We screed a private house on a soil foundation. How to make ground floors with your own hands? Requirements for the height of the floor relative to the strip foundation

In the process of constructing and arranging basements, garages, various outbuildings, and sometimes even residential premises (of course, in regions with a warm, mild climate), developers often give preference to a technology that involves installing a concrete floor on the ground.

After reading the information below, you will receive all the necessary information to independently carry out the event in question, refusing to involve third-party craftsmen in this work and significantly saving on the construction of the floor.

Before giving preference to the construction technology of the design in question, familiarize yourself with the key soil requirements given in the following table.

Table. Soil requirements for constructing a reliable concrete floor

Additionally, requirements are imposed directly on the building itself. It is important that the house is used for permanent residence or at least heated during the cold season. Otherwise, the ground will freeze, causing the concrete structure to deform.

Scheme of floors on the ground for a private house, garage, utility room

Technology for installing concrete floors on the ground

We make the floor after completing the construction of the walls and arranging the roof/floor. The actual work on constructing the structure under consideration on the ground consists of several technological stages, the sequence of which is given below.

First stage. Marking the floor level

First we need to set the zero level of the future floor. To do this we do the following:

Second phase. Clearing and compacting the soil

We move on to the stage of preliminary soil preparation. First we need to get rid of construction waste if there is any. Next we remove the top ball of soil. Traditionally, the multilayer structure of the concrete floor has a thickness of about 30-35 cm. We dig until the distance between the previously laid zero level line and the bottom of the pit reaches the specified value.

After this, we need to compact and level the surface. The best tool for this job is a special vibrating plate for compacting soil. If there is no such thing, we take a simple log, nail strong handles on top of it, nail a board underneath and use the resulting device to compact the soil. We work until we get a fairly dense and even base. No special checks are required: just walk on the ground and, if there are no depressions left in it from the feet, we proceed to the next stage of work.

Hand digging is never perfectly accurate. If the depth of the pit is greater than the required thickness of the future concrete structure, fill the difference with a layer of sand and compact it thoroughly.

Helpful advice! You can use another solution to the above problem by first laying a layer of clay, pouring it with water, compacting it, filling it with sand and further compacting it. Such a system will provide additional waterproofing future concrete structure, preventing groundwater from penetrating into its structure.

Third stage. Making the backfill

We fill in a 5-10 cm layer of gravel. We spill the backfill with water and compact it thoroughly. For greater convenience, we can first drive several rows of scraps of reinforcement or other similar material of the required length into the ground - this will make it easier for us to ensure the required backfill height. It is important that the trimmings are strictly level. After arranging each planned layer, the pegs can be removed.

Place about a 10cm layer of sand on top of the gravel. The pegs from the previous stage will help us control the thickness of the backfill. To carry out this activity, it is not necessary to use sifted material - even gully sand with minor impurities will do. We also compact the sand thoroughly.

Place a layer of crushed stone on top of the sand. A material with a fraction of 4-5 cm is optimal. We compact the crushed stone. Sprinkle on top thin layer sand, carefully level it and compact it thoroughly. If you find crushed stone with sharp protruding edges, remove it or rearrange it so that sharp corners were absent throughout the entire plane.

Important! Each layer of backfill must be level. Similar requirements apply to the layers of the “pie” that are further arranged.

Fourth stage. We install moisture and heat insulation materials

To protect concrete from the harmful effects of moisture, we use a special waterproofing membrane or ordinary polyethylene film. A material with a thickness of 200 microns is optimal. The work is carried out in an extremely simple sequence: we lay out the film on the base, bringing its edges a couple of centimeters above the zero level indicated in the previous stages, lay the insulation sheets directly with a 10-15-centimeter overlap, and fix the joints with tape.

The structure can be insulated using a wide variety of different materials, here is just a short list:

expanded clay;
mineral wool slabs;
Styrofoam;
rolled isolon, etc.

We lay the selected material, following the provisions of the appropriate technology, and proceed to further work.

Fifth stage. We arrange the reinforcing layer

A multilayer concrete structure is subject to mandatory reinforcement. We reinforce the floor with PVC or metal mesh of your choice. Metal wire and reinforcement bars are also well suited for solving this problem. They must first be tied into a mesh (we select the size of the cells in accordance with the expected loads: for high ones we take 10x10 cm, for medium ones - 15x15 cm, for low ones 20x20 cm will be enough), using flexible steel wire to fasten the joints.

We lay the reinforcing frame on pre-installed supports having a height of about 20-30 mm.

Important note! In the case of hardening using plastic mesh, the material is pulled onto pegs previously driven into the base.

Sixth stage. We install guides and formwork

Correct pouring of concrete mixture to the zero level is impossible without the use of guides. We do the following:

Important! Before proceeding with the next stage of work, be sure to check the correct installation of the guides and formwork using a level. If there are differences, you simply cannot make a flat floor. To eliminate irregularities, it is enough to trim off the protruding places. You can raise the guides in the right places by placing bars of a suitable size or the same plywood under them.

Be sure to treat before pouring wooden elements special oil. Thanks to this, in the future we will be able to remove the boards from the solution without any difficulty.

Seventh stage. Pour concrete and make a screed

We fill the previously created “maps” with concrete mortar. If possible, we try to fill the entire mass at once - this way we will get the most durable monolithic structure. If there is no opportunity or desire to order ready-made concrete, we make it ourselves.

Pouring concrete along beacons (option without maps)

To do this, we will need a concrete mixer or a large suitable container for manual mixing, cement (we use material grades M400-500), a shovel, crushed stone, sand. We work according to the following recipe: 1 share of cement, 2 shares of sand, 4 shares of crushed stone and about 0.5 shares of water (may vary, we will guide you as you work). Thoroughly mix the ingredients until a homogeneous mixture and proceed to further work.

It is most convenient to pour from the angle opposite to front door– in this case you won’t have to walk on concrete. Fill several cards in 1, maximum 2 steps, level the solution and stretch the mixture. If you have a special vibrator, use it to compact the mixture.

Formwork around pipelines

Having filled out several “cards”, we begin to level the base. The two-meter (or longer) rule will help us with this. We install the tool on the previously mounted guides and pull it towards ourselves. This way we get rid of excess concrete.

We take out the guides and formwork from the processed “cards” (specialists usually do this a day after pouring, some do it earlier, we focus on the situation). In a similar sequence, fill the entire site with concrete. After this, cover the base with plastic wrap and leave it to gain strength for a month. During the drying process, the concrete structure must be regularly moistened with water to prevent it from cracking.

Finally, all we have to do is fill the screed. To do this, we use a special self-leveling mixture - the most convenient option, the arrangement of which does not require special knowledge and effort.

The leveling mixture will eliminate minor surface imperfections and allow you to obtain a perfectly level base. We traditionally start working from the corner opposite to the entrance to the room.

Prepare the solution according to the manufacturer's instructions, pour it onto the floor and distribute it evenly over the surface using long rule or other suitable tool. We specify the drying time of the mixture in the instructions, usually it is 2-3 days.

The concrete floor on the ground is ready. All we have to do is lay the selected floor covering. Thanks to a properly arranged, level base, the finish will look beautiful and last as long as possible.

Now you know everything about installing a concrete floor on the ground and can do it yourself necessary measures. You just need to follow the guide and everything will definitely work out.

Good luck!

Video - Installation of a concrete floor on the ground

Schemes for installing a floor on the ground in a house, basement, garage or bathhouse

In houses without basements, the floor of the first floor can be made according to two schemes:

supported on the ground - with a screed on the ground or on joists;
supported on walls - like a ceiling over a ventilated underground.

Which of the two options will be better and easier?

In houses without a basement, floors on the ground are a popular solution for all rooms on the first floor. Floors on the ground are cheap, simple and easy to implement; they are also beneficial to install in the basement, garage, bathhouse and other utility rooms. Simple design, use of modern materials, placement of a heating circuit in the floor (warm floor) make such floors comfortable and attractively priced.

In winter, the backfill under the floor always has a positive temperature. For this reason, the soil at the base of the foundation freezes less - the risk of frost heaving of the soil is reduced. In addition, the thickness of the thermal insulation of a floor on the ground may be less than that of a floor above a ventilated underground.

It is better to abandon the floor on the ground if backfilling with soil is required to a height that is too high, more than 0.6-1 m. The costs of backfilling and soil compaction in this case may be too high.

A ground floor is not suitable for buildings on a pile or columnar foundation with a grillage located above the ground surface.

Three basic diagrams for installing floors on the ground

In the first version concrete monolithic reinforced slab the floor rests on load-bearing walls, Fig.1.

After the concrete hardens, the entire load is transferred to the walls. In this option, a monolithic reinforced concrete floor slab plays the role of a floor slab and must be designed for the standard load of the floors, have the appropriate strength and reinforcement.

The soil is actually used here only as temporary formwork when installing iron concrete slab ceilings This type of floor is often called a “suspended floor on the ground”.

A suspended floor on the ground has to be made if there is a high risk of shrinkage of the soil under the floor. For example, when building a house on peat bogs or at a height bulk soil more than 600 mm. The thicker the backfill layer, the higher the risk of significant subsidence of the fill soil over time.

Second option - this is a floor on a foundation - a slab, when a reinforced concrete monolithic slab, poured onto the ground over the entire area of the building, serves as a support for the walls and a base for the floor, Fig.2.

Third option provides for the installation of a monolithic concrete slab or laying wooden logs in between load-bearing walls supported on bulk soil.

Here the slab or floor joists are not connected to the walls. The load of the floor is completely transferred to the bulk soil, Fig.3.

It is the latter option that is correctly called a floor on the ground, which is what our story will be about.

Ground floors must provide:

thermal insulation of premises in order to save energy;
comfortable hygienic conditions for people;
protection against intrusion into premises ground moisture and gases - radioactive radon;
prevent the accumulation of water vapor condensation inside the floor structure;
reduce the transmission of impact noise to adjacent rooms along the building structures.

Backfilling the soil cushion for the floor on the ground

The surface of the future floor is raised to the required height by installing a cushion of non-heaving soil.

Before starting work on backfilling, be sure to remove the top soil layer with vegetation. If this is not done, the floor will begin to settle over time.

Any soil that can be easily compacted can be used as a material for constructing a cushion: sand, fine crushed stone, sand-gravel mixture, and if the groundwater level is low, sandy loam and loam. It is beneficial to use the soil remaining on the site from the well and (except for peat and black soil).

The cushion soil is carefully compacted layer by layer (no thicker than 15 cm.) by compacting and pouring water onto the soil. The degree of soil compaction will be higher if mechanical compaction is used.

Do not place large crushed stones, broken bricks, or pieces of concrete into the cushion. There will still be voids between large fragments.

The thickness of the bulk soil cushion is recommended to be in the range of 300-600 mm. Compact the fill soil until natural soil still fails. Therefore, the soil will settle over time. A thick layer of fill soil can cause the floor to settle too much and unevenly.

To protect against ground gases - radioactive radon, it is recommended to make a layer of compacted crushed stone or expanded clay in the cushion. This underlying captage layer is made 20 cm thick. The content of particles smaller than 4 mm this layer should contain no more than 10% by weight. The filtration layer must be ventilated.

The top layer of expanded clay, in addition to protecting against gases, will serve as additional thermal insulation for the floor. For example, a layer of expanded clay 18 cm. corresponds to 50 in terms of heat-saving ability mm. polystyrene foam To protect insulation boards and waterproofing films, which in some floor designs are laid directly on the backfill, from crushing, a leveling layer of sand is poured on top of the compacted layer of crushed stone or expanded clay, twice the thickness of the backfill fraction.

Before filling the soil cushion, it is necessary to lay water supply and sewerage pipes at the entrance to the house, as well as pipes for the ground ventilation heat exchanger. Or lay cases for installing pipes in them in the future.

Construction of floors on the ground

In private housing construction, the floor on the ground is arranged according to one of three options:

ground floor with concrete screed;
ground floor with dry screed;
ground floor on wooden joists.

A concrete floor on the ground is noticeably more expensive to construct, but is more reliable and durable than other structures.

Concrete floor on the ground

Ground floors are multilayer construction, Fig.4. Let's go through these layers from bottom to top:

Placed on a ground cushion material that prevents filtration into the groundmoisture contained in freshly laid concrete (for example, polyethylene film with a thickness of at least 0.15 mm.). The film is applied to the walls.
Along the perimeter of the walls of the room, on overall height all layers of the floor are fixed separating edge layer from strips 20 – 30 thick mm, cut from insulation boards.
Then they arrange a monolithic concrete floor preparation thickness 50-80 mm. from lean concrete class B7.5-B10 to crushed stone fraction 5-20 mm. This is a technological layer intended for gluing waterproofing. The radius of concrete joining the walls is 50-80 mm. Concrete preparation can be reinforced with steel or fiberglass mesh. The mesh is placed in bottom part slabs with a protective layer of concrete of at least 30 mm. For reinforcing concrete foundations it can alsouse steel fiber 50-80 long mm and diameter 0.3-1mm. During hardening, the concrete is covered with film or watered. Read:
For hardened concrete floor preparation weld-on waterproofing is glued. Or two layers of rolled waterproofing or roofing material on a bitumen basis are laid on mastic with each layer placed on the wall. The rolls are rolled out and joined with an overlap of 10 cm. Waterproofing is a barrier to moisture and also serves as protection against the penetration of ground gases into the house. The floor waterproofing layer must be combined with a similar wall waterproofing layer. Butt joints of film or roll materials must be sealed.
On a layer of hydro-gas insulation lay thermal insulation slabs. Extruded polystyrene foam will probably be the best option for insulating floors on the ground. Foam plastic with a minimum density of PSB35 (residential premises) and PSB50 for heavy loads (garage) is also used. Polystyrene foam breaks down over time upon contact with bitumen and alkali (that's all cement-sand mortars). Therefore, before laying foam plastic on a polymer-bitumen coating, one layer of polyethylene film should be laid with an overlap of sheets of 100-150 mm. The thickness of the insulation layer is determined by thermal engineering calculations.
On the thermal insulation layer lay the underlying layer(for example, polyethylene film with a thickness of at least 0.15 mm.), which creates a barrier to moisture contained in freshly laid concrete floor screed.
Then lay a monolithic reinforced screed with a “warm floor” system (or without a system). When heating floors, it is necessary to provide expansion joints in the screed. The monolithic screed must be at least 60 thick mm. executed from concrete class not lower than B12.5 or from mortarbased on cement or gypsum binder with a compressive strength of at least 15 MPa(M150 kgf/cm 2). The screed is reinforced with welded steel mesh. The mesh is placed at the bottom of the layer. Read: . For more thorough surface leveling concrete screed, especially if the finished floor is made of laminate or linoleum, a self-leveling solution of factory-made dry mixes with a thickness of at least 3 is applied on top of the concrete layer cm.
On the screed installing finished floor.

This is a classic ground floor. Based on it, various design options are possible - both in design and in the materials used, both with and without insulation.

Option - concrete floor on the ground without concrete preparation

Using modern building materials, concrete floors on the ground are often made without a layer of concrete preparation. A layer of concrete preparation is needed as a base for the sticker roll waterproofing on a paper or fabric base impregnated with a polymer-bitumen composition.

In floors without concrete preparation As waterproofing, a more durable polymer membrane specially designed for this purpose is used, a profiled film, which is laid directly on the ground cushion.

The profiled membrane is a sheet of polyethylene high density(PVP) with protrusions molded on the surface (usually spherical or in the shape of a truncated cone) with a height of 7 to 20 mm. The material is produced with a density from 400 to 1000 g/m 2 and is supplied in rolls with widths ranging from 0.5 to 3.0 m, length 20 m.

Due to the textured surface, the profiled membrane is securely fixed into the sand base without deforming or moving during installation.

Fixed in a sand base, the profiled membrane provides hard surface, suitable for laying thermal insulation and concrete.

The surface of the membranes can withstand the movement of workers and machines for transporting concrete mixtures and solutions (excluding crawler-mounted machines) without breaking.

The service life of the profiled membrane is more than 60 years.

The profiled membrane is laid on a well-compacted sand bed with the spikes facing down. The membrane spikes will be fixed in the pillow.

The seams between the overlapping rolls are carefully sealed with mastic.

The studded surface of the membrane gives it the necessary rigidity, which allows you to lay insulation boards directly on it and concrete the floor screed.

If slabs made of extruded polystyrene foam with profiled joints are used to construct a thermal insulation layer, then such slabs can be laid directly on the ground backfill.

Backfill of crushed stone or gravel with a thickness of at least 10 cm neutralizes the capillary rise of moisture from the soil.

In this embodiment, the polymer waterproofing film is laid on top of the insulation layer.

If the top layer of the soil cushion is made of expanded clay, then you can dispense with the insulation layer under the screed.

The thermal insulation properties of expanded clay depend on its bulk density. Made of expanded clay with a bulk density of 250–300 kg/m 3 it is enough to make a thermal insulation layer with a thickness of 25 cm. Expanded clay with bulk density 400–500 kg/m 3 to achieve the same thermal insulation ability, you will have to lay it in a layer 45 thick cm. Expanded clay is poured in layers 15 thick cm and compacted using a manual or mechanical tamper. The easiest to compact is multi-fraction expanded clay, which contains granules of different sizes.

Expanded clay is quite easily saturated with moisture from the underlying soil. Wet expanded clay has reduced thermal insulation properties. For this reason, it is recommended to install a moisture barrier between the base soil and the expanded clay layer. A thick waterproofing film can serve as such a barrier.

Large-porous expanded clay concrete without sand, encapsulated. Each expanded clay granule is enclosed in a cement waterproof capsule.

The base for the floor, made of large-porous sand-free expanded clay concrete, will be durable, warm and with low water absorption.

Floor on the ground with dry prefabricated screed

In ground floors, instead of a concrete screed as the top load-bearing layer, in some cases it is advantageous to make a dry prefabricated screed from gypsum fiber sheets, from sheets of waterproof plywood, as well as from prefabricated floor elements from different manufacturers.

For residential premises on the first floor of the house more than simple and cheap option There will be a floor on the ground with a dry prefabricated floor screed, Fig. 5.

A floor with a prefabricated screed is afraid of flooding. Therefore, it should not be done in the basement, nor in wet areas- bathroom, boiler room.

The ground floor with a prefabricated screed consists of the following elements (positions in Fig. 5):

1 - Flooring - parquet, laminate or linoleum.

2 - Glue for joints of parquet and laminate.

3 - Standard underlay for flooring.

4 - Prefabricated screed made of ready-made elements or gypsum fiber sheets, plywood, particle boards, OSB.

5 - Glue for assembling the screed.

6 - Leveling backfill - quartz or expanded clay sand.

7 - Communications pipe (water supply, heating, electrical wiring, etc.).

8 - Insulation of the pipe with porous fiber mats or polyethylene foam sleeves.

9 - Protective metal casing.

10 — Expanding dowel.

11 - Waterproofing - polyethylene film.

12 - Reinforced concrete base made of class B15 concrete.

13 - Foundation soil.

The connection between the floor and the outer wall is shown in Fig. 6.

The positions in Fig. 6 are as follows:
1-2. Varnish coating parquet, parquet, or laminate or linoleum.
3-4. Parquet adhesive and primer, or standard underlay.
5. Prefabricated screed from ready-made elements or gypsum fiber sheets, plywood, particle boards, OSB.
6. Water-dispersed adhesive for screed assembly.
7. Moisture insulation - polyethylene film.
8. Quartz sand.
9. Concrete base - reinforced concrete screed of class B15.
10. Separating gasket made of waterproofing roll material.
11. Thermal insulation made of polystyrene foam PSB 35 or extruded polystyrene foam, thickness as calculated.
12. Foundation soil.
13. Plinth.
14. Self-tapping screw.
15. External wall.

As mentioned above, the soil cushion at the base of the floor always has a positive temperature and in itself has certain heat-insulating properties. In many cases, it is enough to additionally lay insulation in a strip along the outer walls (item 11 in Fig. 6.) in order to obtain the required thermal insulation parameters for a floor without underfloor heating (without heated floors).

Thickness of floor insulation on the ground

Fig.7. Be sure to lay insulation tape in the floor, along the perimeter of the external walls, with a width of at least 0.8 m. From the outside, the foundation (basement) is insulated to a depth of 1 m.

The temperature of the soil under the floor, in the area adjacent to the plinth along the perimeter of the external walls, depends quite strongly on the temperature of the outside air. A cold bridge forms in this zone. Heat leaves the house through the floor, soil and basement.

The ground temperature closer to the center of the house is always positive and depends little on the temperature outside. The soil is heated by the heat of the Earth.

Building regulations require that the area through which heat escapes be insulated. For this, It is recommended to install thermal protection at two levels (Fig. 7):

Insulate the basement and foundation of the house from the outside to a depth of at least 1.0 m.
Lay a layer of horizontal thermal insulation into the floor structure around the perimeter of the external walls. The width of the insulation tape along the external walls is not less than 0.8 m.(pos. 11 in Fig. 6).

The thickness of the thermal insulation is calculated from the condition that the overall resistance to heat transfer in the area floor - soil - base must be no less than the same parameter for outer wall.

Simply put, the total thickness of the insulation of the base plus the floor should be no less than the thickness of the insulation of the outer wall. For the climatic zone in the Moscow region, the total thickness of foam insulation is at least 150 mm. For example, vertical thermal insulation on a plinth 100 mm., plus 50 mm. horizontal tape in the floor along the perimeter of the external walls.

When choosing the size of the thermal insulation layer, it is also taken into account that insulating the foundation helps reduce the depth of freezing of the soil under its base.

This minimum requirements to insulate the floor on the ground. It is clear that the larger the size of the thermal insulation layer, the higher the energy saving effect.

Install thermal insulation under the entire floor surface for the purpose of energy saving, it is only necessary in the case of installing heated floors in the premises or building an energy-passive house.

In addition, a continuous layer of thermal insulation in the floor of the room can be useful and necessary to improve the parameter heat absorption of the floor covering surface. Heat absorption of the floor surface is the property of the floor surface to absorb heat in contact with any objects (for example, the feet). This is especially important if the finished floor is made of ceramic or stone tiles, or other material with high thermal conductivity. Such a floor with insulation will feel warmer.

The heat absorption index of the floor surface for residential buildings should not be higher than 12 W/(m 2 °C). A calculator for calculating this indicator can be found

Wooden floor on the ground on joists on a concrete screed

Base slab made of concrete class B 12.5, thickness 80 mm. over a layer of crushed stone compacted into the ground to a depth of at least 40 mm.

Wooden blocks - logs with a minimum cross-section, width 80 mm. and height 40 mm., It is recommended to lay on a layer of waterproofing in increments of 400-500 mm. For vertical alignment, they are placed on plastic pads in the form of two triangular wedges. By moving or spreading the pads, the height of the lags is adjusted. The span between adjacent support points of the log is no more than 900 mm. A gap of 20-30 mm wide should be left between the joists and the walls. mm.

The logs lie freely without attachment to the base. During the installation of the subfloor, they can be fastened together with temporary connections.

For the installation of a subfloor it is usually used wood boards— OSB, chipboard, DSP. The thickness of the slabs is at least 24 mm. All slab joints must be supported by joists. Wooden lintels are installed under the joints of the slabs between adjacent logs.

The subfloor can be made from tongue-and-groove floorboards. Such a floor made from high-quality boards can be used without floor covering. The permissible moisture content of wood flooring materials is 12-18%.

If necessary, insulation can be laid in the space between the joists. Mineral wool slabs must be covered with a vapor-permeable film on top, which prevents microparticles of insulation from penetrating into the room.

Rolled waterproofing made of bitumen or bitumen-polymer materials glued in two layers onto the concrete underlying layer using the melting method (for fused rolled materials) or by sticking on bitumen-polymer mastics. When installing adhesive waterproofing it is necessary to ensure a longitudinal and transverse overlap of the panels of at least 85 mm.

To ventilate the underground space of floors on the ground along the joists, the rooms must have slots in the baseboards. Holes with an area of 20-30 are left in at least two opposite corners of the room. cm 2 .

Wooden floor on the ground on joists on posts

There is another structural floor scheme - this wooden floor on the ground on joists, laid on posts, Fig.5.

Positions in Fig.5:
1-4 - Elements of the finished floor.
5 —
6-7 - Glue and screws for assembling the screed.
8 - Wooden joist.
9 — Wooden leveling gasket.
10 - Waterproofing.
11 - Brick or concrete column.
12 - Foundation soil.

Arranging the floor on joists along columns allows you to reduce the height of the ground cushion or completely abandon its construction.

Floors, soils and foundations

Ground floors are not connected to the foundation and rest directly on the ground under the house. If it is heaving, then the floor can “go on a spree” under the influence of forces in winter and spring.

To prevent this from happening, the heaving soil under the house must be made not to heave. The easiest way to do this is the underground part

Design of pile foundations on bored (including TISE) and screw piles involves the installation of a cold base. Insulating the soil under a house with such foundations is a rather problematic and expensive task. Floors on the ground in a house on a pile foundation can only be recommended for non-heaving or slightly heaving soils on the site.

When building a house on heaving soils, it is necessary to have an underground part of the foundation to a depth of 0.5 - 1 m.

In a house with external multilayer walls with insulation on the outside, a cold bridge is formed through the base and load-bearing part of the wall, bypassing the insulation of the wall and floor.

1. Introduction. When can you make a concrete floor on the ground in a private house? (Fig. 1)

When can you make a concrete floor on the ground in a private house?

Detailed description layers to create a concrete floor on the ground. Selection of material * Soil * Backfill * Rough screed * Waterproofing * Insulation * Finish screed * Decorative floor layer 1. Introduction. When can you make a concrete floor on the ground in a private house? Michail Rybakov

This article will discuss how to make a concrete floor on the ground in a private house with your own hands; we will also consider in detail the layers that make up a concrete floor and the features of their design. Issues related to installing a floor in a private house are fundamentally different from pouring a concrete floor in apartments on a ready-made foundation made of floor slabs. When arranging the floor in a private house, it is important to take into account not only your own preferences or the type of foundation, but also such an indicator as the proximity of groundwater. (“Construction of monolithic houses and cottages”, “Construction of country cottages using frame technology”, “Low-rise housing construction and design principles”, “Construction of a house using frame-frame technology.”, “Features of the construction of monolithic houses”).

A concrete floor can be poured with any type of foundation (of course, we are not talking about houses on stilts raised above the soil). (“Build a house yourself. We start with the foundation”, “Do-it-yourself strip foundation for a house”, “Columnar foundation”, “Pile foundation”). If we don’t go into particularly intricate construction terms and theories (let’s take as a basis the fact that we are studying the possibility of making a floor with our own hands without the involvement of construction crews), we can highlight following points, influencing the choice of concrete floor design. Namely:

* depth of groundwater;

* presence of heating in the floor;

* future loads on the floor surface (for example, installation of additional brick interior partitions). (“Some features of brick walls”, “Installation of a plasterboard partition”). (Fig. 2)

Namely: * depth of groundwater; * presence of heating in the floor; * future loads on the floor surface (for example, installation of additional brick interior partitions) (Some features of brick walls, Installation of plasterboard partitions)

Issues related to installing a floor in a private house are fundamentally different from pouring a concrete floor in apartments on a ready-made foundation made of floor slabs. When arranging the floor in a private house, it is important to take into account not only your own preferences or the type of foundation, but also such an indicator as the proximity of groundwater (Construction of monolithic houses and cottages, Construction of country houses, according to frame technology, Low-rise housing construction and design basics, Building a house using frame-frame technology, Features of building monolithic houses) Concrete floors can be poured with any type of foundation (of course, we are not talking about houses on stilts raised above the ground) (We start building a house ourselves from the foundation, Do-it-yourself strip foundation for a house, Columnar foundation, Pile foundation). If we don’t go into particularly intricate construction terms and theories (let’s take as a basis the fact that we are studying the possibility of making a floor with our own hands without the involvement of construction crews), then we can highlight the following points that influence the choice of concrete floor design. Namely: * depth of groundwater; * presence of heating in the floor; * future loads on the floor surface (for example, installation of additional brick interior partitions) (Some features of brick walls, Installation of plasterboard partitions). Michail Rybakov

2. “Pie” of a concrete floor on the ground in a private house. (Fig. 3, 4)

Michail Rybakov

2 “Pie” of concrete floor on the ground in a private house

When arranging the floor in a private house, it is important to take into account not only your own preferences or type of foundation, but also such an indicator as the proximity of groundwater (Construction of monolithic houses and cottages, Construction of country houses using frame technology, Low-rise housing construction and design basics, Construction of a house using frame technology - frame technology, Features of the construction of monolithic houses) A concrete floor can be poured with any type of foundation (of course, we are not talking about houses on stilts raised above the soil) (We start building a house ourselves from the foundation, Do-it-yourself strip foundation for a house, Columnar foundation , Pile foundation). If we don’t go into particularly intricate construction terms and theories (let’s take as a basis the fact that we are studying the possibility of making a floor with our own hands without the involvement of construction crews), then we can highlight the following points that influence the choice of concrete floor design. Namely: * depth of groundwater; * presence of heating in the floor; * future loads on the floor surface (for example, installation of additional brick interior partitions) (Some features of brick walls, Installation of plasterboard partitions). 2 “Pie” of a concrete floor on the ground in a private house. Michail Rybakov

* We determine the groundwater level using two methods. (Fig. 5)

* We determine the groundwater level using two methods

If we don’t go into particularly intricate construction terms and theories (let’s take as a basis the fact that we are studying the possibility of making a floor with our own hands without the involvement of construction crews), then we can highlight the following points that influence the choice of concrete floor design. Namely: * depth of groundwater; * presence of heating in the floor; * future loads on the floor surface (for example, installation of additional brick interior partitions) (Some features of brick walls, Installation of plasterboard partitions). 2 “Pie” of a concrete floor on the ground in a private house. * We determine the groundwater level using two methods. Michail Rybakov

So, let's move on to directly considering the layers of the future concrete floor in the house. In order to fill the floor with your own hands, you will need to study the depth of the groundwater level. Here you need to be as precise as possible. If you have owned a plot of land for several generations, then most likely you already know the height of the groundwater.

In case of purchase land plot in an unfamiliar area, there are two ways to determine the water level - professional and folk. In accordance with the first method, you need to order the geology of the site from a company specializing in such work. Of course, such work will require certain, and perhaps not small, funds, but you will be able to see the soil of your site in a cross-section and you will know for sure its composition and the location of groundwater.

In accordance with the second method (folk), everything is much simpler from the material side, but more complicated from the efforts made. The first thing you need to do is get to know your neighbors and ask old-timers and owners of new buildings about the groundwater level. The more opinions you hear, the more objectively you can draw conclusions from the information received. The next step will be to drill wells on a site in several squares. It is enough to find out about the level of groundwater at a depth of two meters from the foundation laying surface, so calculate the depth of the wells using the formula

2 m + foundation depth = minimum drilling depth.

Taking into account the fact that the foundation (without a basement) is on average one meter, it is quite possible to drill wells to determine the depth of groundwater with a hand drill.

When determining the groundwater level (GWL), it is important to remember two more points. The first is to take the groundwater level value closest to the surface of all those obtained on the site. Secondly, the “upper water” seasonal rise of ground water table should also be taken into account. And in the latter case, you cannot do without information from old-timers. (Fig. 6)

And in the latter case, you cannot do without information from old-timers

It is enough to find out about the level of groundwater at a depth of two meters from the foundation laying surface, so calculate the depth of the wells using the formula 2 m + foundation depth = minimum drilling depth Taking into account the fact that the foundation (without a basement) is on average one meter, then wells to determine the depth of groundwater can be drilled with a hand drill. When determining the groundwater level (GWL), it is important to remember two more points. The first is to take the groundwater level value closest to the surface of all those obtained on the site. Secondly, the “upper water” seasonal rise of ground water table should also be taken into account. And in the latter case, you cannot do without information from old-timers. Michail Rybakov

* List of layers of the concrete floor “pie” on the ground.

This subclause lists the required and possible layers that make up the “pie” of a concrete floor. Each layer will be described more broadly below. This list has been presented with short explanations for a better understanding of what the concrete floor layers on the ground are and their order. (Fig. 7)

This list has been presented with short explanations for a better understanding of what the concrete floor layers on the ground are and their order.

And in the latter case, you cannot do without information from old-timers. * List of layers of the “pie” of a concrete floor on the ground This subclause lists the mandatory and possible layers that make up the “pie” of a concrete floor. Each layer will be described more broadly below. This list has been presented with short explanations for a better understanding of what the concrete floor layers on the ground are and their order. Michail Rybakov

3. Construction of a rough screed with mandatory waterproofing and possible reinforcement.

5. Laying a layer of insulation.

6. Execution of finishing screed with mandatory reinforcement.

3. Detailed description of the layers of creating a concrete floor on the ground. Selection of materials.

Having familiarized yourself with the full list of possible layers when installing a high-quality concrete floor on the ground, you can begin to study them more broadly. Let's consider them in the same order in which they were presented in the previous subsection.

1. The soil inside the future building is edged with a foundation.

This layer is actually well-compacted earth on which the house is built. Compacting (consolidating) the soil is required to increase it bearing capacity and avoiding possible drawdowns and failures. . (Fig. 8, 9)

Compacting soil manually can be done using a self-propelled compacting device (a heavy metal drum rotating on a long frame - handle; if you have the materials, you can make it yourself), as well as using pneumatic and electric tampers (they can be purchased or rented at specialized companies)

Michail Rybakov

Compacting soil manually can be done using a self-propelled compacting device (a heavy metal drum rotating on a long frame - handle; if you have the materials, you can make it yourself), as well as using pneumatic and electric tampers (they can be purchased or rented at specialized companies)

Selection of materials Having familiarized yourself with the full list of possible layers when installing a high-quality concrete floor on the ground, you can begin to study them more broadly. Let's consider them in the same order in which they were presented in the previous subparagraph 1. The soil inside the future building, edged with a foundation. This layer is actually well-compacted earth on which the house is built. Compacting (compacting) the soil is required to increase its load-bearing capacity and avoid possible subsidence and failure. Compacting soil manually can be done using a self-propelled compacting device (a heavy metal drum rotating on a long frame - handle; if you have the materials, you can make it yourself), as well as using pneumatic and electric tampers (they can be purchased or rented at specialized companies). Michail Rybakov

2. One or several layers of bedding made of the same or different materials.

The bedding is used to prevent (interrupt) the penetration (raising) of moisture upward to the floor surface. This layer consists of a polyethylene film laid over the entire space of the future floor, a layer of sand (from 7 to 10 cm) and a layer of crushed stone of the same thickness with a coarse fraction of 30 - 50 mm. Both layers, like soil, are carefully compacted. (Fig. 10)

Both layers, like soil, are thoroughly compacted

2. One or more layers of bedding from the same or different materials Bedding is used to prevent (interrupt) the penetration (raising) of moisture upward to the floor surface. This layer consists of a polyethylene film laid over the entire space of the future floor, a layer of sand (from 7 to 10 cm) and a layer of crushed stone of the same thickness with a coarse fraction of 30 - 50 mm. Both layers, like soil, are carefully compacted. Michail Rybakov

Sometimes they undertake to replace crushed stone with a layer of expanded clay, claiming that thanks to a larger layer of this material, it is possible in the future not even to lay insulation. This is partly true, but partly not. It is possible to replace crushed stone with expanded clay only if the groundwater level lies below two meters in depth relative to the point where the foundation is laid, and the expanded clay layer serves as a leveling layer, not a waterproofing layer.

As for the use of expanded clay as insulation, there is such a nuance as the thickness of the layer. So, for example, to replace a layer of insulation made of extruded polystyrene foam with a thickness of 5 to 10 cm, you will need a carefully compacted layer of expanded clay with a thickness of 70 to 100 cm. In addition to the large and not always possible thickness of such a layer of expanded clay, it is also almost impossible to compact it well without special equipment, so replacement Expanded clay insulation is not recommended.

Using broken bricks and other construction waste instead of crushed stone is generally unacceptable. This layer has extremely weak load-bearing properties, which during the operation of the house can lead to the destruction of the entire floor.

3. Construction of a rough screed with mandatory waterproofing and possible reinforcement. (Fig. 11)

Construction of a rough screed with mandatory waterproofing and possible reinforcement

So, for example, to replace a layer of insulation made of extruded polystyrene foam with a thickness of 5 to 10 cm, you will need a carefully compacted layer of expanded clay with a thickness of 70 to 100 cm. In addition to the large and not always possible thickness of such a layer of expanded clay, it is also almost impossible to compact it well without special equipment, so replacement Expanded clay insulation is not recommended. The use of broken bricks and other construction waste instead of crushed stone is generally not permissible. Such a layer has extremely weak load-bearing properties, which during the operation of the house can lead to the destruction of the entire floor 3. Installation of a rough screed with mandatory waterproofing and possible reinforcement. Michail Rybakov

On top of the laid and compacted bedding, another layer of plastic film is laid and a layer of rough screed is poured. The thickness of this layer is on average 10 cm. Unlike the bedding layer, the rough screed uses crushed stone with a finer fraction of approximately 5 - 10 mm. It is also important to remember that the sand must be sifted and preferably river sand. How to make a mortar for screed, which cement is preferable and in what proportions the components should be mixed is described in the following article: “Methods of leveling the floor.” (Fig. 12)

How to make a screed mortar, which cement is preferable and in what proportions the components should be mixed is described in the following article: Methods for leveling the floor

The thickness of this layer is on average 10 cm. Unlike the bedding layer, the rough screed uses crushed stone with a finer fraction of approximately 5 - 10 mm. It is also important to remember that the sand must be sifted and preferably river sand. How to make a mortar for screed, which cement is preferable and in what proportions the components should be mixed is described in the following article: Methods for leveling the floor. Michail Rybakov

4. Laying a layer of waterproofing (if necessary).

Roofing felt laid in a couple of layers is most often used as waterproofing. Now a few words about in which cases waterproofing is generally required and in which it is not. (Fig. 13)

Now a few words about in which cases waterproofing is generally required and in which it is not

How to make a mortar for screed, which cement is preferable and in what proportions the components should be mixed is described in the following article: Methods for leveling the floor. 4. Laying a layer of waterproofing (if necessary) Roofing felt laid in a couple of layers is most often used as waterproofing. Now a few words about in which cases waterproofing is generally required and in which it is not. Michail Rybakov

Waterproofing is mandatory in a situation where the groundwater level lies closer than two meters from the foundation laying point. At the same time, laying layers with polyethylene film is not a complete replacement for roofing felt. (“Garden on the roof. Beautiful terraces instead of roofing with your own hands”). And one more important point - waterproofing should be laid exclusively on a flat, fixed surface. This means that even if bedding layers are not laid (this is permissible in the absence of groundwater at a depth of two meters or more), waterproofing will still require rough screed. (Fig. 14)

This means that even if bedding layers are not laid (this is permissible in the absence of groundwater at a depth of two meters or more), then for waterproofing you will still need to perform a rough screed

Waterproofing is mandatory in a situation where the groundwater level lies closer than two meters from the foundation laying point. At the same time, laying layers with plastic film is not a complete replacement for roofing felt (Roof garden with beautiful terraces instead of do-it-yourself roofing). And one more important point - waterproofing should be laid exclusively on a flat, fixed surface. This means that even if bedding layers are not laid (this is permissible in the absence of groundwater at a depth of two meters or more), a rough screed will still be required for waterproofing. Michail Rybakov

Waterproofing is not required in the same cases as bedding - when groundwater runs at a depth of more than two meters from the foundation. (“We insulate and waterproof the balcony”).

5. Laying a layer of insulation. (Fig. 15)

Laying a layer of insulation

And one more important point - waterproofing should be laid exclusively on a flat, fixed surface. This means that even if bedding layers are not laid (this is permissible in the absence of groundwater at a depth of two meters or more), a rough screed will still be required for waterproofing. Waterproofing is not required in the same cases as bedding - when groundwater runs at a depth of more than two meters from the foundation (We insulate and waterproof the balcony) 5. Laying a layer of insulation. Michail Rybakov

Insulation is laid on top of the waterproofing. This layer is not necessary except for real estate with an exceptionally warm climate, and even there, extraordinary situations occur in the form of snowfall or frost. Taking as a basis the fact that our housing construction is located in latitudes with a temperate climate, we will offer extruded polystyrene foam with a density of 28-35 kg/m3 as insulation. Sometimes ordinary polystyrene foam is used, but it is inferior to polystyrene foam in several respects and, first of all, in structural strength and moisture resistance. The thickness of the insulation depends on the specific climatic conditions, and you need to calculate the required insulation layer individually. (“Insulation of the ceiling”, “Insulation of the walls”, “Methods of cladding and insulation of the walls of a frame house.”).

6. Execution of finishing screed with mandatory reinforcement. (Fig. 16)

Execution of finishing screed with mandatory reinforcement

Taking as a basis the fact that our housing construction is located in latitudes with a temperate climate, we will offer extruded polystyrene foam with a density of 28-35 kg/m3 as insulation. Sometimes ordinary polystyrene foam is used, but it is inferior to polystyrene foam in several respects and, first of all, in structural strength and moisture resistance. The thickness of the insulation depends on specific climatic conditions, and the required layer of insulation must be calculated individually (Ceiling insulation, Wall insulation, Methods of cladding and insulation of walls frame house) 6. Execution of finishing screed with mandatory reinforcement. Michail Rybakov

The finishing screed is poured in the same way as the rough screed described above. The difference between them is the reinforcement. If the rough screed is reinforced more for its own comfort, then reinforcement of the finishing screed is strictly necessary. Moreover, there is a difference in the thickness used for the mesh wire reinforcement. So, if you know that in the future a wall made of brick, cinder block or other similar material will be installed on the poured floor, then you need to use wire with a thickness of 4 mm or more for reinforcement. If you are one hundred percent sure of the opposite, use 3 mm wire for reinforcement.

The finishing screed should be poured and leveled at the same time. (“Painting tools, brushes, rollers”, “Spatulas and additional tools for painting”). . (Fig. 17, 18, 19)

The finishing decorative floor covering will be laid on it, and any finishing material requires a flat plane of the base floor

Moreover, there is a difference in the thickness used for the mesh wire reinforcement. So, if you know that in the future a wall made of brick, cinder block or other similar material will be installed on the poured floor, then you need to use wire with a thickness of 4 mm or more for reinforcement. If you are one hundred percent sure of the opposite, use 3 mm wire for reinforcement. The finishing screed should be poured and leveled at the same time (Painting tools, brushes, rollers, Spatulas and additional tools for painting works). Finishing decorative flooring will be laid on it, and for any finishing material A level base floor is required. 17, 18, 19) Michail Rybakov

The finishing decorative floor covering will be laid on it, and any finishing material requires a flat plane of the base floor

Michail Rybakov

The finishing decorative floor covering will be laid on it, and any finishing material requires a flat plane of the base floor

Moreover, there is a difference in the thickness used for the mesh wire reinforcement. So, if you know that in the future a wall made of brick, cinder block or other similar material will be installed on the poured floor, then you need to use wire with a thickness of 4 mm or more for reinforcement. If you are one hundred percent sure of the opposite, use 3 mm wire for reinforcement. The finishing screed should be poured and leveled at the same time (Painting tools, brushes, rollers, spatulas and additional tools for painting work). The finishing decorative floor covering will be laid on it, and any finishing material requires a flat plane of the base floor. Michail Rybakov

The situation of installing a “warm floor” is important. (“Warm floors under tiles”, “Warm water floors under tiles”, “Heating options for a country house. stove and electric”, “House heating with a heat pump”, “Plan heating systems”). With such a device, the finishing screed will not only increase in thickness, but should also have gaps at the walls of at least two centimeters along the entire perimeter, while the laying of all previous floor layers remains unchanged. . (Fig. 20, 21, 22, 23)

And this requirement is equally put forward for the installation of floors, both with water and electric heating

The finishing decorative floor covering will be laid on it, and any finishing material requires a flat plane of the base floor. The situation of installing a “warm floor” is important (Heated floors under tiles, Heated water floors under tiles, Heating options for a country house - stove and electric, Heating a house with a heat pump, Plan heating systems). With such a device, the finishing screed will not only increase in thickness, but should also have gaps at the walls of at least two centimeters along the entire perimeter, while the laying of all previous floor layers remains unchanged. And this requirement is equally put forward for the installation of floors, both with water and electric heating. 20, 21, 22, 23) Michail Rybakov

And this requirement is equally put forward for the installation of floors, both with water and electric heating

Michail Rybakov

And this requirement is equally put forward for the installation of floors, both with water and electric heating

The final layer of the concrete floor is finishing (decorative). Many different materials are used for finishing and in a huge assortment. They all differ in their characteristics, installation methods and the use of additional layers. But for laying any of them on the ground floor of a building (except for representatives of all kinds of stone or ceramic families), it is recommended to use additional substrates. This is discussed in more detail in the following articles: “Laminate or linoleum, which is better”, “Vinyl flooring”, “Allure flooring”, “Types of flooring”, “Types of parquet”, “Laying tiles on the floor in the kitchen”, "Laying floor tiles in the bathroom", "Floor mosaics", "Tools for laying laminate, carpet, parquet". (Fig. 24)

This is discussed in more detail in the following articles: Laminate or linoleum, which is better, Vinyl flooring, Allure flooring, Types of flooring, Types of parquet, Laying tiles on the floor in the kitchen, Laying floor tiles in the bathroom, Floor mosaics, Tools for laying laminate, carpet, parquet

Many different materials are used for finishing and in a huge assortment. They all differ in their characteristics, installation methods and the use of additional layers. But for laying any of them on the ground floor of a building (except for representatives of all kinds of stone or ceramic families), it is recommended to use additional substrates. This is discussed in more detail in the following articles: Laminate or linoleum, which is better, Vinyl flooring, Allure flooring, Types floor coverings, Types of parquet, Laying tiles on the kitchen floor, Laying floor tiles in the bathroom, Floor mosaic, Tools for laying laminate, carpet, parquet. Michail Rybakov

It is also worth noting that the concrete floor needs to be given time to dry and harden according to generally accepted standards(as discussed in the previously mentioned article about “Leveling the Floor”). (Fig. 25)

It is also worth noting that a concrete floor needs to be given time to dry and harden in accordance with generally accepted standards (as discussed in the previously mentioned article on “Leveling the Floor”)

They all differ in their characteristics, installation methods and the use of additional layers. But for laying any of them on the ground floor of a building (except for representatives of all kinds of stone or ceramic families), it is recommended to use additional substrates. This is discussed in more detail in the following articles: Laminate or linoleum, which is better, Vinyl flooring, Allure flooring, Types of flooring, Types of parquet, Laying tiles on the floor in the kitchen, Laying floor tiles in the bathroom, Floor mosaics, Tools for laying laminate, carpet, parquet. It is also worth noting that a concrete floor needs to be given time to dry and harden in accordance with generally accepted standards (as discussed in the previously mentioned article on “Leveling the Floor”).

If previously concrete floors on the ground were used only for unheated rooms, then the emergence of new building materials and technologies has significantly expanded the scope of their use. Now such floors are installed in all rooms, and the degree of protection against heat loss for concrete floors is almost as good as that of structures made from traditional materials. And in terms of durability, concrete floors have no equal. Another advantage of such structures is that they can serve as the basis for all types of finishing floor installations.

Concrete floors can have several varieties, but all are subject to the same technical requirements. requirements. Regulatory recommendations for the design and installation of concrete floors are prescribed in the provisions of SNiP 2.03.13-88. Compliance with these provisions guarantees the durability of the structures.

SNiP 2.03.13-88. Floors. Downloadable file (click the link to open the PDF in a new window).

Table. Basic regulatory requirements for concrete floors.

Indicator name	Regulatory Requirements
	The physical characteristics of the soil should prevent the possibility of deformation of the concrete floor due to natural subsidence or seasonal expansion of wet soil. In residential areas, it is taken into account that the temperature does not fall below zero. It is prohibited to use soils that are not compacted in accordance with SNiP 3.02.01-87 as a base for floors.
	Bedding can only be used after careful mechanical compaction; the underlying concrete layer must have a concrete class ≥ B 22.5. The thickness of the underlying layer is selected taking into account the maximum possible loads. Deviations of the bottom bedding from horizontality are not ≤ 15 cm per 2 m of floor length. Backfilling is done with sand or gravel.
	Provided as an underlying layer, used in cases where the floor is located in the area of capillary water. In this case, the height of the rise of moisture through the capillaries is taken as 0.3 m for coarse sand, 0.5 m for fine sand and 2.0 m for clay. The height of the groundwater, as many amateurs say, does not have any effect on the height of the rise of capillary water.
	The thickness of the thermal insulation of concrete structures is regulated by the provisions of SNiP and depends on the specific purpose of the room. Concrete floors on the ground installed in heated rooms must have a heat-insulating lining around the perimeter of the junction with the foundation or walls. This gasket additionally compensates for thermal expansion of structures.
	Provided if it is necessary to level the surface of the concrete layer, to cover various utility networks, reducing thermal conductivity and creating slopes (if necessary). The thickness should be 15-20 mm greater than the diameter of the utility pipelines. For self-leveling coatings with polymers, the screed is made of concrete ≥ B15, the strength of light (semi-dry) concrete is ≥ 10 MPa. With increasing loads on the floor by individual areas The thickness of the screed is calculated taking into account the exclusion of deformation and loss of integrity.

Taking into account the characteristics of the room and project documentation technical requirements are being adjusted.

Step-by-step instructions for building concrete floors on the ground

For example, consider the option of installing a concrete floor in a residential area. To save building materials, it is recommended to install waterproofing.

Step 1. Calculation of parameters and number of concrete floor layers. Before starting work, you need to decide on the zero level. If a house is being built according to a project, this parameter is indicated on the drawings. Zero level– the level of the finished floor covering, everything below this level is indicated on construction drawings with a minus sign, everything above is indicated with a plus sign. In most cases, the floor is located at the level of the foundation, but there may be deviations.

If you don’t have a project, which is very bad, then we recommend installing a concrete floor in such a way that the surface of the concrete is in the same plane as the foundation. Now we need to do the calculations for the pie.

Layer of sand. For a private home, it is enough to make a pillow approximately 10-15 cm thick. Gravel can be omitted; the load on the floor in residential premises is not so high.
A layer of primary concrete under the base. The thickness is approximately 10 cm. If desired, the primary layer can be reinforced with a metal mesh with cell sizes of up to 10 cm and a wire diameter of up to 3 mm.
Insulation. It is recommended to use modern extruded polystyrene foam. It can withstand significant loads, does not absorb moisture, and is not afraid of rodents. The thickness of the thermal insulation is within 10 cm; doing less is impractical due to low efficiency.
Top screed of concrete floor. The parameter depends on the load, in our case the screed should be more than 7 cm.

The thickness of the waterproofing layers is not taken into account. Now add up these dimensions - this is exactly the distance from the ground to the upper plane of the foundation strip.

Step 2. Leveling the ground. Measure the soil level under the floor, decide how much to throw out or add according to previously made calculations. If there is a lot of earth, then it should be removed, you will have to dig bayonet shovel, no equipment in the perimeter strip foundation can't work. If there is not enough land, then the missing amount should be added. Constantly check the ground level.

Loose soil must be compacted. This can be done with a mechanical unit (frog, vibrating plate) or manually. The first option is much better - work is noticeably faster, and the quality of compaction improves.

Practical advice. If you do not have a vibrating plate, then experienced builders It is strongly advised to water the compacted soil generously and leave it for several days for natural shrinkage. The resulting depressions after shrinkage are additionally leveled and re-compacted. If the ground is loose, then uneven shrinkage of the concrete floor cannot be avoided, and this is an extremely unpleasant phenomenon.

You can make your own simple device for compacting soil. Take a 100×100 mm beam approximately 1 m long. Nail it to the lower end wooden platform from a scrap board with a square side of approximately 20–30 cm, attach handles to the upper end. There is no need to make the area large: the larger it is, the less the compaction force; you will only level the top layer of earth, and not compact it. If the layer of soil exceeds 10 cm, then compaction must be done in several stages, after each of which fresh filling is made.

Step 2. Along the inner perimeter of the foundation strip, mark the location of the sand layer, insulation and finishing concrete layer. During work, do not allow deviations from the marks made by more than 2 cm.

Step 3. Fill with sand, constantly level and compact each layer. We remind you once again that its stability largely depends on the quality of compaction of the base of a concrete floor.

Step 4. When the sand cushion has the calculated thickness, the first layer of concrete can be poured. The material is prepared based on one part of cement grade M 400, two parts of sand and three parts of gravel. Gravel and sand should not contain clay, as it greatly worsens the properties of concrete. Calculate the approximate amount of material. First, determine the cubic capacity of the layer; this is not difficult to do. Next, use practical data. For one cubic meter of M100 grade concrete you need approximately 3 bags of M400 cement, for M150 grade concrete you will need 4 bags of cement. Accordingly, you will need twice as much sand, and three times as much gravel. The calculations are approximate, but in practice no one measures fillers up to a kilogram. You can prepare concrete using a concrete mixer or manually. We will briefly describe the technology of both methods.

Making concrete using a concrete mixer

There is no need to buy a large concrete mixer; for private construction, it is quite enough to have a unit with a bowl volume of 0.5–0.75 m3. Store sand, gravel and cement next to the concrete mixer, place the materials in such a way that it is convenient to throw them into the bowl. Water is always poured in first; for a mixer with a volume of 0.75 m3, at least three buckets are needed. Then you need to throw about 8-10 shovels of gravel into the water and pour cement. The gravel breaks up all the small lumps of cement into a homogeneous mass. When the cement is completely dissolved in water, you can throw sand and gravel until you get concrete the right brand. Water is added as needed. At first, the tilt of the bowl should be approximately 30°, then, as it fills, it can be raised. But do not increase the angle too much - the larger it is, the worse the ingredients are mixed.

Prices for electric concrete mixers

electric concrete mixer

Making concrete by hand

This is hard physical work that requires certain practical skills, but for small volumes you can prepare the material in this way. How to prepare concrete by hand?

Prepare a flat, solid area approximately 2x2 m in size. For the base, it is better to use a steel sheet; if you don’t have one, you can make a wooden box with low sides. The height of the sides is within 20 cm.
Place sand, gravel and cement on one pyramid-shaped pile. When pouring the pyramid, alternate all materials, the quantity should correspond to the recommended proportions.
Use a shovel to throw the pyramid with the ingredients to a new place and back again. Double transfer will ensure uniform mixing of cement with sand and gravel.
Make a funnel deep to the bottom in the center of the pyramid and pour water into it. Take the prepared ingredients in small portions with a shovel and mix them with water. Move in a circle, making sure that the protective shaft of dry material does not break through. Water is also added as needed.

Concrete must be prepared in portions, taking into account the speed of its laying.

Step 5. Fill the surface of the compacted sand with concrete in portions. Control the height using the lines made on the foundation. The concrete is first leveled with a shovel and then with a rule. There is no need to make beacons; only the last layer of the concrete floor must maintain precise horizontality. Level the mass using a long rule; periodically check the flatness of the coating with a level. If significant deviations from horizontality are detected, problem areas should be corrected immediately.

Practical advice. Professional builders recommend making the first layer of the floor from semi-dry mass. It has several advantages: thermal conductivity is significantly lower than that of an ordinary one, manufacturability and ease of installation. The strength of the semi-dry mass is inferior to the wet one, but this is not critical for the floors in the house. The semi-dry mass is prepared in the same way as the wet mass. The only difference is that the amount of water decreases.

Step 6. Install waterproofing; work can begin after the concrete has set; this will require at least 48 hours. If the concrete layer was made in dry and hot weather, then it must be abundantly moistened with water at least twice a day. We already mentioned above in this article that waterproofing for concrete floors on the ground in houses is not always considered a prerequisite. If the thickness of the sand cushion is sufficient to interrupt the capillary absorption of moisture, then waterproofing is not needed. In addition, all gravel substrates do not require waterproofing. Gravel does not draw water through capillaries. But to be on the safe side, waterproofing can be done; use ordinary polyethylene film approximately 60 microns thick. This material is inexpensive, and in terms of efficiency it is in no way inferior to expensive modern non-woven materials.

Step 7 Insulation layer. It is recommended to use extruded polystyrene foam. It has excellent performance in all respects. The only drawback is the high cost. To reduce the estimated cost of concrete floors, expanded clay or slag can be used as insulation.

Important. These insulation materials react extremely negatively to increased humidity. For them, the presence of waterproofing is a prerequisite. Moreover, waterproofing should be done both from above and from below.

Step 8 Cover the concrete surface with sheets of polystyrene foam. Do not allow gaps between the sheets; insert them with little force. The material springs perfectly and, when the load is removed, independently eliminates cracks. Expanded polystyrene can be cut well with a mounting knife. You need to cut it on a flat surface under a ruler or even strip. If you have an electric cutter, great, if not, then work by hand. First, the sheet is cut on one side, then exactly along the cut line on the other. After a slight bending force, the cut sheet breaks. Expanded polystyrene can also be cut with a fine-toothed wood saw.

Step 8 Regulatory acts do not provide for the need to waterproof polystyrene foam, but practitioners advise not to skip this stage of work and cover it with plastic film or another type of waterproofing material.

Step 9 Install a soft heat insulator along the inner perimeter of the foundation strip. These can be strips of foam plastic about one centimeter thick or special foam tapes. The thermal insulator performs two tasks: it eliminates the possibility of heat leakage from the concrete floor to the foundation strip and compensates for the linear expansion of the concrete floor.

Step 10 Install beacons. The final layer of concrete must have flat surface. Beacons can be installed different ways, but the fastest and easiest way is to make it from metal rods.

Throw several small piles of cement-sand mixture onto the surface. In order for it to set faster, you need to increase the amount of cement by one and a half times. The distance between the piles is approximately 50–60 cm, the main criterion is that the rods should not bend under their own weight. The distance between the lines of beacons should be 20–30 cm less than the length of the rule.
Install the two outer beacons under the level. Carefully check their position; the upper plane of the beacons should coincide with the plane of the foundation tape.

Practical advice. In order to speed up the setting of the cement-sand mixture, sprinkle it with dry cement several times. Remove the wet cement and sprinkle the piles under the bars again. Cement absorbs moisture very intensively, after such procedures you can continue work without waiting for the solution to completely harden.

Stretch the ropes between the two outer beacons and follow them to do the rest. Do not forget to check the position; it is very difficult to correct mistakes in the future.

Once all the beacons have been exposed, begin making the top layer of the concrete floor.

Step 11 Throw concrete between the beacons in small portions. First, level the material with a shovel and trowel, and then with a rule. Work carefully, do not allow any depressions to appear. To improve the performance of the top layer of concrete during preparation, add plasticizers. The specific brand doesn't matter, they all work great. The main thing is to follow the proportions and technologies recommended by the manufacturers. For the top layer, add four parts sand to one part cement.

At this point the work is completed, give time for the screed to completely harden and then proceed to the finishing coating of the concrete floor. As a finished floor, you can use lumber, ceramic tiles, linoleum, etc. We looked at the simplest concrete floor, but there are options with electric or water heating; arranging such structures will require much more time and knowledge.

The goals set in construction can be achieved in various ways. Paul is no exception. One of the simple, effective and reliable methods is considered to be a concrete floor on the ground in a private house.

The technology for installing floors on the ground is available, but requires strict adherence to the rules, which will be discussed below. The choice in favor of this method is due to the following advantages:

Floors on the ground in a private house can be made with your own hands, without using expensive lifting equipment to install reinforced concrete floors.
Available materials are used, the acquisition and delivery of which is not difficult.
Economic benefit. The cost of installing a floor on the ground using this method can cost the owner of a future home significantly less than using other methods.
High quality. When designing, the desired characteristics of a concrete floor on the ground in a private house are laid down.
There is no need to attract additional labor.
Having general construction work skills, you can do all the work yourself.

When starting construction, one of the most important conditions for many homeowners is a reasonable estimated cost. For this reason, many try to do affordable operations in a private home with their own hands. Detailed step-by-step instructions will help you realize this desire. In this case, the recommendations will allow you to avoid typical mistakes and achieve optimal performance characteristics.

Using a ready-made reinforced concrete floor, the labor intensity of the process is reduced, but its costs for the purchase, transportation, and payment for lifting equipment increase sharply. Many people try to avoid a significant increase in costs by working independently.

Necessary materials for a concrete floor on the ground

It is advisable to purchase everything needed for work at a time. Professional builders know that transportation costs can exceed 10% of the estimated cost of the project. Sometimes paying for delivery of missing materials can cost more than the materials themselves. Therefore, it is important to correctly determine the list of components and calculate them required amount everyone.

One of the key questions is how to insulate a concrete floor in a private house? The best solution today it is considered to be used polystyrene foam boards. Mineral wool is used much less frequently because it is too elastic and flexible. In exceptional cases, its use is allowed, but only when laid in the cells of a specially prepared sheathing or in the space between the joists. Then a subfloor is made from boards and sheet materials.

The work becomes more labor-intensive if you decide to use this material on floors. Insulation on a concrete floor that can withstand the planned load without additional operations is preferable.

In addition, the estimated cost increases significantly without a noticeable improvement in performance characteristics. The only indicator where it is observed clear advantage- sound insulation. But the ground is not a source of noise, so when choosing insulation for the floor, you shouldn’t think about it.

This advantage is completely devalued. In the vast majority of cases today, concrete floor insulation is done with foamed polystyrene. This is justified by the following characteristics:

economic benefit;
sufficient strength;
reliability of the material;
long service life;
environmental Safety;
resistance to rotting, corrosion, mold, moss and other microorganisms;
Expanded polystyrene insulation for concrete floors is easy to process, which makes it convenient for independent work.

Such a thermal insulation layer is not hygroscopic, but slight surface and capillary penetration is still observed. Floor insulation in this situation will lose its effectiveness over the years. Repeated seasonal freezing cycles can damage the material.

Thermal insulation of a concrete floor needs to be protected from moisture entering it, both ground and water from the solution when installing the screed. Wide choose waterproofing materials will create a reliable barrier to liquid. Rolled and sheet products of this category on a polymer or bitumen basis are used. The quantity is calculated taking into account overlaps and waste during cutting.

The main consumable material by weight is concrete mixture. You can accurately determine the number of required components in a simple way. Without delving into the essence of complex professional formulas, experienced craftsmen use the following technique - 1 m 3 of the following grades of concrete contains cement:

M 150 - 260 kg (cement M 300);
M 200 - 290 kg (cement M 300), 250 kg (cement M 400) and 220 kg (cement M 500);
M 250 - 340 kg (cement M 300), 300 kg (cement M 400) and 250 kg (cement M 500);
M 300 - 350 kg (cement M 400) and 300 kg (cement M 500);
M 400 - 400 kg (cement M 400) and 330 kg (cement M 500);

However, in terms of volume, this value can reach a difference of 6-7 times. Depending on the brand of cement, as well as the desired quality of concrete, crushed stone is imported at the rate of 4 to 7 tons per 1 ton of binder.

Soil compaction

The most important stage of work, on which the final quality and long service life of the floor depend. In cases of high soil density and low groundwater levels, this operation can be ignored. Compacting the soil simply won't work. If the site was graded with the movement of layers of soil, trees were uprooted, and other vegetation was removed, then compaction must be done.

The manual process is extremely labor intensive. To ensure high-quality performance of the operation, a special device is made - a manual tamper. Weight and size are selected based on your own capabilities. It is advisable to use this method for small amounts of work or to use it in hard-to-reach places.

The optimal solution would be to use an electric or pneumatic rammer. The speed of work and its quality increase manifold. The next stage - insulating a concrete floor in a private house will be easier to do. A smooth, dense surface is an ideal basis for a thermal insulation layer, the integrity of which during operation will determine the comfort in the home and protection from the penetration of cold.

The quality of soil compaction will increase significantly if the area is watered abundantly between operations to physically compact the soil. The number of voids is minimized. Soil softened by moisture requires less physical effort when performing the operation.

If an underground floor is planned, then it is done first. In a private home this is always the desired room. It is convenient for storing food, storing tools, equipment for cultivating land, and items used seasonally.

Even if it is not possible to make a full-fledged basement under the entire house, a small volume of a few cubic meters can be completed without difficulty. Designed convenient entrance, Walls are made using masonry or monolithic pouring. As a base for further layers of coating, you can install wooden ceiling, or make a concrete floor using the formwork.

Sand and gravel layer for concrete floor

It is not recommended to skip this step. Dense soil cannot be considered a guarantee of the final quality of work. A layer of sand and gravel compensates for the natural movement of the soil and relieves the internal stresses that arise. The scope of work largely depends on the quality of the soil. In some cases, on rocky soil, it is enough to add sand about 10 cm thick.

If the soil is clayey, then it is advisable to supplement the layer with gravel or crushed stone. Soil used for agricultural purposes or with developed natural vegetation requires a different approach.

For example, black soil must be completely cleared of roots. After compaction, gravel is laid. Then sand is poured onto it. After spilling water, tamp again. Another layer of crushed stone is laid. The final leveling is carried out using sand level. This multi-layer base completely eliminates possible problems when operating housing on soft soils.

The final stage of the work will be to check the entire area horizontally, inspect for the absence of sharp stones and other objects that could damage the waterproofing layer laid on the prepared sand and gravel base under load. The method of laying a rough screed on top of crushed stone, which is then waterproofed and insulated, looks more reliable and of higher quality.

It is recommended to carry out this and the next stage as carefully as possible. The mobility of the sand and gravel layer is high. The best way to protect its integrity will be the foresight of laid boards or sheets. The load is distributed evenly over a large area and will remain flat for subsequent installation of insulation.

Waterproofing layer

The main purpose of the operation is to protect the insulation from moisture. The layer is located above the soil freezing level. If water gets in, it will begin to deteriorate and reduce its performance.

The film is laid with the necessary overlap. Then the joints are sealed. Bitumen-based waterproofing insulators are generously treated with a ready-made adhesive solution or, in the case of using the fusing method, the material is liquefied with a burner to the required state. Good waterproofing will protect the layer floor insulation for concrete from unwanted exposure to moisture, and most importantly, it will allow you not to worry about the condition of the insulation under the concrete layer.

Laying insulation

A layer of 8-10 cm is considered sufficient to effectively protect your home from the cold. The main rule of this stage is the creation of a single area, without cracks and gaps. How to insulate a concrete floor in a private house, observing the recommended characteristics?

You should know that gaps of even a few millimeters increase heat loss by 10-30%. There are several effective ways to fix this problem:

cut out parts as accurately as possible, achieving a tight fit;
use special adhesives to create a sealed layer;
lay insulation boards using polyurethane foam, which, having a porous structure similar to the base material, ensures maximum thermal protection efficiency.

Experienced craftsmen can easily eliminate large chips and cracks in the insulation coating with crushed polystyrene foam mixed with adhesive composition. With this method, the effectiveness of thermal protection is practically not reduced, since the mixture has characteristics identical to the base materials.

Waterproofing before pouring concrete

In order for concrete floors in a private house to provide reliable protection for housing and serve for a long time, it is necessary to prevent moisture from getting into the insulation. To do this, a waterproofing layer is made on top of the polystyrene boards. The optimal material for this operation is special films. Their strength characteristics allow you to pour screed of the required thickness. The material is elastic and easily takes the desired shape.

The use of bitumen-based surfacing materials is highly discouraged at this stage. The temperature of such compositions is high and can damage polystyrene foam. Burner operation is completely eliminated.

The joints are carefully taped with a special tape or the recommended composition. Popular today waterproofing films with a layer of glue applied to them. It is enough to remove the protective paper or polymer material, lay the waterproofing, pressing it tightly to the surface, observing the overlap dimensions specified in the instructions.

Pouring screed and reinforcement

The last stage of work before finishing the floors. The solution is prepared according to traditional technology. Depending on the brand of cement and the desired characteristics of the screed, it may have a different composition. However, experimentation is not recommended to avoid loss of quality.

Too much cement will make the concrete too brittle and prone to cracking. If its percentage is less than the norm, then the screed will turn out to be too loose and fragile. When installing a heated floor, the design will be very efficient, since there will be virtually no energy loss.

There are several ways to reinforce a screed. The work can be done in two stages. First, the soil layer is laid. Reinforcing elements are mounted on it. Then the final pouring completes the process. It should be remembered that the metal must be located in the body of the screed.

If you lay reinforcement directly over the waterproofing layer, the strength of the layer decreases. Concreting can be carried out in one operation, when the metal is knitted on specially placed spacers that raise the layer above the base to the required height.

To reinforce the concrete layer, you can use existing ones on the farm. hardware. For example, angles, channels, other types of rolled products left over after the construction of utility structures, old water supply and heating pipes, etc.

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