There are very upsetting situations in life when, after a diligently completed repair in the bathroom or in the kitchen, a neighbor's pipe suddenly bursts, and water floods the new ceiling. Or, having arrived at the cottage for the weekend, you notice yellow streaks on the ceiling after the past rain. To avoid such problems, the next repair should begin with waterproofing.
The main tasks of waterproofing
When carrying out repair work, a lot of money is spent on building materials and decorative finishing of the premises. If the environment is too humid, they can be damaged, mold appears over time, which not only spoils the wallpaper, walls and ceiling of the room, but also causes allergic reactions of the human body, eventually turning into asthmatic conditions.
It is also very dangerous if moisture gets on the electrical wires hidden in the walls, a short circuit occurs. This threatens to ignite the room, and no one needs it at all. The main task of waterproofing the ceiling in an apartment is to protect it and the entire room from moisture, steam, mold and mildew. Having a dry ceiling, you can notworry about the beauty of decorative plaster and expensive wallpaper.
Mixes for work
For work on waterproofing the ceiling from the inside, different coating or penetrating compounds are used. The cost of coating materials is relatively inexpensive, they are applied to the surface of the concrete ceiling, after which a screed is already made. The composition of these mixtures is different. There are cement-polymer, bitumen-polymer and bitumen-rubber.
In the penetrating compositions there are active particles, which, when applied to the ceiling, penetrate deep into cracks and microcracks, filling them. They are non-toxic and do not interfere with air access. However, they are used only for waterproofing a concrete ceiling. If new cracks appear over time, then the penetrating mixtures continue to operate throughout the entire period, until the next overhaul.
Types of waterproofing compounds
- Mixes in the form of a powder, consisting of cement with the addition of plasticizers and some resins. Before work, the mixture is diluted with water in the proportions indicated on the package. Apply it to the surface of the ceiling with a spatula. Such a mixture is cheap, therefore short-lived. May break under mechanical stress.
- The mixture for coloring resembles paint or varnish, which contains rubber, latex, bitumen. Such mixtures are applied with paint brushes. Can be used for waterproofing a wooden ceiling. However, over time, the surface must be re-coated, as the service life is short.
- You canbuy ready-made universal compounds (water repellents).
- There are waterproofing materials that need to be pasted over the ceiling. These are polyethylene film, roofing felt, roofing felt, fiberglass and other modern materials. The cost of such products is high, the workflow is laborious. Usually such material is applied to the ceiling, which will subsequently be sewn up with wooden or plastic clapboard. Gluing methods vary too. There are self-adhesive ones, and some need to be preheated with a gas burner to stick.
Surface preparation
For ceiling waterproofing work, the surface is prepared in different ways, depending on the materials. First of all, the old ceiling is carefully peeled off, the existing mold is removed, and it is treated with antifungal solutions. Next is the cleaning of dust and remnants of the old paint.
If the ceiling is covered with a penetrating mixture, it will be necessary to constantly moisten the ceiling. For such a coating, there are the following requirements: avoid drying out by constantly wetting the mixture on the ceiling from a sprayer, the temperature in the room should not be high, repairs should be done before the start of the heating season, somewhere in late September or early October. If you follow all the recommendations correctly, then the layer of the mixture will last 7 or 8 years. If there are large gaps in the floor slabs, they must first be sealed with a mixture for seam insulation or glue the joints with sealing tapes.
Before applying powder mixtures, the surface of the ceiling must first be primed. Then the clutch will be reliable. Ceiling waterproofing in the form of paints and varnishes is also applied only on a completely leveled and primed surface.
Waterproofing process
There are several dangerous places in an apartment and in a private house, most often exposed to moisture accumulation and possible leakage. This is a bathroom and toilet, kitchen, balcony. In a private house, this is the top floor and attic space. They require special attention and thorough waterproofing of the ceiling.
After preliminary cleaning of the surface and sealing of joints and cracks, the process of applying the main mixture is started. It can be applied with a thick rough brush, trowel or thick paintbrush, depending on the composition chosen.
Not only the surface of the ceiling, the joints between the ceiling and walls are smeared, but also the upper part of the wall, approximately 15-20 cm. quantity.
When waterproofing with moisture, check the condition of the composition every few hours by spraying the ceiling with water. The procedure is carried out for 3-4 days. But subject to the norms of the application technique, such a composition will serve for a long time.
Stretch ceilings
Modern and most effective means of waterproofing a dwelling are stretch ceilings. The film, stretched when heated, is able to withstand a large amount of water. If you are flooded with neighbors from the upper floors, the film will stretch, collecting all the liquid, and will not spoil the flooring and walls of the room. To get rid of it, you just need to drain the water through the hole for the chandelier into some kind of container.
At the same time, the film takes on its original shape without being deformed at all. It is very convenient, and even a beautiful ceiling gives the room a well-groomed look, hiding all surface irregularities.
Balcony protection
The main attention during the work to eliminate moisture formation on the balcony is given to the supporting floors. Rain and high humidity can not only destroy the concrete layer, but, even more dangerously, damage the metal reinforcement on which the entire structure rests. Metal from moisture begins to rust, which leads to the destruction of the material.
First of all, the joints with the wall of the house are smeared, then it is necessary to carry out outdoor work. Namely, to make a good visor, close up all the gaps between the upper balcony and yours, if the balcony is built large, then close up the gaps between the roofing material, whether it be slate, tiles or metal roofing sheets.
The work on the ceiling of the balcony is being completed by coating with a waterproofing compound or stretching the film ceiling.
Working with a wooden ceiling
In wooden buildings, the main problem with moisture is the formation of steam. To solve this problem,use modern materials for vapor barrier. It can be plastic film, roofing felt, roofing felt, special foil, protective membrane.
The action of such materials is aimed at complete isolation from moisture. She does not leave the house and does not go inside. If water gets into the wooden beams and logs of the house, then in winter it freezes. Everyone knows from the school curriculum that water, freezing, increases in volume. This means that the tree may burst, and large cracks and crevices will appear.
Vapour barrier of ceilings in wooden houses does not allow condensation to form and counteracts the destruction of logs. How to make ceiling waterproofing? Boards are first covered with a layer of waterproofing impregnation. Then they lay out strips of waterproofing material (for example, glassine), longer than the level of the roof, on the beams, and overlap them so that there are no gaps.
Styrofoam sheets are inserted behind the beams, the remaining gaps are filled with mounting foam. Then lay another layer of waterproofing. Then the ceiling is insulated with a layer of mineral wool. Next, a layer of vapor barrier is stretched and strengthened with additional rails, on which the final ceiling is subsequently hung.
Important tips and tricks
- Protective film must not be pierced with nails. In order for it to be firmly fixed, you need to use a frame laying system.
- Be sure to screw the slats over the film. The thickness of the material will allow air to ventilateand moisture will not accumulate under the film, especially if, for example, they do not live in the country all the time, but on arrivals, and in winter the room is not always heated.
- A room covered with a vapor barrier film on the ceiling should be periodically ventilated. Then the decorative coating of the ceiling will not suffer.
To do the waterproofing of the ceiling with your own hands, you need to follow all the recommendations. Then the repair work will not be done in vain. The ceiling will be dry and last a long time.
