Preparing the floor for the concrete screed

To create a high-quality floor screed, on which you can lay decorative material, it is important to carry out the right preparation. Some owners do not take into account how fundamental the preparatory stage is, which is why they cannot then equip truly high-quality and aesthetic floors. What needs to be done so that problems do not arise with the creation of a screed?

Preliminary work with the floor

To prevent the screed from cracking in the future, it must be poured onto the floor slab. With this option, the floor level will not rise too much. The owner should remove the old finish, then remove the worn screed.

Under these layers, mounting loops are sometimes found sticking out of the slab. They must be dismantled so that they do not violate the integrity of the screed. In addition, it is advisable to get rid of large irregularities in the slab using a hammer drill or grinder. It also happens that in some areas the screed turns out to be fragile, and damaged pieces literally move away from it. You can't leave them either.

Laying insulating material

Many owners believe that heat and sound insulation is optional. But it is better to think about the neighbors below, so cover at least a sound-absorbing layer. To do this, use mineral wool or penoplex. It is spread over the entire area so that there are no missing areas.

On modern samples of insulating materials, there is a groove-ridge system, therefore, individual plates are laid very tightly. This way they will not be able to move. To increase the packing density, place a compensation tape around the perimeter of the room. It can be either specialized or made of expanded polystyrene.

Reinforcing mesh installation

Now it remains to create a reliable foundation that can maintain the strength of the concrete layer even under intense mechanical stress. For this, a reinforcing mesh is placed, having previously covered the insulation with a film or special separating material. You also need to make sure that the reinforcing mesh does not lie directly on the film, but at a certain height. To do this, they put under it, for example, a brick break or even rubble in some areas.

After completing this preparation, the owner can proceed to the very pouring of concrete mortar or self-leveling mixture. The resulting screed will show excellent strength characteristics and will last a very long time.