Options For Getting Rid Of Uneven Old Screed By Pouring The Floor

2023 Author: Philip Bishop | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 07:54

Advantages of leveling compounds
Types of compositions for leveling
Tools
Preparation and priming
Solution preparation
Pouring process
Advice

People often encounter very poor subfloors when renovating. It can be a concrete screed, which has worn down pretty much over the years of operation: potholes, chips, numerous cracks. Such a surface will never allow laying the floor covering in an even plane. For this reason, it is necessary to level the floor screed using self-leveling mixtures. They have excellent technical characteristics, which include instant drying. Now you no longer have to wait almost a month for a separate section of the screed to dry in order to start subsequent work. In addition, such mixtures can be used as a finishing layer of a self-leveling floor, which can be decorated as desired.

Advantages of leveling compounds

The mixtures used in the work, so that the floor surface becomes perfectly flat, have a large number of positive qualities, among which the main ones are distinguished:

The drying process takes at most a few days. After a few hours, you can start laying certain types of flooring.
A non-specialist is able to cope with the installation process on his own, having studied only the minimum requirements for mixture preparation and pouring.
Shrinkage of the finished solution does not occur if the technology of the self-leveling floor is followed. In addition, the surface becomes very durable and hard, capable of serving for several decades.
If there are low ceilings, then such mixtures are simply irreplaceable. The reason for this is the ability to arrange very thin layers within 3-5 mm. Everything will depend on the evenness of the base on which the mixture is poured.

Leveling the old screed

There are a large number of pluses, and they are all aimed at obtaining the desired result in the end. In this case, it is very important that the surface for pouring is carefully prepared. On which it will not be superfluous to spend a little more time.

Types of compositions for leveling

To start leveling the subfloor, you need to decide and make a choice of a specific mixture for work. They contain fillers with a very fine fraction. This results in a smoother surface than conventional cementitious screeds. With minimal problems, specially liquid formulations are perfect, however, their cost is somewhat higher than conventional mixtures. All compositions used to level a concrete self-leveling floor are divided into types:

Compositions with increased strength. Applicable for serious local problems. They can be poured in if there is a deep crack, pothole or the absence of an old-style concrete screed.
Rough formulations. They are used with huge flaws in the base, the presence of numerous defects. This option is also called "rough" floor. The layer of such a floor will be very large and can reach 50-70 mm.
Finishing mixtures. They are able to level the surface to the ideal and at the same time distribute independently. All that remains is to fill in and, if necessary, apply a rule or a spatula. The layer can be made in thickness in the range of 2-8 mm.

Leveling the old screed

In addition, all mixtures are divided into cement and gypsum. The advantages of the latter are that they can be arranged to a thickness of up to 10 cm. But there is a nuance - gypsum mixtures are applicable only in rooms with low humidity levels. They are not suitable for a bathroom or kitchen. At the same time, it will not be superfluous to arrange excellent waterproofing.

If there is no time to wait until the screed is dry and it will be possible to arrange the floor covering, then the choice falls on quick-drying mixtures, which are abundant in hardware stores from various manufacturers. A few hours after pouring the tiles or laminate flooring can be started.

It is worth noting that quick-drying mixes are expensive to use for global renovations. They are more suitable for hiding minor defects of old concrete screed with a slight difference in floor level.

Tools

A complete list of equipment and tools that will need to be handled is useful for work. The list will depend on the performance of a specific type of work and may vary, depending on the situation.

Containers are very important, as they mix the mixture with water. The amount of the ready-made solution should be such that it is enough for a maximum of 40 minutes of work. Otherwise, it will begin to solidify and lose its properties and qualities. An electric drill and a mixer are suitable for the mixing process. The drill should be operated at low speed so as not to create a large number of bubbles, which could affect the quality of the self-leveling floor.

Not all masters trust such a quality of the finished solution as the ability to independently distribute over the surface. It is for the purpose of leveling that a spatula is used. In any case, after the end of the work, bubbles will appear on the surface of the solution along the concrete screed, which should be removed. For this we use a needle roller. The length of the needle should be about 1-2 mm longer than the screed layer. Movement through the filled mixture is carried out in paint shoes, which allow not to damage the surface.

The specific list of tools may vary. Everything will depend on the level of repair in the room, on the presence of potholes, cracks, places of peeling of the old concrete screed, which must be leveled.

Preparation and priming

The surface on which the mortar is poured must be perfectly clean and free of defects: holes, cracks, potholes. The mixture can get into them. Existing defects are eliminated, filled with putty. If the old base begins to flake off, then it should be removed completely to intact areas. If this is not done, then the leveling layer will begin to "walk", cracks and shrinkage will appear. Even a flat surface is cleaned, after which debris, dust and other unnecessary elements must be removed from the work site. The best assistant in such a situation will be a construction vacuum cleaner. Every detail that is not removed will have an impact on the quality of the poured solution. Loose grip and deterioration of flooring.

If possible, the base for the fill should be leveled as much as possible. Self-leveling mixtures are best applied with a layer thickness of 20-30 mm. There should not be any serious damage. Otherwise, it will not be superfluous to complete the screed layer, wait until it is completely dry. But not everyone has that much time to wait for the solution to be prepared. For this reason, many people have a question about how to level the floor screed. It is enough to take the appropriate mixture for work, recommended in certain conditions.

Leveling the screed with a self-leveling floor cannot do without a base primer. This item is mandatory. In no case should he stay aside. If necessary, if there is a strong absorption of the primer, the process should be repeated again. All this is done to increase the level of adhesion of the mixed solution to the surface.

When the house is located in places with high levels of humidity or the presence of a large amount of precipitation, an additional layer of waterproofing should be arranged.

If there are concrete polymer floors,

then the preparation of the base takes much less time. True, everything will depend on the presence of defects on the old surface. It is not uncommon for the technology of self-leveling floors to be not followed and cracks, mortar hollows and other inaccuracies appear. You will have to make repairs yourself, which requires a huge waste of time and effort.

Initial surface preparation is essential. This is why it is better to spend more time to make the base ideal for subsequent pouring.

Solution preparation

Here, it is enough to adhere to the requirements that are prescribed on the packaging from the manufacturer. The instruction allows you to observe all proportions and time frames for filling. It is worth noting that the slurry, of course, will perfectly spread over the surface of the concrete screed, but all the qualities of strength and strength will be lost.

The instructions for self-leveling floors also indicate that initially the required amount of water is poured into the container,

only after that the acquired mixture is poured to level the concrete screed. Otherwise, a large number of lumps will appear, which will be practically impossible to get rid of. The kneading process is carried out without haste, carefully.

The solution, after stirring, has a fluidity for 30-40 minutes. Then it starts to freeze. It will be problematic to do the work and you will have to prepare a new portion of the solution. If all this is done correctly, then there will be no questions about how to level the floor under the screed.

Pouring process

Leveling a cement floor does not take long. In this case, the sequence of work should be observed without deviation. After preparing the solution, you can simply pour it onto the surface.

If necessary, it is leveled using a spatula. It will not be superfluous to read advice from experts who will direct you on the right path.

When carrying out work, it is best to take help from assistants who will stir, pour and level the solution. This is how the process will take less time and it will be possible to complete everything on time before losing the properties of the mixture.

After pouring, attention should be paid to the surface. There will also be a limited time for this. The resulting bubbles are removed with a spiked aeration roller. This can be done by an individual person. In this case, it will be possible to level the cement floor screed as efficiently as possible. When the room is small in size, one person can perform certain stages of work. If it is necessary to level the screed with a self-leveling floor, dexterity will play a significant role. Instantaneousness will allow you to get a perfectly flat surface without defects.

When the solution dries, cracks may appear on the surface. This indicates that the temperature during mixing and pouring was not observed. They will be eliminated by tile adhesive, on which the mesh for facades putty is applied. Each individual case has its own subtleties and nuances, which will not be superfluous to study before starting work.

Advice

Almost everyone can level the floor after screed. In this case, it will not be superfluous to ask for advice from a specialist who will tell you what to look for. After removing the old coating, traces of bituminous mastic may remain. It should not be present during the pouring process. For this reason, it is covered with coarse expanded clay sand.

When the floor has been leveled with cement, temperature conditions should be created for the surface. There should be no drafts in the room. It will not be superfluous to cover it with a film to evenly dry the screed.

If you follow the technology, study it thoroughly, then no one will have a question about how to level the old floor screed. It is very important to prepare the base and then the filling will turn out at the highest level. For those who think how the floor can be leveled, you should contact the sellers who will advise the best self-leveling floor for the room. There are a huge number of mixtures, and all of them are created for certain conditions for the installation of a self-leveling floor. In conclusion, we recommend watching the video on how to properly level the self-leveling floor and avoid typical mistakes in preparing the solution and pouring the screed.