If your home's old wood flooring has lost its appearance, hasn't rotted or broken, or you want to heat it up, you may be interested in information on how to pour the floor over wood floors without removing them. So, the concrete screed will be poured from above onto the existing base, for which it is initially necessary to coordinate the height of the future coating with doorways and communication lines (pipes, radiators, etc.). In most cases, it is necessary to shorten the door leaves by sawing them from the bottom. Sometimes they resort to installing new doors, and all the highways are laid in a new way, here the decision is made by the owners of the home.
For the device of a high-quality screed on an already existing wooden flooring, mixtures are chosen that are suitable for such purposes, otherwise there is a risk of destruction of the screed if the old floor is rotten or sagged from old age. Bulk mixes, which are easily leveled and quickly harden, are the best suited here. For greater strength, such a screed must be reinforced by reinforcing it, and it is advisable to check the compressive strength 28-30 days after laying. Typically, the height of the concrete layer is 10 mm.
Concrete as a screed: installation steps
Anyone who is familiar with construction knows that any such process begins with preparatory work, and the installation of flooring in a wooden house is no exception.
Preparation of the base
Be sure to make sure that the old floor is not rotten and can withstand the load from the new screed.The main task facing the masters in this case is to ensure high strength of the screed after it has hardened.
If you are dealing with a very worn previous base in a concrete poured house, you will need to remove the loose layer by sanding or milling. The fat accumulated over the years of long-term operation of the floor structure, the glue base, the old bulk mixtures must be removed, and also the irregularities, the differences of which exceed 10 mm, must be leveled. For such purposes, special cement-based mixtures are used, or, more simply, concrete. The final leveling can only be carried out after the mass has completely hardened, which has filled the recesses.
Arranging the fill on the old wooden flooring in the house, all rotten and broken boards are removed, and new ones are nailed to the logs in their place. You also need to ensure that each board is securely fixed and does not wobble, which can be eliminated using ordinary self-tapping screws. In no case should there be a squeak or sagging of the floor when exposed to its surface. If there are holes in the flooring through which concrete will flow, they are sealed with wood putty, which consists of wood dust and plastic components. You can also prepare such a putty yourself: mix sawdust with oil paint in a 4: 1 ratio. Water-soluble fillers are not suitable for such purposes.
Step by step before the main process, the subfloor is prepared as follows:
- Skirting boards are dismantled, and planks are put in their place, which will cover the openings between the wall and the floor.
- The gaps between the installed planks and the base are putty. After removing the planks between the wall and the covering, the ventilation of the underground space will be restored.
Padding
The wooden flooring in the house needs to be sanded, and then with a vacuum cleaner remove all debris and prime. The primer will significantly improve the adhesion between the concrete and the old coating and prevent air bubbles from forming. Also, the soil will prevent the water contained in the solution from quickly absorbing into the wood and will ensure uniform spreading of the mixture over the base. Dry flooring must be primed twice, and in the case of multi-layer leveling, each layer of filling is processed. Make sure that before applying the primer, the floor is not even slightly damp, otherwise the result will not give the desired effect.
Reinforcement
For a weak wood base in your home, it is best to purchase a fiberglass mesh to reinforce the leveling layer. It is attached directly to the base using staples and a special stapler. The staples will prevent the mesh from floating up after pouring the grout. The reinforcement system must be mounted in the middle or just below a third of the screed thickness. When hammering in the staples, control the strength of their fixation to the deck.
Mixing concrete
Special attention is paid to the preparation of the solution, because the final result depends on its quality. Basically, for such purposes, dry formulations are purchased in bags of 25 kg. This amount of dry matter takes about 6.5 liters of water, if the required consistency is not obtained, you can gradually add another 0.5 liters of liquid. Do not overdo it, as a liquid solution is difficult to pour, and it will not have the required strength properties. The mixing process itself is best done using a drill with a special attachment until a homogeneous consistency is obtained. The ready-made mortar must be used within 15 minutes after mixing, otherwise it will harden and be unusable. Also, do not forget to control the temperature regime in a wooden house and in a solution. An indicator not lower than + 10C is considered optimal. If you are carrying out work in a new, unheated building, warm water will come to the rescue, the temperature of which should not exceed + 35C.
Pouring concrete
Now that the wooden base and mortar are ready, you can install self-leveling floors in the house. The screed is poured continuously until its surface is perfectly leveled. The work uses spatulas with steel or serrated blades. 4-5 hours after the wooden flooring is covered with mortar, you can carefully step on it. 6 hours after the completed process, surface grinding is allowed, if necessary. It is usually carried out for future painting or application of liquid floors. Before sanding, they take out the boards, which are temporarily installed instead of the baseboards, they have completed their mission and are no longer needed.
We process expansion joints
In those places where there were expansion joints (doorways), using a grinder with a diamond wheel, a screed layer is cut out. This process is carried out only after the filling surfaces have hardened and it is allowed to walk on them. Further, each seam must be filled with a special material that is intended exclusively for such purposes. It has high elasticity and seals the holes in the screed. When you calculate the required amount of material for self-leveling floors, proceed from the following parameters: for a layer thickness of 1 mm, 1.5 kg / sq.m are consumed. mixtures.
After finishing work, be sure to clean the tool before the solution hardens on it, which will complicate such actions. To do this, rinse the spatulas and rules with water, and clean the hardened mass with a coarse brush or a spatula with a flat blade. Now you know that in a house with an old wood covering, you can arrange a screed from a concrete solution, and you are also familiar with the technology of such work.
An illustrative example of floor filling is shown in the video:
In modern renovation, self-leveling floors are very often used for leveling the base and for finishing. The main advantages of such floors are their durability, wear resistance, strength and ease of installation. In addition, one cannot fail to note their environmental friendliness and safety. Today, self-leveling floors have changed dramatically in quality compared to those that were presented on the market a few years ago. An example of this is 3d floors, which can be called real masterpieces, thanks to the unique design with a three-dimensional image of any object.
Laying a self-leveling mixture on a concrete base is not difficult for anyone, but how to make a self-leveling floor on a wooden floor? After all, not everyone likes the prospect of dismantling the old plank floor. And if it's a private house, where the floor is originally completely wooden? It doesn't matter. There is a possibility of laying a self-leveling floor and on a wooden surface under certain conditions. It is important here that the old base is still of good quality, and the mixture for the floor is thin-filled, so as not to reduce the height of the ceilings.
Preparation of the base for pouring the self-leveling floor
Since the self-leveling mixture must be poured onto a sufficiently prepared substrate, special attention should be paid to this process. Any foundation requires careful preparation. This is especially true for the old wooden floor. Immediately, we will make a reservation that this old floor should not be rotten, no creaks should come from it, not to mention the presence of dangling boards.
First of all, all the skirting boards in the room are dismantled. After that, using a scraper machine, carefully peel off the top painted layer from the boards. Next, the bases are rubbed with a grinding machine, revealing cracks that are necessarily present on any old wooden coating. These cracks, irregularities and gaps between the boards are covered with a putty. For further work, they wait until it dries well. Then, using coarse sandpaper, rub the entire surface. This technique will ensure better adhesion of the self-leveling mixture to the substrate.
A rubbed and flat base is cleaned of dust and degreased with a vacuum cleaner. Then the surface must be primed. This guarantees excellent adhesion of the polyurethane mixture to the wood. This should be done in at least two layers. Sifted quartz sand should be added to the primer. Grains of this substance create a roughness of the surface of the base, which increases the adhesion area and creates its multidirectionality. This adds up to greater adhesion between polymer and wood.
The tool required to perform work
To carry out work on the preparation of a wooden base and pouring the mixture, you will need:
- An ordinary nailer, wooden wedges and a chisel for removing skirting boards.
- Scraping machine or hand scraper.
- Sander.
- Coarse sandpaper or emery.
- Industrial or household vacuum cleaner.
- Medium roller or brush for applying the primer.
- Flat brush or short-haired paint roller for even distribution of the polymer coating.
- Needle roller for removing air from the polymer coating.
- Squeegee and metal spatula.
- Construction mixer or drill with a nozzle for mixing polymer floor mortar.
Do not forget about such compulsory items as goggles, work clothes, gloves and respirators. In order to be able to move, if necessary, on a freshly applied layer of self-leveling floor without fear, you need to acquire shoes equipped with spiked soles.
Self-leveling polymer flooring technology
By itself, the technology of pouring a self-leveling mixture onto an ordinary plank floor does not fundamentally differ from a similar procedure, where concrete acts as the basis. The differences lie only in the initial preparatory stage, which we examined in sufficient detail above.
Before pouring the polymer floor, you need to carefully read the instructions for preparing the solution, which is on the package. The solution must be prepared in the strictest accordance with it.
Take the dry mixture from the bag and pour it into a container convenient for mixing. A plastic bucket of water-based paint can work very well. The amount of water required according to the instructions is poured into the powder and mixed with a construction mixer or drill with a special nozzle. Stir the mixture until a homogeneous mass is formed. Then, the finished solution is spread on a prepared wooden base. They begin to do this from the farthest corner of the room, gradually moving towards the door.
The poured mass is leveled as it moves with a spatula to obtain a layer no more than 5 mm thick. This is the optimal size for a wooden base. The final leveling and removal of air bubbles is carried out using a rubber needle roller. In this case, you can move around the room using spiked shoes.
Self-leveling flooring resin hardens very quickly, so batches of grout must be prepared quickly. The intervals between their fillings should be no more than 10 minutes. It is advisable to fill such a floor together using two containers. While one person prepares the mixture, the second one pours and flattens the previous batch. The joints between batches of pouring should be more carefully rolled with a roller if you are making the floor alone and cannot provide a continuous process.
15 minutes after the room has been completely filled, the entire surface must be covered with foil. This is required so that dust does not settle on the floor, spoiling the quality of the glossy surface. When the self-leveling floor is completely dry and can be walked on, it becomes possible to apply a topcoat. It can be a polymer for three-dimensional floors, varnish or traditional flooring options.
Installation cost
The costs of installing self-leveling floors in the house are strictly individual. They depend on the selected type of self-leveling mixture, its manufacturer, and the cost of decoration. Floors in 3d format with an exclusive pattern are an order of magnitude higher than ordinary floors. The technology for installing self-leveling floors on a wooden base is not particularly difficult, so the work can be done independently. This will provide a significant reduction in the cost of the entire repair.
Here are the approximate prices for the execution of work by professionals in stages:
- Preparation of a wooden base for pouring a polymer self-leveling floor (average price of $ 5 per 1 sq.m.).
- Priming of the prepared base (average price $ 3 per 1 sq.m.).
- Pouring a wooden surface with a polymer self-leveling mixture (average price of $ 6 per 1 sq.m.).
Thus, for the whole range of works on pouring a self-leveling floor, for example, in a room of 20 m2, you will have to pay $ 280. Agree that this amount is quite impressive. This is much more than the mixture itself is worth. All of these rates apply to regular flooring, which you can make yourself.
The cost of pouring decorative floors is usually calculated individually. If you decide to make a self-leveling floor in 3d format at home, then you will definitely need to use the services of a specialist. This will guarantee:
- High quality decorative coating.
- A guarantee for all work performed.
- Performing the entire installation cycle in accordance with accepted technologies.
- The use of too expensive, but necessary construction tools in the process.
In the case of independent work, you should not neglect the practical advice of professionals. This experience will help avoid costly rework afterwards.
In any living space, it is recommended to use self-leveling mixtures only based on polymer resins. In rooms where high humidity is constantly present, it is necessary to use an epoxy type of self-leveling floor covering, while in the rest of the house a polyurethane floor.
The technology is provided for pouring on a concrete base, but installation on a wooden surface is also allowed. At the same time, the complexity of the work increases, since it is imperative to make high-quality preparation of the base with a two-layer primer. The strength of adhesion of the coating to the wood of the base depends on this.
The self-leveling floors so popular today have a lot of advantages. A self-leveling floor on a wooden base is not only strong and durable, but safe and environmentally friendly, therefore it is perfect for living quarters, including children's rooms and kitchens.
The first self-leveling floors were not particularly diverse. Now times have changed, and experts offer polyurethane coatings in numerous colors. Floors made in 3D technology are very popular, with their help you can create a stunning effect that will decorate the design of any room.
More often, self-leveling floors can be found in houses with a concrete base. But the wooden floor is also suitable for this type of work. Pouring a floor with a wood base is somewhat more complicated and has certain nuances.
Preparation for work
Laying the bulk mix is a laborious process. Much depends on how thoroughly the preparation for it will be. First of all, you need to determine whether it is possible to work with a particular wooden base. The self-leveling floor will last a long time and will be really high quality only when the wooden flooring is solid enough.
The preparation of the base consists in getting rid of the baseboards and their fixings against the walls. Further, the wooden floor is cycled using a special machine. In small rooms, you can do with a manual cycle.
Next comes the grinding machine, whose task will be to open cracks in the wooden coating. If they were not initially visible, then after processing they will certainly appear. All cracks and irregularities on the surface should be treated with a putty and wait until it dries completely. After that, the base for the self-leveling floor is sanded with coarse emery. In this case, it is better to give preference to wood combined with polyurethane.
The final stage of preparation is surface priming. Before starting this procedure, it is necessary to degrease the base and carefully get rid of all debris and dust. It is better to apply the primer in two layers. For more reliable adhesion, it is worth adding quartz sand to the primer.
For preparatory work, you will need a chisel, a nail puller, a scraper and grinder, coarse-grained emery, a primer roller, a spatula, and a mixer for mixing a polyurethane mortar. In addition, it is worth stocking up on gloves, respirators, overalls, goggles and shoes with spikes for walking on freshly applied surfaces.
Floor pouring technology
According to the principle of operation, pouring polyurethane onto a wooden floor is no different from a similar process with a concrete base.
First of all, it is important to properly prepare the solution. This procedure must be carried out in accordance with the rules indicated in the manufacturer's instructions. Basically, this happens according to the same scheme: the dry mixture is poured with water, and then mixed until homogeneous with a construction mixer.
The finished mixture must be spread on the wooden floor, starting from the farthest corner of the room. The thickness of the finished coating is very important. In the case of wood, it should not be more than 5 mm. The polyurethane is leveled with a spatula and a needle roller. The latter is necessary in order to remove all air bubbles from the mixture. An even layer of polyurethane must be dried for about 15 minutes, and then covered with a film so that dust does not settle on the solidifying self-leveling floor.
The base coat should be completely dry and well cured. Only then can the finishing layer be applied. As a rule, this is a varnish or a polymer mixture.
Experts advise choosing self-leveling floors for residential premises, which are based on polymer resin. Where the humidity is particularly high, such as in the bathroom, it is better to use an epoxy coating.
Self-leveling floors can be very durable, but each case has its own peculiarities of preparation and installation. For example, in a room with the possibility of sudden changes in temperature, it is worth using mounting tape. It must be laid along the entire perimeter of the wall of the room. As a result, a damper pad will come out, which will be able to protect the polyurethane surface in the event that the tree begins to expand with increasing temperature.
In rooms with a wooden base of the floor, after finishing the preparatory work, you need to check the humidity and temperature in the room. The instructions for the polyurethane mixture must indicate the optimal values for starting work.
Masters recommend pouring a surface area of about 2 square meters at once. Then it needs to be quickly leveled and work continued on other areas. Do not interrupt the pouring process of the polyurethane coating for more than 10 minutes, otherwise you may get an uneven surface. It is most convenient to fill in strips starting from the door farthest from the entrance.
The needle roller plays an important role in filling the floor, as it makes the coating as uniform as possible. Experts recommend not to skimp on the finish coat. A good varnish will give the self-leveling floor a beautiful glossy shine and increase its durability.
The self-leveling floor becomes hard after 10-12 hours. However, it is better to wait a few days before stepping on the surface. In some cases, the dry period may take a week.
If you follow all the rules, you can achieve an amazing effect that will delight for many years.
More articles on this topic: 
In modern renovation, self-leveling floors are very often used for leveling the base and for finishing. The main advantages of such floors are their durability, wear resistance, strength and ease of installation. In addition, one cannot fail to note their environmental friendliness and safety.
Today, self-leveling floors have changed dramatically in quality compared to those that were presented on the market a few years ago. An example of this is 3d floors, which can be called real masterpieces, thanks to the unique design with a three-dimensional image of any object.
Laying a self-leveling mixture on a concrete base is not difficult for anyone, but how to make a self-leveling floor on a wooden floor? After all, not everyone likes the prospect of dismantling the old plank floor. And if it's a private house, where the floor is originally completely wooden? It doesn't matter. There is a possibility of laying a self-leveling floor and on a wooden surface under certain conditions. It is important here that the old base is still of good quality, and the mixture for the floor is thin-filled, so as not to reduce the height of the ceilings.
Preparation of the base for pouring the self-leveling floor
Since the self-leveling mixture must be poured onto a sufficiently prepared substrate, special attention should be paid to this process. Any foundation requires careful preparation. This is especially true for the old wooden floor. Immediately, we will make a reservation that this old floor should not be rotten, no creaks should come from it, not to mention the presence of dangling boards.
First of all, all the skirting boards in the room are dismantled. After that, using a scraper machine, carefully peel off the top painted layer from the boards. Next, the bases are rubbed with a grinding machine, revealing cracks that are necessarily present on any old wooden coating. These cracks, irregularities and gaps between the boards are covered with a putty. For further work, they wait until it dries well. Then, using coarse sandpaper, rub the entire surface. This technique will ensure better adhesion of the self-leveling mixture to the substrate.
A rubbed and flat base is cleaned of dust and degreased with a vacuum cleaner. Then the surface must be primed. This guarantees excellent adhesion of the polyurethane mixture to the wood. This should be done in at least two layers. Sifted quartz sand should be added to the primer. Grains of this substance create a roughness of the surface of the base, which increases the adhesion area and creates its multidirectionality. This adds up to greater adhesion between polymer and wood.
The tool required to perform work
To carry out work on the preparation of a wooden base and pouring the mixture, you will need:
An ordinary nailer, wooden wedges and a chisel for removing skirting boards.
Scraping machine or hand scraper.
Sander.
Coarse sandpaper or emery.
Industrial or household vacuum cleaner.
Medium roller or brush for applying the primer.
Flat brush or short-haired paint roller for even distribution of the polymer coating.
Needle roller for removing air from the polymer coating.
Squeegee and metal spatula.
Construction mixer or drill with a nozzle for mixing polymer floor mortar.
Do not forget about such compulsory items as goggles, work clothes, gloves and respirators. In order to be able to move, if necessary, on a freshly applied layer of self-leveling floor without fear, you need to acquire shoes equipped with spiked soles.
Self-leveling polymer flooring technology
By itself, the technology of pouring a self-leveling mixture onto an ordinary plank floor does not fundamentally differ from a similar procedure, where concrete acts as the basis. The differences lie only in the initial preparatory stage, which we examined in sufficient detail above.
Before pouring the polymer floor, you need to carefully read the instructions for preparing the solution, which is on the package. The solution must be prepared in the strictest accordance with it.
Take the dry mixture from the bag and pour it into a container convenient for mixing. A plastic bucket of water-based paint can work very well. The amount of water required according to the instructions is poured into the powder and mixed with a construction mixer or drill with a special nozzle. Stir the mixture until a homogeneous mass is formed. Then, the finished solution is spread on a prepared wooden base. They begin to do this from the farthest corner of the room, gradually moving towards the door.
The poured mass is leveled as it moves with a spatula to obtain a layer no more than 5 mm thick. This is the optimal size for a wooden base. The final leveling and removal of air bubbles is carried out using a rubber needle roller. In this case, you can move around the room using spiked shoes.
Self-leveling flooring resin hardens very quickly, so batches of grout must be prepared quickly. The intervals between their fillings should be no more than 10 minutes. It is advisable to fill such a floor together using two containers. While one person prepares the mixture, the second one pours and flattens the previous batch. The joints between batches of pouring should be more carefully rolled with a roller if you are making the floor alone and cannot provide a continuous process.
15 minutes after the room has been completely filled, the entire surface must be covered with foil. This is required so that dust does not settle on the floor, spoiling the quality of the glossy surface. When the self-leveling floor is completely dry and can be walked on, it becomes possible to apply a topcoat. It can be a polymer for three-dimensional floors, varnish or traditional flooring options.
Expert advice
In any living space, it is recommended to use self-leveling mixtures only based on polymer resins. In rooms where high humidity is constantly present, it is necessary to use an epoxy type of self-leveling floor covering, while in the rest of the house a polyurethane floor.
The technology is provided for pouring on a concrete base, but installation on a wooden surface is also allowed. At the same time, the complexity of the work increases, since it is imperative to make high-quality preparation of the base with a two-layer primer. The strength of adhesion of the coating to the wood of the base depends on this.
The house starts from the foundation and your apartment, room or any technical room starts from the floor. This is the surface that is exposed to the greatest influence from the outside - walking, running, furniture pressure, dust settling, staining. Of course, this indicates the need to form a hardy, durable coating. Like many modern construction work, the floor can be made with the latest developments. There are two types of base - concrete and wood. The former is suitable for factories, businesses, offices, homes, public places such as schools, hospitals.
Wooden floors can now be found in the private sector - on, in cottages, houses in ecovillages, as well as in areas of old buildings. But, nevertheless, it is this material that has unique natural properties and is very valuable. For rooms with an imperfectly prepared rough surface, self-leveling mixtures for a wooden floor are recommended. They will help you find a compromise between time-tested materials, economic considerations and dreams of a trendy and stylish interior.
Surface preparation for work
The floor is not always level. Often the surface retains the flaws of past repair crews, sometimes it deforms over time. In order to determine the condition of the main wooden floor, some work needs to be done. First of all, you need to get to it by removing the layers of the topcoat, which can be linoleum, carpet, laminate. This must be done carefully, without deforming the base. To do this, you should first take a closer look at the type of attachment in order to purposefully direct the force. When the surface is cleaned from both the coating and the layer of insulating film and insulation, you need to pay attention to the boards. If you notice signs of decay, they are no longer suitable, as this process is irreversible. The appearance of small bugs is also an alarming symptom. If the tree is not damaged, actions can be taken to restore it and a new covering can be laid.
Evenness is very important in flooring. It will avoid problems with ceramic and cork tiles, laminate, solid wood or veneered MDF boards. Any extra bend will inevitably affect the appearance of the surface, forming bumps, cracks, preventing good adhesion of the glue. How do you know what the quality of your floor is? To do this, you can not only use an eye gauge, but also count using several threads stretched over the floor from one wall to another. Fasten the ends of the threads at the same height from the floor, then lower them until the thread touches the floor at one point. Measure the distance from the thread to the floor in other areas. If the difference in height does not exceed a few millimeters, this is an acceptable error. If the height differences are more than 5 mm, it is likely that additional filling of the screed will be required in this area. If there are gaps in the floor, they must be sealed with putty, otherwise the mixture will leak and unevenness will appear.
Composition and features of the mixture
Leveling mixtures can be a real help in the hands of the master, both for cement and wood floors. They prepare the substrate for any kind of finish. Some of them need to be carefully rolled out over the surface and distributed by hand, while some spread themselves, filling all the cracks and depressions. It is with the latter types of mixtures that it is easiest for a beginner to work.
The composition traditionally includes cement or gypsum, sand, as well as additional additives that are responsible for the properties of the product - drying speed, strength, preferred layer thickness. It is very important to follow all the manufacturer's instructions. The main difference between the mixture for leveling wood flooring is in the presence of fibrous additives responsible for better adhesion to the surface, such as fiberglass. The peculiarities can also be attributed to the absence of casein in the composition - a substance that can destroy the structure of a tree. Also, the composition may contain polymer modifiers.
Required inventory
Self-leveling mixtures are also called self-leveling floors, which clearly describes the way they are applied. If your room in the future may be subject to temperature extremes and high humidity, it is better to choose cement-based mixtures. Anhydrite compositions are not ready for such a load. The purchase should be carried out in a hardware store, where they will tell you which samples interact better with the tree, and how to calculate the required volume of the mixture. Of the necessary tools, you must have: a bucket, a wide spatula, a needle roller and a mixer for mortar. Proven manufacturers in this area: Knauf, Horizon, Vetonit, Ceresit, Prospectors, Volma, Paul Bolars.
Dilution of the mixture
Leveling a wooden floor with a self-leveling mixture can be a real torture if the ratio of water to dry matter is not observed. The mixture is poured into water gradually, stirring. It is very important to have time to mix the mixture and apply it without exceeding the time interval of half an hour, since it is at this time that the mixture has the best adhesion to the surface. If there is too little water, the mixture will begin to solidify and be distributed into the granules-crystals even in the mixer, but if there is more than the prescribed amount, the self-leveling floor will dry for a long time.
This work is difficult to carry out alone, so it is better to invite specialists or friends who are competent in construction issues. The mixture costs a lot, but improper mixing alone can render it unusable, because the frozen mixture can no longer be re-diluted with water and reused. Stir the mixture until the lumps are completely dissolved. It is better to isolate the room from fresh air currents by closing the windows. Drafts and high humidity can adversely affect the hardening of the coating. The best temperature for work is from 5 to 25 degrees Celsius. If the mixture does not flow properly, use a roller. If its needles are shorter than the thickness of the floor, they will break up air bubbles without affecting the distribution of the mixture as a whole.
If you are making a floor in a room that does not exist, which separates it from the next, install limiters in advance that will keep the adjacent room clean. They can also be installed near a plumbing fixture if you are planning artistic processing.
It is quite possible to do this kind of work with your own hands. Buying a high-quality mixture will ensure ease of work, efficiency - a good result.
Self-leveling floor application
Self-leveling floors have certain advantages. They are environmentally friendly and safe. Their thickness varies from a millimeter to several centimeters, which allows you to find your own solution. Their thickness does not take the height of the room, allowing you to freely dispose of its space. The result of the work is a perfectly flat, smooth, durable coating, which is ready for further work. You can install a floor heating system on it, or you can immediately apply a finishing layer. The floor covering can be any, since the self-leveling floor does not react with any material. The temperature of the medium is very important and the temperature of the water with which the mixture is diluted, it should be cold, at room temperature.
The work can take all day, since both preliminary measures and sometimes a multi-level pouring process are necessary. The leveling compound can leave debris that is unacceptable to wood flooring. It will take about an hour to clean the finishing area.
Most mixes cannot be used as topcoats and require a topcoat of other materials. Some of them can be painted on top.
The arrangement of your home must necessarily begin with the project of the premises, and there must be a place in it not only for finishing coatings, design solutions for colors and accents, but also for basic construction work. You cannot build a castle on the sand, and you cannot get a safe and durable home without such a foundation. A self-leveling compound is well worth the investment; good insulation and filling voids and cracks are essential for a wood floor. This material breathes, but at the same time it becomes vulnerable, so only mixtures specially developed for wood can help solve the issue of quality repairs.