. The solution is poured along the lower edges of their threaded pins, which were set in advance using a cord or a laser plane builder. The beacons are removed after the solution has set for a time sufficient for technological movement, i.e. when it will be possible for one person to walk on it without a load.

The technological setting time is indicated in the instructions for the mixture. Typically this is about 8 hours. It must be observed; if, for example, you forget or give up and leave it until the morning, the solution will completely harden, and the beacons will no longer be pulled out.

Based on all of the above, based on the results of the audit, you can choose a single-layer or two-layer method of leveling the floor:

1. Smooth, no more than 3 mm of total unevenness, solid foundation– one layer of leveling.
2. The base is strong, but very uneven, with shifts in the slabs, deep potholes - level the layer according to calculation, see below, then level. We calculate the depth from the top of the largest convexity.
3. Wooden base - a layer of gypsum leveler of at least 30 mm, then also a gypsum level to calculate the thickness, see below. We use gypsum mixtures because their specific gravity is 20 percent lower than that of cement ones. The leveler and level are with fiber filler, also see below.
4. For insulation in dry rooms - gypsum mixtures over fiberglass mesh or reinforcement.
5. In raw ones - cement mixtures, but always reinforcing mesh, due to the heaviness and less plasticity of cement compositions.

Note: It is impossible to give a layer of leveler just to hide the highest hillock. To avoid explaining for a long time, try putting a brick in a container and filling it with liquid mud; it is similar in consistency, adhesion and fluidity to leveling agent. In order for the contours of the brick to stop appearing, you will have to pour quite a lot in excess of its height.

Blend selection

The manufacturer of the mixture as a selection factor is not of paramount importance. Recognized industry leaders - Knauff, Ceresit, Siltek, Vetonit, Staratel - have recently been intensely squeezed by many outsiders, and, judging by the reviews, their products, with strict adherence to technology, cause even fewer complaints. We emphasize - if you do it exactly according to technology.

The main secret of self-leveling floors is not “secret” polymer additives and plasticizer additives. Main quality mineral materials and their precise fractionation, and this can, in principle, be achieved in a barn using simple equipment. For example, for a level you need cement of a grade of at least 500. Why? Its microgranules are smaller. Therefore, you need to choose a mixture, first of all, based on the presence of accurate and detailed instructions, on the back of the bag or on the company website. What should be reflected in it will be clear after reading the article.

In general, the choice is determined, in addition to price, by the properties of the base and premises. Something has already been said about them, now let’s take a closer look.

As already mentioned, dry ready-mixes for self-leveling floors are cement or gypsum based. The former are heavier and more fragile, but are moisture resistant. The latter are lighter and more flexible, but are afraid of moisture.

The next point is the polymerizing binder. It can be either polyurethane (solution density is about 1.20 kg*l for gypsum mixtures and about 1.35 kg*l for cement mixtures) or epoxy (1.40 and 1.65 kg*l, respectively). Epoxy mixtures are stronger, but less fluid and plastic; they are advisable to use for levelers or in rooms with a loaded floor - garage, bathroom, etc. It is better to take a polyurethane level for residential premises if it fits on the leveler; if directly on concrete - epoxy.

Then, the fiber filling. It (polymer or fiberglass) can either be added to the mixture or not. The first, naturally, is more expensive, but the elasticity and ductility of the finished coating increases significantly. Mixtures with microfiber filling must be used for filling insulation with fragile insulation materials (practically any except EPS; its load-bearing capacity for a dispersed load is 0.5 MPa or about 500 kg per sq. m), for dusty or wooden floors. This does not cancel the grids mentioned above; necessary mechanical properties finished coating is provided only by a set of technological measures.

Next is the flooring. Under foam-based linoleum, marmoleum and tiles, you can get by with just one leveling agent. Under laminate, parquet and cork you also need a leveling layer. Due to its increased plasticity, it will affect the deformation of the wood, and it will not rub against it, because the underlying surface is smooth.

And finally, the last factor is the survivability of the solution, i.e. the time during which it is suitable for work. This time varies for different mixtures within 15-40 minutes. You need to know that before the end of pouring, the entire poured surface must still be “live”; only a few professionals can manually fill a large area floor up to the “mirror” piece by piece.

At the same time, at the maximum pace of work and full coordination of actions with a partner, manual cyclic pouring of a 10 mm layer of floor area of ​​12 sq. m. takes at least 20 minutes, and 16 sq. m. - half an hour. Deaeration (see about pouring, below) will require about 5 more minutes; The capacity of one manual (drill with a mixing attachment) batch should not be more than 30 liters. That is, in almost any living room, quick-hardening mixtures are applicable only if you have an automixer continuous action and a pump for supplying the solution, the rental of which is expensive, because This equipment wears out quickly.

Note: the survivability of the solution can be increased by 15-20% by mixing the maximum amount of water according to the manufacturer’s specifications. But - only in the optimal temperature range, see below.

Calculation of layers

First of all, let’s calculate the thickness of the “zero” layer, i.e. one that will give a smooth horizontal surface, provided that the composition is absolutely fluid. Next, using the “zero” thickness, we calculate required power the actual leveling layer. Thus, we will reduce the real complex relief of the base to some imaginary horizontal plane.

Why such difficulties? The fact is that any instructions for self-leveling compounds give specific consumption dry mixture, in kg*sq. m, in a layer of 1 mm, based on pouring onto a flat horizontal surface. Actually, this parameter characterizes the ability of the mixture to spread, and it is difficult to calculate the true consumption on a real surface using it; you have to give an extra technological margin.

For mass construction this is not so important - there the customer will pay for a known excess or for the actual cost of completion. And the surplus will go to the next object, not without benefit for the contractor. It is almost impossible for a home-made manufacturer to sell the entire remaining bag of expensive mixture, the shelf life of which is about to expire. Half a bag is generally impossible once the packaging is opened. Therefore, consumption must be calculated accurately.

Calculation based on “zero” assumes that the work is done in stages: fill in “zero”, wait for shrinkage. Fill the level with a minimal layer. Completely frozen, but the “bricks” are still visible? It’s okay, pour at least a little more until you get a “mirror”; “zero” has already given the required strength. Sometimes this method is also used by professionals in especially critical cases or when a serious customer is ready to pay for downtime, as long as it is done perfectly.

Zero

We take the largest and smallest of the depths of local irregularities and find the average. Let's say the measurements gave 5 and 3 mm, then the average will be 4 mm. We multiply the resulting value by the apparent ratio of the pothole area to the total floor area to obtain the effective depth of the local depressions. Let’s say that the depressions apparently occupy a quarter of its area, then the effective local depth in our case will be 1 mm.

Now let's determine the effective depth of the shrinkage valley. In the vast majority of cases, it covers the entire floor area, and its configuration is similar to a segment of a sphere. Therefore, we simply multiply the depth of the hollow by 0.7. Suppose the measurements were 6 mm, then its effective depth will be 4.2 mm.

The total thickness of the zero filling layer will be equal to the sum of the effective local and general depths. In this case – 5.2 mm, but that’s not all, we have only just reached the virtual plane. The solution is not absolutely fluid and, in order to avoid the “brick-in-the-mud” effect, a covering layer must be poured onto the resulting surface. It can be made from a leveling agent, or leveling, after the leveling agent has hardened. The latter is preferable not only in terms of smoothness, but also because it is cheaper: the minimum leveling layer is from 3 mm, and the leveling layer is from 1 mm.

Cover

The thickness of the covering layer is calculated quite simply. We take a completely reliable value - specific consumption according to the manufacturer; it lies in the range of 1.4-2 kg*sq.m*mm, multiply by 2 and round to a higher value. This empirical formula gives nothing more than the number of layers minimum thickness, according to the specification for the composition, it is necessary for the “bricks” to be completely covered with “dirt”. Let's say we have previously selected a composition with a specific consumption of 1.8 kg*sq.m*mm, then we get 3.6 or, in round numbers, 4 layers. Since the minimum layer for leveling masses is 1 mm, we immediately received the power of the “blanket”.

Increases

However, it is too early to calculate consumption if mesh and/or base waterproofing is used. On the mesh we add a layer of leveling agent equal to its thickness (or half of it, if the reinforcing mesh is on a sand bed, see above), and on the insulation of the corners - leveling agent equal to the thickness of the foam corner tape, more on that later. Let's say we cast on a fiberglass mesh with a thickness of 0.38 mm, and put a tape 3.5 mm thick on the corners, then we need to add 3.88 mm to the leveler.

Bottom line

We summarize everything together for a single-layer filling, and for a two-layer filling - separately for the leveler and level. Let us assume that we are going to pour in 2 layers, then in the case under consideration we will get 5.2 + 3.88 = 9.08 or, rounded up, 9 mm of leveler, and then 4 mm of leveling layer. According to generally accepted calculation methods, it would be 12 mm and 6 mm, respectively.

Consumption

It remains to calculate the consumption per 1 m² of the selected mixture. This is where the main highlight of the method appears: we get the flow rate immediately in the dry weight of the sales material, without fiddling with calculating the density ready solution, for which arbitrary assumptions would have to be made. We just need to multiply the calculated layer thickness by the floor area and the specific material consumption; all these values ​​are accurate and reliable.

In our example, for a room of, say, 16 square meters. m will yield 259.2 kg of leveler and 72 kg of level. All that remains is to reduce it to bags containing 25 kg. We round them according to the rules of arithmetic, from half to more. Calculation according to our data will give 10.368 bags of leveler and 2.88 bags of level. We take 10 bags of the first and 3 of the second.

And now homework: go to the website of any hardware store, find out the prices and calculate the savings compared to traditional estimates.

Preparing the base

The pour-on floor leveling technology is generally more forgiving of the condition of the base than conventional or. With the exception of one point - the moisture content of the base. Water vapor, pushing through the fill, destroys the polymer films between the granules of the mixture, and the coating begins to crumble. Therefore, it is highly advisable in any case, before filling, to install waterproofing with a wide vent around the perimeter so that fumes do not penetrate into the leveler. How? More on this below.

Concrete

Preparing a concrete base for pouring includes the following operations:

• Sealing cracks.
• Primer.
• Waterproofing.
• Thermal insulation and mesh laying.

The primer and mesh have already been mentioned; thermal insulation – . Sealing cracks with waterproofing is the same, but for filling these operations there are features that we will consider.

Small cracks are repaired using conventional methods. If there are gaping (2 mm or wider) and active ones located along the perimeter and diagonals, then you must first check using non-destructive testing methods to see if the entire ceiling is destroyed. If so, what kind of alignment is there, the house is in disrepair.

If not, then in the process of cutting cracks, cuts are made perpendicular to them with a width of 2-3 mm, a depth of 40-50 mm and a length of 150-200 mm, in increments of 200-250 mm. The cuts will create technological seams that “spread” the load. They are sealed along with the cracks.

Now about waterproofing. It is almost always needed; a zero result in a floor moisture test is a rare exception, and even then the situation can change, especially if the house is new. Firstly, polyethylene cannot be laid under a continuous covering; moisture diffuses through it. The floor filled with leveler should only breathe around the perimeter, so you need a waterproofing agent or other special material. But before laying down the film, you need to paste over the corners.

The corners are covered with polystyrene foam tape. In addition to an outlet for fumes, it will also create an expansion joint. Foam tape is produced different types, incl. to create hidden expansion joints in concrete monoliths, but we need a special one for corners. It can be recognized by its color (not white), smaller thickness (3-5 mm) and, most importantly, by the groove extruded along the axis, along which it bends, see fig. The tape is glued with drops of silicone in increments of 100-250 mm; nitro glue can corrode it.

Tree

Wood flooring needs to be play tested first. To do this, use a plumb line in a tripod hastily made from scrap materials (pipes, slats, fishing rods) with a height of at least 1.5 m. The device is installed in the center of the room. The tip of the plumb line should almost touch the floor; a sheet of paper with a drawn cross, concentric circles, etc. is slipped under it. markers.

Then they walk around the room, monitoring the deflection of the load. More precisely, due to the slope of the floor, because the load still hangs vertically. The size of the floor play is related as the height of the suspension to the length or width of the room, depending on which direction the greatest deviation is noticed. The limit value is 1.2 mm per 1 m of the corresponding size; if more, the flooring needs to be sorted out or completely removed and poured over the base.

For example, a tripod 1.8 m high; room 2.5x4 m. The largest deviation of 2 mm in length was recorded. Overall game (4/1.8)*2 = 4.44 mm. There are 1.11 mm per 1 m of length, you can fill it.

Note: The room being tested must be completely empty.

Next, we open any board (or parquet block, or laminate slab) near the wall that is most suspicious of moisture, and inspect its underside and joists, if the flooring is laid on joists. Suddenly, traces of dampness, rot, mold, or a bug are discovered - again, we put off the leveling and start laying.

If everything is OK with the stability and integrity of the flooring, then you need to fill the cracks with sawdust mixed with liquid nails until thick sour cream. You can use ready-made wood putty, but not on water based. Roughly planed wedges are driven into wide (wider than 2 mm) cracks before puttingty and then planed flush with the surface. Now all that remains is to cover the corners with foam tape, apply waterproofing, as for concrete, and mesh, as already described. We remind you that wood leveler is needed on plaster and polyurethane with microfiber.

Kneading

To properly make a self-leveling floor, kneading is the most delicate and responsible procedure. The vast majority of irreparable errors occur at this stage, so let’s take a closer look.

Temperature

Manufacturers indicate working temperature Range for your mixtures. As a rule, it is 15-30 degrees. A floor poured in the cold will not gain the required strength (water will begin to destroy the polymers before it evaporates) and will soon begin to crumble. Neglect of temperature conditions is one of the most common reasons leading to marriage.

Pouring in the heat is even worse - the water evaporates too quickly, and the composition does not have time to spread. The mixtures are very sensitive to excess temperature. For example, even such a proven composition as ProfLine PR-1, poured at 32 degrees, hardens with a hedgehog.

Best before date

The permissible shelf life of packaged mixtures is from six months to a year. If there is no date stamp on the bag, but there is a tick in the month box, we subtract one month, because it is unknown whether it was made on the first or last day. For example, if March is ticked and the expiration date is 6 months, then from September 1 the mixture is considered unusable, no matter what the seller says.

Note: traders are trying to display bags with expiring dates in plain sight.

Water

The specifications for the mixture specify the amount of water for mixing with a certain tolerance, for example, 0.28 l/kg +/- 0.03 l/kg. Admission is not given for a blunder. In favorable temperature conditions (18-24 degrees), it is used to regulate the fluidity and survivability of the solution. If the temperature is near the upper/lower limit, then due to tolerance the mixture is adjusted to the temperature. In the cold they give a minimum of water, in the heat - to the maximum. But trying to fend off an unsuitable temperature by giving too little or too much water is useless - it will still end up either “cotton wool” or “hedgehog”.

Sand

Gypsum and cement-sand mixtures are not stored, so sand for the solution will most likely have to be purchased separately. The instructions for the solution most often indicate what kind of sand is needed, and these instructions should be strictly followed. Unsuitable sand is the second most important reason that spoils the work.

If there are no such instructions, you should be guided by the following:

1. You need river sand, with round granules. What is important here is the spreadability of the polymer over it; adhesion is ensured differently. The most common mistake of hacks and amateurs is buying for the sake of imaginary savings of quarry sand.
2. For levelers, the sand fraction is 0.4-0.8 mm, neither smaller nor larger.
3. For leveling composition – 0.25-0.35 mm.

Note: for gypsum-polyurethane mixtures, a fraction of 0.15-0.2 mm is even better, but - alas! – the cost of river sand, already expensive, rapidly increases with a decrease in fraction.

Dishes

For kneading you will need 4 containers: 2 buckets of 30 liters each or tall basins of similar volume for the actual kneading and 2 ordinary buckets for rinsing the tools, “dirty” and “clean”. It is highly desirable that the kneading utensils have rounded corners on the bottom.

Mixer

You also need more than just a mixer attachment for a drill. It should be of a spiral type, double-threaded belt and with a bumper circle at the bottom, see fig. Other attachments with extremely limited kneading time (see below) will not create a sufficiently homogeneous mixture.

Mixing technology

Knead in half-bag portions. First, water is poured into the container according to the specification for the composition, then the dry mixture is poured. Knead with a drill at low speeds, 100-300 rpm. While kneading, move the attachment in a circle and up and down, if possible without touching the walls and bottom: vibration of the dishes sharply worsens the homogeneity of the mixture. The duration of the kneading is 3-4 minutes; it cannot be shortened or prolonged. The kneading should end just when the solution begins to ripen, see below.

Ripening

The batch must mature before use. The bottom line is that the polymer should envelop the granules of mineral components, which, ideally, should not come into contact with each other at all, only through polymer film. Ripening also takes 3-4 minutes. Pouring out an unripe solution is a grave mistake. In most cases, the result is, if not a “hedgehog”, then a “wave” under other favorable conditions.

Fill

Filling is the final part of the work. There is less such strictness as during kneading, but clear coordination of the actions of the master and partner is required. Fill the floor as follows:

• The partner makes the first batch.
• As soon as it is ready, the master sets aside the first batch for ripening and substitutes another for the second batch.
• At this time, your partner quickly, for 3-4 seconds, rinses the mixer in two waters, without turning off the drill.
• The partner makes the second batch (don’t forget to rinse the mixer!), while the master dreams or gives the command.
• 20-30 seconds before the second batch is ready, the master takes the first one, pours it into the far corner, gives the empty bucket to his partner for the third batch and disperses the first batch with a special tool - a squeegee (or squeegee, see the figure on the right).
• Meanwhile, the second batch is ripening and the third is being prepared.
• The master sets the third batch to ripen, takes the ripe second batch, pours it out, and disperses it.
• The cycle is repeated and the mixing buckets are changed until the entire area is filled.

Now the poured floor seems smooth, but in the layer of mortar there is an insidious fifth column hidden - air bubbles. If you forget about them, they will begin to float and the coating will turn out to be a “grater” or a lunar landscape. Therefore, the final stage of pouring is deaeration.

It is produced with a special (not for drywall!) needle roller, see fig. Pay attention to the visor above it. Its purpose is to protect not only clothes and faces from splashes, but the solution itself. Moisture from spray flying in the air evaporates intensely, especially at elevated temperatures. Falling back into the filling, they create inhomogeneities in it. They are not immediately visible, but when it has already begun to set and it is useless to do anything, a “grater” appears.

“Puncture”

In small areas (toilet, bathroom, hallway and kitchen in Khrushchev-era buildings), a rather expensive squeegee with a roller (about 1000 rubles for both) is sometimes replaced homemade instrument“pierce” - a board with nails on the handle, see fig. left. By “piercing” you can both accelerate and deaerate the solution. In the first case, she is pulled; in the second, they spank her.

But already on an area of ​​10-12 square meters. m savings turn out to be illusory. The solution sticks to the nails, and the tool has to be rinsed every now and then. Extending the work is not a big deal here, because... Only a few batches are needed, but the expensive solution is wasted at a price much higher than the cost of a squeegee and roller.

Finally

As you can see, working with self-leveling mixtures is not an easy task. Nevertheless, it’s very worth trying it yourself, first with surplus bought cheaply and somewhere in the pantry. The work of craftsmen is also not cheap. A square of flooring to order costs about 800 rubles, and you can save half of this money with your own labor. And it requires only knowledge and accuracy; subtle skills and exquisite coordination of movements are not needed.

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The attractiveness of the flooring depends on whether the base remains uneven or other defects or not. If its surface is not perfectly smooth, then the floor covering will reflect all the flaws of the base: potholes, drops, roughness and other imperfections. Therefore, before laying the finishing coating, it is necessary to make the base even and smooth. Today we will talk about the technology for leveling a concrete floor in an apartment.

Floor leveling methods

There are several ways to level the floor:

• using cement or concrete screed;
• using self-leveling mixtures (self-leveling floor);
• leveling the floor with plywood.

• Clear the base of any debris.
• Fill cracks and cracks with putty.
• Prime the surface. The primer helps the self-leveling mixture adhere better to the surface and spread more evenly across the floor.
• Mix the solution according to the instructions, pouring the dry mixture into the water, and not vice versa, so that there are no lumps.

The solution remains fluid for half an hour. If the solution begins to harden, then it is no longer suitable for leveling the base, and water cannot be added to the finished mixture.

These include:

Hydraulic level - helps to determine the unevenness of the base in large rooms. The measurement is made by the water level in it. At the same time, it is necessary to ensure that working tube the device has not been filled with air, which will impair its performance. Using a hydraulic level, you can accurately measure with only small errors.


Laser level– accurate and easy to use. The error is small, only 1-2mm/m. The laser level is harmful to the eyes, so you should wear safety glasses before using it.

Level– used by construction professionals because this surveying tool requires knowledge and skill in its use.

Today we talked about technologies for leveling the floor in an apartment, about the devices and tools needed to measure the curvature of the floor. Which technology you use will depend on the conditions, shortcomings, and unevenness of your foundation. We hope that a smooth and beautiful floor will delight you for a long time, attracting the attention of friends and acquaintances, causing their admiring glances.