Using a traditional wet screed during floor repair is a process that requires time by the owner of the room. Sometimes the most rational solution is a dry floor screed with your own hands, which can be done in a short time using special materials. The technology is quite simple, so even a home master can cope with the task.
Dry Method Benefits
The manufacture of a layer of a rough floor without the use of traditional mortars allows you to get the following advantages:
- There is no need for wet processes that increase labor intensity. Before pouring a wet solution, it must be prepared in the exact proportion, and then filled in accordance with the technology. When working with a dry screed, everything is much simpler.
- It is possible to carry out work in parts. In the manufacture of the traditional draft layer, it is required to make a screed over the entire area of the room at a time. This is due to the fact that after solidification, concrete or other mortar does not set well with a new layer, the material for work quickly hardens, so you can not lose seconds, all processes should be performed with fast, honed movements. Do-it-yourself dry floor screed can be performed in several stages.
- The ability to fix the result. This is especially true for those who for the first time decided to make repairs with their own hands and have not yet mastered the technology perfectly. If necessary, the material can be leveled, the excess removed or a little bedding added in the right place. The technology allows you to learn how to do the work, while you do not need to rush, the timing is unlimited.
- The heat-insulating characteristics of the backfill material make it possible to do without additional laying of insulation. Most often, claydite is used to make a dry screed - a material that is particles of clay baked in a special way. Its heat-insulating characteristics are difficult to compare with modern types of heat insulators (foam, foam, mineral wool), but it is able to perform sound insulation of floors and protect against heat loss when laying on the basement. In the latter case, it is worthwhile to calculate the thickness depending on the climatic region.
- Ease of laying communications. Again, a property that is especially beneficial for beginners, but should not be missed by professional workers. It is easy to lay pipes in a layer of bulk material. If repairs are necessary, you can disassemble the flooring and inspect the communications without serious damage to the subfloor. Upon completion of work, all screed materials are reused (stacked in place). But it is important to remember, if expanded clay is wet, its properties deteriorate. It is better to replace the material in the place of damage to the water supply system with a new one.
- Terms of work. Some types of solutions cannot be poured at low temperatures. The periods of their hardening increase and operational characteristics worsen. This statement cannot be attributed to a dry screed. You can make it at any time of the year. The plus also becomes that there is no need to wait for time to solidify the solution.
Dry screed and wooden floor
This issue should be considered separately. If necessary, level the wooden floor, it can be done with traditional concrete mortars, but it is worth remembering a few facts:
- the carrying capacity of wood is lower than that of concrete floors, so do not overload it heavily;
- concrete density averages 2400 kg / m3 without reinforcement and 2500 kg / m3 with reinforcement laying.
- for expanded clay gravel, the density depends on the size of the fraction, but on average is 800 kg / m3;
- from the above values it can be concluded that filling the dry screed allows you to significantly relieve the floors when a wooden house is being built.
The wooden house itself is quite warm, so there is no fundamental value for it in the high efficiency of thermal insulation. Expanded clay gravel will be enough to warm the ceiling of a cold basement or attic, if you make them on beams.
A wooden house is a construction that requires the use of the most environmentally friendly materials. If you use artificial species for its decoration, then the essence of the idea of building from wood disappears. For example, many polymeric materials for decoration are undesirable, since a wooden house with them loses the ability to "breathe".
This feature should be considered when you need to make a floor screed. It is best to use natural material, which basically has only clay.
Work execution technology
Make a dry screed in the following order:
- Surface cleaning, laying of communications with their subsequent verification.
- Laying a layer of waterproofing (if the basement is insulated) or vapor barrier (for interfloor and attic). As a universal material, a plastic film is used. It is laid both as a protection against moisture, and as a remedy for steam. The material is characterized by low cost.
- Filling leveling screed. In order to do the work in compliance with one level, the screed manufacturing technology provides for the installation of guides (beacons), according to which the excess is removed using the rule. As guides, you can use a metal profile or wooden bars. The thickness of the expanded clay layer can be assigned by heat engineering calculation, and can be taken constructively (especially if a wooden house is built that does not conduct heat well). On average, for insulation, it will be necessary to use 10-15 cm. It is enough to lay 5-7 cm on the floor floor.
- After filling, stack the sheet material. As this layer, plywood or OSB boards can be used. The number of layers depends on the calculated load on the floor and the step of the lag on which the sheets will be attached.
- After aligning the sheets, the process of laying the dry screed on a wooden or other floor is completed. The top layer is an even base for any type of flooring.
Advice! For additional insulation, as a finishing layer, not plywood can be used, but sheets of extruded polystyrene foam. It has high efficiency in terms of protection against the cold and sufficient strength.