What Is The Thickness Of The Mortar To Choose Over A Water-heated Floor

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

• Concept
• Fill level views
• Fill components
• Solution composition
• Minimum level
• Limiting layers
• Manufacturers recommend

A water-type underfloor heating device requires the use of the most modern technologies and materials for the preparation of a solution. Very important is given to each stage, which also includes the filling of the screed. In this case, you should think not only about the quality of the structure, but also the choice of the optimal thickness of the fill layer.

Concept

The level of installation of the screed over a water-heated floor will subsequently influence the efficiency of the entire heating system in the room. If everything is done according to the technology, then the warm floor will be able to serve for a long time.

If the degree of filling is violated, the screed will very quickly become unusable, damaging the selected floor covering.

Some will think that it is possible not to spend a lot of money, but to pour a thin layer over the underfloor heating pipeline. But in this case, there is a high probability of the rapid appearance of cracks on the surface. The base will not be able to withstand any significant loads. Even rearranging furniture within the room can damage the screed.

But even a thick layer will not allow you to achieve the desired result. A large amount of money will be spent on the purchase of the components of the solution, pipes for filling the screed, and the warm floor will not be able to show efficiency. The mistakes you make will have to be corrected. The fact is that in this case, you will have to spend a lot of resources on heating the entire fill layer. You will have to wait a long time before the subfloor warms up to feel comfortable in the room.

The optimal indicator of the pouring layer of a water-heated floor is influenced not only by the configuration of the entire room, its area and the dimensions of the walls along the length, but also by the base of the floor or the type of soil where the underfloor heating is made.

In addition, it should be noted that each room has its own purpose, on which the final fill thickness will depend. For residential premises, it will be slightly less than for flooring in industrial premises.

Among the nuances can be noted the presence or absence of a layer of reinforcement, the addition of various components in the form of fiber or plasticizers. In each situation, the choice of the thickness of the screed layer of a water-heated floor should be approached weighed and individually.

Fill level views

There are minimum and maximum indicators for the height of the underfloor heating screed in the room. All of them will have their own characteristics and subtleties in the installation. By type, the following options for the screed device can be distinguished:

1. Thin-layer fill. It is best to use self-leveling mixtures here, allowing you to create a screed layer up to 20 mm.

   

   In any case, the distance must be measured from the level of the pipeline. As a result, the surface will be able to withstand sufficient loads, including from the placed bulky furniture. The composition of the mixture is such that it does not require the use of a reinforcement layer. The strength and reliability of the screed is obtained with the required parameter.
2. Medium layer. This refers to the optimal filling layer, when the filling is approximately carried out at a height of 50-70 mm from the upper part of the pipeline contour. Additionally, a metal mesh is used to create a solid structure that is part of the overall thickness.

3. Thick layer.

   

   No specialist will recommend filling to a height of more than 15 cm. And these indicators are among the latest, above which the layer will no longer bear any efficiency. In addition to the fact that it will be a screed, as such, often in private construction, such a layer also plays the role of the foundation of the future structure.

It should be noted that a lot will depend on the composition of the underfloor heating solution, all components. When adding crushed stone, there is a minimum threshold of 50-70 mm above the pipeline level. On the other hand, plasticizers can reduce the fill layer to 30 mm.

Fill components

In addition to the underfloor heating screed itself, one should not forget about other components that make up the total thickness of the "pie". After leveling the base with a rough screed, a layer of thermal insulation should be laid. There can be completely different material here. It is worth noting that the insulation mats may have special grooves in which the pipeline will be placed. This significantly reduces the installation time, since it will be much easier to choose a step for laying. The thickness of the insulation can vary from 50 to 100 mm, depending on weather conditions and the location of the room itself in relation to the number of storeys and basements.

If the mats for the warm are standard, even on both sides, then it is best to arrange a layer of reinforcement from a metal mesh, to which the pipeline will be fastened. By the way, the pipeline also affects the thickness of the entire “pie” of the warm floor.

Usually its diameter is up to 2.5 cm. But some prefer other non-standard options that can increase or decrease these indicators.

Final floor - screed filling and flooring. A lot can be said about the screed layer. The main thing is that the thickness is of the optimal size, which will allow the floor base to completely warm up and keep it warm for a certain time. The thickness of the floor covering also includes a small layer of the fastening element. As far as tiles are concerned, we are talking about glue, the level of which can even level minor surface defects.

Solution composition

The purpose of the room where the installation of the warm floor is carried out will affect the components of the fill. For living quarters, the grade of cement M200 will be enough, which is added to the solution, but industrial facilities - at least M400. It's all about the final strength of the structure.

It would not be superfluous to add various additives in the form of plasticizers to the composition, which allow you to make a smaller layer of screed, and also will not contribute to the formation of cracks and other defects on the surface.

Old folk remedies indicate the possibility of replacing plasticizers with other materials - PVA glue. True, it no longer justifies itself due to the emergence of more modern technologies that allow to obtain the best results.

Minimum level

There are established building codes for the minimum thickness of the water floor screed. It is clearly spelled out there, from which one should make a start when pouring the solution along the contour. Self-leveling mixtures are typically 20 mm thick.

The standard version of the screed is 40-60 mm. Much will depend on the presence of all the layers that make up the overall pie. A reinforcement layer on top of the pipeline is not always applied, as it is not always necessary. Without it, a very thin layer may not always be strong and reliable.

You can think about the minimum thickness indicators only when a high-quality rough base is made according to the level. Even minor defects and elevation differences can ultimately affect the degree of filling. This suggests that at each stage one should think for the future, when any errors will affect the reduction of the distance from the ceiling to the floor. This is especially important for rooms with a low ceiling level.

Instead of a metal mesh, they are now used to using an alternative means - fiberglass, which has the same qualities, moreover, it creates the possibility of uniform distribution of the solution over the surface due to plasticity.

If you do everything efficiently and with optimal thickness of the entire “pie” of the warm floor, then there will be no extra costs for heating. The base of the floor will always be heated to the required level. Some manufacturers recommend arranging a layer at a certain thickness, depending on the composition of the solution. They write about this in their recommendations, which should be followed.

Limiting layers

There is a maximum height of the screed above the water-heated floor, above which there is no longer any need and utility. A large amount of time will be spent on filling, but at the same time the efficiency of the underfloor heating system will suffer to a large extent. After all, all the resulting "pie" will have to be heated constantly.

The greatest thickness can be up to 150 mm. Much here will depend on the purpose of the premises where the work is carried out. In addition, in this case, a monolithic device is mainly produced. The height of the screed for a water-heated floor also serves as a foundation. Greater thickness should be provided for certain types of premises, such as a garage, parking areas, etc.

It comes to the maximum thickness of the fill in a situation where the soil at the base is very problematic. After all, a warm water floor is most often installed in private buildings. Otherwise, the entire structure will be destroyed. A lot of money will be spent, but there will be no result. In the process of preparing the solution, only high-quality materials should be used, since the entire structure is created for a long time. It is better to spend money once than spend money on labor-intensive repairs later.

In order to somewhat reduce costs in this case, it is best to knock down the protrusions on the base to the maximum, additionally arrange a backfill for leveling. But this must be done before installing a warm water floor. In the future, it will be much easier to carry out all the stages of installing a water-heated floor.

If the piping loop will be located in a thick screed, operational problems may arise due to prolonged heating of the subfloor. A lot of resources will be spent on this. There will be no benefits from using the system. This suggests that it is necessary to preliminarily competently arrange a rough floor in order to lay pipes without consequences for their integrity.

Manufacturers recommend

Each manufacturer sets certain parameters for the height of the warm floor. This comes from the used ready-made mixtures, which have a slightly different composition from each other. The screed over a water-heated floor should be evenly distributed over the surface and at the same time wait until it dries completely. It is from the thickness that this period will depend before the flooring.

The company "Kan" for its customers in the recommendations prescribed that above the pipes of the warm floor there should be a screed with a height of about 45 mm. If we also take the pipeline itself into the total, then the thickness of the screed should be approximately 65 mm. That is, the height will come from the upper edge of the contour of the warm water floor system. When choosing a special plasticizer in addition to the mixture, the prepared solution can be poured onto the heated floor surface to a height of only 25 mm. That is, one additive will significantly reduce the cost of installing the screed.

Rehau has a slightly different approach to optimal fill level performance. The entire structure, the height of the screed above the warm floor should be at the level of 61 mm from the base, together with the pipeline. But in their work, they use a pipe somewhat reduced in diameter. The most important thing is that it is sufficient for the directed movement of the coolant and the transfer of the required amount of heat to the floor. For industrial premises, the thickness is slightly different. Its average indicators range from 75-92 mm.

Video:

Video:

Video:

Video: