To create a unique and fashionable interior design, use a bulk 3D floor covering. This is an unusual and modern alternative to parquet or laminate. It is quite possible to create it with your own hands. To do this, you need to have minimal skills in construction and follow a clear algorithm of actions. How to make a 3-D floor with your own hands? Step-by-step instructions and nuances are further in our article.
Characteristic
So what is a 3D floor? This is a seamless coating consisting of a canvas with an image and a polymer mixture. It consists of 4 parts. This is the base, base, film with a pattern or texture chips and a protective layer.
Before choosing this type of finish, you need to consider that this is an expensive and long-term coating that cannot be changed often. The room in which you plan to install a 3-D floor with your own hands should not be overloaded with decorative elements. It is necessary to think over the design in advance and choosefurniture in such a way that it blends with the floor and does not overlap important details of the image.
Selection of materials for work
To get a durable floor covering that will meet aesthetic requirements, you need to responsibly choose the materials used. And for this, it is necessary to determine where the floor is made and under what conditions it will be used.
Screed mortar
Now the construction market has a large selection of dry mixes for foundations. They are convenient to use and cheaper than cement.
Primer coat
If surface damage is minor, a thixotropic putty or any quick leveling compound can be applied. Give preference to quality products.
Main cast
As a fill for the 3D floor, only polymer compounds are used. They are transparent and UV resistant. It consists of two components: a hardener and a polymer. Suitable for both base and finish coats.
Before buying, it is important to accurately calculate the consumption of the polymer mixture. The optical depth of the pattern depends on the thickness of the final coating. But it will be difficult to apply too thick a layer without preparation. Optimal when pouring the floor on their own is considered a finish coating with a thickness of 3 millimeters. Based on this, 4 kilograms of dry composition will be needed to process 1 square meter.
Decor
Banners, vinyl films, separate elements - shells, stones are used for the decorative layer. You can resort to the services of an artist and paintsurface with resistant polymer or acrylic paints. When choosing a small piece material for decoration, special clay is additionally used to fill voids between parts.
A 3-D floor is considered expensive when making it yourself when ready-made images printed on fabric or banner paper are used for decoration. But you can save money and process the drawing yourself. To do this, you need the Photoshop program or any graphic editor.
When choosing an image, they are guided by the following principles:
- Don't chase fashion and succumb to momentary mood, as desire and trends change quickly.
- Choose unobtrusive pictures. The landscape is a great solution.
The right pattern can visually enlarge the space and add light to a small dim room.
Photography
You need to take a picture of the room where you plan to install a self-leveling 3-D floor with your own hands. The entire area of the room should fit into the camera lens. To do this, it is more convenient to take pictures while standing in the doorway.
Edit
Upload a photo into the program and overlay the selected picture. It is important that it be of high quality. Connect the edges of the image to the floor so that it fits around the perimeter. Cut off all excess and align in a rectangular shape. Edit photo quality and send to print.
Submit for printing
The services of photo firms will cost less than buying a special image. But in order not to be mistaken, it is better to orderpre-black and white canvas on plain paper. Lay it out on the floor, and if the view is realistic, print a color image on the banner.
Accessory list
After choosing the basic materials for the 3-D floor device, do-it-yourself tools are prepared:
- construction vacuum cleaner;
- needle and fur roller;
- grinder;
- mixer and drill with a special nozzle for mixing mixtures;
- notched and even trowel;
- studded shoe covers;
- trowel.
What's next? How to make a 3-D floor with your own hands? You need to start by preparing the foundation. It depends on how long such a floor will last.
Preparing the base
If there is a screed, you need to assess its condition. Differences in height, significant defects and cracks are not allowed. In case the surface does not meet the requirements, a new screed must be made.
If the old floor in the room is wooden, then work begins with dismantling. Clean and level the surface. Cover all seams and potholes on the base plates. The subfloor is then cleaned of dust and debris.
It's important not to slant horizontally. Otherwise, the process of pouring the polymer will become more complicated and the consumption of materials will increase. Sand the surface to remove all irregularities. Finally, the finished base must be thoroughly vacuumed. It is better to use a construction vacuum cleaner, because the household one will become unusable from the cementdust.
Primer surface
For better adhesion of the first polymer layer to the base, a primer is applied. It is spread with a soft roller or a large paint brush. It is necessary to cover the surface evenly, with a thin layer. Carefully grease the joints of the walls and floor.
This procedure should be done twice. The second time it is necessary to primer only after the first layer has dried. And then leave the room for at least one night.
Applying the base - instructions
3-D DIY floor is created starting from the base layer. The components are mixed in a suitable container with a mixer with a nozzle until a uniform color and consistency. It will not work to prepare such a solution manually, because it will take a lot of time. And the mixture tends to harden quickly.
When preparing a polymer solution, it is important to strictly observe all proportions. Otherwise, the composition may turn out to be liquid or, conversely, viscous. In both cases, this will adversely affect the strength and durability of the floor.
It is necessary to work on filling together, as the process is laborious. The minimum layer thickness is half a centimeter. If it is decided to make the base layer thicker, then beacons are additionally used, which are removed upon completion of the work. The solution is distributed over the surface of the prepared base from the opposite angle from the front door and leveled with a spatula. Pour the mixture in parts. Then, putting on the paint shoes, go through the studded roller. This procedure will remove all air bubbles.
Now the surface should be left to harden for a day. After complete drying, the evenness of the base layer is checked. When applying the polymer, all windows and doors in the room must be tightly closed. Otherwise, dust particles may get on the coating.
Decoration with real elements
If small details (for example, sand, shells or stones) serve as decoration, then you need to think over their placement in advance. All elements should be approximately the same height. For gluing to the base, a polymer mixture will serve. It is applied in one layer to a small area, after which the decorations are laid out. Then you can move on. When the decoration is completed, it remains to seal the holes with polymer clay and allow to dry.
Glue cloth
There are self-adhesive images for creating a 3-D floor with your own hands. Their use makes the job easier. Gradually removing the protective film, the pattern is transferred to the surface and rolled with a roller.
A polymer composition is also used for gluing a printed banner. The solution is quickly applied in a thin layer on the prepared base, then the canvas with the image is laid and leveled. To prevent bumps from forming on the final coating, all excess air is removed at this stage. With a rubber roller, you need to roll out the surface from the center of the room to the sides. And finally, all the excess is cut off with a very sharp (clerical) knife.
Art painting
For self-paintinghigh quality acrylic paints are used. When the drawing is completely dry, it is covered with a fixing transparent varnish.
Final layer
Finish layer happens:
- matte;
- glossy;
- smooth;
- grungy.
If the 3D floor will be installed in the bathroom, then for safety reasons it is worth choosing a rough surface.
The mixture for this layer is prepared in the same way as for the base. Before pouring, height marks are drawn on the walls - landmarks. You need to start work from the far corner, gradually moving towards the exit. Air must be removed using a spiked roller. Leave the floor to dry for two days. During this time, avoid any contact with the surface, and ventilate the room. To make the 3D floor last longer, it is covered with a colorless mastic. She happens:
- matte;
- anti-slip;
- glossy.
Pro Tips
Knowing the guide on how to make a 3-D floor with your own hands step by step, it will not be superfluous to read about some of the nuances and advice of experts:
- Buying a polymer mixture, you should not save. It is better to give preference to high-quality, proven brands. Before going to the hardware store, it is important to calculate the required amount of dry mix. Add another 10 percent to the result. This is done in order to have a margin when pouring the polymer composition.
- When mixing the mixture, be sure to clearlyfollow the instructions and use the scales. Even a slight deviation from the recommendations will make the final work ugly and of poor quality.
- When choosing a 3D drawing, it is worth considering the size of the room for which the self-leveling floor is arranged. If the room is less than 10 square meters, the image will not be viewed.
- Before you start pouring a new layer, you need to make sure that the previous one is completely dry. To do this, one day after application, you need to cover the surface with plastic wrap and wait another day. If water forms under it, then the floor is not yet dry enough, and you can not proceed to the next step.
- In the process of work, check that there are no debris, dust and other foreign objects on the floor.
- To avoid deformation and cracks, a damper tape is laid around the perimeter when performing work.
- During the entire pouring process, the temperature in the room must be at least +10 degrees.
Benefits
You can highlight a number of advantages of a 3-D floor created by your own hands:
- the surface of the finished coating is smooth and perfectly flat;
- self-leveling floor has no seams and joints (which means that it will not accumulate debris, dust and moisture);
- due to invulnerability to abrasion, the service life is more than a dozen years;
- 3D-floor is best suited for high humidity areas, as it has good waterproofing characteristics;
- floor is practical and impact resistant andchipped;
- materials used in the work are non-toxic and environmentally friendly;
- UV resistant;
- Aesthetic appearance and multiple design choices.
Flaws
In addition to the advantages, there are some disadvantages of a 3-D floor created by one's own hands:
- expensive set of professional equipment for work;
- labor-intensive and difficult to create a perfectly smooth coating;
- filling and drying process takes a long time;
- increased care requirements;
- high cost.
Care
In order for the self-leveling floor to serve for a long time and look attractive, it needs regular maintenance. Every six months, a special colorless mastic is applied. If repairs are planned in the room, then the surface is covered with a film for protection. You need to wash with special detergents, and then wipe with a clean cloth.
Conclusion
The article presents a photo of a 3-D floor, made by hand. It is popular in modern design. It is made in residential and industrial premises.
You can simplify the process by hiring a specialized team, but this can cost a lot of money. At the same time, you will have to endure the presence of strangers in your house for several days. Alternatively, you can make a 3-D floor with your own hands. Step by step instructions were presented above.
