A topping floor is a concrete floor, the top layer of which has increased strength and is rubbed with special equipment to a shine. The thickness of this floor starts from 7 cm. Depending on the operating conditions, the hardened coating can last up to 25 years.
The use of topping floors
Topping floors (photo) are able to withstand heavy loads. Therefore, such a laying technology is used mainly in enterprises. They mount a concrete floor with topping at facilities where a durable coating is required that does not require special care.
The main objects for laying can be combined into the following groups:
- warehouses and production facilities;
- parking lots, garages, car services and car dealerships;
- premises of industrial buildings;
- basements of residential buildings;
- shopping malls and shops;
- railway facilities.
The popularity of a concrete floor with a topping coating is due to the optimal combination of quality and price, as well as the high installation speed of the coating.
Types of topping
Mix for hardening concrete may include several types of filler. The most common use is metal particles, crumbs of quartz or corundum. The most durable is considered topping flooring with the content of metallic inclusions. But mixtures with quartz content became very popular. The color of the floor depends on the color of the filler and its concentration in the topping mixture. The available color range varies from white to natural gray.
By varying the proportions of the fillers, various characteristics of the coating are obtained. You can choose a composition resistant to vibration or static loads, while observing sanitary requirements.
Quality requirements
Floor laying must be carried out in compliance with technological standards. In work it is necessary to use high quality materials. There are a number of requirements for topping coating:
- floor strength;
- flatness and smoothness of the surface;
- durability of the coating.
After laying, the topping floor must not create dust. All these requirements can be met only by specialists with the necessary skills for installing concrete floors with a hardened top layer.
The device of topping floors. Preparatory work
The technology of laying the floor with increased strength implies carrying out preparatory work indoors. Before proceeding with the installation of the coating, it is necessary to carry out survey work and draw up a project, select materials and their quantity.
At the initial stage of work, the area is filled with sand, while the soil is compacted layer by layer and horizontal surface leveling is carried out. If this is required by the conditions, then dumping is carried out with crushed stone, followed by compaction and wedging of fractions. The room must be fully waterproofed. This will require special materials, roll waterproofing and bitumen coating.
Depending on the technical design, the type of surface reinforcement is chosen. The most common are single-row and double-row types of mounting of the armature frame. If the expected loads are not very large, then use a metal mesh. Then, special guide beacons are installed for pouring the concrete base (grade strength above M300).
If the topping floor is mounted on an old concrete coating, then first you need to make sure that there are no surface defects. Cracks and chips should be expanded and filled with a special composition. Crushed concrete is considered unsuitable for foundation and dismantled.
Topping floors: laying technology
Installation of the topping floor consists in applying a composition of solid fillers - Portland cement or other additives to the surface of the concrete mixture. These additives increase the quality characteristics of the material and reduce the laying time.
The concrete mixture to be applied must be uniform in composition. For better shrinkage, the coating is exposed to vibration. When filling, foreign objects, including beacons, must be removed. If special fixed beacons are used, then they are not dismantled.
The quality of the floor directly depends on the concrete formulation, brand of strength, type of crushed stone aggregate. The topping mixture must be applied during the set of strength with concrete (usually within 4-7 hours after laying). Only under this condition the hardener will be able to absorb the necessary amount of moisture and form a single structure with concrete. During this process, it is important to observe the temperature conditions in the room.
Using special trolleys, the topping mixture is evenly applied to the coating. The material consumption can vary significantly, from 4 to 16 kilograms per square meter of surface. Further, the surface is rubbed with the help of special concrete-finishing machines. If you are laying a colored floor, then topping is applied several times.
The result of such actions is the high strength and wear resistance of the concrete coating.
Main advantages
Laying a concrete floor with a high-strength top layer is chosen due to obvious advantages:
- increase the service life of the coating;
- the speed of laying the floor (up to 1000 square meters per shift);
- lack of dust, dirt and debris during installation;
- increased values of wear resistance;
- maximum impact resistance;
- You can operate the room with such a coating 1.5 weeks after laying the floor.
Industrial topping floors with relatively low material costs can solve the problem of hardening the surface layer of concrete substrates, provide them with effective protection against moisture and various household chemicals, as well as ease and safety of operation.