When building a new house, carrying out finishing work in a new building and repairing an old dwelling, construction and finishing work must begin from the floor. It should be smooth, durable and serve as the basis for the interior of the entire room. Making a do-it-yourself filler floor is quite simple.
The filling floor is placed, as a rule, on concrete floors. Carrying out this stage of repair and finishing works has two goals.
- Bringing the floor surface to a perfectly horizontal level. Floor slabs laid during construction do not always have an even horizontal arrangement. Differences can reach several centimeters.
- Bringing the floor surface to an even state. The concrete slab laid on the floor may have pits or tubercles. These irregularities can destroy the finished floor covering.
In order to achieve both of these goals, pouring the floor also involves two stages: the main and the finishing. But before describing the technology, consider the materials used.
Materials for the construction of the filler floor
The main building material for the formation of the filling floor is a cement-sand mixture or a gypsum-based mixture. Now building dry mixes are sold in building supermarkets and online stores in a huge assortment. Most of the products are based on sediment-free cement and clean screened sand. Also, plasticizers are added to the composition of the mixture - additives that prevent the appearance of cracks during the solidification of the screed.
Also, mixtures for leveling the floor are divided into rough and finish. Their main difference lies in the fact that the main (rough) mixture after placement on the floor must be leveled, and the finishing mixtures are self-leveling - they spread over the surface under the influence of gravity forces, forming a perfectly horizontal surface.
If necessary, a mixture for leveling and pouring the floor can be made with your own hands. For this, one part of non-sedimentary cement (mainly grade M-500) and clean sifted sand is taken. The mixture of sand and cement is thoroughly mixed. If necessary, additives are added to it, which can be purchased at a building materials store. As additives to the cement-sand mixture can also be used:
- PVA glue- which increases the strength of the finished product, significantly accelerates the process of solidification of the screed;
- liquid soap- this additive serves as a plasticizer and gives the cement-sand mixture the necessary plasticity, which helps to fill the entire volume.
Independent formation of the filler floor
The process of self-filling the floor consists of several successive stages. They are quite simple and accessible for repetition even for masters with not very high qualifications.
Step 1
If you are doing repairs in an old room, then, first of all, you need to carry out dismantling existing floor covering. Naturally, only what can be removed is removed. If your floor already has a concrete screed, it makes no sense to dismantle it.
Step 2
Exposed floor slab carefully cleared You can even vacuum it up.
Step 3
Carefully check the condition of the floor, paying increased attention to the condition of the joints between the walls and the floor in the room. It is in these areas that gaps most often form after a long operation of the building or due to errors during construction.
Step 4
Despite the fact that we will lay a layer of waterproofing, the gaps found must be carefully sealed. Through them, moisture from the filler floor can escape into neighboring rooms, which will significantly reduce its quality in this area. Besides, filling large gaps with mounting foam or sealing them with concrete mortar serves as an additional means of warming the room.
Step 5
All over the room spreading a layer of polyethylene film 150 micrometers thick. If the width of the film is not enough to cover the entire room, its strips should overlap each other by about 10 centimeters when laying. On the walls, the film should go above the upper edge of the future level of the screed.
Step 6
Around the walls of the room a damper or compensating tape is placed from foamed polymer material. Its height must also correspond to the height of the future screed. Its main task is to prevent direct pressure of the concrete slab of the future screed on the walls of the room. When the temperature in the room rises, the screed plate begins to expand, and if a solid wall is encountered in its path, and not a compressible tape, cracks will form on the screed.
Step 7
Now you need determine the thickness of the screed. To do this, it is necessary to assess the horizontal position of the floor slab. It is best to carry out such an assessment using a laser level. This device is installed in the center of the room, its position is verified using the built-in level. Then the level is turned on and a laser beam is projected onto the walls of the room, located in an absolutely horizontal plane. All you have to do is draw risks on the walls of the room with a pencil.
As for the height of the future screed, it must be calculated based on two parameters: the height difference at the floor slab of the minimum thickness of the screed.
After placing marks on the wall, you will see where the highest point of your floor slab is. To this height, it will be necessary to add the minimum screed thickness that this type of leveling compound provides. Usually for cement-sand mixtures, this figure is 30 millimeters. After determining the height differences, you can determine how much mixture you need to level the floor.
Step 8
Before installing beacons, you can pull strong threads between the walls by fixing them with self-tapping screws.
Step 9
Cement-sand leveling the mixture is placed between the beacons- segments of a perforated metal profile (there are specialized products, but you can also use just a profile designed for mounting drywall sheets). Their upper edge indicates the level of the upper surface of the future screed.
Step 10
First cut profile sections required size. Usually beacons are installed in rows parallel to the short wall of the room. The number of rows depends on the skill of the master and the length of the rule he uses - a long metal rail, which is used to level the solution. The first beacon-profile is installed at a distance of ten centimeters from the wall and then in parallel rows every month and a half.
Step 11
Beacons-profiles are attached to the floor surface in heaps or a continuous layer of the same cement-sand screed, only mixed to a thicker consistency. At installation of lighthouses you need to pay special attention to the level of their upper edge. This is a very painstaking work that requires great accuracy. To adjust the height of the location of one or another section of the beacon-profile, pieces of thin, non-absorbent material are placed under it. It can be, for example, pieces of plastic. If you use a material that absorbs moisture, it can take liquid from the screed, change its size and disturb the level of the screed.
After the mixture that fixes the beacons on the floor surface grabs and securely fixes the positions of the profile segments, you can proceed directly to pouring the floor.
Step 12
Next, you need prepare a mixture. At home, the floor mix is easiest to knead in a large plastic building container using the most common household mixer (nozzle for an electric drill). It is necessary to knead the mixture in compliance with the technology described on the package. So, a significant number of mixtures after mixing require a certain time for settling.
Remember one simple rule: pour the dry mixture into the water in a thin stream, and not vice versa. This way you will avoid the formation of lumps.
Step 13
The mixture is applied to the floor in one of the lanes located between the lighthouses. After pouring onto the floor, the mixture is leveled with a rule, which rests with its edges on the upper parts of the metal beacons-profiles and shifts the excess leveling mixture to places where it does not yet exist. So, strip after strip, the entire surface of the floor is covered with a leveling mixture.
Step 14
Maturing of the flooded floor surface can reach from several days to several weeks. Specific curing conditions are usually written on the packaging of the dry mix. Also, from time to time, it may be necessary wetting the surface of the screed with water to prevent drying out. During the drying of the mixture, the room is usually not ventilated to prevent dehydration of the solution.
Partially filled floor
Step 15
After the main rough screed has hardened, walk along its surface primer layer, so you will improve the adhesion between the layers of the main and leveling screed.
Step 16
Then onto the floor the mixed self-leveling mixture is poured out. It has a more liquid consistency compared to the mixture of the base layer.
Roller with spikes
Step 18
After completing all these operations, you will get a perfectly flat floor surface that will be ready for installation of any type of finish flooring.
You can also get some of the nuances of self-construction of the filler floor from the provided video tutorial.
Traditionally, the floor is leveled with a cement-sand screed, but it is difficult to work with it, and getting a perfectly flat surface is even more difficult. To facilitate the work, you can use additive additives that increase the plasticity of the solution, allowing you to achieve a smooth surface. This technology is called liquid, flooded or self-leveling floors, since the solution turns out to be really liquid and it is poured. You can select additives yourself, but it is long and difficult. After all, not only fluidity is important, but also the ability to level out, the speed of hardening and other characteristics. Therefore, a more common way is to use ready-made mixtures, which are selected according to their characteristics for specific tasks. With such mixtures, you can make a self-leveling floor with your own hands. Not to say that it is easy to achieve an excellent result with self-production, but it is possible.
One of the varieties of filler floors are polymeric, and they can be monophonic, or they can have an image in their composition. These are the so-called 3D floors. All of them are applied using the same technology, with their own characteristics. One caveat - polymer floors (and three de) require an ideal foundation. On a concrete slab, it can be made using bulk technology. That's why it's a must to study it.
Technology and sequence of actions
If you start looking for which mixture to buy in order to make a self-leveling floor with your own hands, you will be confused: there are different compositions with different characteristics. All of them are used in this technology, but for different needs and situations. There are two big groups:
Not so much? But that's not all. In each of these groups there are quick-hardening compounds. On the one hand, this is good: repairs will take less time. On the other hand, with a lack of experience (and where can he get it if you do the filler floor with your own hands for the first time), the speed of hardening can turn into the fact that while you stir all the lumps when mixing the composition, it will begin to seize and level already once. There were cases. For example, they were going to fill a room with 16 squares, kneaded two bags of quick-hardening compound in a large tub. The time from hitting the water to setting is 25 minutes. All lumps were stirred for 15 minutes. The solution was poured onto the floor, and it almost does not flow. Tried to smooth it out, almost impossible. Then they quickly loaded everything into bags and carried it to the trash heap. The conclusion is simple: to avoid such a situation, do not take quick-hardening compounds for the first experience.
One more nuance. It is necessary to select the compositions in accordance with the operating conditions: for indoor or outdoor work, if the room is periodically left without heating, frost resistance is needed. There are also special compositions for laying a warm floor - in the list of characteristics there should be a mark on compatibility with heating.
Now about what bulk floors are made of. The composition can be based on cement or gypsum, in rare cases both components are used, but there are special additives that neutralize the discrepancy (Prospectors brand). When buying a leveling agent and finishing compound from different companies, pay attention to what they are based on. The fact is that gypsum and cement conflict with each other. They cannot be stacked one on top of the other. If the leveler is based on cement, then the finishing composition must also be made of cement. The same rule applies to plaster.
What you need to know
So, the main points and features of the technology "self-leveling floors":
If the floor is to be leveled for tile laying, often laying leveler is sufficient. Small differences up to 4-5 mm are leveled with a layer of tile adhesive. In general, look at the price: what will work out cheaper: pour a layer of liquid floor or increased consumption of tile adhesive. Both options are equivalent in terms of performance, so choose the less expensive one. Under all other coatings - laminate, parquet board, package, linoleum, cork, carpet, etc. - a difference of no more than 2 mm per 1 meter is required. If there is no such result after the leveler, you will have to fill in another finishing layer.
What do you need
In addition to the bags with the mixture, you will need some tools and fixtures:
Work procedure: do-it-yourself self-leveling floor
The first stage is the preparation of the foundation. Everything that can be torn off, beaten off, cleaned off is removed. The cracks are expanded if they are too large, sealed with tile adhesive or a dry mix for pouring the floor, diluted with PVA glue. Small ones - up to 3 mm deep - are left without sealing, they just clean it well. After finishing the cleaning, everything is well cleaned, dust is collected with a vacuum cleaner.
The second stage is the primer. It is better to take a primer from the same company as the liquid floor - a guarantee of compatibility. If you bought another one, check them for compatibility: look in the instructions with which compositions it can be used - based on gypsum or cement. It is necessary to primer carefully, completely impregnating the entire base. It is faster to work with a roller on a long stick, but you can also use a brush and even a wide spatula. For loose materials, a single priming is not enough, and after the first has dried, a second, or maybe a third, is applied.
The general sequence of work when pouring the floor. Using this technology, you make self-leveling floors with your own hands
Stage three - installation of beacons. Lighthouses are exposed in different ways. First way: how to use metal profiles with a conventional screed. They can be left in the floor, or after the solution has set (primary curing), they can be removed and the holes filled with the same mixture. Second way : with a certain step, screw the screws into the floor, exposing the hats to the level. This method is acceptable if the solution is leveled with a rule. Then, when pouring, focus on the hats. Third way: make "rails" from a thick, quick-setting mortar for pouring the floor. Basically, a “P”-shaped profile for drywall is used for this, which is lubricated from the inside with grease. It, with its back up, is placed on self-tapping screws set to the level. Put a solution inside with a spatula, filling to the very top. The whole trick here is to leave no voids. There is a modification of this method: along the laid out screws, lay out a roller from the solution, into which to press the lubricated profile. The squeezed out and excess solution is collected, if you do not have time to grab it, you can try to use it again. Method four: use a laser plane builder.
Stage four - filling. You have to work quickly: after 40 minutes, most of the compounds lose their elasticity. Therefore, it is more convenient to work with at least one assistant, two containers for pouring. Beforehand, it is better to measure the required amount of water (pour into some containers, the number of which is equal to the number of batches), open the bags with the mixture, put everything in rows. Install a threshold near the door - so that the liquid floor does not spill out and you can make it even.
One person closes the composition - pours water, pours out the composition and stirs with an electric drill with a stirrer, the second - pours and levels. The one who levels must put on shoes a special sole on thin metal rods. If you do not want to buy it, you can make it yourself (an example is in the photo).
Pour the composition on the floor with a "snake". Although it spreads, it is not so good that nothing needs to be done at all. You will have to level, especially if you are laying the starting, rough leveler, with a decent layer. Depending on the chosen method of installing beacons, you “drive” the mortar with either a long mounting rail - a rule, or a wide spatula with teeth (if you use a plane builder, it is more convenient for them to work). In order not to crawl with him on his knees, he can be attached to a long handle. Some prefer to disperse the solution with a toothed roller. With a sufficient layer thickness (from 5 mm), it does a good job, for thinner ones you need either a spatula or a rule. You have to work quickly - you need to have time to fill the entire room even before the moment of final hardening, besides, the next portion of the solution is being prepared.
As soon as the next portion of the solution is ready, it is poured out, continuing to level already on a new area, mixing two zones along the edges. This fills the entire surface.
Stage five - waiting and checking the result. After pouring, close the doors - so that there are no drafts - and wait for the required time. It is very different. Mixtures on cement seize longer, on gypsum - faster, but you can usually walk on the surface in 12-24 hours.
When the specified period has passed, take a two-meter rule and check the result. When using a rough leveler, the difference can be 2-5 mm, and can be measured in centimeters. It very much depends on skill. If you did the self-leveling floor with your own hands for the first time, and the differences you got were less than 10 mm, you can congratulate you on your success. This is a good result, and the existing irregularities will be leveled by the finishing leveler. It has a finer grain, better distributed.
If you want good results, find a good self-levelling compound. It, of course, will need to be distributed over the surface, but it will level itself. The only disadvantage of this type of compositions is their price. It is generally noted that the less experience, the more expensive the composition must be used to ensure a smooth floor.
Not bad, all the nuances and features of the device for filling floors are painted in the video. There is also a demonstration of how to level the mixture and voiced several brands that are recommended to use.
Manufacturers of compounds for self-leveling floors
There are many companies on the market, both foreign and domestic. Some compositions are praised by everyone, some have conflicting reviews. Here you need to understand that those who often encounter this work can, using a composition that is not very good in terms of characteristics, get an excellent result. It is more difficult for beginners: they do not know how it should be, therefore they cannot correct it in time if something goes wrong. Therefore, it is unlikely that it will be possible to save money: in order to get a good result, you will have to buy a self-leveling floor composition with very good characteristics and reviews. These are expensive brands.
Here is a list of manufacturers and compositions, with a brief description:
- Bolars is inexpensive, but difficult to work with.
- ‘Prospectors — reviews are different.
- Pyramid - little experience.
- CERESIT CN78 - easy to work, the surface is smooth, but expensive.
- IVSIL TIE-ROD-II is a gypsum-based self-levelling compound, other compounds level out a little worse.
- BROZEX NP-42 - the result is not bad, the spreading is normal.
- Horizon Universal - difficult to work.
- Vetonit Vaateri Plus is a self-spreader with good characteristics, it is easy to work, the surface is even, it is expensive.
- Forbo 976 is a self-levelling compound with good performance.
- It will base T-45 - it spreads well and levels out, it is not suitable for a thick layer (more than 10 mm).
- Plitonite (PLITONIT) - the composition for a thin layer has very good reviews.
- Kreps-RV and SL - according to reviews - normal characteristics at an affordable price.
These, of course, are not all manufacturers, but those with whom you can make a floor, and do not suffer (according to the reviews of those who worked with them) ...
Polymeric and 3D self-leveling floors
The technology for installing polymer floors is similar to the installation of self-leveling ones. There is also a liquid, relatively fluid composition that needs to be spread over the surface. difference in materials. Mostly polymers. They differ in the type of binder component:
- polyurethane;
- epoxy;
- methyl methacrylate.
According to the thickness of the coating, they can be quite thin - this is a dust-removing coating and painting, or they can have a thickness of 1.5-4.5 mm, sometimes more. The compositions are mainly two-component - before application, they are mixed in a strictly measured proportion. Then, like self-leveling floors based on cement or gypsum, they are poured onto a flat primed surface (the primer is their own) and leveled.
Polymer floors can have a glossy or matte surface, they can be rough. In apartments and private houses (for bathrooms, kitchens, corridors) they mainly use a gloss or matte surface, in pools or on open terraces - rough, so that it is non-slip even when wet.
Volumetric floors with a pattern, which are also called 3D (three de) floors, are a special case of a polymer floor. The drawing is applied to a banner or special fabric. The main thing is a careful study of the drawing and high quality printing. This pattern is glued to the prepared base, then filled with a layer of transparent polymer on top. After drying, another layer of varnish is applied, resistant to abrasion. The result is those very beautiful pictures on the floor that many people like so much.
The basis of the quality of a 3D floor is an ideal base and a high-quality pattern
The technology of the self-leveling floor device with a pattern
Step by step it looks like this:
The entire technology of the 3D floor device is demonstrated in a video clip. After viewing, all ambiguities should go away completely.
Those who want to make a bulk self-leveling floor with their own hands (with a 3D effect) often have questions about where to buy materials. if we are talking about photo printing, then in an advertising agency that deals with banner advertising or in a printing house that has equipment for large-format printing on fabric.
If we are talking about polymer compositions, then the number of manufacturing companies is in the tens. There are both domestic and imported. They, as a rule, produce the entire line - from primers to coatings with different characteristics. There are many possibilities for tinting. Choose any from the catalog. This is if you plan to fill in a plain floor. If you decide to make a floor with a pattern, in addition to the primer, you will need one composition for the base (to match the background of the photograph), as well as a transparent one. They can also trade in all sorts of "chips" to create a shimmering, for example, floor, etc.
As mentioned, there are many manufacturers. Here are some, with a description of the materials they produce (which they sell):
- TeoChem Enterprise - manufactures polymer floors under the Elakor brand (all three types of polymers)
- Etal and Etal UV - epoxides
- Remmers Epoxy (epoxy), Remmers PUR Aqua (polyurethane)
- Cast polyurethane coating KT floor Enamel PU 01 - one-component (toxic, work in a respirator)
- Polyepoxy - epoxy self-leveling floors
- Ultraflor - polyurethanes
- Poly-Flor - all three polymers (epoxy, polyurethane, methyl methacrylate)
- Epolast - epoxy two-component compounds
- Sikafloor-2530W - epoxy self-leveling floor
Actually, this is the whole technology. You see that it is not easy to make a self-leveling floor with your own hands, but it is possible. The main task is to qualitatively prepare the bases, as well as meet the specified time before the compositions harden.
Another video clip on how to make plain polymer floors.
Filled floor is one of the most popular solutions today. The main characteristic is the ability to self-align. Also, filler floors are equipped without seams.
The device of such a coating is fundamentally different from the classic cement screed. The difference also lies in the ability to make a 3D drawing on the surface of the bulk coating.
Coating classification
There are only two main groups of such materials: mineral-based and polymer-based. The first of the options contains cement, in addition to this component, a plasticizer, dye, and other substances are added.
Mixtures of this type are found in different versions, which differ in their intended purpose:
- Finishing
- Medium
- Basic.
As you might guess from the name, the first variety is designed to perform finishing work at the final stage. This mixture provides decorative properties to the coating. Basic and medium varieties are designed to level the rough base. Only in the first case we are talking about more significant irregularities (up to 80 mm), while the average compositions are used to correct the curvature of the surface with level differences of no more than 30 mm.
Polymeric filler floors are divided into groups based on the composition and structure:
- Methyl methacrylate
- Polyurethane
- Epoxy
- Epoxy urethane.
The most preferred option is polyurethane mixtures, they are strong, durable and versatile. The epoxy analogue is also popular, it is used in the arrangement of exclusively enclosed spaces. The least popular option is methyl methacrylate, which is due to more complex laying technology.
Scope of use
Manufacturers Overview
There are quite a few popular products. Some of the most famous brands: Prospector, Bergauf, Osnovit, Ivsil, Litokol. All options differ in a number of criteria: consumption, cost, composition and main characteristics. Domestic mixtures will cost less, but the quality is not worse than foreign analogues.
For example, the Staratel screed costs less than the Bergauf, but the consumption of the former is 13 kg/sq. m, and the second - 17 kg / sq. m. This is with the same characteristics of the rough base and the thickness of the coating layer. The composition dries out faster than others (2.5 hours). Other options can freeze for 3 hours (Litikol), 4 hours (Prospector, Ivsil) and even 6 hours (Bergauf).
Pouring technology
When deciding how to make a filler floor, you should start with the preparation of a rough base and a mixture. Further, in several stages, the filling of the material is performed. In some cases, at low traffic intensity, only one layer of the composition is used. But this option is relevant only if you plan to make a filler floor without a pattern.
Humidity for the base of the bulk coating should be minimal. If this condition is not observed, the floor may be deformed due to swelling or even crack.
Preparatory work
If necessary, the surface is leveled. Depending on the type of rough base material, the sequence of actions during preparation may vary. For example, the wood is additionally sanded, but the surface should be roughened enough to ensure good adhesion of the materials. The old concrete floor is being repaired, for which it is necessary to remove the top damaged layer.
If you have old concrete, then you will have to remove the top layer, and sand the entire surface well
The humidity level of the rough base is controlled: for concrete no more than 4%, for wood - 10%. The surface is thoroughly cleaned not only from large and small contaminants, but also from dust, then it must be degreased. The next step is priming.
This will prevent moisture from penetrating deep into the filler floor, and will additionally improve adhesion. The tree does not need to be primed. Before pouring, the room is re-checked for contamination, it is also necessary to control the environmental conditions: the temperature is within 15-25 degrees, the humidity is not higher than 60%.
Concrete surfaces must be primed. All seams and cracks must be filled with sealant.
How to prepare a solution?
This is done in accordance with the instructions from the manufacturer. The market offers dry mixes for filling floors. The amount of water is determined by the manufacturer, this information is individual and can be found on the packaging of the composition. The mixture is prepared using a drill and a mixer type nozzle. Finished jellied floors have the consistency of thick sour cream without clots. It is recommended to prepare the mixture in parts, as it seizes rather quickly.
The preparation of the composition for the self-leveling floor is carried out according to the manufacturer's instructions, it is recommended to stir the mixture with a drill in two passes.
Correct fill
After applying the primer composition, it is necessary to wait a day and you can proceed to the next step. Do-it-yourself jellied floors are made, starting from the highest point of the surface, which is especially important for cases where the difference in levels is large enough. First, the mixture for the base layer is poured, the thickness is determined by the quality of the subfloor.
With such a needle roller we expel air bubbles from the filler floor
The main tool for work is a needle roller. With its help, air voids are removed from the material layer. The second layer is poured, a few hours after the formation of the base. This period is determined by the manufacturer on an individual basis.
The work also uses a needle roller. Filled floors dry for 1-2 weeks. In rooms with a concrete rough base, seams should be cut on the finished surface. This is done to avoid violation of the integrity of the floor under the influence of linear deformations of concrete.
With the help of a squeegee, we maintain the desired coating thickness
How is the 3d floor poured?
The difference between the considered technology and the installation of a volumetric coating lies in the need to lay an intermediate layer - with an image. It can be a hand-drawn pattern, a printed photograph (banner fabric, vinyl film).
If you plan to draw a picture on the floor, for this the first layer is primed, a drawing is made, then it needs to be varnished. The printed image is pasted. In this case, the print format should be slightly larger than the dimensions of the room. It is also important to carefully remove air bubbles.
Precautions and care
At the preparation stage, you have to work in conditions of increased dustiness due to the need to grind the rough base, and then clean it from litter and dust. For this reason, you need to prepare a respirator and goggles for work.
To prevent uneven hardening on the surface and the ingress of dust and dirt, it is better to cover with foil or film.
Given that the finished mixture is characterized by a rather strong odor, it is necessary to ensure ventilation of the room. But at the same time, we must not forget about maintaining the desired temperature and humidity level in the room. So, if you plan to make a do-it-yourself filler floor, forced ventilation is the preferred solution.
This cover is easy to care for. For regular cleaning, it is enough to use a rag and clean water. After prolonged use, the floor may lose its luster, in order to restore its original appearance, the surface is treated with special compounds.
Recently, special attention has been paid to the evenness of the coatings in the room. If earlier some irregularities were quite allowed, today perfectly even floors are of primary importance. Of course, some technologies are inaccessible to the layman due to their complexity, but thanks to modern developments and self-leveling compounds, you can make the perfect surface yourself. There are no requirements in the order of performance of repair work. At first, you can repair the walls with drywall, and then pour the floor.
Immediately, we note that the do-it-yourself filler floor will not differ from the work of a professional. But be sure to study all the subtleties in order to avoid mistakes, because it will be much more difficult to redo.
Let's start with the advantages of the filler floor:
- high wear resistance;
- perfectly smooth surface without gaps and seams;
- long service life;
- incombustibility;
- the absence of toxic substances in the composition;
- high level of resistance to mechanical stress, humidity;
- ease of maintenance.
According to the thickness of the polymer layer:
- highly filled;
- thin-layer.
By type of base:
- solvent;
- water.
For electrical conductivity:
- antistatic;
- conductive;
- non-conductive;
- conductive.
By type of connecting element:
- epoxy self-leveling floors;
- polyurethane floors;
- epoxy-urethane;
- methyl methacrylate self-leveling floors.
According to the degree of smoothness:
To complete each step of the work, you will need the appropriate tools.
- To prepare the base, you need to purchase: a cuvette, a metal brush, a two-meter rail, a brush and a triangular scraper.
- For installation: 15-20 liter clean container, low-speed drill, trowel, fixed-gap mop and aerated spiked roller.
Preparing the surface for pouring the floor
In order for the coating to please you, you need to prepare the basis:
- Remove the old coating, as well as baseboards and doors.
- Use a triangular scraper to open up any cracks.
- Check the levelness of the floor with a two-meter rail.
- On the walls, mark the level of the future coating (previously remove the plaster 25 mm above the mark).
- Clean the floor with a vacuum cleaner and degrease it with powder.
- Fill with a thin layer of mortar all the cracks, gaps and cracks in the base. The primer must be applied to the substrate with a roller, brush, spray or mop until a gloss appears.
Advice. In the event that a do-it-yourself flood floor is carried out in a wooden house, then keep in mind that the tree swells when wet, and narrows when it dries. For this reason, screed on a wooden floor or reinforce the surface, and only then pour the solution.
Laying the mixture
So, do-it-yourself filler floor is done in this way:
- Involve another person in the repair to ensure the continuity of the procedure.
- Prepare the mixture for work - prepare it according to the instructions.
- Stir the solution with an electric drill and a special nozzle.
- Start pouring the mixture from the side opposite to the door.
Modern renovation is hard to imagine without high-quality flooring. Especially if you want to bring design solutions to the arrangement of a house, apartment or office.
Thanks to today's building materials, it can be made not only functional and reliable, but also attractive, original, which will match the style of the room. This is especially true for 3D screed floors.
Advantages and Features
- originality and attractiveness;
- the ability to embody a huge number of design solutions and fantasies;
- high resistance to mechanical damage;
- high wear resistance and long service life;
- lack of dust emission from the floor covering;
- significant resistance to chemicals and moisture;
- possibility of application on any basis;
- hygienic coverage and ease of use.
Decorative self-leveling floors in the living room
3D technology will look spectacular in the office, and in the living room, and in the country and in the trading floor. Decorative ones can be made with any pattern and in any color, which makes it possible to realize a variety of fantasies.
- In the living room the floor can become a pavement from a big city or a flower meadow.
- In the children's room your child's favorite cartoon characters can settle on the floor.
- In the bedroom the floor can turn into a famous painting or ornament.
- In the office can settle on the floor company logo or brand name.
There are a huge number of design solutions with which your floor can be transformed into various options without any restrictions.
Self-leveling 3D floors in the bedroom
Habitual floor coverings have standard patterns and colors, this approach has been exhausted. do not limit the imagination, as the range of colors, patterns and shades at the moment is simply inexhaustible.
Do-it-yourself 3D self-leveling floor technology
Installation of flooring using 3D technology includes the following steps:
- surface preparation;
- creation of a base - a leveling polymer layer;
- photo or drawing sticker;
- coating with a polymeric transparent component;
- application of the last coating - a wear-resistant anti-shock layer.
This technology makes it possible to create the effect of a three-dimensional image. In this case, the depth of the effect will directly depend on the height of the final layer.
The design of the 3D self-leveling floor is a purely individual occupation, which allows you to conduct various experiments: instead of a photograph or a drawing, you can use leaves, dried flowers, crystals, pebbles, colored sand and any decorative materials.
Most companies claim that it is impossible to create self-leveling 3D floors. Non-compliance with the technology reduces the service life and does not give the expected result. However, nothing is impossible. That is why you can make a 3D self-leveling coating yourself, you just need to follow all the subtleties and.
Mandatory requirements for do-it-yourself 3D floor installation
- The installation of a decorative coating is similar in principle to the installation of standard self-leveling floors, however, with some nuances. One of them is careful surface preparation. This is caused by the small thickness of the 3D floor.
- The list of preparatory work includes the organization of forced ventilation, due to the fact that the polymers used for pouring are very toxic. In this case, the respirator does not save.
- In the room where it will be, the temperature should be at least ten degrees. In an unheated house in winter, it will not be possible to organize repairs.
For the installation of self-leveling floors, the manufacturing technology provides for the use of special materials:
- Polymeric two-component mixture (hardener and transparent base, which must be mixed before use);
- Decor elements (photos, drawings, artificial and natural materials that will determine the effect and appearance of the 3D floor).
Surface preparation
Applying a leveling polymer layer
This stage begins at least four hours after priming, but no later than a day later.
A polymer floor is used as the base layer; it is ideally suited in terms of performance for applying the subsequent pattern.
Application of the polymer layer
When planning the use of a self-leveling floor with natural or artificial materials, the base layer will be the background. That is why you need to carefully approach the quality of styling and its shade.
Special polymer compositions are directly applied to the floor screed.
- We mix with a special solvent a transparent finishing polymer floor in a ratio of 2: 1. To do this, we use a special mixer (the manual version is not suitable).
- The mixture should be prepared in small portions, which is caused by hardening after half an hour. We do as much as we can manage at a time.
- The composition is poured onto the surface. By means of a special spiked roller and a rule, the base is leveled. This also allows air bubbles to be removed from the thickness of the base.
- Leave for complete polymerization (at least 24 hours).
Leveling the applied layer with a spiked roller
Next, you need to check the evenness of the base using a level. It takes about seven days for the base to dry completely. When decorating the floor with objects (pebbles, shells, and so on), you do not need to wait for complete drying.
Drawing a picture (video)
After waiting for the base to dry completely (about 24 hours), they begin to decorate the floor surface.
There are two ways to apply an image for 3D self-leveling floors:
- drawing (polymer or acrylic);
- pasting the finished image.
First way- spectacular and reliable, but expensive, since expensive materials are needed to create images that are resistant to ultraviolet rays for a long time. Also, the work of an artist (unless, of course, you draw yourself) requires significant costs - you can’t save here. In the first method, a layer of protective varnish is applied to the dried paints at the end to protect the drawing.
The second way. However, the most common way is to sticker the finished image. For this, they take any drawing that suits the style of the room and the drawing you like, which is processed in a graphic editor (correct color, brightness, stretch) and printed on a thick medium of the desired size.
Applying a film with an image on the floor
Printing of the image can be done in almost any printing house. In this case, the resolution of the image must be more than 1440 dpi, the print itself must be done on matte satin (the size of the picture must be ordered a little larger than the area of \u200b\u200bthe future floor, since the excess can be cut off).
Image on film for 3D floor
The most popular options today are vinyl film and banner fabric with thermal printing. read here.
How to apply a drawing on the base layer?
When making an image on a self-adhesive vinyl film, it is carefully glued onto the prepared base. At the same time, make sure that air bubbles do not fall under the film. To do this, carefully smooth the pattern, pressing it to the base surface.
Image on self-adhesive vinyl film
When performing an image on a banner fabric with thermal printing, gluing is performed using a thin layer on the finishing floor. The drawing must be applied to a slightly moistened base. Here again, make sure that no air bubbles remain between the base and the fabric.