Concrete base considered the most common floor covering. Reinforcing or strengthening a concrete floor increases the service life of the foundation and also prevents the concrete from deteriorating.
Many builders, especially beginners, are faced with the question: “How to reinforce a concrete floor?” First of all, you need to figure out what material the reinforcing surface is made of:
It will be extremely useful for you to familiarize yourself with the selection.
Fiber-reinforced concrete is used to strengthen floors on large areas. The thickness of the screed must be at least 50 - 70 mm. The average room area is 3000 sq.m. Benefits of fiber:
Such reinforcement of a concrete floor, reviews of which are very varied, also has its drawbacks - the complexity of manufacturing and low load-bearing capacity.
Without reinforcing bars, it is impossible to imagine the calculation of the load-bearing load. Most often, volumetric or double reinforcement is used for medium and heavy transport and pedestrian loads.
Important! Before pouring concrete, you can control the reinforcement process yourself, that is, make sure making the right choice diameter and knitting of reinforcement, cell sizes, etc.
The disadvantage of this type of reinforcement is the high complexity of the process. You can't do without.
Welded mesh(otherwise called road reinforcement) is used only for light loads, that is, single reinforcement is used. Experts recommend using it for screeds with a thickness of no more than 70-100 mm for light traffic and pedestrian loads. This method of strengthening concrete is less complicated, and you can control the process while pouring concrete.
Before starting work, it is important to calculate the possible consumption of reinforcement for floor reinforcement . For each method, the calculation will be individual:
If all proportions are observed, you will receive high-quality concrete floor reinforcement. Videos of the work can be viewed on the Internet.
Without following certain rules, it is impossible to reinforce a concrete floor. The technology is quite simple, but failure to comply with the requirements will result in all the work being done in vain:
Important! Supports cannot be used when reinforcing concrete with fiberglass.
If all structures and materials are prepared, then you can proceed to a process such as reinforcing a concrete floor, the stages of work are as follows:
Advice! To strengthen concrete, you can use propylene or metal fiber .
Reinforcement of a concrete floor (reinforcement consumption , necessary materials etc. described above) is impossible without preparation and calculations. A high-quality concrete floor can be obtained by following the instructions and following certain rules. Optimal ratio wear resistance, efficiency and strength is carried out with the correct choice of reinforcement method and compliance with the design loads.
Despite their high strength, concrete screeds may require additional reinforcement. This is relevant in conditions of high mechanical loads, when pouring unconnected structures, in case of shrinkage and deformation of concrete.
Work on reinforcing a concrete floor is not always carried out. But, reinforced structures win in terms of operational and technical specifications. Steel protects the screed from cracking that occurs during the maturation of concrete due to natural shrinkage.
The construction of a reinforced concrete floor is reasonable in order to protect the structure from mechanical pressure and vibration loads. In general, we can talk about long-term operation.
When installing a reinforced concrete floor:
Reinforcement is a mandatory stage of work when the height of the concrete layer is over 50 mm
When pouring concrete screeds, only those reinforcing materials are used that are permitted for use by current standards and regulations.
This group includes:
Of course, the most durable structures are created on the basis of metal reinforcement. They are successfully used in industrial premises, garages, warehouses, and open street areas. The solution is suitable for installing screeds on the ground.
Glass fibers and polymers optimally match the requirements of screeds for heated floors. They are not suitable for building structures on the ground. Such materials are lightweight, do not put additional load on the floor, but do not have good tensile strength. You could say that this is perfect solution for places with light loads.
Volumetric strengthening with fiber fiber provides protection against shrinkage deformations and blocks the formation of microcracks. The material is introduced into the concrete formulation, but is not suitable for working on soils (or is used in combination with traditional reinforcement).
In addition, fibrous varieties do not provide protection against bending and tensile stresses.
For concrete floor structures that will bear high and ultra-high loads, it is better to choose metal reinforcement. The diameter of the rod is determined depending on operating conditions and loads. In practice this is 6-12 mm. The most common cell size is 10*10, 20*20 mm.
The reinforcing mesh can be connected into a single system using knitting wire or by welding. Both options work successfully in ground screeds. Current standards allow the installation of mesh in two layers. The cost of reinforcement depends on the mesh size, material consumption, and rod diameter.
Ready-made wire mesh is available in sheets and rolls. The base is wire of class VR-1 and d 2-6 mm. The material is suitable for constructing rough screeds under moderate load conditions. Cell sizes can vary between 50*50 – 200*200 mm.
Principles of working with metal reinforcing mesh:
The screed is protected by a covering material and is protected for 5-7 days
Features of reinforcement with plastic mesh
If concrete structure is arranged on floor slabs and is not expected to be too high loads, it makes sense to turn to plastic reinforcing mesh. This is the optimal solution for strengthening screeds up to 80 mm thick, including when implementing self-leveling systems and heated floors.
The advantages of such materials are much lower weight compared to steel and high elasticity. Plastic is capable of stretching, which helps maintain the integrity of the structure during shrinkage processes.
The material is sold in rolls at an affordable price (from 120 rubles/sq.m.). You can count on convenient transportation, installation, cutting. Plastic is not subject to corrosion and is resistant to aggressive environments. The reinforcement technology is identical to the previous one.
Features of the use of fiberglass materials
Only fiberglass that has been treated with a special impregnation works with concrete. This prevents the destruction of the material in an alkaline environment, which is typical for cement mortars. The most common reinforcing meshes are woven on the basis of aluminoborsilicate glass.
If we talk about the advantages, they are identical to their polypropylene counterparts. The scope of application is the same as that of plastic mesh. Fiberglass is an easy-to-carry, lightweight, flexible material, but it does not withstand impact. high temperatures(limit 200 degrees) and is not suitable for areas with increased risk fire.
Features of volumetric reinforcement
The basis of such reinforcement is a mixture of fibrous materials. It can be polypropylene, metal, basalt, fiberglass. The material is introduced into the concrete formulation during the preparation of the solution. After the screed gains strength, a monolithic coating is formed that is minimally susceptible to cracking.
The choice of material type is based on the purpose of the screed. Thus, lightweight structures require polypropylene and fiberglass. For higher loads, it makes sense to pay attention to metal varieties. If the structure will be used in difficult conditions or outdoors, use basalt fiber.
When mixing the solution, the fiber is poured at the stage of mixing the dry components, after which mixing with water is carried out. The composition is laid out on the base and aligned along the guides. Volumetric reinforcement is easily combined with traditional reinforcement.
The construction of a concrete floor is realized using the following technological operations:
It is necessary to cut expansion and temperature-shrinkage seams with a cutter to a depth of 1/3 of the thickness of the structure
Sand is poured over the compacted soil base. The average layer thickness is 200 mm. Layer-by-layer compaction is carried out using vibrating plates. The sand must be compacted in accordance with the design marks, which is controlled by a level. Another technology involves the installation of reinforced concrete slabs.
Installation of formwork, guides
Laying of the concrete floor is carried out in separate sections - maps. These are rectangular zones of the required size. Actual fill map parameters depend on total area surfaces and the possibility of laying mortar in one shift.
Formwork is installed along the perimeter of the cards below the finished floor mark. Material – wooden plank 50*100 mm. Holes for reinforcement pins should be pre-drilled in the boards in increments of 50 cm. The formwork lines should overlap the pattern of expansion joints.
If the installation will be carried out along guides, they are arranged on the basis metal profiles, either a steel angle 50*50*3 mm, or a profile pipe 40*20*2 mm.
The guides are welded to reinforcement posts with a diameter of 12 mm. Evenness is controlled by an optical level. All places where the surface adjoins the load-bearing structures are covered with damper tape based on foamed polyethylene, for example, Izolon 4 mm thick.
Before filling, the profiles should be treated with engine oil. The rough base is moistened with water.
Reinforcement
IN concrete floors reinforcement is carried out in accordance with the design, based on the expected loads. You can use welded road mesh with a diameter of 4 mm and a cell size of 20*20 cm. The material is laid in one layer, overlapping is provided. Reinforcement clamps - chairs - are installed to ensure a protective layer of 20 mm.
All overlaps are fixed with tying wire with a diameter of 1.2 mm. Overlaps and protective layers are monitored. Before laying the reinforcing mesh frame on the base, it is recommended to place a polyethylene film. This will reduce moisture loss from the concrete mixture and provide waterproofing.
If the project requires laying reinforcing mesh in two layers, you can use a road mesh with a diameter of 5 mm and a cell size of 15 * 15 cm. The bottom layer is mounted on plastic clamps (support 35-50), which will give a protective layer of 35 mm.
The upper one is mounted on special strip clamps, taking into account gaps in the areas of shrinkage and technological seams. For work, use strip clamps FP 60-4.0. They are connected to the mesh with a knitting wire and provide a protective layer of 25 mm.
Concrete laying
When laying concrete according to maps there should be no long technological breaks, that is, more than 60 minutes
After installing the reinforcement and formwork, it is time to pour the concrete mixture. The choice of material is based on the type of structure, method of installation and transportation. When working on floors, a class of at least B22.5 is used.
If the area and working conditions do not allow the mixer to approach the object closely, concrete pumps are used. At small volume Concrete mixers are used for work. Filling must be continuous, otherwise there is a high risk of cracking.
To increase the plasticity and workability of the solution, it is permissible to introduce C-3 plasticizers into the formulation (in the factory).
Leveling and compaction
The solution is compacted using deep vibrators. To level along the guides, use a rule. Work with the surface is carried out in 3 technological approaches. If the concrete shrinks, the solution is added with a shovel in the required quantities.
Control over the correctness of installation is carried out using a level, which complies with SNiP 3.04.01-87.
If the guides were mounted on liquid beacons, they operate with deep vibrators and vibrating laths. The work is carried out in 2 working approaches. This technology requires plasticity and workability of the solution, for which it is recommended to introduce plasticizing additives C-3. The concrete is laid and leveled so that the top is slightly higher than the level of the vibrating screed. Next, the tool is pulled along the liquid beacons.
Under the influence of vibration, the solution settles to the required level and is leveled. But, you need to make sure that the tool constantly slides over the surface. If material settles below the level, it is added with a shovel.
Grout
Before grouting, a technological break is arranged. The structure must gain the required plastic strength. Final time depends on humidity and temperature environment. As a rule, 2-7 hours are enough.
During this time, the material will gain strength so that you can safely step on its surface without leaving marks deeper than 3 mm. They begin processing with a trowel with discs using several technological approaches. Where concrete is adjacent to enclosing structures, walls, doorways, columns, grouting is carried out first. This is due to the fact that in these areas the solution gains strength faster than in the main area.
Primary application of dry hardeners
After grouting, take the dosing cart and add dry topping. Quantity – 50-60% of total consumption. On average, this is 1-1.5 kg/sq.m. The total consumption is within 2.5 kg/sq.m., but can increase equivalent to an increase in floor loads.
When the composition absorbs moisture from concrete slab, which can be seen by darkening, the first grouting is carried out using concrete finishing machines with a disk. Work begins near walls, columns, doorways . Work continues until a uniformly mixed mixture is formed on the surface.
The topping must be completely saturated with cement laitance and bond to the surface.
Second application of hardener
When the first grout is completed, the remainder of the mixture is immediately spread. This way the topping will have time to become saturated with moisture from the cement milk before the water evaporates. Application is carried out in such a way as to compensate for possible uneven application of the first layer.
When impregnation with moisture has occurred, which is traditionally indicated by darkening, the second grouting begins. Continue until the topping is completely saturated. If additional compaction is required, processing can be duplicated.
Smoothing
The final grouting is carried out using blades. Based on the condition of the surface, the interval between approaches is determined. The concrete should become matte without staining your hands when touched. Work is completed when smooth, flat surface.
Now you can cover the concrete polymer compounds. The material is applied with rollers. This will prevent too rapid loss of water.
Cutting temperature-shrinkable seams
2-3 days after completion of work, cutting of shrinkage and technological seams should be carried out. To determine the readiness of concrete for work, a test cutting is required. The edges of the seam should not crumble or become painted.
Seams are required to compensate for shrinkage and temperature processes occurring in the structure during concrete hardening. Plus, they prevent linear temperature deformation that occurs during operation.
Map for cutting seams: from 2.5*2.5 m to 3*3 m. The pattern must coincide with the axes of the columns. In the area of the columns, cutting is done in the shape of a diamond. They act in such a way that the glass of the column is placed inside the rhombus. The cutting depth is 1/3 of the thickness of the screed. Width – no more than 3-5 mm. Next, the recesses are filled with sealing cords. It is better to use a special profile seal.
The overall level of costs is based on a number of factors, the main of which are the presence of upper protective layers, area, number of layers, type of reinforcement, and quality of concrete.
Area is practically the only factor that cannot be influenced in any way. The larger the room, the more expensive the work will cost. However, large companies offer discounts for large volumes of work.
The quality of the solution, the presence and type of reinforcement affect not only costs, but also General characteristics finished design. Trying to save on price will result in the floor having to be repaired or replaced. Conversely, an excessive number of layers and unreasonably reinforced reinforcement will increase the load, and with the slightest mistakes this will lead to loss of durability of the coating.
The presence of upper reinforcing layers has a very significant effect on the cost of the floor.. But against the backdrop of such costs, the durability of the system increases.
The layers provide protection to the floor from excess humidity, mechanical damage
The quality of a concrete floor is directly dependent on the quality of the concrete. When choosing the optimal solution, they focus on the strength, durability, and moisture resistance of the material, therefore work on the construction of the structure begins with the selection of the class of concrete, as applied to each specific object. It's important to organize proper preparation, backfilling and compaction of the lower layers of the structure.
If we talk about reinforcement, the rule here is that too much does not mean good. The reinforcement system must be designed taking into account operational loads and operating conditions. Otherwise, you can expect excessively high costs and excessive loads on the foundation.
Otherwise, the production of concrete floors requires the participation of conventional building materials and equipment: concrete mixers (unless ordered ready material), brushes, rollers, shovels, polyethylene films, reinforcing additives, etc.
The process of reinforcing a floor under a concrete screed is shown in the video:
The rough floor screed on the ground is laid under the finishing screed, so it is subject to imperfections and may not have a completely flat surface. The rough screed is poured to level out differences in the base of the floor on the ground and to prepare the finishing floor. A finished floor on the ground without a screed is the first coating that serves the same purpose.
Floor installation.
To do it right rough screed floor on the ground, you must follow the instructions:
Rough wet floor on screed.
Before starting work, debris should be removed from the area. After this, you can begin installing beacons according to the following sequence:
After installing the first beacon, all the others are placed in the same order. If the installation was completed correctly, the last profile should be opposite the first.
Types of subfloor construction.
In order for the screed to have sufficient adhesion to the base of the floor, a number of preparatory measures should be carried out.
While the screed is being laid, all holes must be sealed with plugs. Before hiding pipelines and other engineering Communication, they should be attached to the floor with dowels, wrapped with isolon in front of it. Rough floor screed on the ground is an economical design. The components of the solution itself are inexpensive.
Scheme of the construction of a subfloor on a combined screed.
Usually the solution is prepared in a ratio of 1 to 3 (cement and sand, respectively). For 1 kg of dry mixture, usually take 0.5 liters of water. If the specified proportions are not observed, the composition will not be as strong as required. If all the rules are followed, the consistency of the mixture should be homogeneous and plastic. To prepare it, you need the following tools:
Next, the process of laying the screed begins. The space between two nearby beacons is filled with a solution using a shovel. When the profiles are covered with the mixture, you need to take the lath and, placing it on the beacons with both ends, remove the top layer of the solution with wave-like movements towards you to the mark. If voids begin to form under the lath or rule, then add solution to them and level them again. There are several professional tricks to make the screed more even:
Installation of a dry subfloor on joists on the floor slab.
As the screed dries, it shrinks, so you need to keep an eye on it. During the first days of drying, do not walk on it. The room where the screed is laid should be darkened and closed to prevent drafts. All measures are aimed at creating the same microclimate throughout the room so that the evaporated liquid is distributed evenly everywhere. After a day, cover the screed with film and wait for it to completely harden. This will take from 2 to 5 days. It all depends on the thickness of the layer.
If a rough screed is used to level the floor on the ground, then some unevenness is allowed. If the ground floor is planned to be warm, then the rough screed should be leveled. This is due to the fact that the floor heating element is placed on the ground between the screeds, and if the rough screed is not leveled, then the main floor screed will end up with height differences at different points, that is, the heating of the room will be uneven.
Rough floor screed on the ground is an economical option, but very labor-intensive, that is, the materials for such work are inexpensive and buying them is not a problem, but the work process itself is long and quite difficult. When laying a layer of cement-sand mortar, sand is poured under it and compacted. After compaction, the floors are covered with crushed stone. If you pour the screed onto a layer of crushed stone, it will not settle or crack over time.
Comparative characteristics of base concrete.
The ground floor is designed mainly for country houses and cottages, since it is believed that this is the most economical and reliable option. In cross-section, the floor on the ground looks like a layer cake. First, a layer of soil cleared of grass is taken and a sole is prepared from it. Sand is poured onto it and installed waterproofing film, pour a rough screed, which includes reinforced metal mesh. After this, materials for insulation are laid, then a film is installed again to protect against moisture, and finally, a cement-sand screed is installed on which the floor will rest. Various conditions suggest different Constructive decisions, which entails an increase or decrease in the number of layers.
If the building project was conceived with liquid heating, then in this case a rough concrete screed with a thickness of 80-100 mm is made over the ground. Wherein cement strainer will have a thickness of 50-70 mm. A ground floor with a heated floor system is no different from a heated floor, but has a thinner screed.
It is believed that a rough concrete screed or cement-sand screed must be reinforced. In construction terminology, this layer is called the underlying layer. In construction reference books there are several points about the underlying layer:
Usually there are no direct instructions for ground reinforcement of floors. But in the list of materials there is a reinforced floor on the ground with both concrete and rough screed. This issue is being resolved by design organizations and bureaus.
In addition to the rough screed, the floor on the ground has two types of finishing screed devices. Before you start laying the final floor screed on the ground, you need to install it zero level. Usually the floor is leveled on the ground using a laser level gauge.
When installing the main floor in private buildings, warehouses or trading floors Rough floor screed is popular. It can be installed regardless of the type of soil underneath it, as well as the possibility of being in the groundwater zone. All requirements for the use of materials and surface preparation are prescribed in the design and estimate documentation. When doing the work yourself, you must adhere to technology to get an excellent result.
If we take into account the location of the floor and such factors as the ground level, foundation, location of the groundwater zone, then we can identify certain options that allow installation of the screed:
There is no way to choose a universal way to arrange. The main condition here is that you should initially plan the location door frame, and only then proceed with installation. The level of the threshold must coincide with the level of the poured screed (finish coating).
No builder has classic version pouring a rough floor screed, and approach the choice depending on the specific conditions. The optimal solution is soil that is carefully compacted, a layer of sand, a layer of crushed stone (sand and crushed stone must have different heights). Subsequently, a polyethylene film is laid and the screed is installed in rough form. Reinforcement is not always used and is also based on individual indicators.
The scheme can be simplified if groundwater located below two meters from the surface of the earth. The rough screed can even be poured directly onto the ground. Concrete is not afraid of moisture, therefore, the film in this case promotes the retention of laitance. In this case, the strength will increase noticeably.
A very important and initial stage is to carry out activities to study the base where the subfloor will be made. It should not have brightly protruding elements or depressions. We need to deal with them. After this, marking work is carried out when optical or laser levels are used. 
In this case, the zero mark is set, the level of the floor surface is located, and the relief is determined. If you do without soil compaction, you may subsequently encounter subsidence, which will affect the condition of the constructed screed. Tamping also allows you to avoid the appearance of cracks on the surface of the subfloor, its cracking with the ensuing consequences.
The completed screed is the basis for subsequent laying of any type of floor covering. But at the same time it serves to level the surface and create a hard layer. If desired, it can be used to disguise any types of communications in the building.
You can compact the soil on our own. But this is very problematic for achieving a positive result and is energy-consuming. The optimal case is the use of special equipment (ramming machines).
Then it is poured onto the soil layer river sand a certain thickness. The selected layer is different from the one poured onto the surface. The latter should be about a quarter larger. 
This is all done for the reason that the river sand is moistened and compacted special machines(roller, vibratory ramming machines). As for special equipment, everything will depend on financial capabilities. With their help you can perform any amount of work with high level quality, but even the cost of rent is quite high.
To compact the sand base, an additional layer of expanded clay or gravel can be poured. Everything will depend on the final layer of rough floor screed and base errors.
When pouring a subfloor in a house, it is not enough to just arrange the base and begin installation. In addition to this, other very important layers should be organized. Among them, one of the important ones is the waterproofing layer. 
Laying waterproofing on the floor serves to protect against moisture from entering the concrete screed into the base, as well as the reverse process - drawing moisture out of the existing soil. The material used to construct this layer is polymer membranes or bituminous materials in rolls. Another alternative to the materials described above is a thick film of polyethylene. All this can be purchased without any problems at any hardware store.
Waterproofing can only be done on a durable and level base. This will preserve the service life. Therefore, it is necessary to efficiently compact the soil and layers of filling.
The selected material should be placed on the base in sheets with an overlap of 10-15 cm. The sheets are connected to each other using construction tape. We must not forget about adding a layer of waterproofing to the wall to a height of 15-20 cm. You should not be afraid to make a larger flooring, since subsequently the excess can be removed without any problems. Waterproofing a concrete floor is mandatory to achieve the desired result.
When the waterproofing has been completed without problems, you can think about high-quality reinforcement for the future. This will increase the strength characteristics of the floor. The material usually chosen is a reinforcing mesh having cells with a pitch of 50*50 or 100*100 mm. The thickness of the rods in the mesh is within 5 mm. All the necessary reinforcement parameters for a rough screed can be found in the store, where everything is sold as a complete set for the job. An alternative to steel mesh is polymer mesh, which has significantly less weight, which is very important when installing screeds on floor slabs. Here you will need to comply with the maximum weight requirements for the finished structure. 
We must not forget that the metal mesh should not be laid directly on the base, since in this case it will not bring the desired result. Usually it is located on special elements in the form of poured mortar or concrete fragments, approximately in the middle of the thickness of the future rough screed.
Technologies do not stand still. Pouring the rough screed can be done using steel mesh together. Fiber allows you to significantly reduce the total weight of the solution used in the work, and also gives it certain additional properties and qualities, which include high strength and excellent ductility. This all helps to get rid of possible appearance cracks on the surface, shrinkage after complete drying. In addition, the cost of using such material in a solution will be slightly lower than steel mesh, when calculated per meter square area premises. The final choice will depend on the performer. 
The future rough screed will be more even and practical if the beacons are set correctly in level. They can be performed different ways and options. The most common are special profiles, called beacon profiles. They are fixed to the base using cement protruding elements from the finished mortar.
To install the screed, you can prepare the solution yourself, observing the proportions of all components used. If you don’t have the time or desire to spend energy on this event, you can order from construction companies in the required amount. When there is a limitation in financially, then you should make calculations in each individual case and decide on a specific option.
The density of the mixture for rough concrete screed should be medium. This will allow it to spread on its own over the surface and require virtually no leveling effort. In this case, you can even do without beacons. 
Once the concrete subfloor is poured, you can begin caring for it. The surface requires moisture for several days to ensure quality and strength characteristics. In the next two weeks, concrete will be able to gain about 50% of its maximum strength. This allows you to continue to carry out all types of construction work. Screeding the floor on the ground is not particularly difficult. The main thing is to follow the screed installation technology and perform all stages sequentially.
When performing work, the main thing is to understand how to properly fill a subfloor. There are subtleties and nuances here. It would be a good idea to answer some questions that will help you avoid difficulties in the process.
Is it possible to replace crushed stone with broken brick, other construction waste?
Answer: Under no circumstances. Crushed stone, unlike broken brick, is able to protect the rough screed from excess water. Expanded clay is also not suitable for bedding in this case, as it will begin to swell from moisture. Even if protection from moisture is not required, broken brick is difficult to compact due to the different fraction of elements.
Is it possible not to reinforce the rough screed?
Answer: Mandatory reinforcement is provided for the finishing layer of concrete screed. Consequently, this layer can be dispensed with under certain conditions.
Is there enough waterproofing layer under the rough screed?
Answer: Under the rough screed, a film of polyethylene or other material only helps to retain the milk to obtain better strength of the solution during the drying process. A layer of waterproofing is also required after installation, before laying the finishing layer.
Which optimal location reinforcing mesh?
Answer: The approximate distance from the base where the metal mesh is located in the thickness of the concrete screed is 30 mm. But you should focus on the total thickness of the fill and place a layer of reinforcement in its central part.
Concreting, carried out at high speed over large areas, is the most in an economical way leveling the old and installing a new floor. After hardening, the smooth surface becomes an ideal base for any finishing coating. To increase the service life of the screed, reinforcement of the concrete floor is used. This process is carried out using various materials and designs from them.
According to the functions performed and location, the screed is divided into the following types:
It is advisable to reinforce a self-leveling concrete floor when constructing rough and multi-layer screeds (in the absence of a monolithic support, the effect of tensile and bending loads is enhanced), as well as to reduce the design layer of concrete.
1. Frame made of rods. Most often it is laid in two layers, made from rods with a diameter of 6 to 40 mm. Used when coating thickness is more than 8 cm.
2. Steel wire mesh. Used for multi-layer screed on the ground or to strengthen the coating in the garage, hallway, kitchen.
3. Polymer mesh. It does not strengthen the screed, but only prevents cracking during the concrete hardening process. Used for self-leveling floors, reducing cement consumption. The mesh is installed directly on the base or on the heat-insulating layer.
4. Reinforcing fiber for concrete. There are two types: metal and polypropylene. Polymer fiber gives concrete resistance to cracking during shrinkage, temperature fluctuations, and enhances water-repellent properties.
Metal fiber increases the resistance of concrete to vibrations. By replacing the reinforcing mesh with steel fiber, they save time (the elements are introduced directly into the mixer) and reduce the thickness of the screed. In this case, microcracks lose their ability to expand.
5. Combined reinforcement. In addition to the frame mounted in the lower section of the covering, its upper layer is filled with fiber - this is how the concrete floor screed is protected from cracks. The method is applied to the entire surface or in areas of increased loads (where the floor is adjacent to walls or columns). Fiber should be dosed according to the instructions.
The main stages of concrete pavement reinforcement
The most labor-intensive is the construction of a concrete floor with a soil base. First, according to technology, a gravel-sand mixture is laid, then foundation slab, parabarrier film, thermal and waterproofing. Next, a reinforced layer of concrete is installed.
1. Depending on the thickness of the screed, in private construction it is reinforced with a frame made of rods or wire mesh. The diameter of the reinforcement for reinforcement is taken from the range from 8 to 20, and the wire - from 4 to 6 mm. The cell size ranges from 10 to 20 cm.
2. A frame made of solid rods is knitted using wire with a diameter of 2 - 3 mm, the layers of the frame are attached to the ribs. If scraps of material are used, they are overlapped with an overlap of half a meter.
Wire mesh is purchased ready-made (cells 5 - 20 cm) or knitted by hand. Purchased products are connected with wire with an overlap of 1 - 2 cells.
3. Finished design placed on clamps (“chairs”) at a level of about 3.5 cm from the base. When pouring, the steel elements must be in the middle of the concrete layer - in this case, the loads are evenly distributed over the surface of the coating, its mechanical resistance is ensured, and there is no metal corrosion.
Reinforcement consumption for floor reinforcement
Table 1 shows data for the mesh version of the reinforcement, and Table 2 shows data for single reinforcement with steel rods from 10 to 16 mm.
Material, per 1 m2 of floor |
