IN Lately polymer floors are relevant and in demand Nowadays, construction is most important industry National economy. Special place The industry has taken up work on creating flooring in a given space. Today, to create a floor, you can use a variety of building materials - wooden boards, plywood, linoleum, concrete screed.
IN last years The so-called liquid floor is becoming more and more relevant. It is also called liquid in another way. Unlike traditional building materials, it has some advantages. Floor polymer poured floors are a covering made of synthetic material. Most often they are used in large shopping centers, garage premises, exhibition halls, etc.
Polymer cast coatings are often used in production due to their reliability and long service life.
Creating such coatings with your own hands is quite simple. It is necessary to consider in more detail how polymer coatings are poured, the main stages of repair, positive and negative sides self-leveling floor. Polymer fillings have a number of advantages, making floors in demand among consumers.
The advantage of polymer flooring is that it is beautiful and practical.
The advantages are as follows:
Thanks to all of the above advantages, more and more people prefer to use coatings when decorating the floors of apartments, private houses, offices, parking lots, etc. In addition, 3D coatings have been developed. They are different from standard coating the presence of complex images that not everyone can make on their own House master.
The difficulty in creating poured coatings is that they require a perfectly flat base. In the event that the basis is tiles, some roughening will need to be done. This can be done using sandpaper or sandpaper.
Problems may often arise when leveling the base if it is made of wood. To do this, it is primarily necessary to remove all uneven places, carefully sealing them.
The unevenness of the base of the floor surface can be clearly demonstrated when the joists are dismantled and the old covering is removed. However, a height difference is allowed, and it is 4 mm. If possible, it is better to use a concrete screed. If this is not done, then uneven places and defects can be removed using a special grinding machine or a sharpening stone.
You can install a polymer floor either independently or with the help of qualified specialists.
In order to determine the evenness of the surface, experts advise using:
It will also be helpful to thoroughly prime the surface. The primer increases the moisture resistance of the surface and increases the adhesion of the poured floor to the base. After the base is well prepared, special slats like a plinth need to be nailed around the perimeter of the room. This is necessary so that the liquid pouring polymer does not spread into the existing spaces. floor surface and walls of emptiness. The slats are attached to self-tapping screws, nails (if the wall is made of wood) or dowels (if the wall is made of concrete).
In order to make a PUR floor yourself, you should carefully prepare the working liquid composition. You can purchase the polymer mixture at any specialized store. After this, it needs to be diluted according to the instructions and technology.
This is one of the most important steps of all repairs, since the quality liquid composition the result largely depends repair work.
You need to prepare the mixture only according to the instructions that came with the purchased product. The mixing process plays a vital role. This must be done slowly, carefully, so that not a single lump remains. In addition, absolutely all air bubbles must be removed from the solution. Mixing can be done using a special construction mixer or other suitable remedy. The next important step is pouring the composition. The liquid mixture should be applied to the floor base from the area of the room furthest from the doors and carefully move towards the doors. The correct thickness of the floor layer should be approximately 4 mm.
Before proceeding with the installation of a polymer floor, it is necessary to correctly select and prepare a special mixture for pouring
If the layer is thinner, it will look like this:
A very thin layer can only be poured onto a finished base as an addition. It is best to pour the mixture together. One home craftsman holds a bucket of polymer composition and carefully pours it onto the floor, while the second levels the surface. You can use a wood strip for leveling. After the polymer poured floor has dried thoroughly, you can begin to apply varnish. Varnish is necessary to ensure that the finished coating is aesthetically pleasing, shiny, and more protected. In addition, varnish increases the wear resistance of the material and makes it smoother. The time it takes for the polymer to dry is approximately 30 minutes. But it is better to do everything in accordance with the instructions on the packaging of the material. The varnish is applied only to an already hardened surface. The coating should be applied in 3 or even 4 layers. It is not possible to walk on a newly flooded floor immediately. To avoid marks and defects, it is better to step on the finished floor after a day.
In order to make a PUR based floor polymer composition, you should have a whole arsenal of tools and building materials available. The set must consist of certain items and materials.
You should prepare in advance necessary materials and tools to avoid distractions while working
Namely:
In addition, wooden slats should be prepared to fencing the room around the perimeter for 3D poured coating. IN in this case the most important detail There will be a film with a pattern or a coloring composition. In order to give the flooring aesthetics, you will need to coat the surface with varnish.
As a result, one thing can be noted that the poured polymer floor is an innovative design solution for carrying out repair work in a cottage or apartment building. Similar technology has been found widest application and in production.
So, you accepted correct solution by choosing a self-leveling polymer coating for your floor. From this article you will learn that only at first glance it seems that creating a self-leveling floor is difficult task. In reality, the material used for flooring is elastic and easy to install. As a result, you will be able to get high-quality, wear-resistant and beautiful coating, which will not allow you to doubt the correctness of your choice.
Of all the polymer floor coverings used in residential premises, we recommend. In addition to the fact that it is safe for health, durable and reliable, it is also one of the lightest, warmest, most elegant and can have a wide variety of colors. This flooring is perfect for your apartment, cottage or garage.
Now we need to decide on the thickness of your future floor. The thickness of the self-leveling floor varies from 1 to 10 mm and depends on the level of load. For residential premises and garages, the ideal thickness recommended by experts is 2 mm, while the consumption self-leveling floor MultiProtect will be: 2.4 kg/m2 (for apartments, offices, administrative premises) and 1.8 kg/m2 + 0.9 kg/m2 of dry quartz sand of fraction 0.1-0.3 (for garages, utility and domestic premises). With less thickness, your floor will not be practical, and with more thickness it will be uneconomical.
You will also need a minimum set of tools (you can even rent some of them, rather than buy them) and, of course, the material itself polymer self-leveling floor MultiProtect. The tools you will need are:
1. To prepare the subfloor:
2. To lay self-leveling floor material:
3. Additional materials you may need:
So you and I have decided on the type of floor covering, decided how thick your future floor will be, stocked up on tools and materials, and now we can safely begin work on its arrangement.
Self-leveling polymer flooring can be laid on a wooden base, concrete, ceramic tile or metal.
It is important that the base is level. To do this, use a two-meter level strip to check in all horizontal directions that the deviations do not exceed 4 mm, and the gaps between the floor and the strip do not exceed 2 mm. The smaller the planned thickness of the self-leveling floor, the higher the requirements for surface evenness.
It is necessary to check the surface humidity (it should not exceed 10%), remove old skirting boards, check the surfaces for stains from paint, oils and glue.
Then the surface should be sanded and dust removed using a vacuum cleaner.
The ideal option would be to first make a screed on the wooden floor, since when moisture gets in, the wooden base can expand and shrink when it dries. Too thin a layer of polymer flooring on a wooden base can lead to cracks.
Do not lay self-leveling coating on a fresh, recently laid wooden floor, as it is subject to significant deformation.
Concrete is the most suitable base for self-leveling floors. Permissible humidity up to 12%. The concrete base is cleaned of paint and oil stains, the surface is leveled and sanded, and dust is removed using a vacuum cleaner. The new concrete base must be cured for at least 21 days from the moment of pouring.
When used as a base for self-leveling floors ceramic tiles important point is the strength of its fastening. If you hear a dull sound when tapping a tile, then this tile will need to be removed and the resulting void filled with repair mortar (method of preparing repair mortar). Then tile covering should be degreased with an organic solvent and roughened, then apply a primer.
Oil and paint stains are removed from metal surfaces. The surface is degreased and subjected to sandblasting or sanding to remove corrosion products and scale, creating a rough surface. Use a vacuum cleaner to remove dust.
We recommend priming a dry base until a slight gloss appears in 1 layer for metal, 2 layers for concrete and wood with a consumption of 200-300 g/m2 (depending on the porosity of the base). In the event that the base is wet (up to 12%), use with a consumption of 150-200 g/m2.
After priming, if the base of the self-leveling floor has potholes or cracks, they must be filled with repair mortar.
Recently, the technology of applying polymer floor coverings has become increasingly popular. The second name of the technology is self-leveling floor. This partly explains the manufacturing technology. The finished composition is not mounted, but poured onto the prepared floor surface.
Self-leveling polymer floors do not contain cement. This significantly speeds up the installation process. The polymer mixture consists of two, in some cases three phases.
The basis of the mixture is acrylic, polyester or epoxy. The most resistant to external damage are mixtures containing epoxy.
In addition to the main component, the mixture includes the following elements:
Let's consider the main advantages of this type of coating:
Speaking about polymer floor coverings, one cannot fail to note their inherent disadvantages:
Polymer flooring has the following characteristics:
Do-it-yourself polymer floors are applied using two main technologies:
To fully become familiar with how to make polymer floors, you need to study the main stages of work:
The work is carried out using metal tools. To avoid damaging the polymer coating, it is recommended to pre-soak them in an acetone solution for 6 hours.
During installation, the roller must also be moistened in an acetone solution as often as possible. This will prevent polymerization of the remaining mixture on the roller.
Note! The work is performed only with dry tools. It is unacceptable to use contaminated ones.
To install the self-leveling floor you will need the following tools:
Before you begin, you must first prepare the base of the floor. It must be level and free from chips and cracks.
The polymer coating can be applied to any type of substrate. However, before applying it, it is imperative to prepare the surface for work.
First of all, you should check the evenness of the coating. To do this you need to use a level.
Note! Deviations from the level should not exceed 4 mm.
Treatment features depend on the type of floor surface.
Before applying the polymer mixture, the floor surface is primed. The base must be dry and free of dust. Priming is carried out 2 hours after the dust removal procedure.
The primer is carried out using a special mixture - impregnation. It is applied to the base using a roller. The primer will improve the adhesion of the polymer mixture to the floor surface. Impregnation is applied in one layer when working with metal base, in 2-3 layers when working with other types of bases. Each subsequent layer is applied only after the previous one has polymerized.
After the floor surface has been primed, it is necessary to give it evenness using putty. In this case, existing cracks and irregularities will be corrected.
It is necessary to start applying the polymer solution at least 24 hours after priming the surface.
Work should begin from the farthest corner of the room, gradually moving towards front door. To ensure that there is no residual air in the applied solution, it should be treated with a needle roller.
The mixture is applied in strips. For ease of application, you can use a special hose. The liquid is leveled using a squeegee. Next, you need to compact the layer using a special roller. Work is performed in shoes with metal studded soles.
After the base layer of the mixture has been applied, you should begin treating the surface with the finishing layer.
The finishing treatment is carried out 48 hours after pouring the polymer solution. As finishing mixture You can use polyurethane varnish. It improves the quality of the polymer mixture and adds shine to the floor surface.
Applying a finishing coating will significantly extend the service life of the self-leveling floor. The varnish should be applied in at least two layers. After applying each of them, you must allow at least one hour to dry.
Note! The self-leveling floor is ready for use no earlier than two days after the finishing coating has dried. If an increased level of load on the floor surface is envisaged, the polymerization period must be increased to one week.
When planning to independently install a polymer floor, you need to remember that the work must be done as efficiently as possible so that the coating lasts as long as possible. The topic of today's article is the technology of pouring polymer floors; the procedure is complex and labor-intensive.
Self-leveling polymer flooring is the most common type of polyurethane and epoxy coatings, characterized by enhanced decorative properties.
The thickness of the fill in this case ranges between 2.5 mm and 5 mm. It is not advisable to make the layer thicker, since this will significantly increase costs, but the functional and decorative parameters of the floor will remain the same. Areas of application: residential and public buildings.
| Types of self-leveling floors | Characteristics of self-leveling floors | Application |
|---|---|---|
| Thin-layer floors | thickness 250-300 microns | Thin-layer coatings are used for industrial floors subjected to medium mechanical loads, protecting concrete floors from aggressive environments and dust, giving a decorative appearance |
| thickness up to 4-5 mm, sand filling by weight up to 50% | Self-leveling self-leveling floors are used in rooms with medium and high mechanical loads, where special, increased requirements are placed on the floors. Such floors have a smooth surface (glossy or matte) with dirt-repellent properties, are decorative, hygienic, easy to maintain, and repairable | |
| Highly filled floors | thickness - 4-8 mm, sand filling by weight - up to 85% | Highly filled floors are suitable in conditions with high humidity and extreme temperature conditions. Such floors are characterized by particularly high resistance to impact loads and wear resistance. Their properties are close to polymer concrete. |
| Self-leveling colorless epoxy composition | Density 1.10. Ratio A:B - 100:60. Life time 35 min Dry residue 100%. | A two-component, clear, solvent-free epoxy system for high-performance decorative topcoats. |
| Universal epoxy filler | Density 1.50. Ratio A:B - 100:10. Life time 25 minutes. Min. application temperature +10. Dry residue 100%. | Two-component colored epoxy composition for leveling and finishing polymer coatings on concrete, both under other ESP® coatings and as a stand-alone coating. |
| Conductive epoxy filler | Density 1.65. A:B ratio -100:10. Life time 20 minutes. Min. application temperature +10. Dry residue 100%. | Conductor device protective coatings on concrete foundations in warehouses, production, installation and other premises with requirements for conductivity. |
| Polyurethane floor | Density 1.45. Ratio A:B - 100:20. Life time 30 minutes. Min. application temperature +10. Dry residue 100%. | These coatings, which are based on a heterochain polymer, are classified as rigid-elastic, that is, at high mechanical strength they have sufficient elasticity resources. Satisfied polyurethane coating for flooring in a wide variety of premises - production and industrial, residential and public, children's and educational institutions, in parking lots and in freezers and so on. In terms of layer thickness, polyurethane flooring can be thin-layer (up to 1 mm), self-leveling or quartz-filled, which has increased resistance to abrasion and impact loads. The polyurethane coating can be given various special properties (antistatic, anti-slip). |
Other advantages of polymer floors include:
Note! The quasi-three-dimensional image is made possible thanks to the decorative polyurethane component. In such cases, the floor is poured in two stages - first the polymer mixture is poured, then, after it dries, it is applied finishing coat(more on this at the end of the article).
Due to their high aesthetic level, polymer floors allow you to create complete compositions using marble chips or colored sand. The filling procedure has its own nuances; let’s consider them in more detail.
The installation of a self-leveling polymer floor begins with preparatory work.
Step 1. First, the room is cleared of debris and dust, furniture is removed, and decorative elements(such as baseboards, cornices).
Step 2. Then everything necessary for work is prepared. You can use a vacuum cleaner to remove small debris, and to remove glue and remnants of the old coating - grinding machine. By the way, the reliability and durability of the future floor largely depends on the quality of cleaning.
Step 3. Next comes the preliminary preparation of the base. In this case, it is very important what material was used for the previous coating, because if it is, for example, wood, then the base should be pre-sanded, all cracks should be filled with putty, treated with a degreasing compound - all these measures will improve the adhesion of the polymer to wooden planks. For degreasing, you can use gasoline, acetone or any other organic solvent.
If there are no difficulties in disposing of solvent residues, a surfactant or KM alkali solution can be added. Although today you can buy special means for degreasing wood (for example, Mellerud), which at the same time protect the surface from fungal formation.
Step 4. Floor moisture is assessed using a moisture meter. It should not exceed 10%, otherwise polymer filling will come out of poor quality.
A concrete floor is prepared for pouring in a slightly different way.
Step 1. The moisture content of the concrete is assessed; if it is above 4%, then the surface is dried. To determine humidity (in the absence of a moisture meter), you can use one old method: a rubber mat is placed on the floor and pressed firmly, and if the surface under it has not changed color after 24 hours, then the base is ready for pouring.
Moisture meter for concrete floor
Step 2. The compressive strength of the floor is also checked (the norm is 20 MPa and above). To do this, a chisel mounted perpendicular to the surface is struck with a hammer. If the concrete did not crumble, and the chisel left barely noticeable marks, then the strength of the base is within acceptable limits.
Step 3. Check for waterproofing. If it is not there, then further work on creating a self-leveling floor is impossible, because the concrete will begin to flake off, which is especially important in the bathroom or kitchen.
Moreover, if the insulation is of poor quality, moisture will rise through the capillaries into concrete covering to the polymer layer and sooner or later will destroy it.
Note! Otherwise preparatory activities for a concrete base are practically no different from those for a wooden base.
If a polymer floor is to be poured onto a tile, its voids are first checked (it may appear after the tile adhesive has dried). All components that have come loose from the surface must be removed, and the resulting voids must be filled with putty.
After this, the surface is degreased.
This concept is used to denote the difference in height between the highest and lowest points of the floor surface. If the difference is 0.5-2.5 cm, then before applying the primer the floor is filled with a mounting leveling mixture (sand and polymer self-leveling mixture in a ratio of 1:2). A trowel is used to apply the mixture.
If the difference exceeds 2.5 cm, then the surface will need to be filled with a corrective mixture (sand and cement in a ratio of 2:1).
Note! In both cases, instead of building mixtures You can use a special leveling solution designed for this thickness.
After preparing the surface, you need to take care of everything necessary. To work you will need:
It is better to use a roller to apply the primer layer. If the surface is porous, then the primer is applied in several layers and after each of them a short pause is made to allow the mixture to dry.
Here are the main functions of priming:
If the floor will be poured in several layers, then the primer must be applied before each of them.
Note! In a room with a high level of humidity, the primer layer is covered with a waterproof compound.
You also need to remember that priming compounds are toxic, so you should take care of high-quality ventilation of the room in advance. Moreover, the temperature must not be allowed to drop - if it drops below +15ᵒC, the adhesion efficiency of the primer will noticeably deteriorate.
A minimum of 24 hours is required for the primed surface to dry completely.
One of essential elements The filler floor is a thermal expansion joint that should be applied around the entire perimeter of the room. For this purpose they take wooden slats(necessarily from hardwood). These seams will prevent the floor from deforming during significant temperature changes.
The preparation of the solution must be taken very seriously, since poor quality of pouring will hopelessly ruin the polymer coating. It is typical that after preparation the solution must be poured out as quickly as possible, because it hardens within a few minutes.
Note! The humidity in the room when pouring should be no more than 70%, otherwise moisture will condense on the surface.
All components are poured into the container in the ratio specified in the instructions for the polymer mixture. To avoid heating the solution too quickly, the container can be placed in another bigger size filled with cold water.
All components are mixed with an electric drill operating at low speeds (no more than 400 rpm) until a homogeneous mass is obtained. To determine the readiness of the solution, you can use one simple method:
Note! If the mixture turns out to be too thick, then it will not be able to level out properly, and if it is too liquid, then you will need to add a little more dry polymer.
Do-it-yourself polymer floors are poured in the same way as conventional self-leveling floors.
Step 1. The first portion of the solution is poured along the wall farthest from the entrance with a strip 45 cm wide. Then, for better distribution, the solution is leveled with a spatula.
Note! The entire room is flooded at once, otherwise there will be differences.
Step 2. After leveling, the surface is rolled with a needle roller - this is necessary to remove air.
Step 3. After this, a new strip of solution is poured and leveled. The procedure is repeated until the entire room is flooded.
Step 4. After 48 hours of pouring, a polyurethane coating is applied. During the entire drying period, the floor must be protected from the sun, drafts and temperature fluctuations.
Note! If a “warm floor” is used to heat the room, then the first start of heating can be carried out only seven days after pouring. In this case, you need to start with room temperature, gradually increasing it - by about 2-3ᵒC per day.
Also read the article on our website - do-it-yourself poured floor.
There are two ways to create a decorative layer:
In the first case you will need acrylic paints resistant to prolonged exposure to ultraviolet radiation. It's more simple and cheap way, because today you can purchase the image you like as a printout on a plotter (in this case, banner fabric is used as the basis). During installation, the fabric is covered with a thermally insulating vinyl film to increase its service life.
The dimensions of the image should exceed the dimensions of the room, because it is always easier to cut the fabric than to re-glue it.
The technology for creating a 3D image is as follows.
Step 1. First, the base is thoroughly primed. For this, the same leveling solution is used, but diluted with water just enough so that its concentration is halved. It will take a day for the primer layer to polymerize.
Step 2. The image is pasted onto the primer and rolled with a dry, clean roller. It is typical that you can only move on the floor in special studded shoes.
Step 3. A transparent polymer layer 4-5 mm thick is applied. This happens in the same way as described above. After half an hour, the fill dries and can be treated with clear varnish.
The complete readiness of the polymer floor for use is determined by the drying of the varnish.
Floor coverings in this design are becoming increasingly widespread in civil and industrial construction. The reason for this is factors such as their exceptional strength and durability. In addition, polymer self-leveling floors are distinguished by extremely simple execution technology, which allows you to make them yourself.
The combination of words “self-leveling floor” or 3D floor is familiar to many, but few know what these terms mean. How to arrange such coverings, how environmentally safe and durable they are, and how to make them yourself. Those wishing to acquire such a progressive floor covering would like to find out these and many more questions.
Like any engineering solution, installing a floor from polymer materials has a number of advantages, but is also endowed with certain disadvantages.
The advantages include the following properties:
The disadvantages include the following:
Materials can be separated according to various criteria. The most commonly used classification is based on the materials used:
The technology used to install polymer flooring is simple. The main labor costs fall on preparatory work. From quality training The final success of the entire work also depends. Therefore, the price in each specific case depends on the amount of preparation and its content.
Therefore, in the market for services for pouring polymer floors, the price for square meter floor price ranges from 350 to 600 rubles and is determined after a thorough inspection of the object.
Before purchasing materials, you should decide on a number of points:
During the work you will need:
In addition to the above, you need to stock up on rubber gloves to protect your skin.
Self-leveling floors come in different thicknesses; the average value is 1.5 – 3.0 mm. Also, the amount of material depends on the use of filler, or what quartz sand is used for.
The calculation is simple: 1 square meter of floor surface will require 1 liter of polymer mixture with a layer thickness of 1 mm. Accordingly, the requirement for the planned thickness is recalculated. The result must be multiplied by the density of the composition, which is indicated by the manufacturer on the packaging. Typically it is 1.25 - 1.40 kg/liter. Wanting to reduce consumption, the manufacturer often includes filler in the composition, achieving a density of up to 1.70 kg/liter.
With a filler in the composition, plastic consumption is halved.
The main requirements for the supporting surface on which polymer floors are installed are their strict horizontality and humidity level. Therefore, for a concrete floor it is better to use a semi-dry screed, on top of which you need to make a leveling screed up to 5 mm thick. This will allow you to get a fairly flat horizontal surface. In the leveling screed material, fiber shavings should be used as a reinforcing additive. The finished floor must be thoroughly dried. Further:
It is traditionally believed that the surface of an old wooden floor is not suitable for polymer self-leveling floors. However, with some preparation, this is quite possible in a residential environment. To do this you need:
Further steps are the same for both concrete and wooden bases.
What kind of primer is needed for a specific floor material is always indicated by the manufacturer on the packaging of the base material. These recommendations must be followed scrupulously. The primer is applied to the surface with a fine-haired roller or, if small areas, paint brush. Quartz sand is added to the soil composition. This increases the adhesion surface of the main floor and the base. After the primed surface has dried, you need to apply a second layer of primer.
Stirring of the finishing composition is carried out in accordance with the instructions on the packaging. In this case, it is necessary to achieve the maximum possible uniform mixing using a drill with an attachment.
After mixing is complete, the resulting mass must be poured onto the floor and spread over the supporting surface using the rule. After this, the applied layer is carefully rolled with a needle roller. This operation is necessary to remove air bubbles and distribute the plastic mass evenly over the floor surface. Moving on the floor during the pouring process is only possible on needle soles.
If signs of thickening of the composition appear, work with it should be suspended. On the surface of the layer you need to place decorative elements of the 3D floor: shells, coins, pebbles, etc. that the performer wants to see on his floor.
The final transparent layer of coating is applied after the previous one has hardened. Movement on the newly created surface is possible on the second day after pouring, full operation – on the eighth day.
Self-leveling polymer floors can be used in premises of any purpose, both domestic, industrial and office.
The main limiting parameter for installing 3D floors is their high cost. But at the same time there are such positive points, as high strength, durability, as well as beauty of execution.
The simple technology of the device allows you to do them yourself. I wish you success!
