The main disadvantage of wooden floors is their exposure to moisture. Its influence can cause rotting and destruction of the floor covering. Therefore, waterproofing a wooden floor is an important step in the arrangement of this part of the premises for any purpose.
Varieties of waterproofing
Today, you can choose one of the existing technologies for waterproofing. The technique will depend on the purpose of the room, the design of the base, as well as the type of floor finish. According to the type of material used and the technology of work, waterproofing can be:
- cast;
- stucco;
- painting;
- filling;
- pasting.
In order to choose which method will be used to waterproof the wooden floor, you should familiarize yourself with the nuances of each method.
Features of paint waterproofing
The cheapest and easiest way to protect wood floors is paint waterproofing. It involves the application of polymer or bituminous varnishes. The disadvantage of this method is the fragility of the created coating. During operation, it will lose elasticity, which is especially true for those conditions under which there is a temperature difference. Subsequently, such a coating will become brittle, and chips and cracks will form on the surface. 6 years after the work, the waterproofing layer will require the need for restoration. If you will be waterproofing a wooden floor using painting technology, then the floor should first be sanded, grease stains removed from its surface and dried. After the surface is covered with a primer made of bituminous mastic. It must dry, and its staining is carried out with a roller or brush. In some cases, the procedure is repeated several times.
The nuances of cast waterproofing
Waterproofing of a wooden floor can also be carried out using cast technology. It is considered the most reliable of all existing today. However, one should count on the high cost of the technique. The consumable material for the work will be molten bitumen, asph alt concrete or pitch. The material will have a certain viscosity depending on the temperature and composition. Liquid bitumen must be heated to 10 °, as for a low-viscosity composition, its temperature must be inrange from 50 to 80°. The viscous compound is heated to 120°.
Before starting work, the base is prepared, it should be cleaned, cracked and dried. Next is priming with hot bitumen. Formwork should be built around the perimeter. The waterproofing layer is heated to the desired temperature, and then the entire surface is filled. The master carries out leveling with a metal scraper and leaves the surface until the composition hardens. If necessary, several such layers can be applied.
Infill waterproofing
Waterproofing the floor in a wooden house can be done by backfilling with special materials called betonites. With their help, the prepared space is filled. Under the influence of water, this material forms a gel, which is almost not able to pass moisture. In addition to waterproofing qualities, the formed layer has thermal insulation capabilities. However, it is thicker, which reduces the height of the ceilings. Before starting to backfill the waterproofing material, formwork should be made, which is installed around the perimeter of the room. The surface is cleaned and dried, after which you can start backfilling, careful leveling and compaction.
Recommendations for plaster waterproofing
Such compositions have among the ingredients mineral binder fillers, as well as polymer additives. Cement is used as a filler. The prepared mixture should be applied in several layers, which will create a waterproof protection. The base for such waterproofing must be free of paint. Among its mandatory characteristics - maximum strength and purity. Irregularities and cracks should be covered.
Dry mix needs to be supplemented with water, following the manufacturer's instructions. The prepared composition is mixed, preferably using a construction mixer. During work, the temperature in the room should be between +5 and +30°C. The solution is applied in several layers, the quality of which can reach four. Between them, you should wait an interval of 10 minutes. During the curing phase, no work load should be applied to the surface, it must be ensured that the thermometer does not drop below 0°. In this case, drying out should be excluded.
Method of pasting waterproofing
Waterproofing the floor in a wooden house can also be carried out using pasting technology. At the same time, bituminous rolled, polymer-bitumen or polymeric materials are glued to the base. They must be made from components that prevent the formation of putrefactive processes. As in the cases described above, the floor surface is cleaned and dried, and then mastic is applied to it, the layer thickness should be 1.5 mm. Rolls are rolled from above, adhesion is achieved using solvent-based adhesives. It is important to heat and weld the previously cleaned seams together. Numberlayers will depend on the floor's exposure to water.
Improve the effectiveness of waterproofing
In order for the waterproofing of a rough wooden floor to be as effective as possible, it is necessary to protect the materials not only from above, but also from below. If the building does not have a basement, then waterproofing is done during the construction of the foundation. Whereas carrying out waterproofing work on the floor, which has a basement below, can become more complicated. To protect materials from moisture, a whole range of measures should be taken. To do this, a ventilation system is being installed in the subfield. Wooden structures are treated with antiseptics, and from the basement side, the surface is insulated with isoplast or roofing material. Waterproofing work, as a rule, is carried out in combination with thermal insulation.
Waterproofing the wooden floor in the bathroom
Waterproofing a wooden floor in a bathroom should be as effective as possible, as the material is constantly exposed to moisture. For the construction of this part of the room, you should choose a material from waterproof wood species such as aspen or larch. Impregnation of floor elements is carried out several times, all parts under the flooring should be covered with insulating material. For complete protection of the base, a tile should be laid on the surface, which will exclude the penetration of water. Otherwise, waterproofing work can be carried out using one of the technologies described above.
Floor waterproofing inbathhouse
Protection of the floor in the bath is most often done by coating or pasting methods. To do this, you can use roll material or mastic of different composition. The reliability of protection will depend on the thickness of the layer. If film material is used, then you should think about the adhesive composition. One of the main requirements for it is that it should not emit harmful substances when exposed to elevated temperatures. Experts do not advise using roofing material as insulators for steam rooms and showers, since its service life is not so high, and when heated, it releases components of petroleum products. Among other things, after laying, it implies the need for abundant processing with bitumen. Thus, the waterproofing of the wooden floor in the bath should be carried out with a thick plastic film.
Some experts believe that impregnation is a more effective way. On sale you can find universal special gels that are used for any material. But such products are quite expensive. A number of builders do not advise at all to carry out waterproofing work in the steam room. This is due to the fact that the smell of rot and mold will begin to appear in the room. However, to exclude this, you will have to additionally organize a ventilation system.
Moisture protection for the underside of the wooden floor
Waterproofing under a wooden floor can be carried out on the ground. No matter how dry it may be, such work must be done. For this, a base of several layers is prepared, as the firstwell-compacted soil protrudes, which will be compacted manually or using special equipment. The next step will be adding sand, which acts as a good waterproofing. If you have to work with dense soils, then a 10 cm layer will be enough. However, if the soil is heaving and prone to freezing, the height of the bedding can increase up to 20 cm, since the base is prone to moisture absorption.
The next step will be to backfill a 10 cm layer of crushed stone, which has a medium or large fraction. The surface is compacted, which prevents the penetration of moisture to high layers. Thus, you can block the access of moisture to the floor beams and logs. If groundwater is located deep, no higher than 2 m from the surface, then crushed stone can be replaced with expanded clay, which acts as a heat and waterproofing. These layers are necessary when choosing any surface waterproofing floor and how to lay wood flooring.
Floor waterproofing on poles
You can waterproof a wooden floor on poles using the technology below. For this, it is necessary to dig pits over the entire area inside the basement, the distance between which should be 1.5 m. A pillow of sand and gravel is laid on their bottom, and then waterproofing made of plastic film is covered. It should go to the surface of the soil by 30 cm. Pillars are made of bricks, which, after the mortar has dried, must be treated with waterproofing mastic.
The best waterproofing for a wooden floor in this case consists of different materials. For example, roofing material is laid on the surface of the space under the floor, the sheets of which are fastened together with bituminous mastic. It should be raised to the walls of the basement by 20 cm and glued with bitumen. The corners are carefully closed, it is best not to cut the material at all, but to fold it in folds. When installing roofing material, you must create an airtight container at the bottom of the subfloor. The pillars are treated with bitumen and covered with pieces of roofing material, which is laid in several layers. You can carry out such waterproofing of a wooden floor under a tile. This technology at the next stage provides for the installation of thick floor beams on the pillars, which are pre-treated with penetrating waterproofing materials. The beams are fixed on the supports with metal fasteners, logs are installed on them, and a cranial bar is fixed below each of them, which will become the basis for the subfloor.
Conclusion
Whatever material you choose for waterproofing a wooden floor, the main thing is to follow a specific technology, one of which you can implement yourself.
