What is the correct device of concrete floors?

Concrete floors are well proven in areas with heavy loads (warehouses, garages). Although the manufacturing technology is not simple, they can be made independently. This article will discuss in detail the device of concrete floors and their features.

General information

As well as on any products, there is a SNiP on concrete floors, which must meet certain standards and standards, based on characteristics such as:

• life time;
• level of resistance to aggressive environment;
• the load on the concrete floor must be as specified in the project.

Obtaining a surface that will perfectly meet all the above requirements is preceded by two basic requirements:

1. All materials used must be of good quality.
2. During the process of making concrete, you must carefully follow the technology.

Main steps

The technology of the device of concrete floors includes four main stages:

1. Preparatory work with the base;
2. Laying concrete mix in the screed;
3. Subsequent surface treatment;
4. The process of cutting seams and their sealing.

It should be noted that laying the floor is quite possible not only on an existing base, but also on the ground. But the calculation of the concrete floor in this case, although it implies significant savings, is quite energy-intensive. In addition, the effectiveness of this method is manifested only in fairly dry places.

Tip: when laying a concrete floor on a subgrade, it is necessary to equip the drainage. This will help get rid of excess moisture, as well as protect the coupler from further damage.

Laying on the ground

Therefore, before making a concrete coating on the ground, you must first lay a pillow in the form of a layer of sand or gravel to reduce the effect of the soil, as well as get rid of possible freezing and the effect of groundwater.

Since such a floor will have a multilayer structure, let's imagine its components.

Of course, the instruction will be approximate, everyone can carry out the arrangement in their own way, depending on the situation:

1. Make a firm bottom at the bottom.
2. Top with a layer of river sand.
3. Make a layer of expanded clay or gravel.
4. Do waterproofing work with plastic films.
5. Make a rough concrete screed.
6. Cover it with a vapor barrier.
7. Put on top of the "sandwich" heater.
8. Make a clean reinforced screed.

Preparation of the grounds

Tip: increase the density of sand is achieved in this way - take it a quarter more than necessary, moisten it, carefully tamp until it reaches the required thickness.

Waterproofing

It performs two important functions at once:

1. Does not allow groundwater to fall into the concrete screed.
2. Prevents moisture absorption from the base screed.

For its manufacture used roll materials, polymer membranes or thick layers of polyethylene. Do not forget that the waterproofing layer must be overlapped. The overlap on the walls should be at least 150-200 mm, and for gluing the joints it is best to use adhesive tape.

Tip: when ordering work in a construction company, the basis for the calculation can be taken ENiR on concrete floors.

Laying of the rough concrete basis

This layer will act as a base for waterproofing. For the manufacture of roughing screed used "lean" concrete, which is used gravel with a size of fractions from 5 to 20 mm. Since the process of its installation does not have any special requirements, this process is easy.

Tip: the thickness of the concrete floor in this case should exceed 40 mm, and the maximum difference in the horizontal plane should be no more than 4 mm.

On top of the draft of the screed must be put a layer that will provide a vapor barrier. The most suitable material for this are bitumen-polymer membranes.

After this, floor insulation is usually carried out; however, before starting work, it is necessary to make sure how important this process is and also what materials will be most suitable for it. Remember that they must be water repellent.

Otherwise, you will need to significantly strengthen the waterproofing layer. One of the most common options is a layer of foam of special density and quality, the price of which is higher than normal or extruded polystyrene foam.

Tip: the calculation of the thickness of the concrete floor is directly dependent on the surface on which it is poured.

Laying the finishing base

This process also consists of several steps:

Finishing

At the end of the last stage, you need to wait a bit until the concrete acquires sufficient strength. At the time of the technological break affects the ambient temperature, as well as humidity. Depending on these conditions, the time can vary from 3 to 7 hours.

When the depth of the trace on the surface does not exceed 2-3 mm, it is necessary to conduct its primary (coarse) grout using discs or trowels. The final (finishing) grout is carried out at a track depth on the surface of 1 mm.

Tip: if you need to achieve even greater floor strength, use topping. This is a special mixture consisting of cement and additives, which is rubbed into concrete.

Cutting seams

It is no secret that the concrete used in the screeds is a rather brittle material, and can be subjected to cracking. To prevent this process, cutting of expansion joints is carried out.

In total, there are such types of them:

1. Insulating, which are used in those places where there is a contact of different surfaces, for example, the floor and walls, the floor and columns. The main task is to prevent the transmission of vibrations.
2. Shrinkage, used to relieve stress during drying and shrinkage of the floor.
3. Structural, used to separate concrete, laid at different times.

Cutting seams должна осуществляться сразу же после набора бетоном определенной прочности, но до появления на поверхности трещин. Для разметки используется мел, а порядок работы определяется последовательностью укладки бетона.

However, these seams should go about a third of the depth of the screed. Sealing is used to facilitate care and strengthen the edges.

In conclusion, I would like to say that you can lay the concrete floor with your own hands. The main thing is to pay attention to all the nuances, as well as to the details of the process. As a result, you get a solid, even, warm floor that can cope with significant loads.

Conclusion

This article has reviewed in detail the device of concrete floors on the ground and on the old concrete screed. These principles can also be applied on other grounds, subject to certain nuances. In fact, the works are not particularly complex, but they require adherence to the instructions and high physical costs, which only modern technology can facilitate. The video in this article will help you find additional information on this topic.