The device of self-leveling floors: technology and advice

Among a variety of ways to finish the floor, a special place is occupied by the floor. Its wide spread is explained by useful properties, among them: practicality, resistance to abrasion, smoothness, ability to withstand humidity and temperature changes. If you want to update the design of the premises, the flooring will become a valuable find, and the technology of application will allow you to embody any bold design ideas.

What you need to know the master

If the device of self-leveling floors you will be made by yourself, you should remember about one of the characteristics of such structures, which is the thickness. Resistance to the impact of abrasive substances depends not only on the thickness of the floor, but also on the nature of the film-forming substance. Polymer coatings are classified by their service life. Thus, the minimum term for thin-layer coatings, the average - for self-leveling floors, but the most ready to serve high-floored floors. As practice shows, the most painstaking and important stage of the device of self-leveling floors is the preparation of the surface, which should be leveled. If the surface will have a slight slope, the mass will flow into the lower corner.

Surface preparation

The device of self-leveling floors provides for additional insulation, which is laid on the slabs. As a heater can act as a layer of expanded clay. The screed can be made of cement, water and sand. Among other things, the composition for arranging the rough surface can be purchased at the store in the finished form. The mixture is poured over the expanded clay, and then leveled and left to dry completely.

For reference

The device of self-leveling floors can be made by any domestic master independently. Consistency of the mass for work should resemble liquid sour cream. The mixture consists of polymers, resins, as well as additives. On how well the surface will be prepared, the durability of the finish coat and the quality of the work depends. The most practical basis is considered a concrete screed, however some builders use a wooden base. But experts advise to refrain from wood at the base of the rough floor, as it is sensitive to changes in humidity and temperature.

Rough surface requirements

If you are running a device of self-leveling floors, it is important to prepare the concrete surface as correctly as possible: it should have a normal humidity when applying the primer layer. The residual moisture should not be above 4%. After the screed is poured, it is necessary to leave the surface for a while, which is required to remove residual moisture from the concrete. If the timing is short and there is no time, you can use a two-component epoxy primer, water-based.

The technology of the device of liquid floors provides for grinding the surface of the screed, if there are irregularities on its base. Among other things, such manipulations will open the pores in the concrete, which will contribute to a higher adhesion of materials. If the floor has a ceramic tile facing, then such a surface can be used as a base. To do this, the tile is washed and degreased, and then treated with soil, which increases the quality of adhesion. If there are peeling tiles, they must be removed, and cement slurry should be placed in the empty spaces.

Padding

The device of liquid polymeric floors assumes conducting priming, which prevents the penetration of air into the system of the filler floor. This way you eliminate the formation of bubbles. Before applying the primer, the surface must be cleaned. In the priming process, you can use a roller. In order to improve the adhesion qualities with a bulk floor on a still low ground, fine-grained clean sand should be poured. Experts advise to buy a primer for concrete and not save on it, if the composition is quickly absorbed. In this case, its application is carried out in several layers.

Fill the base layer

Work on the installation of self-leveling floors provides for the priming of the base layer. Its thickness should be about 3 millimeters, the application of the mixture should be carried out 6-12 hours after priming, which is true when using a polyurethane layer. If the epoxy floor is supposed to be used , then the base layer is poured in 12-17 hours. The base layer is a continuous covering, which is equipped by the method of filling. The composition is evenly distributed over the surface, and if a large area is covered, the mass should be poured next to the located bands. The composition will spread and equalize independently. For the application of the mixture it is recommended to use a squeegee, which is a tool with adjustable clearance. With it, you can apply a layer of the desired thickness.

Recommendations for adjusting the base layer

The device of epoxy self-leveling floors must be carried out in such a way that no bubbles form in the composition. Before the mixture dries, the surface must be treated with a special roller, which has long spikes. The master should roll the base, moving in different directions. Do not remove the tool from the material. For 10 minutes it is necessary to finish this process, because after this period the composition will begin to increase the viscosity.

If a two-component formulation was used for the floor, then you need to prepare the amount of mixture that you will have time to work out before solidification. During the rolling of the surface with the aid of an aeration roller, the craftsman must wear the paintbrush, which has special metal spikes. Such an arrangement will exclude a violation of the integrity of the filler coating. If you intend to make a rather long break in work, then the entire tool must be washed in a solvent.

Fill the finish layer

A day after the application of the base layer, it is possible to prepare a mixture for the filling floor device, which will form the basis of the finish coat. However, the break between the application of the layers should not exceed 48 hours. The thickness of this coating should be approximately 2 millimeters. In order to improve the chemical characteristics of the coating and provide it with gloss, the flooring is finished with polyurethane varnish, which is applied in a thin layer. Seamless coating will be monolithic, and there will be almost no temperature shrinkage. However, you must remember the need for thermal seams along walls and doors. The space obtained is filled with a special sealant.

Advice from a specialist

The floor must be installed according to the manufacturer's instructions. It is important to observe the temperature regime. If the application of the mixture is carried out at a lower temperature than that indicated in the instructions, the mixture will solidify for a long time, it will not spread well, and its consumption will increase. The appearance of the coating after hardening may not meet expectations. If, on the contrary, the temperature is increased, then the mixture will harden in a shorter time, but the quality of the composition will decrease, which will negatively affect the durability and appearance of the coating.

When carrying out such work, the room must be kept at a constant temperature until the surface hardens. If it is too hot, it will cause the formation of bubbles. Industrial self-leveling floors, the device of which is carried out using the same technology, also provide for applying the mixture to a surface prepared in advance by the primer. If the temperature is sharply lowered during priming, this will cause condensation on the surface. In such conditions, work should not be carried out. Unfrozen coating is recommended to be protected during the day from any moisture on the surface. If this happens, the curing process will be violated, the base can pale, and on the surface there will appear pores and bubbles. The floor must remain clean, and the room needs to be ventilated with sufficient intensity.

Cost of works

Before you begin pouring the mixture, you must lay the floor screed. The flooring, the device of which is not always carried out by the owners of apartments and houses, will cost more if you entrust business to professionals. For example, laying a concrete screed will cost about 450 rubles. Per square meter. If you want to insulate the surface, adding the system with a layer of clay, then the work will cost 600 rubles. Per square meter. Sand-concrete screed can be equipped with specialists for 550 rubles. Per square meter. Quite often the floors are supplemented by heating, while the preparation of the preparation will be somewhat different, but it will cost less - 350 rubles. Per square meter. If you decide to implement the device of a bulk floor, the estimate made by professionals will allow you to estimate the costs in advance. So, if the thickness of the floor does not exceed 30 millimeters, then the work will have to pay 350 rubles. Per square meter. Finishing layer, the thickness of which does not exceed 10 millimeters, will cost 250 rubles. Per square meter.

Conclusion

If you still can not decide whether it is worth choosing as a finishing flooring floor, then it is worth more familiar with its technical characteristics. Such systems have a high wear resistance, are well under the influence of aggressive household chemicals, and are also ideal for subsequent finishing with any materials. If you do not deal with the laying of other coatings, the surface will be easy to clean and hygienic. In addition, in the process of using materials in the base of the bulk floor do not emit toxic substances and harmful to human health vapors. Such systems are completely harmless to the environment, which forces many buyers to make a choice in their favor.