Everyone is trying to make the perfect flooring in the house. In such a situation, it is not always necessary to create a conventional concrete structure. Sometimes dry floor screed becomes relevant. Do it yourself is quite possible to do such a job. The main thing is to prepare the necessary set of materials and tools.
Nuances
Before starting work, it is important to understand the main advantages, as well as the implementation process. This is what builders are focusing on:
- A dry screed of a wooden floor, made by yourself, will not take much time. But it is important to prepare all the materials.
- You can perform work on a large area, which can not be said about a simple concrete-sand composition, since its drying time matters.
- There is no difficulty in work, so everyone copes without experience. There is no need to invite experts to help.
- In wooden houses, it is not always possible to carry out a standard screed, due to the unreliability of the supports. A dry embankment does not give a lot of weight, which means it is suitable for many buildings.
- It is noted that such a construction solution allows you to make reliable body, sound insulation. This is achieved due to the fact that claydite is present in the composition. And the presence of a construction tape cleans from sounds.
- Dry floor screed, done by yourself, involves laying all the required communications.
It is often necessary to carry out work in the cold season. Not every screed option will be appropriate. The concrete structure will take at least 28 days to dry completely. Before work, the surface is prepared. Cracks and other irregularities are removed so that the dry screed of underfloor heating made by yourself becomes a really reliable protection.
Is it worth adding insulation?
It is clear that everyone is trying to create the most reliable design in their home. One indicator is heat. Sometimes a layer of insulation material does not always bring the best result. Extruded polystyrene foam will help to cope with the flows of cold masses.
In many apartments (especially the lower floors), it is difficult to create a high-quality microclimate without it. If you can not apply this composition, you can use penofol. This is a modern insulation that does not have large volumes, but copes with the flow of cold air as much as possible.
What is a dry screed?
To correctly create a structure, you need to understand what it consists of. Waterproofing is laid out on ready-made concrete slabs or wooden logs (depending on the structure). Most often, a film is used, but with a high density. This is done so that moisture does not enter the room. Since there is expanded clay in the composition, it begins to swell when water enters, which will lead to floor deformation.
Sometimes they use plain polyethylene or parchment. There is paper impregnated with bitumen on sale. Another component is the edge band (it is also a damper). Its composition may be different. This is mineral wool or polyethylene foam. Sometimes builders also use glass wool. Such a layer is fixed under the wall, not passing a centimeter. In order to create the best possible conditions from the arrival of unnecessary sounds, the “Knauf” dry floor screed, made by oneself, should move eight millimeters from the walls.
On sale for this design there is a mixture - "Pine nut". It resembles sand with expanded clay in composition. The calculation is simple: if the height is not more than five centimeters, then you need one meter square bag of dry mix for screed. For conditions to be as reliable as possible, you will have to create a layer of at least four centimeters. The total layer of the entire screed should not exceed more than ten centimeters. In expanded clay, it is worth removing the necessary communications. After laying it, you need to check the evenness of the installed beacons and perform the following steps.
About the finish layer
Most often, the finish layer is sheets of any material. It is clear that today the most common option is drywall. Although plywood is quite suitable, but it must necessarily be moisture resistant. Some apply two layers. So the surface becomes more reliable. A strong connection can be obtained using folds. After that, glue and screws are used (so that the sheets are fixed as securely as possible). Any option from a hardware store will do. The price of glue is different, so everyone decides for himself. Sometimes two layers are used, after which any basic coating is already used - tile, laminate, etc.
What will be required in work?
Before you make a dry floor screed with your own hands, you will have to purchase material and tools. It is important to prepare all the components. Dry floor screed in the apartment with your own hands is performed in the presence of several components. Here's what you need:
- Get expanded clay. Today, in construction stores can offer other options, it all depends on the budget.
- It is necessary to create beacons on which the surface pours out. Otherwise it will not be possible to achieve evenness. To do this, profiles are purchased, best of all metal.
- To lay down the layer tightly and reliably, you need to compact it in the process. A rubber mallet is suitable for this.
- Film for waterproofing. Here the decision remains with the owner, because the price for each option is different.
- Tape for the edge. If you do a dry floor screed with your own hands in the apartment, glass wool or polyethylene foam is used.
- The final coating is sheets of plywood or drywall. Although sometimes used chipboard. The cost for them is different, but it is better to give preference to the most reliable option.
- Adhesive compounds, as well as fasteners. It can be self-tapping screws or something else convenient in installation.
- Level. The best is laser.
- Construction vacuum cleaner.
This is the end of the list. Each component is necessary in the work. Without it, you won’t get the desired result. Do not rush and skip something, otherwise you will not achieve the desired result and maximum reliability.
How is the preparation going?
Often the question arises, "how to level the floor with a dry screed with your own hands." At the first stage, beacons are set up, according to which work is carried out under the control of the laser level. If questions arise, do not do so at your own discretion, otherwise a fatal error will lead to a violation of the entire structure. It is necessary to put in order concrete slabs or wooden logs. At this stage, you should try and come to a perfectly flat surface.
There should not be bulges on the embankment. To do this, use a rubber mallet. Cement-sand mortar cleans cracks. Drying of a small layer occurs quickly. Do not be afraid that the work will stop. A construction vacuum cleaner carefully removes any unnecessary debris and saves time. Before communications find themselves under the screed, it is worth checking them out, even if they inspire maximum confidence. Full markup is done right there. A reference is made to the highest point in the floor. Also pay attention to the walls.
Lighthouses
When a person tries without the help of professionals to create a dry floor screed with expanded clay with his own hands, when fixing the beacons, it is worthwhile to accurately expose them so that errors do not turn out. It is on them that each composition is bombarded. In addition, it will be easier to complete the final stage. This is the imposition of a fine floor - sheets. When this stage is completed, you need to try to fly the next job no less competently.
DIY waterproofing fixation
As soon as the surface is ready, there should already be a decision that will become waterproofing. If you are working with concrete slabs, then a plastic film is quite suitable, but not too thin. It is not worth saving, because backfilling is not for one day, and it should be as correct as possible. Working with wood involves the use of parchment.
It is not always possible to lay a full piece on the entire surface. In this case, everything is done with an overlap, with a pitch of at least 20 centimeters (or better, more). Therefore, the material is purchased with a margin so that it is definitely enough. You can make a calculation based on the area of the room or a separate room. The waterproofing material should go on the walls for five centimeters. It was noted above that it is such a layer that often changes for a dry screed.
If all conditions are met, moisture will not get to the main material - expanded clay. Because he is afraid of moisture and, if present, begins to swell, and this will change the condition of the floor for the worse. The film must be at least 200 microns. Such is in any hardware store. So that the floor does not become a problem, a small gap is made from the wall. After the edge tape is attached. Here, mainly two materials are used. It is mineral wool and polyethylene foam. It becomes a double protection - from the receipt of unnecessary sounds and curvature of the floor during heating.
How to fall asleep expanded clay?
In construction stores, there are enough mixtures, but expanded clay is often used, for its positive qualities. You can take perlite sand. It remains only to make a decision depending on financial capabilities and preferences. In any case, each composition should perform the main function - to increase protection against heat and prevent the arrival of unnecessary sounds.
When the base of the floor (concrete or wood) is well leveled, then the rest of the mixtures will have to be applied not so much. And this will save a lot of time and money. Tumbling matters, so don't be lazy. It is better to tap well each layer of expanded clay. This is the right technology for dry floor screed. With your own hands you need to make a solid foundation. This creates the best protection for the floor.
Sheet Material Installation
The whole process does not take much time. Once the embankment is completed, it is time to stack the sheets. It turns out that the gypsum board or plywood becomes the final layer of the screed. But the material should always be moisture resistant. It is important not only to lay the material, but also to create a tight protection between the sheets.
The main material is the use of folds. Any design must be secured with reliable fasteners. These are self-tapping screws. The use of glue is also allowed. You can use any (sometimes PVC is enough). The folds near the wall must be removed. This will allow expanded clay to remain in its place. But such conditions are only required when two layers of finish sheets are met. After laying the first, it is necessary to smear the entire perimeter and stick the second. Structural strength is acceptable when using a special scheme - this is staggered stacking. It is better to work from the door - it will be more convenient and even.
Recommendations
It is necessary to use self-tapping screws with double thread, they increase the degree of reliability. What should be the distance between the fasteners? Quite enough 20 centimeters. But the use of glue, according to professionals, has its advantages. This is a high reliability. After the putty is applied (to hide the seams). Sometimes it is applied over the entire surface. It is quite possible to use a sanded apparatus to give perfect evenness. Only after that you can already use the lining - tiles, laminate, etc. It is not necessary to wait until the screed becomes dry, because it is so. As a result, the speed of work will depend on how the builder does it. But an inexperienced person does not need to rush.
What else do you need to know?
Not all materials are suitable for dry screed, so you can not experiment, otherwise it will fail. Now it’s clear that a dry floor screed has several advantages over a wet one. One of the main advantages - no need to wait long for drying (almost a month). Therefore, the work is done quickly, as it is done without downtime.
There is one more feature. When purchasing a basic dry mixture, it is worth paying attention to its homogeneity. Otherwise, the surface is less reliable. Masters say that each step should be carried out in accordance with the recommendations and instructions.