It is quite simple to fill in the bulk floor on a concrete screed. If you follow the recommendations, then even a beginner will be able to cope with this task. The technology lies in the fact that the prepared mixture is poured onto a cement screed cleared of dirt and dust. However, other types of materials, such as wood or tile, can also be used as a rough coating. The rough coating must be prepared in advance. This and the features of filling the bulk floor will be discussed below.
Screed preparation
If you decide to fill the floors in a private house yourself, then you need to get acquainted with the method of preparing a cement or concrete screed. The correctness of the work is the key to many years of operation of the created coating. The screed should have a solid structure, it should be devoid of problem areas. If weakened areas, greasy or oil stains on the surface are detected, then the area should be dismantled and the concrete floor repaired.
The bulk floor on the concrete screed is poured after restoration of the surface with cement plaster or a special mixture, if there is such a need. As one of the important steps is laying a foamed deformation tape, which is glued around the perimeter of the room. Its thickness should be a few millimeters. This material prevents the mixture from adhering to the walls.
Additional tips
The presence of such a seam softens the deformation that is transmitted by the floor from the rough screed due to temperature changes. As a result, it is possible to create bulk floors, which for many years preserve the integrity of the structure. Cracks do not form on their surface. If it is important to ensure absolute tightness, then the tape is cut out after the floor has dried, and the resulting voids are filled with a layer of sealant.
Recommendations for work
When laying the bulk floor on a concrete screed, it is important to pay special attention to the temperature regime. Indoor air should not fall below +15 ° C. During installation of floors it is necessary to avoid drafts and temperature changes. If the thermometer column falls below the mentioned mark, the mixture may lose its ability to spread at the required speed. In this case, the flow rate will increase, and evenness and strength may not be at a high level.
If the temperature is above the specified rate, then the hardening rate will increase. The result will be a decrease in floor time, which will affect the final result for the worse. It is important to adhere to a certain level of screed moisture.
This parameter should be kept in the region of 4%. If humidity cannot be reduced, then you need to treat the rough surface with a layer of waterproofing. As one of the stages of preparation is the application of a primer, which will increase the level of adhesion. When the starting porous base is not coated with a primer, air bubbles are released from it, which can spoil the appearance and integrity of the surface.
Fill technology
Once the substrate has been primed, it should be left to dry. The bulk floor on the concrete screed is laid in the next step. It is important to distribute the mixture as evenly as possible over the surface. If the area of the room is quite large, then the filling can be done in parts.
After leveling the mixture, air bubbles should be removed from it using an aeration roller. Then you can begin to fill the finish layer. When the floor has dried, it should be varnished with a polyurethane base. A prerequisite is a constant temperature when drying the material. Within 2 days, it is important to observe the temperature regime, avoiding wetting the surface and drafts.
How to choose a bulk floor
Quite often, consumers are wondering which bulk floor is better to choose. All self-leveling mixtures are classified into two varieties - polymer and cement-containing. The former are used for finishing coatings, while the latter are used to level the existing base.
As for polymer floors, they can be:
- methyl methacrylate;
- epoxy;
- polyurethane.
Cement poured floors are not used as a topcoat. They are an alternative to cement screeds. A distinctive feature of traditional screeds is a more fluid working consistency, which spreads across the floor and forms a flat surface. Such compositions are dry mixes for bulk floors. They are used as rough substrates for carpet, linoleum, laminate, etc.
Water is added to the ingredients to prepare. Among the components should be highlighted:
- lime;
- cement;
- plasticizer;
- fine sand.
The advantages of such floors are:
- universality;
- durability;
- high leveling properties;
- resistance to low temperatures;
- excellent durability;
- insignificant cost.
Polyurethane floors are also called liquid linoleum. Such compositions are practical, have high decorative properties and can be used in residential premises and in production. If you still do not know which bulk floor is better to choose, then you can prefer polyurethane compounds, which are widely used not only in apartments and offices, but also in / on:
- shops;
- children's centers;
- car services;
- restaurants
- sports complexes;
- laboratories;
- parking lots;
- factories.
Among the advantages of such sexes are:
- strength;
- heat resistance;
- high elasticity;
- simplicity in leaving;
- resistance to chemicals;
- high decorative properties.
Epoxy bulk floors
Such floors are composed of epoxy hardeners and resins. After setting, the surface acquires a solid and even base, which does not allow moisture to pass and does not collapse under the influence of acids, household chemicals and alkalis. Such compositions can be used in food and chemical workshops, in car washes and in pools. If you want to fill the floor in a private house, then epoxy compounds will do just fine for this, because they are completely safe and recommended even for hospitals and child care facilities. Among the advantages of such mixtures, abrasion resistance, excellent decorative properties, high strength and moisture resistance, as well as chemical compositions, should be highlighted.
Methyl methacrylate floors
Screed leveling can be accomplished using methyl methacrylate mixtures, which are excellent for industrial premises. They are more wear resistant than epoxy and chemically inert. After drying, such compositions are not subject to abrasion, they cannot be scratched, they undergo mechanical stresses perfectly, therefore they can be used where cars and heavy equipment drive .
Such self-leveling floors are also good because they dry quickly, so they can be installed without stopping the production process. The main advantages are:
- hardness;
- increased strength;
- moisture resistance;
- chemical resistance;
- high speed of work.
But there are drawbacks, they are in the unpleasant odor of the liquid composition.
On the minimum thickness and technology for pouring concrete screed
If you decide to equip bulk floors, it is important to know what is the minimum thickness of a concrete screed, because it will act as the basis. This parameter, according to sanitary norms and rules, can be equal to 2 cm, which is true when reinforced cement mix is used.
If a reinforcing framework is not provided, then the minimum layer height can be 4 cm. It is important to know also how to make a concrete screed. First you need to prepare the old base and determine the curvature of the surface. Next, beacons are installed, waterproofing is carried out, a reinforcing mesh is laid.
For the floor, the next step is to prepare the concrete mix. The next step is to fill the finished solution. As with bulk floors, air bubbles can form in the concrete screed, which can degrade the quality of the structure. They are removed at the stage of filling with a thin rod, which should pierce the flooded space.