How to level the floor on the balcony

It would not be a mistake to say that no matter how large the house or apartment is, hardly anyone will refuse the additional living space. For these purposes, a well-equipped and prepared balcony can be suitable. Instead of using it for storing various things, it is better to turn the balcony into a rather cozy mini-study in which it will be pleasant to work, or into a small greenhouse (or maybe in what fantasy tells). But before it becomes possible, sitting on the balcony, to drink seagulls, it is necessary to prepare it for this. As with any more or less overhaul, one of the initial stages of finishing the balcony is leveling the floor surface.

Preparation for work

So, before starting work, it is necessary to carry out initial preparation of the room. It consists in carrying out of all superfluous and simple cleaning. In the case of floor leveling, the removal of the old flooring takes place. It is also necessary to prepare all the materials and tools that will be needed in the future.

Floor alignment methods

It should be noted that before leveling the floor on the balcony, it is necessary to decide how this will be done - with the involvement of specialists or independently. The services of professionals, as a rule, inevitably entail additional costs, and leveling the floor is not a particularly laborious or difficult process, therefore, it is more expedient to carry out the planned work independently. This can be done with:

• cement-sand screed,
• self-leveling mixtures
• wooden lag. 

Note! When choosing the method of leveling the floor on the balcony, it is worth considering the fact that the construction of this room itself can be much less kind and durable than the rest of the apartment, and the concrete screed, in addition to its positive qualities, has considerable weight load on the structure.

Concrete screed

So let's start in order. In order to level the floor with a concrete screed, it is necessary to begin to check the degree of unevenness of the floor, because the thickness of the screed layer, and hence the material consumption, will depend on this. First, using the construction level, the measurement of the angle of the floor surface is made. Then the guide beacons are installed, according to which the coupler will be made. Lighthouses can be made from building profiles. When installing it is necessary with the help of the same level to monitor the evenness of the installation of beacons. After the installation work has been completed, you can proceed to the immediate pouring of the floor. To do this, prepare a cement mixture. In a ratio of 1/3 mixed cement and sand, and then diluted with water to the consistency of the cream. Care must be taken to avoid the formation of lumps. This can be done either manually or using a mixer nozzle on a drill. As soon as the mixture is ready, it is poured into the space between the lighthouses, after which it is leveled. Once this work is completed, the floor must be left to dry. After a day, you can walk on the floor without harming it.

Note! Cement screed gains strength during the month.

Fill self-leveling mixture

Leveling the floor on the balcony with self-leveling mixtures is even easier. The prepared mixture is poured onto the prepared surface (without cracks and debris). It is necessary to begin from the place having the greatest height. When pouring the mixture, it is necessary to wait until it is completely cured, after which the floor can be considered ready. This surface is quite possible to use as a final coating, as it has good performance characteristics and is attractive in appearance. 

Use wooden lag

For leveling the floor is often used wooden logs. For their manufacture used wooden beam of sufficient size. The floor lathing is made with the help of this bar and anchor bolts. Bars are mounted at a certain height from the original floor, thus achieving the possibility of air circulation under the structure. After the lags are installed, plywood is laid on them, or another suitable material. After this, the leveling of the floor with the help of wooden logs can be considered complete.

Whatever method of leveling the floor on the balcony is chosen, it is worth understanding that this action is directed not so much to the external component as to ensure a quality basis for the future finishing of the entire room.

Video

This video shows how to make a cement-sand screed on the balcony: