Dry floor screed yourself

The very essence of the work related to dry bulk floors has been known for some time, however, relatively recently, advanced materials began to be used in repairs, which made the process more simple.

What is a dry floor screed? This is a process that consists of the following: a layer of granular filling is laid on a concrete floor, a plank floor or another base, and a sheet-shaped material is laid on top of it.

Are there advantages of such a process? Yes of course. Among some of them it can be noted that concrete works do not need to be done at all. In addition, in such a floor made of dry screed, any communication can be easily made, in particular, electric heaters or wiring. Another advantage is thermal insulation, which is much better than when pouring ordinary concrete that is not able to retain heat. And, finally, if the deadlines for the work are drawn out, or it is necessary to work with a wooden base, the dry screed becomes simply irreplaceable. This is due to the fact that the installation time is small, and the weight of the screed is relatively small.

Dry screed technology

There is nothing difficult in a dry screed device; every person can make such a floor with his own hands, if, of course, he takes a little time to get acquainted with her technological process. The work can be divided into five stages, one after the other. Accordingly, it is not recommended to violate the order of their implementation. Consider these steps in order.

Surface preparation process

If you have to repair the floor in the house of the old building, you first have to dismantle the native cover. Then all the garbage is removed (several options are a construction vacuum cleaner or a broom and a dustpan). After the entire surface and, in particular, gaps and cracks in the floor slabs are cleaned of sand and pebbles, they can be sealed with a solution of cement and sand in a ratio of 1: 3; instead of cement it is even better to use the Knauf mixture. The floor leveling cement screed is not necessary.

The device is a waterproof layer

So, the cracks are sealed. Now, after the cement has been dried up, which filled the holes, a layer of insulation made of plastic film is laid on the base to prevent steam and moisture from entering the room. The strip of one such film should be laid with an overlap on another row of 15–25 cm. The film should also come out on the walls. Its height in this place usually reaches 5–6 cm - the size depends on the thickness of the screed, and of course we must not forget about a reserve of 1–2 cm.

As a moisture insulation layer, in addition to the film, you can also use glassine (for floors on wooden logs) or thick paper, pre-saturated with bitumen. Finally, you can go to the hypermarket or to the construction market and see what other materials for these purposes can be purchased there.

Note! In the absence of a vapor barrier layer, leaked water or rising steam from the apartments below can lead to the dry screed being saturated with moisture and no longer usable.

Soundproofing

Inside the house, the sound is most often capable of being transmitted in various parts and simply in solid parts. To do this, a small gap of up to 1 cm must be left between the dry screed and the walls. A special tape is placed on the edge of the floor, which is distinguished by its sound insulation properties (based on polyethylene foam, can sometimes be made of mineral wool).

Backfilling dry material

One of the important conditions imposed on the material intended for backfilling, can be called the uniformity of the composition of the grain. To dry mix for the screed turned out as it should, you can use only bulk inorganic building materials. It can be:

• Waste remaining after screening claydite production.
• Slag fine grain.
• Sand containing silica, quartz or perlite.

Thanks to these materials, it is possible to create an almost perfect and even base to lay the covering sheets on it.

Note! Dry backfill is different properties that allow you to create additional insulation and sound insulation.

If there are a lot of irregularities in the floor, you will need to fill up a large thickness of the backfill layer. We should not forget about the communication laid on the floor. Typically, the thickness of the new floor is 3-4 cm, but, if necessary, maybe about 6 cm. In the latter case, the screed is reinforced with an additional sheet of flooring.

If the floor is relatively flat, for example, in a new building, there is no need to level it. Then it is also not necessary to fill it up with a dry layer; instead, an extrusive polystyrene made as tiles will suit instead. They can be cut to report on the edges or corners of the room. Sound insulation and thermal insulation is almost the same as with dry fill.

Completion of work - mounting sheets

Poured a layer of dry material. Now it needs to be leveled. When it is ready, you can cover the sheets of the top cover. Various sheet materials are suitable for this, on which a small layer of foam is applied to the bottom. You can apply:

• dense chipboard with a minimum thickness of 8 mm,
• gypsum sheets, known for their moisture resistance,
• slabs of asbestos cement,
• waterproof plywood.

Note! Flooring should always start at the corner of the room. Otherwise, there is a risk to destroy the layer, which is already so evenly laid.

Plates can fit in one or more layers (as a rule, two are sufficient in most cases). Their number depends on the density of the material, its thickness and type. Each other sheets are fastened with wood screws and glue. The resulting seams and fasteners should be putty, and then perform their grinding. Outside the sheets must be covered with bitumen insulation.

In general, there is nothing complicated. The dry floor technology is simple and affordable. Home no concrete mixer? Great, she won't be needed. No time? Enough with his head. Now you can get to work with confidence that everything will work out in the best possible way. To serve such a coating will be no worse than the floor of concrete, and it looks decent.

Video

This video describes the manufacture of dry screed: