Creating A Flat Surface On A Concrete Floor Using Plywood

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

• Alignment types
• Recommendations
• Advantages and disadvantages
• Preparatory activities
• On the crate
• No lag
• Application of glue
• Getting rid of minor defects

When there is a concrete surface with irregularities and other defects, then it is worth thinking about how to level it with plywood. But here it is very important to know the circumstances under which this material can be applied, as well as the required set of tools. Indeed, for the finishing or flooring of the floor covering, whatever it is, the base must correspond to the level and be perfectly flat. If this is neglected, then the service life of the coating will be significantly reduced.

Alignment types

There are various options for creating a flat surface using plywood. Everything will depend on the base itself (wood, concrete), as well as the possibility of the lag device, along which the sheets are fixed.

If there is a wooden base, then it is enough to screw the plywood with self-tapping screws to the surface. But it is very important to carry out a set of preparatory measures and inspect the existing wooden floor. The very thickness of the sheets will have corresponding indicators. Usually it is at least 10 mm.

For perfect alignment, a log floor is perfect. In the future, you can make the flooring of absolutely any floor covering. It can be not only tiles, laminate, parquet, but also carpet, linoleum, etc.

Which option to choose for the full alignment of the base will depend on certain circumstances and the wishes of the performer. In any case, the surface will be flat. It will not be superfluous to use the appropriate set of tools and additional materials.

Recommendations

There are certain requirements and wishes when carrying out repair work on the subfloor. To get the ideal option, you should listen to the opinion of experts. The following points are distinguished here:

• It is best to use birch plywood in your work. It has such a property as environmental friendliness.

  

  This distinguishes it from such materials as chipboard or fiberboard. In addition, such plywood is a truly natural material. The health of the residents of the apartment will not suffer in any way.
• The sheets used will be an excellent option if their optimal thickness is 10-12 mm. The strength of the floor and the flatness of the surface will then be ensured.
• There is no need to spend a lot of money and purchase high quality plywood. Even the sheets of the very last grade will contribute to obtaining a high result. In the future, the plywood is still finished and flooring is done.

When choosing a material for leveling the surface, you should pay attention to the fact that it has such a quality as moisture resistance. In this case, there will be no problems with some level of humidity in the room. But if it is a bathroom or a kitchen, then you should think about other options for leveling the base.

It is imperative to lay the sheets apart so that the joints of each row are in the center of the next row.

Advantages and disadvantages

When plywood is used, you should decide what kind of positive qualities this material has. First of all, this concerns the fact that all types of work can be performed on their own without involving construction crews.

At the same time, the work is carried out as soon as possible without unnecessary costs. Subsequently, you can carry out the installation of absolutely any floor covering. The surface becomes perfectly flat and solid.

Any technology, in addition to its advantages, also has disadvantages, which must be mentioned:

• If we move away from the technology of creating a flat surface using plywood, then over time, a rumble in the floor will appear, as well as a "drum" effect.
• A creak will appear if the quality of the plywood is not suitable. It will also cause the floor to squeak and become uncomfortable.

Preparatory activities

When laying plywood on a concrete floor, maximum measures should be taken to bring the base to the required performance. Concrete can have a high level of moisture. And this immediately negatively affects the condition of the plywood sheets after installation. Therefore, the moisture level should be investigated before starting work. If this indicator corresponds to the norm, then you can proceed to the next stages of repairing the floor surface.

Moisture testing can be done with whatever is available. For this, a polyethylene film is laid on the surface, the edges of which are carefully pressed against the base. If, after three days after that, from the inside it will have formed condensation, then it is best to postpone the work for a while. During this time, you can take measures to reduce moisture using various means.

There should be no questions about whether the floor can be leveled with plywood. This material is great for these purposes. But before starting work, they should be covered with an antiseptic, which will allow to protect the sheets from high humidity and low temperatures during operation. In addition, you can forget about the formation of mold on the surface or fungi.

The most affordable plywood sheets are category 4. This variety has visible defects, but is perfect for creating a flat surface. All requirements are roughly aligned. If a final coating is required, then the grade is selected of the best quality.

On the crate

There are many ways to level plywood floors. When sheets are used in work, lags are most often arranged, and elements are fixed to them. But here, too, there are two main ways to get rid of defects in the surface of a concrete floor:

1. The device of tape supports.
2. Point supports.

In each of the cases, there is a sequence of work that will contribute to obtaining an ideal even floor.

Tape supports cannot do without transverse and longitudinal components. As for the longitudinal ones, we can say that they should not fit snugly against the walls. A distance of about 30 mm must be maintained, which is necessary for deformation movements. The sheets used to level the plywood floor will affect the distance between the joists. Usually the distance is chosen within 40-50 cm.

There is a sequence of steps for this method, which includes:

1. Initially, plywood is laid out on the floor surface. In this case, you do not need to fix it, but simply try it on, determining the required number of sheets. The staggered order of arrangement of sheets of material must be observed.
2. Places of installation of the longitudinal elements of the lathing are drawn on the sheets.
3. It will not be superfluous to number each plywood sheet so that in the future there will be no problems with installation.
4. Logs are laid out along the marks on the floor. To begin with, they are fixed near the walls, and then between them. Even cut plywood can be used as a material.
5. To level the floors with self-tapping screws, the sheets are screwed to the logs. You can additionally use metal corners.
6. According to building codes, you should not put wooden blocks or metal wedges under the logs if it is necessary to raise the level. Here the best option is to add sand, or put roofing material.
7. To improve the quality of leveling the floor with plywood, all voids between the joists should be filled with thermal insulation material. An alternative is sawdust mixed with PVA glue.

When there are significant differences in height in the room, then you can use the technology of leveling the concrete floor with plywood mini-logs. But very few people can cope with such a task on their own. To do this, it is better to invite specialists who can do everything efficiently.

Now let's get back to using point supports. This option as supports around the perimeter of the room provides for the use of OSB-plates, wood or plywood elements. Their height should correspond to the difference in plywood thickness and the level difference on the base. Since the reliability of such a structure is much less, the number of located supports should be increased.

We must not forget about the ventilation of the underground. Holes are drilled at the pre-marked points of the plywood sheets after installation. They are perfectly hidden by decorative elements (ventilation grill).

No lag

This method is only suitable for a wooden base. This is the easiest way to level the floor with plywood. It is very important to choose the optimum thickness of plywood for the job. If the width of the floorboards is 200 mm, then the material should be at least 100 mm. If the floorboards are more than 200 mm wide, then plywood should also be selected with a sheet thickness of at least 200 mm. A sequence of actions is also provided here.

1. Forming an indent from the wall. You also need to remember about a temperature gap of 30-70 mm. When the moisture level of the material and in the room changes, its deformation will not occur.
2. It is possible to level the floor with plywood, but the position of the plywood sheets must match the brickwork. The offset should not be less than a quarter of the sheet used itself.
3. So that there are no questions about how to properly level the floor with plywood, you should distribute the attachment points. This is influenced by the step between the altitude differences that were identified earlier.

4. All existing holes for fasteners must be made in advance, so that subsequently there is no cracking of the material along the length. They are located at least 20 mm from the edge.

   

Application of glue

There are also non-standard ways of leveling a concrete floor with plywood. One of them is the use of a mixture of glue and sawdust. This is a kind of screed, on top of which plywood sheets with a thickness of 5-8 mm are subsequently laid. When it comes to wood flooring, there is a cost savings. However, it requires more time for installation. This becomes especially noticeable with significant differences in the height of the base of the floor.

The algorithm includes stages that must begin, as elsewhere, with the preparation of the surface for work. Also here you should fill the laths-beacons on the base, which are set according to the level. The entire space between them should be filled with the prepared mixture. Usually several layers of such a "screed" are made, but no more than two. The evenness of the adhesive should be checked with a spirit level each time it is applied.

After everything is dry, you can start laying plywood sheets. This will allow you to learn how to level the floor in the apartment with plywood.

Getting rid of minor defects

Do-it-yourself plywood floor leveling should be done in compliance with the technology. At the preparatory stage, elevation differences are checked and measures are taken to create a horizontal level. In the presence of minor surface defects, there are certain methods to get rid of them, as well as the features of installing plywood.

If the height differences are up to 10 mm, then the sheets can be fixed on the concrete floor immediately, without installing a lag. But the thickness of the plywood in this case should not be less than 18-20 mm.

Dowels or adhesive mastic are used to attach sheets to a concrete base with minor defects. They never forget about all kinds of preparatory activities. But the glue is applied to the concrete floor with a notched trowel. There should be no questions about what kind of plywood the floors are leveled with. It must be thick for a solid foundation.

The use of plywood for leveling the floor in an apartment allows you to hide even significant defects in the base, which reach up to 50 mm. At the same time, it will remain reliable, if necessary, in the future to produce flooring. For environmental friendliness, it is better to use birch plywood, which also has all the necessary strength properties.

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