Technology of floor screed on the ground. Proper installation of floors on the ground - nuances of technology

Under certain construction conditions, ground floors can be a more economical and more durable option than other types of flooring. What are these conditions? Obviously, dense layers of soil without organic matter, which would serve as the base of the floors, must be at an acceptable depth so that the backfill does not turn out to be too thick. Layer height bulk soil(sand, crushed stone, as well as sandy loam and loam with low groundwater) should not exceed 0.6 meters, since a large embankment will shrink too much during operation. If suitable geological conditions exist, all that remains is to design the floors in such a way that it reliably protects the living space of the house from dampness and cold. First, let's look at the most economical option for flooring on the ground for a private home.

Economical option without a layer of insulation

It is recommended to combine any flooring on the ground with external insulation of the wall, base and foundation below the floor level at least 1 meter. This eliminates freezing of the foundation as well as a significant bridge of cold from the building through the floors, soil and then to the base-foundation and outside air.

The standards require a slightly different insulation option - laying insulation under the base of the floors along the walls in a strip 0.8 meters wide, and the heat transfer resistance of this insulation should be no lower than that of the walls. Those. a cold bridge is removed through the floors along the ground to the foundation.

Thus, vertical thermal insulation of the foundation and basement along the perimeter of the house makes the soil layer under the floor thermally insulated from the street. The upper layers of soil under the floor will be heated by heat from the house, while heat loss through the floor should not exceed regulatory requirements. Of course, such floors cannot be called warm. However, the design has the right to exist without a special layer of insulation under the entire surface of the floors.

The figure shows a typical design for connecting simple floors on the ground and a wall with a foundation.
Here 2 is continuous waterproofing.
3 – foundation and plinth.
4-5 – plaster layer.
6 – blind area.
9 – floor on the ground.

Heat absorption of floors should not exceed standard requirements - no more than 12 W/m2*deg for residential premises. In other words, the rate of heat absorption by the floor, for example from a person’s foot, should not be too high so that the floor does not seem “icy.” Therefore, materials with low thermal conductivity should be used for the flooring and screed in this design. It is recommended to use wooden parquet, carpet, thick linoleum.

The screed is performed in economical option- dry screed on a leveling layer of sand. A double gypsum fiber sheet is used.
It is advisable for such floors to use expanded clay sand, which has a lower thermal conductivity coefficient, which will only reduce the heat absorption of the floor.

How to make simple floors on the ground

In general, the creation of economical floors on the ground is carried out as follows.

  • Backfilling is done with soil, then with coarse crushed stone. Each layer and crushed stone must be compacted mechanically thoroughly. Crushed stone is needed to create the required compaction density.
  • Concrete preparation of the floor base is done - a layer of concrete from 6 cm, concrete class B22.5. Before pouring concrete, a plastic film is placed on the ground so that the ground does not immediately take up water from the concrete.
  • The waterproofing is installed - the membrane overlaps, wraps around the walls, and forms an inextricable water vapor barrier with horizontal waterproofing of the foundation. The quality of this insulation is controlled first.
  • A leveling layer of sand (perlite, expanded clay sand) 50 - 100 mm thick, but no more, is poured.

The diagram shows:
1,2,3 – flooring.
4.5 – dry screed.
6 – leveling sand bedding.
7, 8,9,10 – pipeline in a metal casing secured with dowels.
11 – membrane waterproofing.
12 – concrete base
13 – compacted soil

  • The prefabricated dry screed is laid. - read more.
  • The screed is puttied and the floor covering is laid on it. The screed is made floating and separated from the wall along the perimeter edge tape in a gap of 10 mm.
  • The result is a fairly simple but reliable floor that can be made in a private home with your own hands.

    A distinctive advantage of floors on the ground is that they do not require maintenance or monitoring of their condition during operation, such as floors with a ventilated subfloor.

    Option with durable concrete screed

    These floors are distinguished by the fact that they are made durable mesh reinforced concrete screed with a thickness of 5 cm. It can be made in two versions:

    • without heating on a layer of insulation, extruded polystyrene foam with a thickness of 7 cm (at least recommended to reduce the overall heat loss of the house and reduce the heat absorption (coldness) of the floors);
    • heated by a water pipeline, while the thickness of the specified insulation is recommended to be at least 12 cm, since the temperature difference increases. In addition, the heated screed must be made with the addition of plasticizers and fiber and broken into smaller fragments compared to a cold screed.

    Additionally, you can read - review article -

    The figure shows the layers and construction of floors on the ground with a concrete screed.
    1 – soil.
    2 – bulk layers of soil.
    3 – layer of sand and crushed stone.
    4 – concrete leveling layer.
    5 – unbroken waterproofing.
    6 – EPS insulation.
    7 – cement-sand reinforced screed.

    Creating a foundation with a strong screed


    Construction rules

    It is important to follow the following rules when constructing floors on the ground.

    • Layer levels are set, filling and laying are carried out, maintaining horizontality, guided by beacons...
    • To place cables and pipelines under the floor in the sand bedding, a metal box can be installed in which the communication will be located.
    • A joint is left between the walls and the concrete base of the floors, which is filled with a non-drying sealant. All technological openings at the floor level for all communications are also sealed.
    • If you plan to install lightweight partitions (that do not require a foundation), then they can rest directly on a concrete base. In this case, the base in this place and the interface are necessarily reinforced using known technologies.
    • When performing work, be sure to control the quality of each layer, since it will be hidden by the next one and it will be impossible to eliminate the defects. Establish control and acceptance of layers at the construction site.

    The general procedure for carrying out the work is as follows: first, a thermally insulated foundation is erected, its foundation pit is backfilled, then soil and crushed stone are backfilled and compacted. The concrete base is being laid. Next, waterproofing is laid - on top of the foundation (horizontal foundation waterproofing) and on top concrete preparation floors, forming a continuous covering.

    Typically, ground floors are made together with shallow foundations. To the point -

In private housing construction, the technology of installing a concrete floor on the ground is widely used. This type of floor is the most popular due to its ease of execution, strength, low cost and general availability of concrete. Concrete flooring on the ground is usually done in utility rooms, less often in residential ones. In order to cope with this task with your own hands, you need to understand what layers the pie of a given building structure consists of.

Layers of concrete floor construction on the ground:

  • Underlying layer;
  • Waterproofing;
  • Thermal insulation;
  • Concrete base slab;
  • Screed;
  • Floor covering.

So that the concrete floor on the ground will last in the house long years, you need to operate it correctly - make sure that the air in the building is warm. If there is no heating in the house for a long time, the floor structure may become deformed, with cracks and tears appearing due to the heavy load from frozen soils on the floor pie.

Technology for installing floors on the ground

First you need to set the zero level in the room. To do this, marks are placed along the perimeter of the walls in the lower part of the entire room, focusing on the bottom of the doorways. Thus, by lowering or raising this line, it will be possible to make the required thickness of the pie. The thickness of the concrete pour is controlled by a rope stretched over nails, which serves as a level.


To prepare the soil base, we remove the plant layer of soil, clean it with our own hands of debris and compact it. Level the surface as much as possible.

Typically the concrete floor pie is about 350mm thick. Therefore, from the zero line it is necessary to excavate soil to this thickness. If the soil level is below 350mm, then it is necessary to remove the layer fertile soil, compact and fill with dry sand to the required level and then compact it. After this, tamping and leveling of the surface are performed. For this the best tool is a special vibrating plate. If it is not available, tamping is done with your own hands and for this you can get by with a simple log or a flat board, to which handles are attached for ease of work. Concrete flooring on the ground is a technology that requires a maximally leveled surface at the stage of laying each layer.

For additional waterproofing of the future structure, you can first make a layer of clay. If the clay is dry, you need to spill it with water, compact it with your own hands, cover it with sand and then compact it. In addition, clay makes the base warmer.

Advice! To indicate the required backfill height, you can drive several pegs of the required length into the ground. The main thing is that they are clearly marked according to the level. Once all the dry layers have been placed, the pegs will need to be removed before pouring the concrete.

The first layer (thickness 50-100 mm) is filled with gravel, followed by pouring with water and compacting. The second layer (about 100mm) is filled with sand, also followed by compaction. As a result, we will succeed warm pillow For concrete base cake floor in the house.

Hydro- and thermal insulation device


Used to create waterproofing various technologies, where filling with heated bitumen and polymer membranes are often used). We recommend making waterproofing using a special waterproofing polymer membrane, but if you want to save money, you can lay your own ordinary polyethylene pie film with a thickness of 200 microns. The film is laid with an overlap of 10-15 cm, and the joints must be made airtight and taped.

Important! Waterproofing must be carried out over the entire area of ​​the house; the edges adjacent to the walls must be folded along the wall a few centimeters above the zero line.

On the modern construction market there are great amount various types thermal insulation materials, For example:

  • expanded clay;
  • mineral wool;
  • Styrofoam;
  • extruded polystyrene foam;
  • isolon.

Each type of insulation has its own installation technology, compliance with which will make it possible to obtain a warm floor in the house.

Reinforcement of a concrete floor structure on the ground


In order to give the floor structure strength and protect it from destruction during operation, it is necessary to reinforce it. For this purpose, you can use plastic or metal reinforcing mesh or reinforcing bars. If we use rods, then they must first be fastened with flexible steel wire into a mesh with a mesh size of 100 to 200 mm (the higher the load on the floor, the smaller the mesh cell size should be). For reinforcement to work effectively, it is necessary that the reinforcement on both sides be protected by a layer of concrete - for this reinforcing mesh need to be placed on stands about 20-30 mm high. It’s not difficult to do this with your own hands, just place bars under the mesh and raise it to the desired height.

Creating formwork and guides


Boards, timber, metal profiles, reinforcement rods, etc. can be used as guides. Using guides, we divide the surface into several areas about 2 m wide. It is important that the guides are laid at the same level. We fix the guides with lime-cement mortar or another method.

To make formwork, you can use boards or moisture-resistant plywood. We place the formwork for pouring concrete between the guides. As a result, cells are formed - the so-called “cards”, which must be filled with concrete. These same guides can serve as beacons for leveling cement when pouring. Throughout the entire process of installing a concrete floor, it is important to ensure that the surface is level; the guides and formwork also need to be checked using a building level before starting pouring. Irregularities in the formwork are eliminated either by chipping off the upper part of the boards or by placing remnants of bars, plywood, etc. under them.

Before pouring concrete, do not forget to treat the formwork with oil - this will allow you to easily remove wooden elements from hardened concrete.

Pouring concrete


Pouring concrete followed by roughing concrete screed. To prepare the concrete solution, we use the following ratio of components:

  • cement grades M400-500 - 1 part;
  • sand – 2 parts;
  • crushed stone - 4 parts;
  • water – 0.5 parts.

Mix all the components using a concrete mixer, or manually and pour concrete mortar homogeneous consistency at the same time in several “cards” in 1 step, in extreme cases 2, helping yourself with a shovel in a more uniform distribution over the surface.

Advice! Pouring the concrete mixture should be done from the corner of the wall opposite front door so you don't have to walk on concrete.

After filling out a few maps, you can begin rough alignment. To do this, we use a rule about two meters long. By moving the rule towards you along the guides as if on rails, we distribute the concrete into “cards”, thus removing excess concrete mass and filling the voids.

When the entire area of ​​the room has been treated in this way, you need to give the concrete time to harden (about a month), closing it plastic film. To prevent concrete from cracking, be sure to spray it with water periodically.

The video clearly illustrates the technology of the rough screed device:

Finish concrete screed

The installation of a concrete floor on the ground ends with the stage of creating a finishing concrete screed. Most effective option is the use of self-leveling screeds based on gypsum or cement and special additives.


An important parameter of the screed is its weight. Therefore, if you need to reduce the load on the floor, use lightweight screeds - self-leveling floors. A special feature of this coating is the speed of installation - it can be done in 1 day, it is well suited for hidden communications and installation of heated floors.

Strip foundation, lack of basement, low level groundwater- these conditions are enough to choose concrete floors on the ground in a private house.

Call this solution simple and easy it is forbidden, but it allows you to save money due to the absence of floor slabs and reducing the load on the base unit (hence the foundation can be made “lighter”).

Floors on the ground: we start with protecting the foundation

Most sources cited as mandatory requirement groundwater occurrence no higher than 4-5 meters(sometimes even two). And this is the level of occurrence perched water, which is seasonal and is located above impermeable layers. That is, these are ordinary sedimentary waters that have not had time to seep into lower and permanent aquifers (“on sand” and “on lime”).

Summer and winter perched water disappears and appears in spring and autumn. Even if the site is located in a “critical” zone, then it can be effectively dealt with (if it is not infiltration water seeping through the ground from a nearby reservoir).

The first condition for preventing flooding by high water is drainage.

It is necessary to “help” sedimentary water penetrate through soil layers that have water-resistant properties (loams). These measures are important for such areas, even from the point of view of protecting the foundation during the period of rain and snow melting. This is not difficult to do - several wells with a diameter of up to 15 cm and a depth below the heel of the foundation are drilled around the perimeter of the house.

Then insert drainage pipe just below the level of the ground surface (it is better to wrap it with a filter cloth - this will prevent it from silting) and fill it with fine crushed stone inside. The hole is covered with waterproof material, covered with earth on top or covered with a piece of turf.

There are more difficult option with the arrangement of trenches in which the same pipes are laid on a bed of sand and crushed stone and brought down at a slope to the drainage well.

The second condition is waterproofing the foundation.

In conditions of pressure water exposure, the most effective will be a combination of several methods.

First, the outer walls of the base are treated with a bitumen primer and glued onto it. rolled materials. The correct technique is a horizontal arrangement from bottom to top, overlapping, but a simpler one is vertical.

Bonding occurs due to heating blowtorch the inside of the leaf. They protect the waterproofing with a clay castle, which itself serves as a barrier to water. If the impact of perched water is short-lived, and precipitation in the region is not heavy, then you can limit yourself to coating waterproofing.

And of course, to the mandatory measures to protect against water, it is necessary to add a blind area (20 cm wider than the projection of the roof edge) and a drainage system.

Floors on the ground: installation of a base for a concrete floor on the ground

In principle, ground floors are a common technology for basements, basements, and outbuildings (sheds, garages). The only significant difference can be the installation of a “warm” floor in the screed, and the installation of a reliable foundation, waterproofing and passive insulation is carried out in any case. Floors on the ground

No matter how reliable the foundation waterproofing and drainage measures are, the soil has its own moisture, and water can rise up through natural capillaries. Therefore, it is necessary to protect the floor from these factors.

In cross-section, the device for flooring on the ground represents a multi-layer cake.

The base for the entire structure should be a flat and dense area without any remnants of vegetation, root systems and construction debris. "Reference point" for determining volume earthworks take the threshold level.

From it the thickness of the final coating and the thickness of all layers of the concrete floor on the ground are subtracted (for residential premises it is only the base).

After the site has been cleared and leveled, its base must be compacted. The simplest “rammer” is a piece of log with a cross handle, more modern way- vibration machine.

Floors on the ground: to improve insulating properties

the next layer can be done made of clay. For wells, the recommended thickness is clay castle not less than 20 cm, for artificial reservoirs 8-12 cm, the same parameters are chosen for adobe floors, but here you can limit yourself to a more modest value of 5-6 cm.

Next comes a layer of sand. Many people, out of inertia, advise choosing river or washed seeded sand, but this is redundant - ordinary quarry sand is suitable for the cushion (this is not the production of concrete and clay impurities do not affect the strength characteristics). This layer is watered and compacted.

Then a layer of medium or fine crushed stone is poured. It interrupts the capillary rise of water from the ground. It is also compacted.

The thickness of each layer is usually selected from 5 to 10 cm, with a total size of up to 20 cm.

It is possible to use expanded clay (it is a good bulk thermal insulation material), but this is only if the possibility of water ingress is excluded - under its influence it swells. For dry soils, you can limit yourself to only a cushion of sand, but for the floor in the basement it is permissible to use a cushion made of two layers of crushed stone - first a coarse fraction, and then a fine one.

A thick polyethylene film is laid on top of the crushed stone, extending onto the walls.

It is not used for waterproofing, but as a necessary condition proper hydration of the first layer of concrete.

First to fill skinny concrete, which does not perform load-bearing functions, but serves as the basis for waterproofing and laying thermal insulation materials. Builders call it “foot concrete” or “rollable” (it is easy to lay). The percentage of cement in it is usually almost 2 times less due to increasing the share of filler- for example, instead of the ratio 1:3:3 (cement, sand, crushed stone), the proportions 1:3:6 are used.

Since this layer is not taken into account when ensuring the overall strength of a concrete floor for a private house, its reinforcement is not necessary.

A layer of 6-8 cm is enough.

Important! When making concrete, you should use river or washed sand.

After pouring, the concrete must be compacted and leveled. Jewelry precision, as for a screed, is not necessary, but alignment with beacons is necessary for high-quality styling slab insulation. Floors on the ground

Then a break is necessary for the concrete to gain strength. The first week is very important - for hardening (hydration) of the solution it is necessary to create high level humidity. This is why a film is needed at the base - so that water does not go into the sand and crushed stone, and does not get absorbed into the walls. Periodically the surface is moistened with water. Better yet, cover with wet burlap. Ideally (at a temperature of 20°C and normal humidity), concrete gains 70% of its design strength in the first 7 days, and 100% in four weeks.

To continue work, it is enough to wait a week.

When using hardening accelerator modifiers, 3 days are enough (sometimes one day, but such additives ultimately significantly affect the quality of the concrete stone).

Floors on the ground: waterproofing.

It is mandatory for the first floors, especially in conditions of flooring on the ground. It is better to leave the use of polyethylene (of any density) for the floors of city apartments (and not in the bathroom or kitchen). Right choice- This is roll insulation with bitumen impregnation.

The surface, cleared of dust, is treated with a bitumen primer (primer), and roofing material (or one of its analogues) is laid on top. This is done in two layers, with the seams displaced (filled with bitumen) and reaching the walls above floor level.

At this stage, the preparation of the base for insulation and pouring the screed ends.

Concrete floor on the ground: floor insulation

To insulate a concrete floor, three options are most often used - expanded clay, expanded polystyrene, and extruded polystyrene foam.

As already noted, only when reliable waterproofing It is possible to use expanded clay - it swells when exposed to moisture. The thickness of the layer can vary between 10-20 cm.

It is better to insulate with foam plastic in two layers, each of which should move relative to each other. It is advisable to offset the seams between the rows. This will increase the strength of the insulation layer itself, and ultimately the screed - if the seams coincide, the risk of cracks appearing in this place increases. Sheets of foam plastic should be fitted as tightly as possible to each other, and it is best to use foam plastic with ends that have a tongue-and-groove profile.

Treat joints adhesive composition.

The insulation technology of EPS is the same as for polystyrene foam. The difference between the material is its high compressive strength and the almost complete absence of water absorption (it itself is a good waterproofing material).

Important! Floor insulation is effective if the base is insulated.

Floors on the ground: screed

The pouring of the floor over the ground ends with a screed. Next comes the installation of the finishing layer: wooden floors, laminate, linoleum, etc.

Although for office premises (garage, basement, storage room) it is possible to top the concrete surface at the pouring stage (this significantly increases strength and prevents dust).

The screed over the insulation must have reinforcement.

For residential premises with light surface loads, it is sufficient to install a road mesh with a link size of 10x10 cm and a wire thickness of 3-4 mm.

You can use galvanized steel mesh, but polymer

or composite

behaves better in the alkaline environment of concrete, as well as .

The mesh is not attached to the walls, but a compensation gap of at least 20 mm is left. You can use a block of wood or foam scraps, which are then removed and the gap is filled with elastic sealant.

The mesh is laid overlapping two cells, and the fastening between the sheets is done with wire.

Floors on the ground: reinforcement

passes at some distance from the floor surface (approximately 1/3-1/2 layer of screed). To do this, you can use pieces of brick or crushed stone, plastic bottle caps or special stands.

The thickness of the screed for residential premises must be at least 50 mm.

You can use both types of concrete (cement-sand) screed - classic or semi-dry.

The goals set in construction can be achieved in various ways. Paul is no exception. One of the simple, effective and reliable methods is considered to be a concrete floor on the ground in a private house.

The technology for installing floors on the ground is available, but requires strict adherence to the rules, which will be discussed below. The choice in favor of this method is due to the following advantages:

  • Floors on the ground in a private house can be made with your own hands, without using expensive lifting equipment to install reinforced concrete floors.
  • Available materials are used, the acquisition and delivery of which is not difficult.
  • Economic benefit. The cost of installing a floor on the ground using this method can cost the owner of a future home significantly less than using other methods.
  • High quality. When designing, the desired characteristics of a concrete floor on the ground in a private house are laid down.
  • There is no need to attract additional labor.
  • Having general construction work skills, you can do all the work yourself.

When starting construction, one of the most important conditions for many homeowners is a reasonable estimated cost. For this reason, many try to do affordable operations in a private home with their own hands. Detailed step-by-step instruction will help you realize this desire. At the same time, the recommendations will allow you to avoid typical mistakes and achieve optimal results. performance characteristics.

Using ready-made reinforced concrete floor, the labor intensity of the process is reduced, but its costs for the purchase, transportation, and payment for lifting equipment increase sharply. Many people try to avoid a significant increase in costs by working independently.

Necessary materials for a concrete floor on the ground

It is advisable to purchase everything needed for work at a time. Professional builders know that transportation costs can exceed 10% of the estimated cost of the object. Sometimes paying for delivery of missing materials can cost more than the materials themselves. Therefore, it is important to correctly determine the list of components and calculate them required amount everyone.

One of the key questions is how to insulate a concrete floor in a private house? The best solution today is to use polystyrene foam boards. Mineral wool It is used much less frequently because it is too elastic and mobile. In exceptional cases, its use is allowed, but only when laid in the cells of a specially prepared sheathing or in the space between the joists. Then a subfloor is made from boards and sheet materials.

The work becomes more labor-intensive if you decide to use this material on floors. Insulation on a concrete floor that can withstand the planned load without additional operations is preferable.

In addition, the estimated cost increases significantly without a noticeable improvement in performance characteristics. The only indicator where there is a clear advantage is sound insulation. But the ground is not a source of noise, so when choosing insulation for the floor, you shouldn’t think about it.

This advantage is completely devalued. In the vast majority of cases today, concrete floor insulation is done with foamed polystyrene. This is justified by the following characteristics:

  • economic benefit;
  • sufficient strength;
  • reliability of the material;
  • long term services;
  • environmental Safety;
  • resistance to rotting, corrosion, mold, moss and other microorganisms;
  • Expanded polystyrene insulation for concrete floors is easy to process, which makes it convenient for independent work.

Such a thermal insulation layer is not hygroscopic, but slight surface and capillary penetration is still observed. Floor insulation in this situation will lose its effectiveness over the years. Repeated seasonal freezing cycles can damage the material.

Thermal insulation of a concrete floor needs to be protected from moisture entering it, both ground and water from the solution when installing the screed. Wide choose waterproofing materials will allow you to create a reliable barrier for liquid. Rolled and sheet products of this category on a polymer or bitumen basis are used. The quantity is calculated taking into account overlaps and waste during cutting.

The main consumable material by weight is concrete mixture. You can accurately determine the number of required components in a simple way. Without delving into the essence of complex professional formulas, experienced craftsmen use the following technique - 1 m 3 of the following grades of concrete contains cement:

  • M 150 - 260 kg (cement M 300);
  • M 200 - 290 kg (cement M 300), 250 kg (cement M 400) and 220 kg (cement M 500);
  • M 250 - 340 kg (cement M 300), 300 kg (cement M 400) and 250 kg (cement M 500);
  • M 300 - 350 kg (cement M 400) and 300 kg (cement M 500);
  • M 400 - 400 kg (cement M 400) and 330 kg (cement M 500);

However, in terms of volume, this value can reach a difference of 6-7 times. Depending on the brand of cement, as well as the desired quality of concrete, crushed stone is imported at the rate of 4 to 7 tons per 1 ton of binder.

Soil compaction

The most important stage of work, on which the final quality and long service life of the floor depend. In cases of high soil density, low level groundwater, this operation can be ignored. Compacting the soil simply won't work. If the site was graded with the movement of layers of soil, trees were uprooted, and other vegetation was removed, then compaction must be done.

The manual process is extremely labor intensive. To perform the operation efficiently, it is done special device- manual rammer. Weight and size are selected based on your own capabilities. It is advisable to use this method for small amounts of work or to use it in hard-to-reach places.

The optimal solution would be to use an electric or pneumatic rammer. The speed of work and its quality increase manifold. The next stage - insulating a concrete floor in a private house will be easier to do. A smooth, dense surface is an ideal basis for a thermal insulation layer, the integrity of which during operation will determine the comfort in the home and protection from the penetration of cold.

The quality of soil compaction will increase significantly if, between operations to physically compact the soil, the area is watered abundantly. The number of voids is minimized. Soil softened by moisture requires less physical effort when performing the operation.

If an underground floor is planned, then it is done first. In a private home this is always the desired room. It is convenient for storing food, storing tools, equipment for cultivating land, and items used seasonally.

Even if it is not possible to make a full-fledged basement under the entire house, a small volume of several cubic meters can be done without difficulty. A convenient entrance is designed, masonry or monolithic filling walls are being made. As a base for further layers of coating, you can install wooden ceiling, or make a concrete floor using the formwork.

Sand and gravel layer for concrete floor

It is not recommended to skip this step. Dense soil cannot be considered a guarantee of the final quality of work. A layer of sand and gravel compensates for the natural movement of the soil and eliminates the resulting internal stresses. The scope of work largely depends on the quality of the soil. In some cases, on rocky soil, it is enough to add sand about 10 cm thick.

If the soil is clayey, then it is advisable to supplement the layer with gravel or crushed stone. Soil used for agricultural purposes or with developed natural vegetation requires a different approach.

For example, black soil must be completely cleared of roots. After compaction, gravel is laid. Then sand is poured onto it. After spilling water, tamp again. Another layer of crushed stone is laid. The final leveling is carried out using sand level. This multi-layer base completely eliminates possible problems when operating housing on soft soils.

The final stage of the work will be to check the entire area horizontally, inspect for the absence of sharp stones and other objects that could damage the waterproofing layer laid on the prepared sand and gravel base under load. The method of laying a rough screed on top of crushed stone, which is then waterproofed and insulated, looks more reliable and of higher quality.

This one and next stage It is recommended to carry out it as carefully as possible. The mobility of the sand and gravel layer is high. The best way to protect its integrity will be the foresight of laid boards or sheets. The load is distributed evenly over a large area and will remain flat for subsequent installation of insulation.

Waterproofing layer

The main purpose of the operation is to protect the insulation from moisture. The layer is located above the soil freezing level. If water gets in, it will begin to deteriorate and reduce its performance.

The film is laid with the necessary overlap. Then the joints are sealed. Bitumen-based waterproofing insulators are generously treated with a ready-made adhesive solution or, in the case of using the fusing method, the material is liquefied with a burner to the required state. Good waterproofing will protect the layer floor insulation for concrete from unwanted exposure to moisture, and most importantly, it will allow you not to worry about the condition of the insulation under the concrete layer.

Laying insulation

A layer of 8-10 cm is considered sufficient for effective protection shelter from the cold. The main rule of this stage is the creation of a single area, without cracks and gaps. How to insulate a concrete floor in a private house, observing the recommended characteristics?

You should know that gaps of even a few millimeters increase heat loss by 10-30%. There are several effective ways to fix this problem:

  • cut out parts as accurately as possible, achieving a tight fit;
  • use special adhesives to create a sealed layer;
  • lay insulation boards using polyurethane foam, which, having a porous structure similar to the base material, ensures maximum thermal protection efficiency.

Experienced craftsmen can easily remove large chips and cracks in the insulation coating with crushed polystyrene foam mixed with an adhesive composition. With this method, the effectiveness of thermal protection is practically not reduced, since the mixture has characteristics identical to the base materials.

Waterproofing before pouring concrete

So that concrete floors in a private house provide reliable protection housing, have served for a long time, it is necessary to prevent moisture from getting into the insulation. To do this, a waterproofing layer is made on top of the polystyrene boards. Optimal materials There are special films for this operation. Their strength characteristics make it possible to fill the screed required thickness. The material is elastic and easily takes the desired shape.

The use of bitumen-based surfacing materials is highly discouraged at this stage. The temperature of such compositions is high and can damage polystyrene foam. Burner operation is completely eliminated.

The joints are carefully taped with a special tape or the recommended composition. Waterproofing films with a layer of adhesive applied to them are popular today. Simply remove the protective paper or polymer material, lay the waterproofing, pressing it tightly to the surface, observing the overlap dimensions specified in the instructions.

Pouring screed and reinforcement

The last stage of work before finishing the floors. The solution is prepared according to traditional technology. Depending on the brand of cement and the desired characteristics of the screed, it may have different composition. However, experimentation is not recommended to avoid loss of quality.

Too much cement will make the concrete too brittle and prone to cracking. If its percentage is less than the norm, then the screed will turn out to be too loose and fragile. When installing a heated floor, the design will be very efficient, since there will be virtually no energy loss.

There are several ways to reinforce a screed. The work can be done in two stages. First, the soil layer is laid. Reinforcing elements are mounted on it. Then the final pouring completes the process. It should be remembered that the metal must be located in the body of the screed.

If you lay reinforcement directly over the waterproofing layer, the strength of the layer decreases. Concreting can be carried out in one operation, when the metal is knitted on specially placed spacers that raise the layer above the base to the required height.

To reinforce the concrete layer, you can use existing ones on the farm. hardware. For example, angles, channels, other types of rolled products left over after the construction of utility structures, old water supply and heating pipes, etc.

Updated: 02/19/2019

May differ from , although specific differences depend on:

  • groundwater level;
  • planned load on the floor;
  • use of "warm floor" technology.

If underground waters lie closer than 2 meters from the surface, then the presence of waterproofing is mandatory, as well as a “cushion” of sand and coarse crushed stone. The use of a “warm floor” implies a 2-centimeter thermal gap between the concrete and the walls, otherwise the filling may be damaged during operation.

The filling procedure must be carried out in compliance with a number of requirements:

  • the soil should not be mobile;
  • groundwater must be at least 5 meters away;
  • the ground must be dry.

In winter, the room must be heated, otherwise the structure may deform due to soil freezing and, as a result, mechanical loads will increase.

Note! If we are talking about a house that is still under construction, then installing the floor should begin only after the roof is ready. This way, subsequent work will be completed to the highest possible quality.

Stage 1. Determination of the “zero” level

First, determine “zero” (mortar filling level), which should be equal to the bottom of the doorway, and mark it around the perimeter. To do this, place marks a meter from the bottom of the opening (as shown in the diagram) and transfer them to the walls of the entire room (obviously, it is better to use laser level). Next, measure back 1 meter down from these marks and draw a second line - it will be the “zero” along which the floor will be filled. To simplify the procedure, hammer nails in the corners and stretch the cord.

Stage 2. Preparing the base

After determining the “zero” level, take out construction garbage and remove the fertile soil layer. The floor in our case will be a multi-layer “pie” approximately 35 cm thick. Therefore, remove soil until the depth from the “zero level” is equal to the thickness of the future “pie”.

Next, compact the surface. It is advisable to use a vibrating plate for this, although in its absence you can take an ordinary meter-long log, nail a board on the bottom, and two handles on top, and use such a tool to compact the soil. The result should be an even and, most importantly, dense base. There should be no traces left from walking on such a foundation.

Note! If it happens that the soil level is lower than 35 cm, then simply remove a little of the fertile layer, compact it and fill it with sand to the desired level. Then compact the sand itself.

To increase the waterproofing properties of the base, cover the “native” soil first with a layer of clay, then sand, add water and compact thoroughly.

Stage 3. Further backfilling

Once you've finished with the base layer, start adding gravel. Fill the material with a layer of 10 cm, water and compact. To make it easier to control the thickness, drive a number of pegs of the required thickness into the base and align them to the same level. When compaction is complete, pull them out.

Cover the sand with a similar layer of crushed stone (the fractions of the latter should be approximately 5 cm). Compact the crushed stone, sprinkle on top thin layer sand, level and compact. If you notice that there are protruding edges of crushed stone left on the surface, then remove them or lay them in a different way. Remember that the result should be a flat plane without any corners.

Note! Check each filled layer with a mounting level.

Stage 4. Isolation

For waterproofing, you can use an insulating membrane or ordinary polyethylene film, the thickness of which will be equal to 200 microns. Cover the entire area of ​​the room with the material, with an overlap of several centimeters, and place the edges on the walls slightly above the “zero” level. Seal all joints with tape.

There are quite a lot of materials for thermal insulation, you can choose any one. So, for a concrete floor it may be suitable:

  • expanded clay;
  • isolon;
  • Styrofoam;
  • moisture-resistant plywood;
  • mineral wool, basalt wool;
  • perlite;
  • expanded polystyrene (both regular and extruded).

Stage 5. Reinforcement

In order for the future floor to be strong enough, it should be reinforced. You can use both metal and plastic mesh for this, and if large loads are planned, then tie together reinforcing rods 0.8-1.6 cm thick by welding.

Do not lay the reinforcement directly on the foundation pie. Use small pegs (“chairs”) - lay them in rows, placing a plate cut from asbestos under each one to raise it to a height of at least 20 mm. In this case, the reinforcement will be inside the concrete screed and forms one whole with it.

Note! Using plastic mesh, pull it onto pegs driven into the ground for a similar purpose.

Stage 6. Formwork and guides

In order to maintain “zero” and make the filling procedure easier, install guides. First, divide the room into equal sections no more than 2 m wide, then divide them with guides. To make the latter, you can use either beams or boards, or iron pipes. Make sure that the height of the guides is equal to the “zero” level. Secure them with thick cement mortar.

Then proceed to install the formwork between the guides, forming special “cards” (identical rectangles, the dimensions of which should be selected so that each of them is poured in one go). The use of “cards” will significantly simplify the work, especially over a large area, and will help maintain “zero”. To make “cards,” use fresh boards (not dry) or moisture-resistant plywood.

Note! Align the guides with the formwork to the “zero” level, otherwise the floor may turn out uneven. Use a building level for this. Also treat these elements with special oil (such as Agat-S5) so that you can easily remove them from the concrete.

Stage 7. Preparing the solution and pouring

Fill the solution in a maximum of two passes, although it is advisable to do it in one. For this purpose, you can order “factory” concrete (it will be delivered immediately to large quantities) or do the cooking yourself (it will cost less). If you resort to the second option, you will need:

  • shovel;
  • concrete mixer (you can rent it);
  • “four hundredth” or “five hundredth” cement;
  • crushed stone;
  • sand;
  • one assistant.
Concrete gradeMass composition, C:P:SH, kgVolumetric composition per 10 liters of cement P/Shch, l
100 1: 4,6: 7,0 41/61 78
150 1: 3,5: 5,7 32/50 64
200 1: 2,8: 4,8 25/42 54
250 1: 2,1: 3,9 19/34 43
300 1: 1,9: 3,7 17/32 41
400 1: 1,2: 2,7 11/24 31
450 1: 1,1: 2,5 10/22 29
Concrete gradeMass composition C:P:SH, kgVolumetric composition per 10 liters of cement P/Shch, lAmount of concrete from 10 liters of cement, l
100 1: 5,8: 8,1 53/71 90
150 1: 4,5: 6,6 40/58 73
200 1: 3,5: 5,6 32/49 62
250 1: 2,6: 4,5 24/39 50
300 1: 2,4: 4,3 22/37 47
400 1: 1,6: 3,2 14/28 36
450 1: 1,4: 2,9 12/25 32

Video - How to mix concrete mixture or how to make concrete

To prepare the solution, pour cement, sand, crushed stone and water into a concrete mixer in a ratio of 1:2:4:0.5 and mix everything until a homogeneous mass is obtained. Pour the prepared solution from the corner opposite the front door. After filling several “cards”, level the solution with a shovel and distribute it around the perimeter. To compact concrete, use a vibrator - it will not only compact the mixture, but also remove air bubbles from it.

After treating the filled cards with a vibrator, proceed to leveling. To do this, you will need the 3-meter rule - place the tool on the guides and pull it towards you. This will remove excess solution. In the leveled “cards”, dismantle the formwork and fill the resulting voids with concrete. When the entire floor is filled, cover it with plastic wrap and leave for two to three weeks to dry completely, do not forget to periodically moisten the surface with water.

After this time, you can apply a self-leveling mixture to the finished floor, which can smooth out minor defects and make the surface perfectly flat. Wait another three days for this mixture to dry.

This floor is distinguished by the presence of a layer of air between the soil and the screed, which is advisable in areas where the level of soil moisture is high, that is, if groundwater is closer than 2 meters from the surface. This technology can also be used when the site is located in the northern region of the country, and the heating system will operate periodically.

Note! It is very important that the ground level is at least 10-15 cm below the concrete floor. If the gap is large, heat loss will increase, and if it is smaller, ventilation will be less effective.

Let's look at how the flooring technology in this case differs from that described above.

Stage 1. Preparation

First prepare the soil.

Step 1. Remove the plant layer and replace it with regular soil. Pour water over the soil and compact it so that the resulting layer height is approximately 15 cm.

Step 2. Fill the top with gravel and tamp again.

Step 3. Cover the finished base with crushed stone-lime mixture (although it can be replaced broken brick or, for example, construction waste).

Next, at the same distance from each other (about 70-100 cm), install brick columns under the logs. Use red brick for this, but in no case silicate brick. Having installed the posts, cover each of them with roofing felt for waterproofing, and on top of it attach 3-centimeter thick bars, pre-treated with an antiseptic.

Stage 3. Lags

To make logs, use log halves, also coated with an antiseptic. The joints between the joists should be located above the columns, but place the outer joists 2-3 cm from the surface of the walls. Check the level of the joists and place them under them if necessary. wooden blocks. Remember: the maximum permissible horizontal unevenness in this case is only 3 mm.

Note! Instead of bricks for posts, you can use metal pipes.

Stage 4. Next steps

Nail to the joists floorboard. Try to ensure that the boards fit as tightly as possible. If you wish, you can use a more reliable scheme:

  • 1st layer – uncut boards;
  • 2nd layer – waterproofing;
  • 3rd layer – floorboards.

The subsequent stages of filling are no different from those described above.

Note! The underground requires high-quality ventilation, so make ventilation windows measuring 100x100 mm in the corners. Cover the windows with metal bars. Equip special vents in the basement (at least two per room).

Video - Arranging a floor on the ground

This set of rules applies to the design of floors in industrial, warehouse, residential, public, administrative, sports and domestic buildings. Download for free