Concrete-mosaic floors: advantages and manufacturing technology

For several decades, mosaic concrete has been used for floor covering. Thanks to the increased resistance to wear and the widest decorative possibilities, its popularity does not fall even today.

Today, concrete-mosaic floors can be found in administrative buildings, shopping centers, children's educational institutions and other public buildings. Moreover, when creating interior design of luxury apartments, designers are increasingly using this kind of decoration. What is so good mosaic floors, how they are made and whether it is possible to carry out their installation with their own hands, will be considered in this article.

Brief description of liquid marble floors

Concrete-mosaic floors can be safely called a universal coating, as they are suitable for use in absolutely all types of premises. With their help you can realize bold design ideas and give the interior a touch of luxury and elegance.

The main component of the mixture for the production of this coating is concrete, in which marble, quartz or granite crumb is added.

It is derived from waste from the production of various products made of natural stone.

The granular material retains all the qualities that solid rocks originally possess. Due to the special properties of the raw material, the coating is very durable, which makes it possible to use it even in production rooms.

As a rule, concrete floors are monolithic (solid) or separated. Also, for the decoration of the decorative coating, concrete-mosaic slabs can be used.

Structure of the mosaic floor

Marble mosaic floors consist of two main layers. The lower layer is presented in the form of a conventional concrete screed made of cement-sand mortar. It fits on any rough ground (carefully compacted soil, reinforced concrete surface or reinforced screed). Usually, the thickness of the lower layer of mosaic floors is 2-3 cm, but in some cases this figure can reach 4 cm. For example, in the arrangement of water heating systems.

Decorative coating is made of a concrete mixture with the addition of stone crumbs. Its thickness varies within 1.5-3 cm. This index can vary depending on the size of the fraction of natural filler. Thus, the total thickness of the mosaic concrete floor can be from 3.5 to 7 cm.

Main advantages of coating

As it became clear, the mosaic floors are characterized by a beautiful appearance and excellent strength. However, this is far from all the positive aspects that this type of finish has. Its incontestable advantages are also:

• Resistance to moisture . The concrete mix perfectly transfers contacts with water, it is not subject to settling by fungi and bacteria.
• Ecological and unpretentiousness in the care . The surface of the floor is easily cleaned of dirt. If necessary, even disinfectant solutions can be used. The composition of the coating does not include harmful components, so this finish is considered absolutely safe and hypoallergenic.
• A wide range of colors . Due to the abundance of natural shades of natural filler on the floor, you can create a variety of patterns of different colors. Some masters manage to turn the floor into a real masterpiece.
• Resistant to burnout and abrasion . Concrete-mosaic floors practically do not wear out. They do not form cracks (as a result of blows), they do not inherent abrasion. It is for these reasons that such coverage can often be seen in crowded places.
• Fire safety . Marble and granite chips, which are part of the mosaic mixture, do not burn at all and do not form sparks during impacts and friction.

Negative sides of the coating

Unfortunately, today there are no perfect materials that are completely devoid of negative qualities. We will become acquainted with the shortcomings and features of the mosaic covering.

1. Like any stone surface, the mosaic floors are quite cold. Therefore, before installing them, you must pay due attention to the insulation.
2. Since the life of this type of finishing is long enough, you should carefully select its pattern. It is recommended to give preference to a neutral, classical ornament, which will not go out of fashion for a long time and will not get tired.
3. In the process of using mosaic floors, red spots may appear on their surface.
4. The cost of natural fillers that make up the mixture is high enough, so the installation of a concrete-mosaic floor is expensive. Also, the final price is affected by the degree of complexity of the chosen pattern. The cost of such sex starts from 1200 rubles. Per square meter.

Substantially reduce costs can only be one way - pour the mosaic floors themselves. The price for similar services of masters is high enough, therefore this decision will allow you to save a decent amount.

Let's see how to do this work with your own hands.

Necessary tools and materials

Before proceeding with installation, make sure that you have all the necessary tools at hand. Namely:

• Concrete mixer or drill with a special nozzle;
• A container for mixing the working solution;
• Building vacuum cleaner ;
• Wire brush;
• Sander;
• Bulgarian;
• Circles for grinding (from felt);
• building level;
• A long rule;
• Powder for polishing the finished surface.

So, let's see how the mosaic concrete floor is made. The technology of its filling implies the execution of works in several stages:

• Thorough preparation of the foundation;
• Installation of dividing elements (to create a pattern);
• Preparation of the working mixture;
• Floor pouring;
• Finishing.

Let's consider each stage in more detail.

Preparation of the substrate and mixing of the working solution

The base for pouring concrete floors should be as flat as possible. It is better if it is a monolithic basement or a cement-sand screed.

Work is carried out in the following order:

1. The surface is cleaned of dirt, debris and dust.
2. All existing cracks, depressions and cracks should be covered or poured with a small layer of the leveling mixture. Particular attention is paid to the areas near the heating pipes.
3. Further, the surface is roughened. The work is done using a manual or electric wire brush. This action is designed to ensure the best adhesion of the substrate to the decorative coating.
4. Clean surface is spilled with water or treated with a primer.
5. Now you need to determine the thickness of the future mosaic floor and make appropriate marks on the walls.

Then you can start mixing the solution. To do this you will need:

• Cement (1 part);
• Stone flour (1 part);
• Coloring pigments (from 0.1 to 1.3 parts);
• Water (0, 5 parts);
• Stone shavings of different fractions (1 part).

All dry ingredients are well mixed and gradually added with water. The resulting mixture must be rigid and slightly mobile.

Layout of the pattern and laying the mixture

Now it is necessary to correctly mark the base on which the concrete mosaic floor will be poured. The device is made in full accordance with the chosen ornament. They are located on the same level and fixed on the cement mortar.

For these purposes, any materials are suitable. You can use pipes, metal profile, polymer products, glass, aluminum slats and brass products.

Filling the floor involves the following works:

1. The usual cement-sand mortar is mixed, from which the coating base will be poured. It is poured in a small layer and leveled.
2. After the base is slightly compacted, you can proceed to pour the decorative mixture.
3. The finished composition is distributed in cells (up to the level of the separating elements), according to the planned pattern and leveled with a vibration plate or ironing machines.
4. When the entire surface is well packed and flattened, you can get the dividing bars, and fill the voids with a solution.
5. The final solidification of the surface comes in a week. Until then, you need to make sure that it remains slightly damp. For best results, it should be sprinkled with water (1 time per day) and covered with polyethylene.

Grinding

At the final stage, the concrete-mosaic floors are ground. This is necessary to ensure that the coating has a glossy effect. You can start work in a week after filling the solution.

Surface wet with water and sprinkled with sand. Thus, rough roughing of the upper layer is carried out. If in the process of work dents and voids are found, they are filled with cement mortar and rubbed with marble bars.

The final grinding is performed by a special machine with felt attachments and polishing powder. After the work done, the mosaic structure will become more noticeable, and the floor will look smooth and shiny.