If you want to build a warm floor, then you will need to hide all its elements before finishing. You can do this with a tie. Naturally, you would like to know about some of the nuances of its arrangement. The underfloor heating screed must be of high quality, otherwise the heating will be uneven and inefficient.
The figure shows the device "pie" cable underfloor heating
A screed is a concrete layer that is applied to a subfloor to level it or hide other elements before finishing. It should be noted that it can be made not only from cement mortar, but also with the help of special mixtures.
The standard "pie" device is as follows:
- waterproofing layer.
- Thermal insulation.
- Reinforcing mesh.
- Warm floor.
- Screed.
Depending on what design your warm floor has, the device of the "pie" may change. For example, the first layer is applied to the subfloor in order to level it. The next screed is poured onto the insulation. The last layer is already mounted on a warm floor. It is not difficult to do the work with your own hands, you just need to follow the pouring technology.
Types of screed
There are few of them:
- Wet. It is made on the basis of cement mortar.
- Dry warm floor. This option has become used very often, as it eliminates the appearance of dirt, problems with the contacts of the electric version of the warm floor. In addition, this option allows you to lay tiles or other finishing material the very next day. Naturally, such a screed must be properly equipped.
These options have their own advantages and disadvantages. However, you need to choose a screed taking into account the characteristics of the room, the design of the underfloor heating, as well as the time allotted for repairs. suits you, it's up to you.
What should be the thickness of the screed?
Underfloor heating screed must be done correctly. The thickness of the screed is a very important parameter. It depends on what finishing materials you choose. If the thickness is not taken into account correctly, then the heating will become uneven, and the heating itself will be inefficient.
Screed thickness for electric underfloor heating So, if you need to level the rough base or eliminate serious horizontal differences on it, the thickness of the screed will be about 5 cm. At the same time, you can lay heat and waterproofing under it. A layer is poured over the insulating elements, the thickness of which must be at least 2 cm. In this case, it will be possible to proceed with the installation of a warm floor only after 28 days. All manipulations can be done by hand.
The thickness of the screed also depends on which mortar you will use. If it has cement and sand in its composition, then in general there should be a layer of 5 cm above the heating structure. If you decide to add a plasticizer to the mixture, the thickness of the screed can be reduced to 2-2.5 cm. However, in this case you will have to use reinforcing mesh or reinforcing composition. Otherwise, the layer thickness will be 3 cm.
If the heating structure is made on the basis of pipes, then the height of the “pie” will be about 8.5 cm. This size is unacceptable if the house has low ceilings. In addition, you must also consider where the apartment is located. If it is located on the lower floor, then the thickness of the "pie" can be 11 centimeters.
Screed thickness for water floor heating If you do not want to make too much screed, then it makes sense to arrange. In this case, its thickness will not exceed 3 cm. Although, when using special plasticizers, this parameter can be reduced to 2 cm. In this case, overheating of the elements is excluded.
A screed for underfloor heating is very quickly built with your own hands. It is important to properly prepare and pour the mixture.
Pouring technology
Preparation for work
Before you start pouring with your own hands, you need to prepare the room. Please note that the air temperature in the apartment during the work should range from + 5 to + 25 degrees Celsius. Naturally, the base must be cleaned of debris and dust. Otherwise, the solution may lie unevenly, and it will have poor adhesion to the surface. Try to eliminate all the cracks in the base. If necessary, make a rough curl of the base.
It is necessary to fill in the solution only after all the contours of the warm floor have been laid and its performance has been checked.
During preparation, it is necessary to take into account the possibility of expansion of the concrete mixture under the influence of a temperature difference. To avoid cracking of the mortar after drying, it is necessary to equip the expansion joints. To do this, you can use a special damper tape or hard insulation, the thickness of which is at least 1 cm. Such an expansion joint should be made to the entire depth of the screed.
The photo shows the laying of the damper tape in front of the screed. Expansion joints are also arranged in the aisles between rooms Filling the warm floor should be done only after careful preparation of the base. Before using the composition, do not forget to check the system for operability and the absence of defects.
What is needed for arranging a screed?
For work you will need the following materials:
- Cement mortar or dry mix.
- Reinforcing mesh or reinforcing composition.
- Waterproofing.
- Insulation.
- Fasteners.
- Container for mixing the solution.
- Construction mixer or drill with a special nozzle.
- Spatula for leveling the mixture.
- Tiles or other finishing material for surface finishing.
The reinforcing mesh should not have too small cells. Underfloor heating tiles are the most commonly used. Naturally, it is also necessary to choose this material correctly. You can lay it with your own hands, observing the technology of work.
Fill Features
A warm screed is equipped in several stages:
- Laying a waterproofing film, the thickness of which is usually 250 microns. Cloths overlap (20 cm) on each other, as well as with an allowance for the wall. Fix all joints with reinforcing tape.
- Heater installation. This is also done by hand. It is better to use a special material with an aluminum reflector that will direct the heat upwards.
- Fastening the damper tape. It is fixed at the edges, and also divides a large area into parts.
- Laying the mounting grid. It is on it that the elements of the warm floor are mounted.
- Installation of level beacons. They will allow you to pour the solution correctly and evenly.
- Preparation and filling of the mixture. The composition must be diluted as indicated in the instructions on the package. Otherwise, it may turn out to be too liquid or too thick.
- If necessary, the layer can be reinforced with a reinforcing mesh. It prevents damage to the screed after drying. The mesh is required if the layer is thicker.
- After a day, the dried composition will need to be covered with polyethylene and left for 7 days.
If you fill in a water heated floor, then there should be pressure in the pipes at this moment.
A couple of weeks after pouring the mortar, you will be able to lay the tiles.
If you decide to use a film construction, then the use of a screed composition is not advisable. Here you should use . On it, the elements are fixed. Naturally, the layer thickness should be minimal, and the upper part of the film floor should be visible. Next, you can lay the tiles. First you need to wait until the previous layer of glue dries. This method of installing tiles will avoid peeling the flooring.
The technology of laying heating mats for electric underfloor heating As you can see, a screed for a warm floor is easy to do if you follow the technology. Under the tile or other finishing materials, you can equip it with your own hands. The main thing is to choose the right composition for pouring the screed, and not to ignore all the stages of the work. Leave your opinion about the article in the comments and share your experience of pouring underfloor heating.
