Floor finishing often involves a flat surface that can withstand significant loads. But not all roughing bases have similar characteristics.

To remove these imperfections, the surfaces are leveled with special compounds and materials before installing the topcoat.

This process can occur in different ways, its features will be discussed in our article.

Peculiarities

Leveling the floors in an apartment or a private house is the main stage in preparing a rough base for decorative finishing. Such procedures involve the application of a small layer of leveling materials over the main surface.

This technology has several advantages:

• The possibility of obtaining a perfectly horizontal surface. In some cases, it is also used as a finishing floor.
• Additional strengthening of the structure. This is especially important for premises where many people are constantly present. The additional layer takes the load and does not allow the base to collapse quickly.

Leveling floors is an operation, the technology of which depends on several factors:

• Surface curvature. If the differences in the base are quite significant (from 2 to 8 cm), then it is advisable to correct such a defect. A similar phenomenon can often be found on concrete floors, where the rough fill was not attached much importance.
• Finishing material. The most demanding for the evenness of the floor are laminate and parquet, which need a perfectly flat plane. If by leveling the surface under linoleum, then the differences are not so important here. Such products exclude only large irregularities that will stick out after mounting the sheet.

What is better to level?

The process of leveling the floor involves the formation of an additional top layer, which is laid strictly in a horizontal plane. To get perfectly flat bases, many professionals use levels.

Several types of materials are used to solve such problems. Some of the most popular products are wet and dry mixes.

Depending on the composition, they can be divided into several subspecies:

• Cement. The main components here are cement and sand, which form strong structures when solidified. Today, a similar solution can be obtained by the usual mixing of these products in a certain proportion. But it should be understood that factory counterparts are much better than a homemade version.
• Plaster. Equalizers of this type are composed of gypsum and filler. The disadvantage of such products is that they quickly absorb moisture.

Therefore, it is not advisable to use them in damp rooms.

• Tile adhesive. This substance also consists of cement, but polymer plasticizers are also present in it. As a full-fledged floor leveling agent, it is used only with slight differences with the simultaneous laying of ceramic tiles. It is not recommended to use tile glue as an independent tool, since it is quite expensive.
• PVA with sawdust. The wood-glue mixture is mainly used for leveling wood structures. The advantage of the product is its simplicity and low weight. You can even prepare such a solution with your own hands.

Putty can also be used as an aid. But it is also not the main tool, as it is used to eliminate defects on the base of the floors.

• Polymer compositions. Self-leveling mortars are one of the modern products for leveling floors. They are made on the basis of both cement and various polymers. Using these substances, a polyurethane screed is made.

In residential premises, it is rarely used. With its help, so-called 3D floors are obtained. But some types of such liquid floors are not always safe for human health.

Some types of floors are leveled using sheet materials, among which are:

• Drywall. The method of leveling with plasterboard is used for rooms where a minimum load on the base is created. A special type of gypsum board is used today to form dry floors. They are located on a expanded clay substrate, which is carefully tamped.
• Plywood. A versatile material that consists of several thin sheets of wood. The material perfectly absorbs loads and can also withstand moisture. For floors, moisture-resistant modifications of plywood are often used.
• OSB. These products are also produced in the form of sheets, which are obtained from sawdust. The material is a lot like plywood. But for leveling floors, it is rarely used, since it can release toxic components into the external environment. At the same time, the slabs tolerate moisture well, which makes them indispensable products for the arrangement of floors.

When installing such surfaces, they also use a special tool, various mastics, and sometimes a metal profile.

Regardless of the technology chosen, experts recommend using only high-quality materials that will not harm human health.

The ways

Leveling floors is a fairly simple operation that can be performed even without a certain amount of experience. But the technology of arranging the finishing base depends largely on the rough coating on which the finishing layer will be mounted.

Floor covering type

The floor surface can be made of concrete or wood, which previously served as a finishing base. All these coatings can be leveled by hand. It is only important to find the best way to solve a specific problem.

Let's start with concrete floors, which can be leveled in several ways:

Arrangement of cement-sand screeds

This option is the simplest. It involves filling the surface with cement mortar, which, after hardening, forms a flat plane. In order to properly align it, beacons are installed at the same level around the entire perimeter of the room. In some cases, the mixture is compacted using special vibrating bars. But these tools are found only in industrial production.

Dry screed

This type of leveling is also called a bulk floor. A waterproofing film is laid on the surface of the rough base. After that, the filler is poured onto it.

Often, expanded clay, sand, slags and other similar products are used for this. They act as a kind of substrate that they tamp well. At the very end, sheets of chipboard, plywood and other material are placed on the prepared surface. They are fastened together with glue or self-tapping screws. Such a system retains heat very well and serves for more than a dozen years.

Self-leveling floor

Installation of such systems is carried out according to a simple step-by-step instruction. Initially, the sub-floor is thoroughly cleaned of dust and grease. If there are large holes or cracks, it is advisable to fill them with a cement-based mortar.

After this, the level is marked along the perimeter of all walls. When ready, the blended polymer solution is simply poured onto the surface. A needle roller is used for air removal and additional leveling. Please note that this method can also be used for plank floors.

The main thing is to provide high-quality waterproofing of the base.

Plank flooring

To do this, logs are laid on the concrete surface, between which a heater is placed. After that, boards are nailed to them, which form a flat plane. It should be understood that this option is not universal, since the wood will begin to warp over time and this will lead to its curvature.

Restoration of wooden surfaces can be performed using the following options:

Looping

This technology involves sanding the boards. It is advisable to repair the old lamellas before this procedure. If the wood has been fixed with nails, they need to be driven deep. Otherwise, the car will simply break down, bumping into metal.

Laying plywood

To do this, you need several sheets of this product, which it is desirable to cut into small squares (1x1 m, 2x2 m). The alignment algorithm involves the creation of a special substrate under the plywood, on which it will rest. This can be done using small pieces of boards or thin logs. The main thing here is to set the support in such a way that, after fixing the sheets, it forms a horizontal plane.

Support elements are placed under the plywood at the corners and several pieces in the middle. This is to distribute the pressure over the entire surface and reduce the risk of breakage. The process is quite complex and requires care and accuracy. But floors of this type are well suited for laying parquet and other similar materials.

Putty mixture

It is prepared from PVA glue and sawdust. The result should be a kind of putty. Before applying the solution, it is advisable to thoroughly clean the floor and fix the leveling beacons.

The mixture is applied in thin layers along the entire perimeter. If the difference in height is significant, then you need to lay several layers. The thickness of each of them should not exceed 2-3 cm.

It should be understood that some of the discussed methods can be applied to any type of base. It is important to analyze whether the material can withstand high humidity.

Premises

When leveling floors, it is important to pay attention to the room where this procedure is planned. Each separate room makes its own adjustments to the performance of such operations:

Bathroom

This will allow you to get not only a strong and durable base, but also save money in some way.

Balcony

These parts of the house are in limbo, so they cannot always withstand heavy loads. The best option for leveling the floor on the balcony can be plywood or wooden logs. If it is necessary to perform a cement screed, it is advisable to first assess whether the balcony can withstand the large weight of the mixture.

Kitchen

A room where several functional areas are combined. In theory, any type of alignment can be carried out here, depending on the rough base. But the best option is still a concrete screed, which will then be suitable both for tiles and for high-quality parquet.

Floor layer

Leveling the floors is done in order to get rid of small differences in the surface. Therefore, the thickness of the top layer is not large, since it is not a base. If the screed assumes a significant thickness, then these floors are constructed for specific purposes. The dimensions of the leveling layer often do not exceed 5-100 mm.

The thinnest are the floors made of self-leveling self-leveling mixtures. They can spread over the surface in a layer of no more than 4-5 mm.

If the floor is formed on the ground, then it is leveled with expanded clay bedding. Here, its thickness can already reach 20-30 cm, depending on climatic conditions. It should be understood that installing an additional layer increases the dimensions of the main floor.

Leveling a concrete floor without the help of hired specialists is not so difficult if you approach it with "armed" certain knowledge. Let's figure out how you can complete this process yourself.

Why do you need to level the floors?

Concrete flooring can be seen today in commercial premises, industrial facilities and living rooms. It has a lot of useful characteristics, but they can be used only when the concrete bases are well leveled. The most common defects in concrete floors are the following:

• small "waves" called chilliness that appear after the rule;
• smooth repetitive changes in floor level - wave drops;
• rises (local) floor level - influxes.

During prolonged operation of poorly equipped concrete foundations, cracks often form on them, as well as caverns and lenses - lowering (local) floor level. Sometimes protruding pieces of crushed stone filler appear on its surface, which indicate the destruction of the coating. All voiced defects lead to unevenness on the floor, which can cause injury to a person, the impossibility of reliable installation of equipment used in everyday life and in the kitchen, furniture.

And from an aesthetic point of view, uneven flooring, you see, does not add beauty to the room. To avoid these inconveniences, do it yourself competently leveling the floor. Such a procedure, carried out with high quality, will also make it possible to achieve a high level of noise, hydro and thermal insulation of the floor covering. The leveling of the concrete base is carried out by arranging the screed, which can be done wet or dry.

In the first case, it is imperative to use a special leveling compound with the addition of water. With the dry method, dry mixtures are used for. The choice of the optimal technology for each particular case is based on the condition of the initial floor covering and the height differences present on the floor of the room. Usually cement-sand compositions, "dry" compositions and self-leveling mixtures are used for screeds. We will talk about them further.

Cement-sand composition - the classic leveling

A screed based on sand and cement is considered a classic and very effective way of giving the floor the desired "evenness". It is recommended for rooms where the difference in the level of the concrete base is five or more centimeters. The technology of cement-sand screed is characterized by certain difficulties and high labor intensity of the process.

But on the other hand, it can be done independently in any living room - in the bedroom, corridor, in the kitchen, and be confident in the strength and excellent reliability of the resulting coating. It is only important to remember that the thickness of the prepared mixture must be at least three centimeters. With a smaller thickness, the strength indicators of the completed screed will be unsatisfactory. We will tell you how to level a concrete floor using a mixture of sand, cement and water.

First you need to remove all dirt and accumulated dust from it, wipe off stains from oil solutions that were used when performing construction or repair work. Then a waterproofing material is laid on the floor - it can be anything. At this stage, it is important to glue the joints of the waterproofing well, and leave allowances near the walls. Further, using the level, beacons are installed. For their installation, metal profiles are used, fixed to the floor by means of gypsum hardening solutions.

Between the guides of the executed "frame" the distance is taken up to one meter, no more. At a greater distance, pouring the mixture and leveling it will be difficult. Sand-cement mixture is prepared from M-300 cement, ordinary sand and water. Now no one makes such a solution on their own. At times it is more convenient to buy dry ready-made mixtures and add water to them in the proportions recommended by the material manufacturer.

Stir the composition very carefully. This is best done with a construction mixer. The finished solution should not spread, but at the same time, on a flat surface, it must slightly blur. Please note - the mixture is applied after stirring for 60–90 minutes (otherwise it will simply harden). Moreover, it must be prepared immediately for the entire area of ​​the room.

Pouring a cement-sand screed - we work carefully

The prepared solution is poured from the far corner of the room between the beacons. It is necessary to immediately level the composition after applying each individual portion, using the rule. We move it towards ourselves, and not away from ourselves. Also, the rule is to "scatter" the mixture on the sides (some level it exclusively along the guides, which is wrong) in order to achieve a good compaction of the screed layer and fill the existing voids.

Professionals also advise to pierce the applied composition with a small diameter metal bar. This simple action will avoid the risk of air voids in the screed. If the mixture of sand and cement is made of great thickness, it is advisable to strengthen the screed with reinforcement from a convenient (available at hand) material. In addition, it is recommended to cut special seams in it (they are called shrinkage seams) every 250–300 cm. Long breaks when laying a cement-sand composition should be avoided.

If you hesitate, "cold seams" are guaranteed to appear on the surface. They will significantly reduce the strength characteristics of the finished layer. For this reason, do-it-yourself floor leveling should be done not alone, but with an assistant. Having laid all the cement-sand mortar, it is left for 24 hours, and then thoroughly moistened with a spray gun or paint roller. After 48-60 hours, you will need to check how well it has set.

After that, the screed is moistened again and a plastic wrap is placed on it. It protects the floor from rapid drying, which can lead to cracks. During the next 7–8 days, once a day, it is required to moisten the screed with water. And then the film is removed and the floor is left to dry naturally for another 1-2 weeks. On the completed screed in the kitchen or in another room, you can safely lay the floor covering that you have chosen. But first, make sure that the screed is made with good quality.

If everything was done correctly, the floor surface has a uniform gray color, and when tapped with a block of wood, it emits the same sound in all parts of the room. We hope we have explained quite clearly how to level a concrete floor using a wet mix of sand and cement. This technique can be used in all areas of the home, including in the kitchen and even outdoors (on open verandas, terraces). We add that the finished surface can be additionally sanded. It makes no sense to carry out such a procedure if the coating was done on the street. But for living rooms, it will not be superfluous.

Grinding is carried out with a special unit (machine), which quickly and efficiently smoothes out all minor irregularities.

Dry screed - how to level floors without water?

A more "clean" leveling of the floor with your own hands is carried out using mixtures consisting of granulate, quartz sand, expanded clay or expanded polystyrene, and fiberboard, chipboard, gypsum fiber moisture-resistant sheet materials or ordinary plywood. Such a screed additionally insulates and insulates the room, therefore it is used in the kitchen or living room in apartments of multi-storey buildings. It is not difficult to independently make such an alignment even for a person who is very far from building wisdom.

Advantages of dry screed:

• quick performance of work and the ability to lay the selected floor covering immediately after the end of the leveling operations;
• no need to use water to mix the solution;
• installation of engineering communications inside the screed is allowed;
• work can be performed without assistants, performing them gradually on small separate areas of the room.

In addition, a dry screed makes it possible not to worry about the need for additional arrangement of sound and heat insulation systems for the floor.

The scheme of how to level a concrete floor using this technology is as follows:

• the base is thoroughly cleaned;
• a waterproofing material is laid - a 50-micron polyethylene film (it is advisable to prime the surface before that);
• scatter the dry mixture over the film and distribute it evenly;
• plywood, sheets of gypsum fiber or chipboard are laid, fastening them together with glue and self-tapping screws;
• the resulting screed is primed and the excess film is removed (its protruding parts are cut off).

The work is done quickly enough. You may only have a problem with the fact that it is forbidden to move the sheets over the layer of the leveling dry material. This means that you need to put them in the planned place the first time.

Self-leveling floors - an affordable and convenient leveling method

If in your kitchen or in another room the difference in floor levels is relatively small - up to three centimeters, it is recommended to level them with special mixtures, which themselves diverge along the surface. Such formulations are very popular these days. They are made on the basis of cement, to which modifier additives are added, which increase the fluidity of the solution.

Such self-leveling coatings cannot be operated "naked" - without laying ceramic tiles, PVC materials, linoleum, cork or carpet on them. If you decide to use, for example, in the kitchen, be sure to finish them with the specified materials. Otherwise, they will actively absorb oils and various liquids.

How to level the floor with your own hands using a self-leveling compound? It's not difficult at all. Stick to this scheme:

• prepare the base - remove dirt from it, vacuum, seal up even the smallest holes and cracks;
• clean the surface with a primer (special primer);
• prepare a small portion of the mixture according to the manufacturer's instructions (it becomes unusable within 15–20 minutes);
• Apply self-leveling mortar to the floor in strips 30-50 cm wide and spread with a trowel.

Now just wait until the mixture is completely solid (6 to 24 hours).

In new and old apartments, a flat floor is a rarity, and modern finishing materials are very capricious in this regard. They can be laid on a substrate with very little variation. But leveling a concrete floor can be done in almost ten different ways. Which one should you choose? First, it all depends on how flat your starting base is. Secondly, from the coverage. Third, because of what you want to get.

To choose a method for leveling a concrete floor, you need to know the maximum height difference. There are three ways. Faster and easier - with a laser level (plane builder), more difficult and longer - with a water level. The third method is using a 2 meter-long building level and a measuring wedge. The latter method gives only the magnitude of the differences on the concrete base. With its help, by the way, you can check the result of leveling the floor. But it does not provide a "starting point" like the previous two. That is, it is applicable only if you know that in general your floor is made "in the horizon" and there are no slopes in one direction or the other.

If you have at least some kind of laser level, it is easier to work with it. If not, buy or rent it better. It will definitely come in handy for repairs. It is better to take a self-leveling one, which can rotate horizontal planes around. This is ideal. It will work with a narrower beam, but there will be more permutations.

With laser level (level)

We set the level at some height, turn on the horizontal plane. Most conveniently - at a height of about 12-150 mm. A line beats off the walls, we draw it with a pencil. You will need the line later - when leveling the flooring, and during other works too. We take a 2-meter ruler (you can attach a centimeter tape to the bar). We visually find the highest and lowest points, go through with a ruler, measure the height. Be sure to check the corners. They are often at different heights. According to the measurements, we see where it is more than 150 mm, where it is less. The difference between the largest and the smallest value is the floor height difference.

If you need to display the general floor level in the entire apartment or house, draw a strip and where the beam reaches in other rooms. In the hallway, another room. Depends on the layout. We have revenge on the wall in another room, move the level there, set it so that the beam coincides with the mark, again draw a line on the walls. So we go through all the rooms. And then we display the floor difference in the entire apartment.

With water level

The water level works on the principle of communicating vessels. It is a long transparent hose with transparent flasks at the ends. The hose is filled with water so that water is visible in the flasks. The flasks are marked with divisions, along which you can navigate. When the flasks are raised to the same height, the water in them is set at the same level.

How do you usually work with a hydro level? Apply toku on the wall. Place one flask at this mark. It can be held by a partner, or it can be fixed in some way. The second point is set at some distance - 1-1.5 meters. Depends on how long you have a ruler or bar to connect these points. To move the set point, it is necessary to set the second end of the water level so that in the first the water level coincides with the mark. So, step by step we go around the room, transferring the mark and building a horizontal line.

Next, to determine how large your floor differences are, tie the second end of the level to the bar. At what altitude? The bar should rest against the floor, the water level in the flasks should match. As a guide, you can use a point previously marked on the wall. On the bar opposite the "correct" water level, put a mark (red line, for example). Regarding it, we will look.

Now walk around the room, rest the bar on the floor, wait until the water in the flasks “settles down” and see if the level coincides with the reference level (red line). And if not, how much. To do this, you need a ruler. Metal is more convenient, it is easier to determine even small deviations from it. If your memory is good, remember, if not, write it down. Just do not forget to write down in which direction the deviation. If the water level is lower, put a minus, if it is higher, put a plus. Now, in order to determine the maximum difference, add the maximum value with a plus to the maximum minus value.

Using a rule (building level) and a measuring wedge

Everyone knows what a rule is and a building level. It is important for us that they are even. And the measuring wedge is a metal triangle with marked divisions. The essence of the method is that the bar is moved across the floor, looking for a gap. More precisely, you can determine the presence of a gap if you push a sheet of paper between the floor and the level. If it moves, there is a gap. In those places where the sheet rests (that is, the bar lies tightly on the concrete, without a gap), we put marks. We measure the distance between these points.

Next, we take a measuring wedge and determine the height of the gap. We drive it under the bar and look at the number on the scale. This will be the magnitude of the deviation in this place. So we check the entire concrete floor, we find the maximum deviation.

Determining the method of leveling the concrete floor

After you have decided on the maximum difference in floor heights, you need to analyze what can be improved with a little blood. Take a close look at your gender. It often happens that there is some kind of hump, which creates a large drop. Sawing concrete is still a pleasure, but if it helps to reduce costs or shorten the repair time, then you can do it. When everything that could have already been corrected, you will again have to determine the elevation difference. Further, you can choose how and with what to level the concrete floor.

Leveling a concrete floor in this state is not easy at all.

With small differences up to 5 mm

If you have drops of 1-1.5 mm over two meters in length, this is generally an almost perfect floor and you do not need to level it. You can use any kind of cover. If the situation is slightly worse, but the differences in the height of the concrete floor are up to 5 mm, such deviations are considered small. Leveling a concrete floor can be done in several ways:

When choosing a compound for leveling a concrete floor, pay attention to strength. The strength of the leveling layer must be the same as that of the base. A difference of 50 units is allowed, not more. For example, if your screed is M150, then the leveling layer cannot have a strength higher than M200. Why? Because if tensions arise in it (and they arise), it will simply break the lower layer. And cracks in the floor are not good at all.

Swings up to 3 cm

Leveling a concrete floor with height differences of up to 3 cm is the most inconvenient task to implement. Laying a concrete screed less than 3 cm thick is problematic, since for guaranteed long-term operation the layer must be 3 cm or more. If you can raise the floor level a little, then you can use:

If raising the floor level is not part of your plans, you can use levelers. A rough or medium composition will be needed. Look at the thickness of the layer. Three centimeters - most likely, you will find only in the starting lineups, and smaller ones (up to 15 mm exactly) can be found in the middle ones. Be prepared for the fact that when using the starter leveler, one more layer may be required - the finishing layer.

How to level a concrete floor with drops of more than 3 cm

Leveling a concrete floor in an apartment with a height difference of more than 3 cm is traditionally done by laying a cement concrete screed. If you need to level the floor cheaply, DSP is your budget option. But the cement-sand screed for leveling has a serious drawback - it "matures" for 28 days. Moreover, at least the first week it is necessary to maintain high humidity. Then wait until it dries out. In order for the concrete to be durable, not crumble or crack, it is impossible to artificially accelerate the drying process. And only tiles can be laid on a damp base. Other floor coverings have rather stringent requirements for the moisture content of the substrate.

If you do not want to get involved with "wet" processes or the overlap does not allow adding a large load, leveling the concrete floor with a dry screed will help. There are two options - bulk and lag. The second option is when one of the sheet materials is put on the logs - plywood, fiberboard,. We get a flat surface with minimal differences. But this method will lead to the floor level rising by at least 7-8 cm.

Leveling the floor with beacons is one of the most popular ways

A bulk way to make a dry screed is to pour granules (usually expanded clay) on the floor, level and lay the same sheet material on it. It's easier and faster to do, but there are some peculiarities. If you use the wrong backfill, it is poorly leveled, during operation, distortions, pits, and dips may result. But, leveling the concrete floor in this way in compliance with the technology gives very, very good results. The "carrying capacity" of such a floor is up to 10 tons per square meter. So more than enough.

What to do if concrete is covered with bituminous mastic

Sometimes, after removing the old flooring, it is found that it was lying on the bitumen. This situation is common in old housing stock. If the leveling of the concrete floor is planned with a screed along the lighthouses, all that is needed is to inspect for cracks and delamination. The detachments must be removed, the "bald spots" must be covered with a new layer of bitumen. Expand cracks as much as possible. Pour with polyurethane glue or epoxy resin, pour bitumen on top too.

If the damage is too extensive, remove the old bitumen completely if possible. If you cannot remove completely, remove only the damaged areas, fill in the cracks. From above, smear everything with a new layer - there will be excellent waterproofing.

If you plan to level the concrete floor with "pouring" (leveling agents), it is advisable to remove the bitumen. It has a surface that is too smooth, which has a negative effect on the adhesion level. A "shovel" nozzle is installed on the perforator and beaten off. Then they remove debris, dust, prepare the surface for a primer.

If the bitumen cannot be removed, it is possible to walk under the leveling mixtures several times with soil for difficult substrates. The grip will be sufficient, but the cost of such a primer is high. When the soil is dry, leveling agents can be poured.

How to level a concrete floor and improve sound insulation and / or thermal insulation

If your apartment is not on the ground floor, but there is a heated room below you, you should not be worried about thermal insulation. Your floor will be at "room" temperature. If you want to make a warm floor, that's another story, and you will need electric or water heating. Under it, the base will also have to be leveled, and it is also desirable to insulate it - in order not to heat up the neighbor's ceiling. So, how can you level a concrete floor to improve heat and sound insulation?

• Floating screed, under which insulating mats, expanded polystyrene are laid. The thickness of the layer in this case depends on how much you want to improve the characteristics, but definitely not less than 6 cm.
• Lay plywood along the logs, filling the gaps between the logs with materials with the required properties.

If at the same time you also need waterproofing, it can be implemented in both cases, and it can be any. It can be PVC film spread over concrete, bonded or coated waterproofing.

If you are making major repairs, both in the room and throughout the apartment, then you probably cannot do without the floor leveling procedure. Leveling the floor is an integral part of a major overhaul, because the floor in your apartment is unlikely to be even, especially if the house was built a long time ago. It is also illogical to install new flooring without leveling the floor. That is why we want to dwell on the issue of floor leveling in more detail.

The content of the article:

Floor leveling methods

Leveling the floor is the very first repair procedure, of course, after all the preparatory steps. Therefore, it is necessary to level the floor before leveling the ceiling and walls. There are several ways to level the floor, each of which has its own advantages and disadvantages, and we will describe them so that you can choose the leveling option that is most suitable for your room.

So, today there are three ways to level the floor:

• Leveling with self-leveling floor;


• Leveling by building up the floor.

Let's briefly describe all these options for leveling the floor, analyzing their "pros" and "cons", as well as telling which of the options to use in a given situation.

Leveling the floor with beacons

This leveling option received this name in view of the fact that for leveling, beacons are initially laid and fixed on the floor - metal slats, according to the level of which the screed is leveled. Leveling the floor with beacons is the most common leveling method; it is most often used to level the floor of large rooms: a hall, a bedroom and a kitchen. The advantage of this leveling method is a high-quality, durable and even surface, which can be achieved even with large irregularities in the floor surface. The disadvantage is that the screed can dry from 10 to 30 days, everything will depend on the temperature and humidity in the room, as well as on the screed layer. If you want to make repairs as quickly as possible, then this method is not particularly suitable for you.

Leveling the floor with beacons is the best leveling method for laying laminate and linoleum, since it is precisely for laying these flooring that a perfectly flat surface is needed.

Leveling the floor surface with a leveling mortar is the easiest and fastest way to level the floor. The essence of this leveling is that with the help of a rare special cement-based mortar, you fill the floor, thanks to the specific feature of such a mixture, it will spread evenly over the floor, which ultimately creates a flat surface. Unlike the previous method, leveling with a self-leveling floor occurs faster in time: both during the leveling process and in the drying time of the screed, since its layer is several times smaller than the screed layer when leveling the floor along the beacons.

It is worth noting that the self-leveling floor layer must be at least 3 millimeters. The maximum height of the self-leveling floor layer should not exceed 35 mm. Therefore, if the level of unevenness is very large, that is, the plane of the floor slab goes to one side, and from the upper level of the floor to the lower one is more than 35mm, then in this case this method is not suitable.

The indisputable advantage of leveling the floor with the help of a self-spreading mixture is speed, since it does not take much time. This is an excellent way to level out minor irregularities in the floor surface, as well as for pouring underfloor heating. In addition, this method is the cheapest, which makes it, in fact, the most optimal. The self-leveling floor has one drawback - it cannot be used with large unevenness in the floor.

The last way to level the floor is to build it up. The essence of this method is that wooden logs are mounted on the floor, with the help of which a flat plane is created, after which boards or plywood sheets are fixed on the logs.

This method of leveling the floor is best suited for the first floors of buildings, as well as for summer cottages and cottages. The advantage of this method is that when building up the floor, the empty space can be filled with heat-insulating material, which will allow the floor to be insulated. It is also a great option if you need to carry out any communications along the floor, for example, autonomous heating pipes. A method that is more painstaking even in comparison with alignment with beacons, but it will allow you to raise the floor level to the required height.

Leveling the floor when laying tiles

In addition to the listed leveling methods, mention should be made of leveling the floor when laying tiles. This method, in fact, is not a full-fledged method, which is why we did not mention it above, but it is impossible not to mention it. It is used for uneven floor surfaces, but not flat.

The essence of leveling the floor when laying tiles is that with a slight slope or unevenness of the floor surface, it can be leveled when laying the tiles by adding a larger amount of mortar to its base. To do this, you just need to find the lowest area of ​​the floor and the highest, then you need to calculate how high the level of the tiles will need to be raised in a particular area of ​​the floor in relation to the highest point.

Measuring the floor level and preparing for leveling

In order to choose a method for leveling the floor and calculate the required amount of material, you need to measure the floor level. In order to make a measurement, you need to dismantle the old floor covering, otherwise there will be no sense in the measurements. When the floor is ready, we check it for irregularities.

It is worth noting that the floor can be uneven for two reasons: due to the unevenness of the floor slab, or if it was laid incorrectly (curved) during the construction of a house. Most often, both types of irregularities are found. That is, in most houses, the surface of the floor slab itself is uneven, and it is laid crookedly.

To measure the level of the floor, you need a long level, with which you need to check the level of all sections of the floor. First, check for irregularities on the plate itself, then its plane. Mark the highest point of the floor level and the lowest.

If the slope of the slab or its surface has slight irregularities, the maximum amplitude of the drops or slope of which does not exceed 35 mm, then we recommend leveling the floor with a self-leveling floor. If the irregularities are significant or the slab strongly "leaves" to one side, then the only way that will help solve the problem is alignment with the beacons. When you have determined to what height the floor level will be raised, check if this is possible, since as a result, the balcony or door to the room may not open, or it will be necessary to raise the radiator of the battery. Therefore, before taking any action to level the floor, think over and decide all the nuances.

In some cases, if the floor plane itself is even, but there are, say, irregularities in the joints of the floor slabs due to the fact that the seam is not sealed neatly, then the irregularities can be knocked down with a perforator and then this part can be smoothed with cement.

As a mixture for leveling the floor, you can use both ordinary cement, mixing it in the right proportions with sand, and special mixtures that are specifically designed for leveling floors.

How to level a concrete floor

How to align the floor with the beacons

Before leveling the floor, it must be thoroughly swept, and then treated with a layer of primer. In order to level the floor along the beacons, we need metal perforated corners. Lighthouses are laid along the room. The first lighthouse is laid at a distance of 30 cm from the wall, the next - at a distance of 100 cm from each other. The last beacon should also be installed at a distance of 30 cm from the wall. To fix the beacons, we need a cement or plaster mortar.

So, lay the beacons along the room, adjust them to size if necessary. Then, hardly with "slap" movements, we apply the solution in parts, with a step of 20-25 cm. Beacons are placed on the solution and leveled. As soon as the lighthouses have grabbed a little, the voids between the floor and the lighthouses are also filled with mortar. When the beacons are leveled, we let them firmly fix and then proceed to leveling the floor.

To level the concrete floor, you need to prepare a cement-based mortar, it is necessary to dilute the mixture to the so-called sour cream thickness, keep in mind that the mixture should not be too thin, since it will be difficult to level it, and it will also take even longer to dry. It is also unnecessary to do too thick mixture, since it will be very difficult for you to smooth the surface of the screed - it will be loose.

We start leveling the floor from the far corner, moving towards the exit. We fill it from the first and second rows at the same time, since the first row is only 30 cm, and at the end we do the same with the last and penultimate sectors. The finished part of the mixture spreads over the sector, and is evenly distributed with a trowel in order to exclude the formation of voids inside the screed. After that, using the rule, placing it with an edge, leading along the beacons, we align the part of the sector filled with a solution. First, we move the rule towards ourselves, from side to side, and when you have achieved a flat surface, the last time we carry out the rule along the lighthouses exactly. Continue leveling the concrete floor in the same way. It is important to note that each subsequent pouring should be done very carefully, since, due to the different consistency of the cement mortar, irregularities can form in the places of sagging, this must be monitored.

When the floor is leveled, let the screed dry, and we can proceed with further repair work. You can turn on the heater to help the floor dry faster in winter. In general, this procedure is best done in the summer, the screed will dry completely in a couple of days.

Leveling with self-leveling floor

Leveling the floor with a self-leveling mixture begins with cleaning its surface. When the concrete base is cleaned, you need to thoroughly prime the floor surface using a special primer used for self-leveling floors.

Then we dilute the self-leveling mixture in such proportions as indicated on the package. Despite the fact that the consistency of the mixture allows it to spread independently on the floor, it must be rolled with a needle roller in order to remove possible air bubbles inside the mixture. The height of the needles of this roller should be greater than the height of the leveling compound layer. The filled space must be carefully rolled with a roller in different directions. After that, let the floor dry, as a rule, it takes several hours.

Leveling with floor extensions

If you want to insulate the floor, or raise its level, then the best option is to build the floor using wooden logs, it is also called leveling the floor with plywood. The advantage of this method is obvious, since this is the only easy way to raise the level of the floor, in which you can insulate its base, as well as conduct communications inside it.

In order to level the floor using this method, you must first inspect its surface. If there are any gaps or holes, for example in corners, then they must be repaired. Then you need to prime the floor surface. After the primer is dry, proceed with laying the vapor barrier film, which must be laid with an allowance to the wall with a height equal to the height of the extended floor. The sheets of film must be glued together with adhesive tape. After that, proceed to laying the log.

To lay the log, you need to know the level of the floor deviation, and also determine to what height the floor will be raised. The lags can be attached both to the anchor and to special metal plates - the method of fastening is up to you. To fix the level of the logs and so that they do not bend, it is necessary to put wooden or plastic wedges under them, to which the logs are fixed with self-tapping screws. Lay the logs along the room, at a distance of 5 cm from the wall, with a step of 50 cm. Once the logs are laid, they must be secured to the floor.

The next stage of work is the laying of insulation in the sectors between the logs. Use glass wool sheets as insulation. Glass wool sheets must be cut to the size of the sectors, leaving a few extra centimeters of allowance so that they closely enter the sector. After that, either wooden boards or plywood are placed on top, fixing them on self-tapping screws.

In the first video, you can visually familiarize yourself with the floor leveling procedure using beacon leveling.

If you want to level the floor with a self-leveling mixture, then this method is disclosed in this video.

And finally, the third way to level the floor, by building it up. This method is somewhat different from the one proposed by us and is more suitable for leveling the balcony floor, but you can borrow some of the main points for yourself.

Before installing decorative flooring, it is usually necessary to properly level the subfloor. For this, various materials and mixtures can be purchased. Let's take a closer look at all the subtleties of this process.

Peculiarities

When organizing apartment renovations, it is important to remember the need to level the floor surface in order to avoid problems in the future. Due to the unevenness of the base, it can be difficult to install furniture, so it is usually better to start repair work with leveling the floor.

Before starting the process itself, it is necessary to carry out preliminary preparation in the apartment, which begins with cleaning the surface. The first step is to remove the old coating, remove cracks. Using a punch, you will be able to get rid of the protrusions. In rooms such as the kitchen or bathroom, a waterproofing base should always be installed.

Further along the perimeter of the room, a special tape is laid, which helps to prevent the appearance of sounds. Once all the preparatory work is completed, the floor is leveled using various methods.

Variants

Floor leveling methods differ in time, technology, and materials used. The choice of leveling method depends on how uneven the surface is. Regardless of which method is chosen, the purpose of this process is to create a strong, smooth base for laying the selected canvas.

Using a leveling solution

This way of leveling the floor is distinguished by its simplicity and affordability. Therefore, you can easily give a smooth surface using your strength, without resorting to the services of a master. Before starting the process, you should consider the types of equalizers.

There is a mixture for rough leveling. This type is used if the floor is characterized by numerous chips. Another type of compound is intended for a topcoat. Thanks to this appearance, the base will acquire absolute smoothness.

The essence of this leveling method using a special composition is that sand mortar, cement and special additives are used. The base is poured with this mixture.

But this method is not suitable for all uneven surfaces, but only for those where there are slight roughness. Most often, in the "stalinka" one has to deal with a high level of bias, and this technique has to be abandoned. However, the method is well applicable as a finishing point after using a concrete screed.

In order to correctly perform floor leveling yourself, it is important to determine the stages of work:

• Primer application. It will help raise the level of protection of the base from mold and mildew.

• Dilution of the solution... The dry mixture must be mixed with water, following exactly the instructions, to obtain the desired consistency.
• Distribution of the solution to the surface... Special tools will come to the rescue to remove air bubbles from the mixture.
• Let the floor dry... The drying process will take 2 to 3 days.
• If the leveler was used correctly during operation then the floor covering will always fit perfectly and will be able to serve for many years.

Concrete screed

Another option for leveling the floor is a concrete screed. This method differs from the previous one in that concrete or cement is used. The structure of the mortar allows you to create a strong screed that will hide even the largest defects in the base. It is more expedient to apply this type of alignment during repairs in a new building., since the materials are quite cheap, and the manufacturing technology has been tested over the years.

The floor screed in a panel house can be trusted to be done by craftsmen, or you can try to do it yourself. Today on sale there is a wide range of special dry building mixtures. They are made on the basis of sand and cement. Due to the large number of such products, it is very difficult to choose the right mixture.

All these products differ in the content of the binder. It should be noted that mixtures of low quality contain less cement and more sand.

It is necessary to know in detail the sequence of work on the implementation of the concrete screed:

• Preliminary preparation of the base. This stage includes cleaning, waterproofing, and laying roofing material along the lower edges of the walls.

• Marking... This is where you need a level. Around the entire perimeter of the room, you need to make marks, put up beacons.

• If the height of the screed is small, then the beacons can be made from mortar... It is necessary to lay out the strip from the solution and secure with tape. After that, it is important to check with a level the correct application of the screed. If irregularities are found, the excess solution should be removed.
• Concrete screeds can be of different layers... There is a single layer, that is, it is poured at a time along the entire height. This type is applicable in those rooms where there are no high requirements for the evenness of the floor.
• Multi-layer screeds are used in several steps... More often than not, the first coat is used to give the subfloor strength, while the second coat fixes the result and gives the floor a significant leveling.

Leveling with expanded clay

The application of this technique is associated with the useful properties of expanded clay. Among the distinctive ones are environmental friendliness, durability, affordability. Leveling with expanded clay can be done in various ways with a combination of materials.

The first option provides for the combination of expanded clay cushion with the use of a cement screed... First, expanded clay is poured onto the base in an even layer, then it is checked how evenly the insulation is placed. Next, you should carefully lay the prepared solution.

In order to avoid displacement of the base, it is allowed to make a protection in the form of a mesh before starting the coating with a cement screed. This floor will dry in about 3 days.

After complete drying, you need to remove the beacons and process the traces. Final surface strength will be reached after 4 weeks..

Before the expiration of this time, it is necessary to cover the base with a film so that the process of moisture release is slower.

Another method of leveling using expanded clay is expanded clay concrete screed... This technique involves filling the floor with an expanded clay pad using sand and cement. The third option for using expanded clay includes combination of this product with self-leveling floor.

The simplest and cheapest way is to make the surface smoother. by dry leveling the floor... The advantage of this method is that you do not have to wait long for the base to dry. Such a floor can be used immediately after sprinkling with expanded clay. The work sequence is quite simple. The expanded clay mixture is scattered over the surface and must be leveled along the beacons. The minimum coating thickness must be at least 4 cm.

Living in a house where the floor is leveled with expanded clay, you don't have to worry about keeping warm, since this material has excellent insulating properties.

Leveling the floor along the logs

It is quite possible to make such a floor with your own hands, if you correctly master the installation technology. It is worth paying attention to the fact that this method of leveling the floor is distinguished by its economy. The use of this method greatly simplifies the laying of various cables and wires..

It is better to take care in advance of purchasing the necessary tools to work on leveling the surface along the logs. For work, you will definitely need tools such as a hammer drill, drill, screwdriver, hammer, tape measure.

It should be remembered that the room humidity should not exceed 60%. The logs themselves must be dried, cleaned of dust immediately before the masonry itself.

The minimum length of the logs should be 2 m. Before fixing the logs to the floor, the level of the future surface should be calculated.

It is important to consider the thickness of the flooring, plywood. Lags should be installed on beacons. The distance between the two beams will depend on the height of the floor covering.

The most relevant option for leveling the surface along the logs is an adjustable floor. The principle of operation of this method lies in the fact that slots are made in the logs, plastic bushings are screwed into them, allowing you to adjust the floor height. Fixation of the bushings in the log is carried out using several screws. Next, the logs should be attached to the concrete, on which you need to make marks for future holes. Using nails, you need to attach the beams to the base. Plywood sheets are screwed on top.

What's better?

Having considered the main methods of leveling the floors, you should decide which of the methods is the most suitable. Which technique is better to choose must be decided based on the state of the surface, what is the degree of its unevenness, and also what type of coating you want to lay.

It would seem that of all the options, the use of a concrete screed is considered the most reliable method, however, concrete has a number of disadvantages, among which a too long drying period is noted. This slows down the repair. The concrete base is prone to cracking. Working with a concrete screed is quite laborious.

It is also worth remembering the advantages of this option. This method is used only in the presence of slight irregularities.