During construction work or during the operation of the flooring, flaws arise that must be eliminated in the future. Faced with the need to take action in case of uneven bases, one has to consider options and look for the most appropriate in terms of laying method and financial possibilities. For experienced craftsmen and beginners, the Knauf dry floor is recommended, which has drawbacks, but they are so insignificant that this method is increasingly preferred.
Going to level the floor? Dry screed is a great solution
The modern construction market is rich in materials that can cope with the problems that have arisen. To level the floor, professional masters use different methods, using novelties that help to correct coating flaws even for a beginner in the field of repair. Not always weather conditions allow you to perform work with liquid mixtures that require compliance with the temperature regime and a sufficient margin of time for dryinggrounds.
Increasingly, the attention of builders is attracted by the opportunity to use dry mixes as a worthy alternative, including the Knauf dry floor, which guarantees a repair of the floor covering in a short period of time without unnecessary financial costs at a high-quality level. This material can be used regardless of the season.
Have you opted for Knauf products? Smart decision, but…
To achieve a flawlessly flat surface, customers choose the Knauf dry floor. This prefabricated structure of the German manufacturer is the only one in the world where wet processes are excluded. It allows you to use the coating on the second day, and not on the 28th, as with a concrete screed. What is the foundation made of?
This is a precast floor from:
- gypsum-fiber sheets glued together and shifted along the edges by 5 cm, which forms a fold provided for the assembly of the structure;
- fine-fraction expanded clay for falling asleep bumps ("Knauf");
- layer of vapor and moisture insulating PVC film;
- sometimes, for strength, an intermediate layer of GVL sheets is laid on expanded clay and under the Knauf floor elements.
The subfloor created with the help of a dry mix will last for a long time only if all the stages of laying are followed and the preparatory stage of work is carried out competently. The building material is used in enclosed spaces with good ventilation, preventing moisture from entering the structure.
Dry floor "Knauf": disadvantages andrecommendations
The undoubted advantage of the bulk base is considered to be the reduction in time spent on leveling the surface, but not every room is suitable for this option of organizing a rough coating. You should carefully consider the use of the material, because in addition to the advantages, the dry floor "Knauf" has disadvantages, which are undesirable to ignore. Easily absorbing moisture, the mixture becomes unusable. It is necessary to listen to the recommendations of specialists:
1. It is strictly forbidden to lay the floor in damp basements, in basements, where there is a high level of humidity. It is not recommended to use this coating in bathrooms, toilets - this can lead to undesirable consequences, fraught with new repairs and financial costs.
2. Dry screed is appropriate in domestic premises with low traffic. Bulky massive furniture in the room is undesirable. The base in a private house, apartment, quiet office is ideal for leveling with products from a German manufacturer.
3. The minimum height of the bulk layer should not be less than 6 cm, and preferably 8-10 cm. This condition is not always acceptable in a room with low ceilings. This aspect must be taken into account by the owners, because this is the height of only a rough coating, and it is also assumed that there is a decorative one.
4. If moisture gets on a dry floor, the only way out in this situation is to dismantle the coating. But the appearance of destructive mold is possible if the technology of laying the base is violated.
5. The disadvantage is the cost of Knauf products as a bulk screed, because for many owners it is unacceptable. But this is a moot point, because one should take into account the absence of dirt and a long wait until the base dries, as in “wet” work.
Preparatory stage: don't miss important little things
The correct Knauf dry floor device is performed exactly following the technology. Responsibly it is worth approaching the preparation of the base for the bulk floor. To do this, the old coating is dismantled, the surface is cleaned from dirt, debris, dust. Existing gaps must be sealed with cement mortar, which must dry. For vapor and waterproofing, a polyethylene film is laid. Without this protective coating, there is a further risk of exposing the dry mix to unwanted moisture.
It is better to overlap the film, and its edges lead to the walls to the marked level, determining the height where the floor structure ends. The overlap should be at least 20 cm. Care should be taken to securely fix the film. An edge tape is laid between the screed and the PVC film, the width of which corresponds to the height of the bulk layer.
Knauf dry floor laying technology
Having prepared the coating, it is necessary to install beacons, along which expanded clay chips are pulled together and leveled. Rails are attached to the floor. Having made marks of the height of the future coating, set the profile. You can pull the thread or fishing line at the height of the lighthouses. The rail is fixed along the room from the door to the window, andfishing line - across the room, from wall to wall.
Scatter the mixture in heaps, but not all of it, but only to the width of the rule, which aligns the strip. The Knauf dry floor is filled up, which is laid sequentially, in several squares, because it is necessary to cover the compacted mixture with GVL sheets so as not to walk on the leveled layer. The inner fold is pre-cut from the side adjacent to the wall.
Expanded sand is poured in parts and immediately pulled together along the lighthouses. Applying the second sheet, the joints are coated with glue. The installation of the plates takes place according to the principle of brickwork, therefore, in the next row, the number of whole sheets is determined, and the panel remaining from trimming will need to start the next strip. As you move forward, the supports and the profile are removed, and the resulting voids fall asleep.
Advice from the masters
Knauf dry floors do not require special professional skills when laying. The reviews of the masters about the design are positive, but it is necessary to follow the technology and listen to their recommendations in order to avoid mistakes.
- Profiles are mounted at a distance not exceeding one and a half meters.
- Work is done with a respirator.
- Laying the slabs starts from the door, so as not to disturb the surface structure when leaving the room.
- To clean the joints during installation, use a paint brush, which brush off the dust formed from expanded clay.
- The joints are glued with PVA glue.
Opinion of owners who prefer drysemi
When installing a rough base, the Knauf dry floor is increasingly being used, the disadvantages of which fade before its advantages noted by the builders.
Owners of living space, where the products of a manufacturer from Germany were used to level the base, note:
· this is the fastest way to eliminate drops and bumps;
· Even a beginner can handle styling, you just need to follow the instructions;
· communications are easily masked;
· work is carried out cleanly, without dirt and at any time of the year;
· installed floors do not creak, do not deform over time, give coolness in summer and warmth in winter;
· tiles, carpet, laminate, parquet or linoleum are laid on the created structure;
· the coating has excellent soundproofing properties.
