How To Create A Flat Floor Surface With Dry Backfill And Sheets

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

• Screed base
• Advantages
• Using alignment sheets
• High-quality backfill
• Foundation preparation
• Additional layers
• Laying mix and sheets
• Final works

A dry screed is often used to quickly obtain an even floor. In the future, you can immediately finish finishing. It is not distinguished by the same compressive strength than in the classical version, but it will be sufficient for rooms even with a high degree of permeability. A dry screed can be arranged even in garage buildings, despite the initially apparent fragility of the entire structure. It is very important when performing installation to fully comply with the technology and not deviate from it at each of the stages.

Screed base

Dry screed is performed by backfilling with the appropriate material, as well as the subsequent laying of gypsum fiber sheets. In addition, other screed layers should be additionally arranged.

In addition to the simple leveling of the base, the dry version acts as a soundproofing, having a number of positive qualities.

For the manufacturer Knauf, there are 4 types of dry screed in its technology:

1. Alpha.
2. Beta.
3. Vega.

4. Gamma.

   

Each of them has its own characteristics and requires the device of soundproof, porous-spongy, porous-fibrous layers. But when there is a choice of a screed for an apartment, but time is limited, then this method cannot be dispensed with.

Advantages

It is not enough to know how to properly make a floor screed. It will not be superfluous to study all the positive qualities of such material in work. To begin with, this is a dry method, which excludes the use of water in the screed. Therefore, you do not have to knead a concrete or cement-sand mortar, be afraid of water flowing to the lower floors. The installation process itself does not take much time and experience in implementation. All the work can be done not at once in one room, but only in parts. In this case, you can make certain adjustments to the final result.

The dry screed has a high degree of thermal insulation. This quality is achieved through the use of expanded clay as a component. The soundproofing effect is obtained by using a polyethylene foam edge band.

The advantages of a dry screed also lie in the fact that all possible communications can be laid in it without unnecessary problems. This is great for installing a floor heating system and laying any kind of cable.

If there is not much time to carry out repairs in the apartment and arrange a flat floor, then the dry method will come in handy. After backfilling, the used sheet material can be fixed immediately. All that remains is to make the finishing, to make the flooring. This is especially important in the winter time of the day, when to dry the concrete screed it will be necessary to wait up to a month so that it is completely dry. In addition, the underfloor heating system can function quietly almost without interruption, which will not allow the heat to even leave the room.

Not always a wooden base is able to withstand the loads created from a concrete screed. For this reason, the device of the dry version will be relevant for him.

Using alignment sheets

One of the elements of such a floor is a leveling sheet, which can be completely different, depending on the function performed. In addition to conventional gypsum fiber sheets (GVL), moisture resistant (GVLV) can be used. Other materials are also distinguished, which include:

• Gypsum Sheets (GSP).
• Chipboard (chipboard).
• Plywood with moisture resistance.
• Oriented particle boards (OSB).

The OP 135 system presented by Knauf is especially effective. The set of materials includes everything you need for high-quality leveling of the base. At the same time, no voids are formed, but excellent qualities of heat and sound insulation appear. In work, small-format sheets of drywall are most often used. These floor leveling sheets are characterized by a high degree of resistance to moisture.

If you need a durable and, moreover, environmentally friendly material, then GSP is chosen. The device on the floor is made in two layers, which are fastened together with ordinary PVA glue. For the reliability of the entire structure, self-tapping screws are also screwed in. But in the process of cutting the sheets, a lot of dust appears. In addition, the total weight of the sheets is significant.

A dry screed with expanded polystyrene can be performed. It is designed to protect against extraneous noise, as well as keep warm inside the room. This is especially important if quartz sand is used as backfill.

The total thickness of the entire "pie" will depend on the number of irregularities and their distribution over the surface in the room, as well as the laid communications. In the standard version, the floor leveling cover with all components is 30-50 mm. At higher heights, the emphasis is on the application of two layers of floor leveling panels to create a leveling floor covering.

High-quality backfill

Not only expanded clay can be used as backfill when installing a dry screed. The material for pouring the floor in the apartment can be absolutely any, corresponding to the conditions, as well as requirements.

1. Expanded clay. For a dry screed, its fraction should not exceed 5 mm. Otherwise, the technologies will be violated, and the evenness of the surface will not work. With a significant difference in the elements of expanded clay in the bag, "coils" appear, which appear at the end of the work.

   

   The minimum level of expanded clay on the base for leveling is 30-40 mm.

2. Vermiculite. Refers to the number of layered materials. The cooking process has its own characteristics. But a ready-made version is always available in the construction market. The weight of vermiculite is insignificant, which significantly reduces the overall load on the floor. Each cubic meter of material weighs only 160 kg. If it is a dry method for arranging a flat floor, then only expanded vermiculite is selected, due to the high degree of moisture absorption.
3. Perlite is referred to as a volcanic rock. In addition, perlite sand is used in the work. But in comparison with other analogues, this material has an increased cost, which somewhat repels from the performers.

4. The Belarusian company offers compavit on the market. The probability of counterfeiting is minimal, and, therefore, the quality always remains at its best.

   

With an even base, the absence of significant errors and defects, you can generally do without filling, saving a decent amount of money. All that remains is to use extruded polystyrene foam, which is used to cover the surface. This is how flat floors are created in an apartment without a screed. The material for dry floor screed can be different. The main thing is to decide what qualities it should show during operation.

Foundation preparation

Do-it-yourself floor leveling mixture is purchased in advance. But before filling it, you should carry out high-quality measures to prepare the foundation.

Initially, all plumbing work should be carried out, communications, electrical wiring should be laid. The sewage system, the heating system and other elements that are located in the floor are checked for a malfunction.

When the room is already inhabited, repairs are carried out, the old coating is removed first, and the base is checked for defects. Existing cracks, potholes, holes are eliminated with a cement-sand mortar. It is better to cut off significant protrusions with a grinder than to cover them with dry screed components. The height of the future screed is also determined, marks about which are made on the walls in the room. All debris, dust, dirt is also removed.

Additional layers

Before directly backfilling the components of the dry version of leveling the sub-floor, a moisture-proof layer should be made. For this purpose, glassine or film is laid under a dry polyethylene screed. It is even possible to distribute the elements in parts. In any case, an overlap of 15-20 cm should be maintained. In addition to the base, the film should also cover part of the wall, where the general level of the "pie" will reach. This layer must be arranged without fail, since any moisture coming from the outside can destroy the backfill material.

Extraneous noise may enter the apartment through the base of the floor. To avoid this, you will have to think about soundproofing. To some extent, this role is played by backfill. But in addition, a gap between the sheets and the wall is set up to 1 cm. A soundproof tape made of a specific material (glass wool, polyethylene foam, mineral wool) is fixed in this gap.

Laying mix and sheets

The free-flowing mixture should be poured along the guides exposed as beacons. If this is not done, then later the level will not help to make everything even. A loose foundation will be difficult to walk on and will constantly change its shape.

The installed U-shaped profiles are attached to the base, after which the backfill will be distributed between them.

The maximum dry screed height will depend on the quality of the leveling surface. Subsequently, the gypsum fiber sheets will hardly come into contact with the profiles. But the latter should still be removed. The fact is that over time, the backfill has such a property as subsidence. Consequently, the floor covering itself, together with the sheet material, will slightly sink. The profiles will remain in place due to the increased rigidity. The danger in this regard is raw expanded clay.

The backfill mixture must be homogeneous. The most popular of them are materials from the Knauf company, which have a set of all the necessary qualities and properties. With an increase in the total layer of the screed, you will have to additionally use a layer of sheet material. The amount of the mixture should be such that it can be covered with several sheets. Otherwise, it will be very problematic to walk on the surface and perform styling. Fastening the sheets will also be problematic due to crumbs from the backfill material getting on the glue. This is all you need for a dry floor screed. Elementary technology requirements must be followed. The mixture for leveling the floor in the bathroom must have such qualities as resistance to moisture. Such materials can be found on the construction market. The choice should be approached with all responsibility.

As for the sheets, it is important to lay the first sheet from which everything will come. In any case, do not push into the backfill or move it over the surface. The evenness of the backfill will be maintained if the work starts from the front door. An exception here is laying the material on heat-insulating plates. Each subsequent row of sheets should lie with an offset, that is, in a checkerboard pattern.

Screed and leveling materials affect the overall thickness of the pie. In some cases, you will have to arrange two layers of sheet material. Specific circumstances will give a more accurate answer. It will not be superfluous to seek advice from specialists.

Final works

When the floor has been leveled dry, you can proceed to the final work. For this purpose, the protruding elements of the waterproofing film are cut off. The number of works will be influenced by the purpose of the leveling base on the floor.

1. In the bathroom, an additional waterproofing layer should be made before the flooring. It can be a regular film or bitumen coating.
2. When using a coating such as linoleum, cork, etc., then the self-tapping slippers should be hidden, and all the joints of the sheets should be putty. When painting the surface, the entire surface is primed and putty. In this case, the surface will turn out to be flat and smooth.
3. No action is required if tiles are being laid in a residential area. It is enough to purchase adhesives for the screed.

A dry screed is carried out in one day. In addition, all actions are performed on their own, without the involvement of construction teams.

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