The appearance of cracks is one of the most pressing problems of plank floors. Creaking floorboards, heat leaks, penetration of dust and insects - all these are unpleasant consequences of such defects, and if measures are not taken in a timely manner, the floor will have to be completely replaced. Meanwhile, there are several effective ways seal the gaps in the floor between the boards and significantly extend the service life of the coating. All of them are quite simple, do not require special skills, and therefore everyone can do them. So, why do gaps form in the floor and how can you fix them?
To choose the optimal method for sealing cracks, you first need to accurately determine and eliminate the cause of their appearance. If this is not done, the result repair work will be short-lived and after a while everything will have to be repeated again.
The following factors contribute to the formation of cracks:
- natural drying– any wood is subject to shrinkage, only with different intensities. Boards processed in vacuum chambers, almost do not change their geometry during their service life, but ordinary lumber can dry out by 5-10%, or even more, depending on the initial moisture content and the type of wood;
- low indoor humidity– if the air in the house is too dry, the boards will intensively release moisture and decrease in size. For wooden floors, the optimal air humidity should be between 40-65% at a temperature of 18 to 25°C;
- incorrect installation– violation of laying technology leads to loosening of the boards, their subsidence and deformation, as a result of which gaps form between the floorboards. The most common mistakes are failure to maintain the plane when installing joists and weak fixation of the flooring;
- rodents living under the floor— mice and rats are able to chew through the thickest boards in order to get into the room. The more active the pests are, the more cracks and holes they will create, and such damage is the most difficult to eliminate;
- laying raw lumber– drying of the boards during the use of the floor almost always leads to significant deformations of the flooring and the appearance of gaps between the floorboards. That is why when choosing you need to give preference to well-dried flat boards with a relative humidity of 8-12%.
Depending on the number and size of the slots, as well as general condition wooden elements, repairs can have varying degrees of complexity - from repairing individual damage to completely replacing the flooring.
Methods for eliminating defects
The choice of sealing method should be approached carefully, taking into account the cause of the damage, the location of the cracks, as well as the labor costs and time it will take to repair. The financial aspect is no less important, because the larger the work, the more funds you will need.
| Sealing method | Description |
|---|---|
| Used to eliminate small gaps and cracks in the floor. You need not simple tape, but reinforced tape, 50 mm wide. The floor is cleaned of dirt, degreased and dried, after which the cracks are sealed with tape, the edges of which are fixed to the floor with a stapler. The method is very simple and inexpensive, takes a minimum of time. Disadvantage: a floor with strips of adhesive tape does not look aesthetically pleasing, so carpet, carpet or other rolled covering must be laid on top |
| It is used to eliminate gaps between the floor and walls that appear as a result of wood shrinkage. This is carried out after dismantling the baseboards and cleaning the gaps from debris and dust. If the cracks are too wide, pieces of foam plastic are placed in them before blowing the foam. After the foam has dried, its excess is cut off at the level of the floorboards, the sections are puttied so that dust does not accumulate in the pores of the material, and the baseboards are installed back. The method is convenient, does not require much physical effort, and takes little time. Cons: high foam costs, fragility |
| This option is suitable for small gaps between floorboards. Only special wood putty is used. The composition is applied with a spatula, carefully filling all the recesses and gaps, and after drying the surface is sanded. The method is fast, does not require special skill, and is quite affordable. The downside is its fragility - putty tends to crack and crumble, especially with intense loads on the floor |
| Homemade repair compounds are often used to seal wide gaps and cracks in the floor. Traditionally, a mixture of wood glue and sawdust is used, which is applied with a spatula to problem areas, compacted into the recesses, and sanded after drying. For sealing cracks gnawed by mice in glue solution add cement and broken glass. To speed up the hardening process, use epoxy glue instead of wood glue. This method of sealing is very affordable and durable, and also simple to implement. |
| Wood sealant can easily seal both narrow and wide gaps between floorboards. The syringe-shaped nozzle allows you to effortlessly distribute the composition evenly and fill all the cavities. Thanks to its elasticity, the sealant will not come off the boards during temperature deformations and will reliably serve for many years. To mask the repaired areas, putty is applied over the sealant to match the color of the coating. The method is convenient, simple and durable, material costs are low |
| This method allows you not only to eliminate cracks, but also to effectively get rid of creaks in the floors. Construction stores sell special synthetic cords of varying thicknesses, which are selected according to the width of the gap. Instead of a cord, you can use regular hemp rope. To seal the defect, the cord is generously lubricated with wood glue, laid on the floor and firmly driven into the crack with the corner of a spatula so that 2-3 mm remains from the cord to the floor surface. This recess is filled with a mixture of sawdust and glue, leveled, and sanded after drying. Plumbing tow can be used in a similar way. The method is reliable, inexpensive, although a little labor-intensive |
| Used to eliminate wide gaps in the floor. Wooden slats are hewn into wedges to fit the gaps, thickly coated with glue and hammered into the gap with a rubber or wooden hammer. After the glue has dried, the part of the wedge protruding above the floor is removed with a plane, the working surface is sanded and painted. One of the most practical methods is inexpensive and durable. Disadvantages: trimming and fitting take additional time; the work process requires some effort and skills in working with carpentry tools |
| Used when floorboards dry out significantly and wide cracks appear in the floor. To do this, the boards are carefully dismantled and then laid again, compacted using wooden wedges, clamps, a jack or a special lever. As a result of tightening, additional 2-3 floorboards will be needed, depending on the degree of shrinkage of the floor. The method is characterized by high reliability, durability and low costs. Disadvantages include the length of the process and its complexity |
| It is used in cases where there are many cracks and appearance the floor leaves much to be desired. The plywood is laid on the floor so that there are 1-2 mm gaps between the sheets, and the joints in each row are offset by at least a third of the sheet. The sheets are fixed with self-tapping screws, recessing the caps into the wood, then the recesses are filled with putty, the flooring is sanded and the finishing coating is laid. This method allows you not only to close all damage, but also to insulate the floor, as well as level the base under decorative coating. Cons: high costs of materials, labor-intensive work |
Prices for reinforced tape
reinforced tape
All the described methods have been tested many times in practice and are widely used by home craftsmen. Now let’s take a closer look at the most popular options for sealing cracks: what tools to use, how to properly prepare the surface and workflow technology.
Prices for silicone sealant “Moment”
silicone sealant moment
Gap sealing technology
Most often, cracks are eliminated using sealants or putties, which are available in a large assortment in hardware stores. How more budget option many people prefer sealing with wooden wedges.
Sealing cracks with sealant
The effectiveness of this method directly depends on the type of sealant. In residential areas for wooden surfaces silicone or acrylic based compounds are used. The former have greater elasticity, and therefore better withstand deformation of the coating when changing humidity and temperature conditions. But they publish bad smell during application and are unsuitable for subsequent painting, so to mask treated seams you must initially purchase a composition that matches the color. Acrylic sealants can be puttyed and painted, have no odor, and are applied easily and quickly. Their disadvantage is their tendency to shrink and lower elasticity.
Advice. Acrylic sealant is best suited for heated areas with slight fluctuations in humidity levels. For unheated rooms, or irregularly heated ones, it is worth choosing a silicone-based composition.
In terms of quality, Ceresit, Tytan, Moment and Bostik sealants are considered the best.
In addition to the sealant, you will need a narrow and wide spatula, a clean, dry rag and a protective impregnation, such as parquet oil.
The floor is thoroughly cleaned of dirt, paying special attention to the cracks. If necessary, the surface is degreased or washed with water, after which you should wait until the wood is completely dry.
Carefully cut off the tip of the nozzle along the width of the gap between the boards, insert the tip into the gap and squeeze out the sealant in an even, continuous strip.
Having filled the cracks in a certain area of the floor, take a narrow spatula and level the composition, running the tool along the cracks. The spatula blade should be held at a slight angle to the surface in order to remove the sealant flush with the boards and not leave protrusions or depressions along the seams.
Step 4. Once leveling is complete, wipe off excess mixture with a clean, dry cloth.
A small amount of parquet oil is poured onto the floor and spread over the floor using a wide spatula. work surface. Movements with a spatula should be arched, across the boards, so that the protective composition effectively fills the slightest recesses.
Now all that remains is to wait for the surface to dry. If everything is done correctly, cracks in the floor will not bother you for a long time.
Repairing cracks with putty
What you will need for work:
- wood putty;
- wide spatula;
- grinding machine.
| Step, No. | Procedure |
|---|---|
| The floor is vacuumed or wiped with a well-wrung out cloth to remove dirt. |
| Stir the putty and pour a small amount onto the floor. |
| Using a spatula, carefully distribute the mixture over the floor, starting from the corner. The spatula blade is pressed tightly to the surface and passed along the junction of the wall and floor across the floorboards. The floor is treated in wide strips, moving from the far corner to the doors. The putty layer should be as thin as possible so that the wood texture shows through. The main thing here is to fill the cracks, so the putty is carefully rubbed into the gaps and recesses, and the excess is removed with a spatula. |
| After the process is completed and the putty has dried, the floor needs to be treated grinder. If the room is small, sanding can be done manually. |
| Now all that remains is to vacuum the floor and cover the boards protective composition. If there are only a few cracks, there is no need to putty the entire surface. In this case, the composition is applied with a small rubber spatula exclusively to the cracks, carefully filling all the recesses. |
Seal the gap with a wooden lath
During the work you will need:
- thin wooden slats;
- large awl or screwdriver;
- PVA glue;
- hacksaw with fine teeth;
- hammer;
- wood putty;
- sandpaper.
The gap between the boards and the floor surface are cleaned of dirt and dust.
The tip of a screwdriver or awl is inserted into the gap and drawn several times with force along the entire length of the board so that the rail fits more tightly into the gap.
Step 4. Take a strip, insert it edgewise into the slot and tap it with a hammer. For convenience, the lower edge of the slats can be trimmed in the form of a wedge - this way it will fit deeper between the boards and fill the gap more tightly.
Advice. If you don’t have a wooden mallet, you can hit the strip with a regular hammer, turning it on its side. You can also use wooden block as a lining - this way there will be no dents left on the rail from the hammer.
When the glue has dried, the protruding part of the slats is cut off with a hacksaw flush with the surface, and then cleaned with a plane.
The treated area is covered with putty to eliminate the smallest defects, then sanded with fine-grained sandpaper.
After this, all that remains is to clean the dust and treat the boards with any protective compound - oil, varnish, stain or floor paint.
Video - How to seal gaps in the floor between boards
Good afternoon. I have a hole in the floor around the riser after the renovation. Rats are constantly crawling out of it because I live on the first floor. Tell me what and most importantly how to fix the hole in concrete floor so that these rodents no longer enter the apartment.
This problem occurs for many residents of old houses that have basements. It is immediately worth noting that the use of toxic substances practically does not help. It is necessary to completely block access to the apartment for rodents, which means you need to seal the hole in the concrete floor using materials that rats cannot chew through.
Preparation
First of all, you should inspect the room and determine if there are other openings through which rodents enter the room. The fact is that in some old houses the sun lounger, which extends from the riser pipe, is located below floor level. Therefore, there may be several holes that rats use.
Typically, access to the basements of such buildings is difficult or there is almost no access to a specific place. Taking this into account, work needs to be done to widen the hole so that it can be sealed from above. It is very important to do this in such a way that a kind of funnel is formed with a narrow neck towards the bottom. This will make it easier to seal holes in the concrete floor without worrying about the plug created falling out after a certain period of time.
Advice! Since all work will be carried out near pipes, you must be very careful not to damage them. Many homes have long had plastic plumbing systems that do not withstand physical impact very well.
Materials
To complete the work you will need:
- cement;
- sand;
- water;
- crushed stone;
- pieces of reinforcement or thick wire;
- small plywood, although in the case of rats you can also use glass.
It must be said right away that when deciding what to use to fill holes in a concrete floor, preference should be given to concrete solutions. The fact is that crushed stone cannot be chewed by rats, and in addition to glass you can get the maximum result.
Reinforcement
At this stage, you need to lay plywood or glass at the bottom of the resulting funnel. This overlap will serve to hold the mortar in the hole and act as a kind of formwork.
Next you should place the reinforcement. Usually it is used only in cases where the hole in the floor is too large. It strengthens the plug and serves as a connection to the floor slabs. If the floor is made of two panels, then it is installed in the space between them. Some craftsmen prefer to use reinforcing mesh. This counts ideal option, but it’s not worth purchasing it just for such purposes.
If a water supply or sewerage pipe enters the hole, it must be protected from the loads that will occur when concrete expands as a result of heating from climatic conditions. For this purpose, use a special damper tape, wrapping it around the pipe at the level of its passage through the ceiling.
Mortar and pouring
When deciding how to fill a hole in a concrete floor, many begin to invent their own formulas for creating concrete and use various additives. In fact, everything is quite simple. We take three parts of sand, which we mix with one part of cement. Add a little water to the dry mixture so that the solution has the consistency of thick sour cream.
Then fill the bottom of the hole ready mixture, in a layer of one centimeter. Then we begin to lay out a layer of crushed stone, placing the stones tightly together. Next, add more mortar to cover the crushed stone. As a result, the solution should occupy half the depth of the hole.
Advice! It is very important to ensure that the mixture penetrates into all the gaps between the crushed stone. Some craftsmen use a small stick or thick wire to trample down the concrete. In the end it shouldn't remain empty seats or air bubbles.
Some craftsmen, answering the question of how to fill holes in a concrete floor, recommend pouring it in one go. This saves a lot of time and allows you to get a monolithic plug. This solution is considered correct when working with thin slabs ceilings and shallow holes. If the hole is quite large, then the filling is carried out in two stages so that the solution in its volume does not cause cracks or strong shrinkage.
Given this approach, you need to let the first layer harden. Usually this takes no more than a day. Since there is no need to wait for final hardening.
Advice! If the filling will be done in several stages, then you should not immediately prepare a large amount of solution. The remainder will have to be thrown away, which will lead to waste of materials.
The second stage of pouring is carried out according to the principle of primary concreting. In this case, you can also put glass at the bottom of the pit to completely eliminate the possibility of rats entering the room. Then a layer of mortar, crushed stone and more mortar is poured.
When the hole is filled flush with the floor, the mortar is leveled using a spatula, creating a smooth surface. It is worth noting that if the surface is covered with tiles or other covering, then the leveling is done at the same level as the screed.
On final stage You can put tiles or the covering used in this room on the floor. Usually after repairs there are always small pieces left that should not be thrown into the trash.
Bottom line: answering the question of how to seal a hole in a concrete floor and at the same time block access to the room for rodents, we considered the option of making a concrete plug. At the same time, the solution contains crushed stone, which rats cannot bite through, and the presence of glass lintels completely eliminates this problem. However, it must be remembered that such work should be carried out only after the rodents have left the room. Otherwise, they will remain in the apartment and will not be able to go to the basement on their own.
There are different methods of influencing the material, which answer the question of how to repair cracks in concrete. Categories. Concrete. Concrete floors. Blocks. Types. 7 Cracks in concrete, how to repair them and prevent the destruction of concrete. All types of repairs of concrete floors. A very good file “Tips for repairing concrete floors” has photographs. To fill a hole with putty or cement mortar you will need narrow and wide spatulas. The composition, strong and dense in structure, allows you to efficiently repair large chips in a concrete wall. Floors. Guests. It definitely needs to be sealed; to do this, make a wooden plug to size, coat it with glue and insert the plug into the hole. How to level a concrete monolith. It’s not difficult to make a smooth concrete floor, especially now that modern market offers They said that after this operation the holes in the ceiling and floor will be repaired by the residents themselves.2. Clean holes from dust and loose dirt. 3.
Use a spray bottle to wet the concrete surfaces on which you are going to apply the foam. How to repair a hole in a concrete wall? 0 Concrete is a strong and reliable material, but even it is subject to deformation over time in the form of holes, cracks and other damage. How to repair a hole in a floor made of boards? Before repairing a hole in a concrete floor, you need to prepare the surface. Next, before repairing a hole in a concrete floor, the damaged area must be treated with a primer using a paint brush. Closed forums. Repairmen. So, as a result of drilling and for natural reasons, holes of various diameters and depths are formed, requiring an individual answer to the question: “How to repair holes in a concrete wall yourself?” holes in concrete slabs bitumen mastic— Duration: 4:00 sasha barsukov 13,555 views. How to make a concrete floor in a garage — Duration: 4:10 smoldacha 673,064 views. Along with repairing or replacing floorboards, you will likely need to seal cracks and holes in plank floors, as well as remove roughness and, possibly, combat dampness of monolithic concrete floors. Choosing methods for filling holes. You should understand in more detail how to repair holes in concrete in specific situations. Scheme with concrete mortar. To close the hole, select a piece of cotton fabric the right size. How to repair a hole in a concrete wall? 0 309. Concrete is a strong and reliable material, but even it is subject to deformation over time in the form of holes, cracks and other damage. Please tell me how to properly fill the hole? The riser goes into a hole in the floor of the toilet, that is, as if beyond the hole, the filling is independent from the riser; we still have to tinker with the riser, because there is also a hole around it. You can repair cracks and eliminate other defects yourself, saving on hiring professionals rather than on quality. The most common defects concrete screed floor.
Therefore, I am interested in what can be used to seal the holes in the floor so that they dry out quickly, since this is a walk-through area with a lot of people walking around. Without major leveling of the floor. There are several small depressions and a couple of large ones in the concrete floor. This problem occurs for many residents of old houses that have basements. It is immediately worth noting that the use of toxic substances practically does not help. Repairing concrete floors allows you to return the coating to its original appearance and high performance characteristics. During the work, you will have to repair deep deformation and shrinkage holes and cracks, and eliminate chips.
Author Topic: How to repair a hole in concrete? (Read 2751 times). It seems to me that I can fill this hole with concrete myself. Only I need just a little bit of this concrete (or some other suitable mixture). Repair of old concrete floors: from minor to major. Repairing concrete floors with your own hands The cut is also blown and sucked. How to repair cracks in the floor? If the floor itself is not dusty, but the circle is a little tight, then a homemade repair mixture will do just fine. Knowing the rules of work, you can repair any hole in the wall. The main thing is to approach a process such as sealing holes in floors responsibly. Scheme for laying a concrete floor. View full version: What is the best way to seal holes in the floor under linoleum. The floor is a concrete slab. Surprisingly smooth (I was renovating myself - there were such steps, it was terrible) But there are many small sinks - from 5 to 20 mm, plus a few big holes. How to repair a through hole in a wall? It is possible and even necessary to seal the through hole. In this case, we will work on both sides of the wall. How to make a concrete floor correctly? There is little hope for a cement-sand mixture, I have seen many times how cracks and holes in the floors were sealed with mortar, a little time passed. For emergency repairs, they use a dry mixture of sand concrete, but I advise it is better to use reinforcement and ordinary concrete mortar. Seam repair. Expansion joints located in a concrete floor lose their strength over time and begin to crumble and collapse. Repairing floor screed: how to repair cracks, potholes and stop delamination? You can repair a concrete floor yourself if there are small holes on a relatively flat surface. The sequence of repair work is as follows: To fill small holes, you need to widen the pothole with a tool with a diamond wheel. Seal a small hole in a concrete wall. A medium-sized hole in a concrete wall can be easily repaired using polyurethane foam. Leveling wooden and concrete floors under laminate. First, let's look at how to repair a hole in a concrete wall. Let's come closer to our wall and take a look at it, it's very durable cement mixture, designed for repairing deep chips in walls, concrete floors and others concrete structures. Along with repairing or replacing floorboards, you'll likely have to seal cracks and holes in your plank floors, as well as remove rough spots and possibly deal with dampness in your cast-in-place concrete floors. Filling potholes in a concrete floor. Repairing concrete floors begins with widening and deepening the hole around the perimeter. The hole is thoroughly cleaned with a vacuum cleaner and primed. You can fill the pothole after the soil has dried. How to repair a large through hole in the floor of an apartment. A piece of concrete slab protruding from under the wall to the right of the door was left intentionally, because when I tried to pull it out with the help of a miracle tool, I realized that the wall in the corridor could simply collapse. We are completely confident in the quality of the work done and does not be afraid to step on the places of former holes (if they were on the floor). Fills the remaining part of the hole with cement mortar. How to repair a through hole in a concrete wall. Holes in the walls can be. Please advise how to repair chips, potholes, holes in the concrete floor. The building was built during the Soviet era. We roll a baby with a 350 kg load on the floor of the warehouse, the wheels fall through, the load falls, and the floor gets dusty. My HOA replaced the risers, and as a result I became the owner of gorgeous holes in the floor and ceiling. I bought “sausage” - foam insulation for pipe (most small size), I had a mixture of M-150 - from pouring the floor and a bottle of foam. How to repair a hole in a plank floor? What about the hole punched in the plywood flooring? How to fix a deep pothole in a concrete screed or through hole V reinforced concrete slab ceilings? Have you seen the embedding process? How exactly were they sealed and with what? Unfortunately no. I only saw the consequences - now the formwork is still hanging on the ceiling on each floor. On the floor, on top of the repaired hole, what is planned? I have a hole in the floor around the riser after the renovation. Rats are constantly crawling out of it because I live on the first floor. Tell me what and most importantly how to seal the hole in the concrete floor so that these rodents no longer enter the apartment. I have a hole in the floor around the riser after repairs. Rats are constantly crawling out of it because I live on the first floor. Tell me what and most importantly how to seal the hole in the concrete floor so that these rodents no longer enter the apartment. We kicked out landing provider who drilled holes in concrete floors for his pipes. How to correctly
cover them with cement mortar a la “Hercules” - a self-leveling floor? How to repair a hole in concrete, brick or plasterboard wall. Contents: Covering holes in the wall. Sealing other types of holes. Cracks at the junction of the floor and the wall. Holes in the ceiling after falling plaster. How and with what to seal cracks and holes in concrete. Concrete coatings are used in a variety of areas: when installing floors. If a hole has formed in the concrete surface in which the reinforcement is visible, the defect can be repaired as follows. Before leveling the concrete floor, you must determine its level. Features of working with cracks on a wooden surface. The larger the crack on the balcony, the more difficult it is to repair it. Deep holes and cracks often form on the walls of the loggia. Scheme for laying a concrete floor. The same method is used to seal old holes from pipes and mounting boxes. Huge holes in the walls resulting from the removal dormer windows or ventilation hatches, it is best to seal at How to seal a through hole in the floor. Fill the remaining part of the hole with cement mortar. How to repair a through hole in a concrete wall. Holes in walls can be seen in several sizes
How to repair a hole in a plank floor? What about the hole punched in the plywood flooring? How to fix a deep pothole in a concrete screed or a through hole in a reinforced concrete floor slab?
In this article we will try to answer these questions.
Reasons
First, let's find out where a hole in the floor can come from.
Agree that the situation when the surface suddenly collapses under your feet is quite unlikely.
- Falling heavy objects. A very real situation for weightlifting gyms and for production premises With wooden flooring(which, however, is rather an exception).
Note: platforms in gyms are usually assembled from timber, secured with staples. The platform is laid directly on the screed and covered with a sheet of hard rubber. In general, if a fallen barbell breaks through the floor, this indicates either a gross violation building codes, or about poor discipline of athletes training with heavy weights outside the platform.
- Rotten boards. The picture is typical for houses built more than half a century ago. Harmless antiseptics were not yet available at that time, and creosote and impregnations based on petroleum products were not used in residential premises.
- Shriveled boards. Actually, in this case, what we have in front of us is not a hole in the floor, but a gap.
- Defects in slabs and screeds due to flaws during their casting or laying. IN apartment buildings This category is dominated by gaps between hollow core panels.
- Finally, holes are punched in the ceilings for laying communications - during construction or major repairs. They, of course, also have to be sealed - for reasons of heat and sound insulation.
Elimination
How to fill holes in a concrete floor? In general, it is quite logical to use the same concrete for this. More precisely, a cement-sand mixture.
Potholes in the screed
- The pothole is cleared of debris and dusted with a vacuum cleaner.
- If you have it on hand, it would be a great idea to prime the recess. This will improve adhesion with cement-sand mortar.
- The pothole is then filled with mortar; the surface is smoothed with a spatula, trowel or regular board. The ratio of cement and sand suitable for these purposes is 1:3.
- If the pothole is large, you can use backfill made from fragments of bricks, stones and crushed stone.
As you can see, some universal solutions there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Everything is determined by the cause of the problem.
You can learn a little more about floor repair from the video in this article. Good luck!
" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen">
Tsugunov Anton Valerievich
Reading time: 5 minutes
When replacing flooring Apartment owners often have to deal with the need to repair a concrete floor, which can be either a concrete floor or the interfloor floor slab itself. Despite the fact that concrete is durable and reliable material, under the influence of various factors, potholes and cracks may appear on it. To prevent further destruction, timely measures are necessary, because the condition concrete base The service life of the finished floor depends. Let's find out how to repair a concrete floor using special mixtures for repairing concrete floors.
Causes of defects in concrete
Defects on a concrete floor can form for various reasons, which are primarily associated with violations in the process of its arrangement.
Cracks often appear due to the absence, untimely cutting or incorrect calculation of the thickness of joints in concrete floors, designed to prevent stress on the concrete during thermal expansion and shrinkage. A correctly made temperature-shrinkable seam will avoid many problems.
Other reasons for the appearance of cracks include:
- a large amount of water in the solution when pouring a concrete screed or a lack of it;
- poor quality reinforcement;
- lack of waterproofing of the base.
Defects can occur even with quality work done. Any coating is subject to natural wear and tear and is negatively affected by excess moisture. Potholes are caused by physical forces. The influence cannot be ruled out external factors on a concrete floor. Weak point– the junction of the wall and the floor, where cracks often appear.
It is necessary to determine the type of damage. This will allow you to draw up a work plan and choose required material. The following types are often encountered:
- small depressions, potholes;
- cracks of various sizes;
- the finest cracks and chips.
Repairs should not be delayed for a long time. The size of the defects may gradually increase, the concrete will begin to crumble and come off in pieces, which will complicate the repair of problem areas.
Selecting a mixture for repairing a concrete surface
Before you start repairing the floor in your apartment with your own hands, you need to prepare a mixture for restoring concrete surfaces and structures. In construction stores they are presented in large quantities. In order to choose the right brand of mixture, you need to determine the degree of damage to the concrete surface:
- First degree - there are cavities and shrinkage cracks.
- Second degree – surface peeling, small chips.
- Third degree - cracks within 2 mm with a depth of no more than 40 mm.
- Fourth degree – cracks more than 2 mm, depth up to 10 cm.
- Fifth degree - large potholes and cracks, depth more than 20 cm.
The purpose of the repair mixture must be indicated on the packaging. Such manufacturers of mixtures for restoring concrete surfaces as Emaco, Birss, Ceresit, Bars deserve attention.
You can use universal repair mixtures, such as Ivsil Render.
Since the price of special thixotropic compositions containing reinforcing microfibers and polymers is quite high, for a small amount of work the mixture can be prepared independently. To do this, take 1 part PVA glue and mix it with 4 parts water. On this solution using construction mixer or use a special attachment on a drill to knead sand-cement mixture in a ratio of 1:3.
Preparatory work
After selecting the material for repairing concrete floors, you should begin the repair. First comes the preparatory stage:
- All foreign objects are removed from the room.
- Existing debris, concrete chips and dust are swept away. Potholes and cracks are thoroughly cleaned with a vacuum cleaner.
- Any dirt, rust, mold or old soil is removed with a stiff metal brush.
- To eliminate greasy stains you need to use a special solution.
- The concrete floor is swept with a wet broom, then it needs to be dried.
- If the reinforcement is visible, it should be cleaned with sandpaper and primed with a compound with anti-corrosion properties.
It is better to tap areas of the concrete surface that have lost strength with a hammer and clear them. The rule also applies to the edges of problem areas.
Filling potholes in a concrete floor
Repairing concrete floors begins with widening and deepening the pothole around the perimeter. It is better to use a grinder with a diamond blade for this.
- The cut is made 1 cm deeper than the defect. The pothole widens to the sides by 2–3 cm. If necessary, these figures are increased.
- Using a hammer drill or a hammer with a chisel, a notch is made at the site of the pothole; a rectangular depression should be obtained. If a hammer drill is used, it is better for strangers to move away.
- The recess is thoroughly cleaned with a vacuum cleaner and primed.
- You can fill the pothole after the soil has dried. The mixture is carefully leveled and pierced several times to remove air. You can use a metal pin or trowel. Level the surface using the rule.
The depth of the pothole matters. If it is more than 5–6 cm, then the composition is poured in several layers. The maximum layer thickness is 2 cm.
- After hardening, they proceed to grinding. A building level will help you achieve a level concrete base.
It is recommended to carry out work wearing a respirator, safety glasses and gloves. Windows must be open during renovation. The floor can be coated with concrete paint, which will provide additional protection. It is selected specifically for residential premises. A floor repaired in this way will last a long time.
Rules for repairing cracks
The process for sealing cracks in a concrete floor varies depending on their size.
- Small cracks widen in depth and width by 2–5 cm. To do this, you can use a chisel or grinder.
- The recess is cleared of pieces of concrete and dust, then processed.
- To repair cracks in a concrete floor, use a homemade mixture based on PVA. They fill the crack with it and wait for it to shrink.
- A second layer is applied, dried and sanded.
In cases where cutting is accompanied by heavy dusting, which indicates that the concrete is weakened, it is necessary to use only special thixotropic compounds.
Repairing cracks in concrete floors should not be put off for too long. If they are deformable, then they need to be treated with special attention. You can determine their type using strips of paper. Several months before repairs, they are glued to cracks in the concrete floor. With shrinkage cracks, the paper will remain intact; with deformation cracks, the strips will break, which indicates their expansion.
- Such a crack is sawn 5 cm deep and 3 cm wide.
- The edges of the cut get knocked down and a triangular notch is formed.
- After thorough cleaning, the recess is primed.
- Markers are inserted into the crack in 3 m increments.
Markers are thin, smooth metal rods. You can make them yourself from spokes from a bicycle wheel.
- The crack is filled with a thixotropic compound; the use of homemade mixtures in such cases is not recommended
- The concreted area is sanded after drying.
- The marker rods are removed, and a new expansion joint is cut through the holes left behind them.
- Dust is removed from the seam, and a Viloterm cord or its equivalent is placed in it.
- The seam is finally sealed with silicone or polyurethane based sealant.
Some people notice small cobweb-like cracks on the floor, as in the next photo. Over time they may become wider. When the concrete weakens in this part, they are cleaned and covered with soil. For sealing, you can prepare your own composition or use a store-bought one.
