How to prepare a base for a self-leveling floor. Floor preparation for cement-sand screed Floor repair preparation for laminate

The interior of the premises plays a huge role in the design of modern housing. In order for the house to constantly delight you with coziness, it is necessary not only to fulfill beautiful finish walls, buy stylish furniture, but also to choose a suitable floor covering, on which the final image of the design will depend. As you know, the floor, unlike other decorative elements, is most exposed to pollution and mechanical stress. Therefore, it must be hardy, of high quality and harmoniously combined with general view premises. It is linoleum that meets all of the above characteristics, it is considered the most practical and affordable material for flooring.

Linoleum is not a novelty among building materials. It has been used for many years, but thanks to modern technologies production, given view the coating has improved significantly. Today there are many types of linoleum that amaze with their beauty and unusual decor with imitation natural wood or stone. One of the advantages of such coverage is the ability self styling... But in order for the product to reliably serve and withstand intensive use, you need to know how the floor is prepared for linoleum, what flooring methods are used.

Styling specifics

Any renovation starts with preparatory work The flooring process is no exception. Therefore, the first thing to do is to dismantle the old floor. To do this, the surface for the base is leveled, all irregularities and defects are rolled up. Before laying, it is also necessary to prepare the linoleum itself, it must be kept for two days in the room where the flooring is planned. For this, the product in rolls is placed in an upright position.

If renovation work performed in winter time, then linoleum in no case can be put without preliminary preparation... The product brought from the cold is not even recommended to be spread from rolls, it should lie in a well-heated room, and only then the canvases can be rolled out and cut. This is especially true of the technology of laying heterogeneous linoleum. This coating takes time to straighten up and "get used" to temperature regime in room.

Products are cut with a certain margin, taking into account possible bends, door openings and niches, all canvases lie along the room. In order for the linoleum to quickly take shape, smaller canvases can be put on its large cuts. Often in the same room it is necessary to carry out flooring from different pieces, in this case it is important to pay attention to the coincidence of the pattern. Rolls of monochrome and marbled linoleum are laid perpendicular to the outer walls, thus hiding the seams. As for the coating with drawings, it is placed longitudinally.

In the corridors, the product is placed along, regardless of the presence of patterns, but if there are pipes, decorative columns and curly walls in the room, then before laying the covering, the contours of the walls are measured and cutouts are made taking into account the gaps.

So that, during operation, linoleum pleases with its beautiful appearance and withstand mechanical stress, it must be properly laid.

Today, there are three main types of styling:

without fixation;
on adhesive tape;
for glue solution.

The choice of a specific method of flooring depends on the operating conditions of the product and the area of the floor surface. So, if the room is small, then laying without fixing is quite suitable for it. As for the spacious premises, over 20 sq. m., then gluing linoleum in them is mandatory, this will help in the future to avoid tears, stretch marks and deformation of the material. V large rooms with a small permeability, you can do with the fastening of the cover on the tape.

How to prepare your floor before installation

Linoleum is considered the most popular element outdoor decor... The huge demand for this type of material is explained by its many advantages. The product is characterized by excellent durability, low cost and ease of maintenance. In addition, the coating is presented in a wide range of colors, striking a variety of patterns and original designs. The most important advantage of linoleum is its pleasant and simple job with canvases, therefore, even beginners in the construction business can install such a coating.

Linoleum is very elastic in structure, so you need to treat it responsibly, the slightest installation errors can lead to damage appearance products and shortening its service life. To avoid this, it is worth not only properly preparing the canvases and leveling the floor. The subfloor must not only be strong, but also flat, solid and dry.

Linoleum can be placed in any room, this is its versatility. In addition, the process of flooring is carried out both on a concrete slab and on wood, tiles or screed.

For linoleum flooring, it is not necessary to dismantle the previous coating, for this it is enough to level it and process the floor with special solutions. As for the canvases themselves, they also need preparation, linoleum in an expanded form is spread in the room room temperature, where he sleeps for several days. Depending on the type of the old base, perform following works by alignment:

DIY concrete floor

As a rule, perfectly flat concrete pavement can not be. In the event that the room is located on one concrete slab, it is easy to get rid of defects. To do this, it is enough to clean the surface from dirt and dust, then apply the putty correctly and, after drying, cover it with a primer. If the room consists of several slabs, then in this situation you will need to completely fill the floor with mortar. Thus, the mixture will fill in all defects, chips and cracks.

Concrete can be poured both in an apartment and in a private house. The resulting base is left to dry for several days, then it can be sanded and primed. The filling solution is used in finished form or cook it yourself.

On the old linoleum

In most houses, the floors are covered with old linoleum sheets. Before installing new models of the product, they should not be ripped off, as they can serve as an excellent basis for laying. The only thing such a coating should be checked for damaged areas and irregularities. If there are no defects, then you can proceed to styling. Before installation, the surface is well cleaned and degreased.

On ceramic tiles

This surface is considered an excellent option for linoleum. It also needs to be checked for cracks, if any, small flaws can be eliminated epoxy resin... As for the cracked areas, they are removed and these places are well leveled.

When the tile adhesive is dry, the entire surface is sanded and washed. It is worth noting that ceramic tile is the most suitable base for flooring, as it increases the sound and heat insulation of the floor. Therefore, often in construction works use just such prefabricated coatings.

Wooden floor

An old plank floor is also considered a good option for linoleum flooring. It must be checked for mold. If the tree is affected by a fungus, then it is best to pluck it and apply a screed. In addition, all elements of the covering must be well fixed. The protrusions of screws and nail heads must be eliminated, and the bulges on the surface must be removed with a planer.

Often on old boards, cracks and cracks can be found, in order to seal them, special putties are used, which are sanded after complete drying. If the surface is too uneven, then it is recommended to lay sheets of chipboard or fiberboard on it.

Self-leveling floor

The most popular base for flooring is casting, it dries quickly and does not require any finishing. Using this leveling technology, first, large recesses in the concrete are sealed with a quick-hardening mixture. Then the base is primed in two layers and the floor mixture is prepared. The pouring must be well mixed, in its consistency it should resemble batter. After preparing the solution, time is given to pass chemical reactions and the shuffle is repeated.

The resulting mixture is poured onto the floor and formed using a large. The process of pouring crystallization takes no more than a day, after which you can lay linoleum.

Often on the Internet, people make claims against the manufacturers of self-leveling self-leveling floors. However, the point is not at all in the material, but in the non-observance of the technology by the workers during the repair process. And, above all, in the preparation and assessment of the foundation.

A bad subfloor is any loose, soft or loose subfloor or floor with a lot of cracks, such as pieces of old screed falling off.

In such cases, pouring should only be carried out on plastic wrap or backing paper. In this case, the height of the floor pouring must be at least 30 mm.

You can determine the strength of the base using a conventional self-tapping screw!

If the grooves are crumbling and deep, then the base is loose. In this case, the filling should be carried out only along the separating layer, i.e. through the backing.

If the self-tapping screw leaves a surface strip without chips, then you can fill the floor with a contact method. It is important to visually inspect the base: if there are small cracks on it, bituminous mastic, paint, chips (due to the fragility of the base), or you have a rough floor made of boards - it is imperative to make a separating layer, for which use Knauf lining paper or polyethylene film with a density of 150 to 300 microns. The thickness of the fill on the separating layer must be at least 30 mm. In the case of pouring the floor over wooden base, only backing paper is used. We put it with an overlap of at least 80 mm.

An important factor is the absorbency of the substrate. A bottle of water is useful for checking; we use a cork as a measuring container.

If the water has been absorbed in less than 3 minutes, this means that at the same rate the base will take moisture from the poured screed. This problem can be easily solved with a good quality primer. The base must be vacuumed or swept before priming.

It is necessary to prime the base thoroughly and in 2 layers. Drying time for the first layer is 6 hours. A good primer, such as Knauf-Multigrund, significantly reduces and evens out the absorbency of the substrate.

If the surface is more or less smooth, prime with a roller. If there are chips, shells, pits on the base, use a broom brush. It should be primed crosswise, this is neglected by many.

After priming along the perimeter, at the intersection of the walls and floor, an edge tape is installed. In the corners, break or notch to ensure a tight abutment.

Suitable for the contact method solid foundation, with a level difference of up to 6 cm. For a 20 kg bag floor mix Tribon should be added from 4.5 to 5 liters of water. An excess or lack of water will certainly affect the quality of the flooded floor.

The mixture should not be whipped, so the nozzle should be with small petals, and preferably with rings. At the beginning of the kneading, it is better to speed up the mixer, and when the particles dissolve, reduce the speed.

We install beacons, set the appropriate level and fill in the first batch of floor.

It is important in the process of pouring the mixture to process it with a strip or a brush for self-leveling floors in order to "knock out" air bubbles and finally level the mixture.

After the first batch of the mixture, prepare the next ones and fill the entire area. Filling with a thickness of more than 6 cm is irrational. At such heights, it is easier and more correct to use other technologies. You can walk on the floor after 6 hours and load after 24 hours. If small bubbles and shells have formed, this is not critical. Unmixed particles of the dry mix do not affect the quality of the screed.

If the floor is poured evenly, after complete drying, it is ready for finishing and easily withstands any furniture.

There is an easy way to check the quality of the surface - with a coin. It is worth putting a level on a coin and spinning it. If the level turns around, the floor is level.

In order for the poured floor to be strong, even and without cracks, it is necessary to correctly assess and prepare the supporting base. For the rest, proceed strictly according to the instructions printed on the package.

Before proceeding with the installation of laminate flooring, it is imperative to prepare the floor surface with high quality. If this is not done, then the finishing material for the floor will quickly deteriorate, and further operation will become impossible. Preparing the floor for laminate has its own distinctive features in accordance with the starting flooring, the functionality of the room and the type of finishing material. The master must necessarily take into account these starting criteria, which will determine further actions.

What is the preparation?

Laminate flooring has a long service life if properly cared for and properly installed. But in the process of repair, it will take a lot of effort to create ideal conditions for this type of finishing material.

Preparing a floor for a laminate consists of the following points:

The floor surface must be perfectly flat. There should be no slightest drops in the form of depressions or bumps. After all, when active use improper distribution of the load on the board due to unevenness leads to a violation of the integrity of the joining seam of the boards.
High humidity can lead to deformation of the laminate board, so you should take care of the quality of the cement screed, remove all cracks and crevices. In order to protect the material from moisture, a special substrate is laid on the cement screed.
Care should be taken to insulate the floor and additional sound insulation... For this, an additional layer of a strong substrate is laid. The screed itself is processed special means that prevent the formation of fungus, mold and insects.

These steps are essential for preparing the subfloor prior to laying the laminate. If the operation of such a floor provides for a long-term option, then you should take care of its strengthening.

Additional material

Additional material is determined in accordance with base surface, on which the laminate will fit. The auxiliary material is a substrate for the main finish:

To form a high-quality screed, you additionally need to purchase: packaged plaster building mixture, a sealed mass.
The wood substrate can be plywood, bitumen-cork base, layers of pine needles.
Polyethylene foam is one of the most popular backing options when the room is too damp.

Other components may be needed. Determine the need for others finishing materials you can, if you carefully study the situation. Sometimes auxiliary mixtures and substances for stripping and processing are required.

Necessary stripping tools

Preparing a floor for a laminate requires not only experience and auxiliary material, but also the availability of the appropriate tools:

A jigsaw is necessary for the shape cutting of auxiliary substrates.
Building level, with the help of which the error in the unevenness of the floor is established.
A drill, which is used as a basis for mixing the screed mortar.
A roller with a needle nozzle used in the screed pouring process.
Spatula for removing unevenness of the old coating.

Additional tools may be required subject to the availability of any special materials or installation conditions. For example, during the installation itself, a screwdriver and a rubber hammer are required.

Algorithm for correct work

The preparation of the floor for the laminate is carried out in several stages:

Only after completing all the steps described above can you start laying the laminate. Otherwise, the quality and further operation of this floor covering may remain in question.

Independent dismantling of the old coating

The way to dismantle the old flooring depends on what kind of material is present on the floor. If the gaps and slopes are normal, and there are no deformations and chips on the surface of the old coating, then the laminate can be laid without preliminary dismantling. This can be done with just about anything other than carpet. Because it can shrink in the future, which will negatively affect the laminate.

Do-it-yourself preparation of floors for laminate flooring is carried out by dismantling the old coating:

Carpet or linoleum is removed as follows: you need to unscrew the sills and baseboards, pry the old covering with a metal spatula, remove the material and vacuum.
The tile or tile will have to be removed with a small chisel and rubberized hammer. The chisel must be fixed in the seam between the tiles at an angle of 45 degrees. Use a hammer to lightly hit the chisel. All work is done as accurately as possible.
The floor made of boards or plywood is dismantled, cutting off the parts at the junction of the elements, that is, at the seams.

The quality of the styling will depend on the optimal parameters of the deviations: the difference is less than 3 millimeters per 1 running meter and a maximum of 1 millimeter of clearance per meter.

Features of the preparation of a wooden floor

Preparing a wooden floor for laminate flooring requires compliance with two main points: the difference between the boards is a maximum of 2 millimeters by 2 meters in length; a maximum of 4 millimeters of incline per 2 meters of space.

Now we will describe the process of preparing a wooden floor for a laminate with our own hands:

Small defects can be removed by cycling. If the problem is big, then it can be mounted on an uneven floor chipboard sheets, plywood.
Completely exclude creaks and other extraneous sounds, which in the future can lead to deformation of the laminate itself.
If alignment with using chipboard did not give the desired effect, then you should think about the complete dismantling of the old wooden floor.
Sometimes, instead of plywood and chipboard, a self-leveling screed is used, which is mounted in accordance with certain rules.

When the surface is level and clean, you can mount the underlay. Elimination of large defects between the boards is carried out using construction foam, sealant.

Concrete floor treatment

The preparation of the concrete floor for the laminate is carried out in accordance with the initial state of the concrete. Sometimes it is required to pour a self-leveling mixture over the entire surface. It so happens that a partial restoration may be needed concrete base.

A new self-leveling fill is mounted like this:

The concrete is primed.
Filled with a screed.
It is leveled with a prickly roller.
After drying, rolling is carried out.

Partial restoration is performed using cement mortar... Focal repair work is carried out in accordance with all the rules: level holding, grinding.

Features of laying laminate flooring in an apartment

In the apartments, the floors are exclusively concrete, therefore, all installation and are carried out in accordance with the conditions for the preparation of the concrete coating. If there is old linoleum, then it can also be left and the laminate can be laid on the starting coating.

Preparation for the laminate has its own characteristics associated with mounting the lining. If the laminate is laid on the ground floor, then auxiliary waterproofing is required. It is organized using polyethylene 0.01 cm thick. The polyethylene in the seams is fixed with construction tape.

The lining is laid on the same principle as polyethylene. Its joints should coincide with the connection points of the polyethylene base. This will help increase the effectiveness of the waterproofing.

Plywood for flooring

The preparation of the floor under the laminate with plywood is carried out quite often. This trick is used to improve the surface finish of a wood floor. Plywood is often also used for the following purposes:

Strengthening the wooden floor.
Insulation of the floor covering.
Improving sound insulation.

First, logs of small height are fixed. Plywood sheets are applied to them, the height of which is no more than 12 millimeters and not less than 10 millimeters. The distance between the screws is no more than 15 centimeters.

Condition of the floor covering before installing the laminate

The preparation of the floor for laying the laminate consists not only in the successful formation of an even base, but also in correct installation floor covering. First of all, it is worth checking the quality of the self-leveling screed, if any. The screed must be dry. Some brands guarantee complete drying within a week. Normally, all moisture from the screed "evaporates" after two weeks.

If the alignment was carried out using plywood sheets or chipboard, then the seams between the plates must be sealed with a sealant. Polyurethane foam used less often, since this material can shrink over time.

Depending on the characteristics of the microclimate of the room, the lining is installed. It is focusing on it that you need to make the choice of the substrate material. Additional materials for insulation, they are laid on a lining and fixed with adhesive tapes.

Where can you find the secrets of laminate flooring?

To find out some secrets regarding correct styling laminate flooring, you can contact qualified specialists who independently carried out the installation and dismantling of floor coverings.

It is quite difficult to lay out a laminate in an apartment with your own hands, so it is better to seek help from professionals. If you still want to learn how to lay it yourself, then there are special courses or forums for you on preparing floors for laminate, where you can learn how to work with building materials various configurations. Recommendations can also be obtained using paid consultations of a specialist.

Since during construction or repair it is almost impossible to achieve a flat, without slope and flaws (cracks or bumps) surface on which the flooring will be mounted, builders use a layer of cement-sand mixture... This layer is called a floor screed.

How to prepare the screed surface? To do this, you need to perform a number of sequential works:

prepare the surface;
lay hydro and sound insulation;
mark the base for beacons;
install beacons.

Preparation of the base

For a high-quality screed, it is required to prepare well the base on which it will lie. When repairing the floor, it is better to remove the old screed. From time and operation, cracks, chips, potholes appear on it. Accelerates the process of destruction of expanded clay, which was covered under it in Soviet-built houses - the backfill thickens over time, forming voids under cement screed, which is almost impossible to repair.

The increase in the cost of work when replacing the floor will result in savings later, when you do not have to disassemble everything again among the service life of the new floor covering due to deformation of the screed.

The old subfloor is removed using a hammer drill. The concrete floor is cleared of debris and dust. After that, it is advisable to vacuum it and make a wet wipe. All damage to the overlap, chips and flaking are removed. Cracks, seams and surface damage are sealed with thick cement mortar.

It should be remembered that the cement mortar will not lie on the concrete without preliminary preparation of the base. He will just lag behind after a while.

Therefore, places of damage to concrete and seams are primed. Small cracks are sutured with a scalpel or perforator, otherwise the solution cannot be rubbed into them.

Concrete priming

Repair of damage in the floor and seams, and then priming of the entire surface is carried out using:

cement milk;
water;
special primer (Ceresit ST 17).

For reference: other types of factory primer are either more expensive, or their quality is lower, or, like Vetonit, have a short shelf life.

The technology of laying screed on expanded clay is discussed in detail in the following materials: "" and "".

Dry concrete will pull water out of the cement-sand mixture and disrupt chemical process hardening of cement. In addition, the primer binds dust-like particles and creates a film that improves the mutual adhesion of concrete and mortar.

Cement milk is obtained by mixing cement with water in a 1: 2 ratio. Both with cement milk and water, the restored places are wetted 2-3 times, but without the formation of puddles. It is advisable to accelerate the saturation of the pores with moisture using a paint brush. For this, the primer is actively rubbed into the concrete with a brush. The repair mortar is applied to a damp surface (wet on wet) and trowelled thoroughly.

Priming with "milk" is much more effective than wetting with water. The cement contained in it penetrates together with water into the pores of the concrete and improves the process of joining the cement mortar with the base being repaired.

Special primers penetrate the floor in the repaired areas and crystallize there, blocking the outflow of water from the solution. On the penetration surface, they form small flakes, which ensure the adhesion of the patch to the concrete.

Floor repair in St. Petersburg and Moscow in pre-war houses has one feature - there is no concrete slabs overlap. The interfloor overlap is made with powerful metal T-beams. Therefore, the preparation of the base for the screed in such houses begins with filling between the expanded clay beams, on which a layer of cement mortar is applied.

Expanded clay base

Expanded clay is a lightweight, porous material. Ecologicaly clean. It is used for heat and sound insulation, as well as a filler of spaces, to reduce the load on the load-bearing elements of the building.

Before backfilling expanded clay, the base of the interfloor overlap is covered with a polyethylene film, with an overlap (thickness of 100 microns or more) or other waterproofing material. Seams are glued together with tape. At the walls, the film is laid above the floor mark.

Beacons are being installed. Expanded clay is poured and the surface is leveled with a long lath, preventing it from exceeding the lighthouses. The leveled layer of expanded clay is fixed in this position with cement milk, which will prevent the shifting of expanded clay granules when laying the screed.

Screeds in individual houses or cottages are carried out on the ground or on the subfloor.

Soil base

The soil is cleared of vegetation and leveled. Expanded clay is poured onto it, at least 5 cm thick above the foundation to provide thermal insulation and a sand layer of 10-15 cm. The resulting surface is wetted with water and rammed for tight shrinkage. This is the most cheap way preparation under the screed, which is not inferior in efficiency to more expensive options.

Wooden sub-floor (sub-floor)

The wooden floor used for the base of the screed must meet a number of criteria:

not have rotten boards;
be firmly attached to the lags;
do not contain traces of glue, grease and paints;
do not creak;
do not bend.

Disadvantages are easily eliminated. Preparing the floor for pouring the screed comes down to replacing rotten and sagging boards. Removing dirty stains detergents or by grinding (planer). Creaking boards are additionally attached to the logs. Places of possible leakage of the solution (under the plinths near the walls, cracks, fallen out knots) are sealed with parquet putty based on wood dust or oil paint mixed with sawdust in a ratio of 1: 4.

Important: water-soluble putty is not used, as it can be destroyed by the moisture of the solution.

The skirting boards are removable. A thin rail is put in their place. The gaps between the rail and the floor are sealed with putty. After the screed is installed, the rail is removed, and the remaining gap between the wall and the floor will serve to ventilate the space under the floor, which will prevent decay of the boards and logs. After laying the flooring, it will be covered with a skirting board.

The next step in preparing the base for laying is waterproofing and soundproofing. Waterproofing issues are covered in detail in the work: "".

Waterproofing

Carrying out construction or repair work on the floor with their own hands, many identify waterproofing works with the installation of a damper tape. Yes, the tape partially performs the role of sound and waterproofing, but only at the junction of the wall and floor. Protecting the subfloor from moisture from the basement or leaks in rooms with high humidity(bathrooms) she does not provide.

Important: subfloor waterproofing is required in individual houses without a basement. Capillary moisture and water evaporation from the soil under the building destroy the base, the screed, and the floor itself. The problem is aggravated if the moisture has an aggressive (acidic or alkaline) environment. Interacting with the constituents of concrete, it makes it unusable for several years.

Exists different ways waterproofing:

Gravel-sand pillow. Used in private houses on the ground floors;
Film. It is used in all types of apartments and houses. It is simple in the device, which allows a novice builder to perform such preparatory work. In terms of cost - a budget option... The disadvantages include only one point - it cannot be laid on a base with many pipes;
Waterproofing coating based on rubber or bitumen. It is applied in several layers. Penetrates into all cracks, which guarantees the quality of the work performed;
Impregnating waterproofing (Penetrate). The new kind insulating material. Its peculiarity is that it can be applied on any side of the concrete - by reacting with concrete components, the impregnation grows special crystals throughout the entire thickness concrete floor... Crystals and prevent moisture penetration.

Noise isolation

Soundproofing is necessary for residents apartment buildings starting from the second floor. Music, children's screams, loud TV, etc. become a problem for a neighbor from above for many years. It is solved by laying soundproofing material on the floor. At the same time, depending on the type of flooring, the soundproofing material is placed under the screed on the slab (floating screed), or on the screed itself.

Various materials are used for the floating screed:

polystyrene;
mineral wool;
perlite;
expanded clay.

Its device is not very complicated, but it requires certain knowledge and skills. Not applicable for certain types of floors. In such cases soundproof materials laid between the screed and the floor. Instructions for soundproofing floor screed are given in the article: "".

Important: carrying out soundproofing works almost always solves another problem - floor insulation.

Sub-floor markings

The floor surface in front of the screed always has defects:

slope, while in different rooms in different directions;
bumps and protrusions in concrete that cannot be removed, etc.

To neutralize these shortcomings, it is necessary to find such a conditional horizon, above which the base of the floor will not be visible in all rooms of the room. This is achieved by breeding zero level(horizon line), and then, with its help, and the floor screed line. These lines are beaten off with a construction cord along the walls of the rooms or drawn with a pencil along a rail or rule.

Conclusion

Preparing the subfloor for laminate flooring includes the following operations:

cleaning the base from the old screed;
surface repair;
primer (if work on hydro and noise insulation will be carried out on the surface of the screed);
hydro and noise insulation ( modern materials allow you to combine these technological operations into one);
the device of beacons.

It should be remembered that the durability of the laminate depends on the quality of the preparatory work carried out.