How to install Knauf dry floors. System installation work. What is the advantage of this technology

The popular expression “A good floor is half a repair” eloquently speaks of the fact that installing a floor screed is one of the most important and critical stages of repair. The service life depends on how this work is performed. flooring, heat and sound insulation of the room, arrangement of furniture, and in some cases - even the possibility of using certain engineering systems

We understand well how important the quality of the screed is from the point of view of physical and performance characteristics. Having created the KNAUF-Tribon universal self-leveling floor, the company’s specialists took into account all the important criteria that determine its quality, reliability and availability.

What is KNAUF-Tribon?

The KNAUF-Tribon universal self-leveling floor is a material that significantly simplifies the screed technology. It is a dry mixture based on a mixed (complex) binder ( building gypsum and Portland cement), special modifying additives and quartz sand as a filler

Advantages of KNAUF-Tribon

Crack-resistant, does not shrink
Has high compressive strength (more than 20 MPa)
Has a high setting speed (the ability to walk on the floor after 6 hours)
Increased solution pot life (up to 60 minutes)
High mobility (spreadability) of the solution
Product versatility (screed and leveler at the same time)
Wide range of layer thickness - from 10 to 60 mm (in some cases and more)
Helps improve the indoor microclimate
Used in heated floor systems

Applications

Indoors with dry and normal humidity conditions on load-bearing bases to create self-leveling leveling screeds 10-60 mm thick for subsequent finishing coatings.

In new construction and renovation on concrete and wooden foundations.

To increase the soundproofing properties of the ceiling and reduce the level of impact noise.

In heated floor systems

When creating a screed on a wooden base, it is necessary to use a separating or insulating layer. The base itself must be strong enough to withstand the additional load, and must also be protected from possible biological damage.

Used if there is a strong supporting base, if necessary minimum thicknesses(from 10 mm).

It is used when there are difficulties in preparing the base (poor strength, contamination, etc.).

It is used to increase the thermal insulation properties of the ceiling, as well as to reduce the level of impact noise. In addition, it allows, if necessary, to raise the floor level to design value. As an insulating layer, it is recommended to use insulating materials based on foamed polystyrene, such as KNAUF Therm® PolPRO and KNAUF Therm® Perimeter. If there are significant differences in the load-bearing base and it is necessary to install a screed along laid communications (pipes, cables, etc.), it is recommended to use a KNAUF-Ubo screed as an insulating layer.

Used to create heated floors. The thickness of the screed is calculated based on the condition that the minimum height of the screed above the heating element is at least 35 mm. In this case, the recommended thickness of the screed should not exceed 60 mm. This will help avoid increasing energy consumption for heating the screed and reduce heat loss.

Procedure for working with KNAUF-Tribon flooring. When constructing a screed without a separating layer

Step 1 of 5

Base strength assessment

You can evaluate the strength of the foundation using any sharp object(for example, a nail, a screw, etc.). You need to draw four parallel lines. Then, at an angle of 45° to the first lines, draw intersecting lines. parallel lines(at least four). The distance between the lines should be from 1 to 1.5 cm.

Solid base– no chips at the intersection points of the lines, a clear diamond pattern, the edges of the lines without obvious nicks or damage.

Unstable foundation– the presence of chips at the points of intersection of lines, a blurry diamond pattern, the edges of the lines have frequent jagged edges and destruction.

If the supporting base is fragile, you should abandon the contact method of pouring the floor in favor of structures on a separating or insulating layer.

Before attaching the edge tape, it is necessary to prime the surface of the supporting base. For this purpose, KNAUF-Multigrund or KNAUF-Mittelgrund primer is used.

Primers must be applied in two stages:
KNAUF-Mittelgrund: dilute the primer with water in a ratio of 1:2 and apply the first layer to the surface.
KNAUF-Multigrund: apply the first coat without thinning and after drying (at least 6 hours) apply the second coat.

Along the perimeter of the room and around the load-bearing elements of the building (supports, columns, etc.), it is necessary to install and secure an edge strip. It serves to reduce acoustic noise, ensures free deformation of the screed and protects against leakage of the mixture into other rooms through possible cracks at the junction of the wall and floor.

When installing a screed on a separating layer

Step 1 of 3

After attaching the edge tape, the apron is folded back and special KNAUF lining paper is laid. The overlap of adjacent sheets of paper must be at least 80 mm. The edges of the paper do not extend onto the wall and are adjacent to the edge tape on top of the apron.

First, polystyrene foam boards are laid on the base, after which the insulating layer is attached to the upper level edge tape and the apron bends back. The lining paper is laid on top of the insulating layer and the apron. If the base is uneven and the height difference is more than 10 mm, then it is recommended to preliminary alignment with the same KNAUF-Tribon mixture. And only after the leveling screed has dried, the insulating layer and lining paper are laid.

An edge strip is first installed around the perimeter of the room. If the base is uneven and the height difference is more than 10 mm, then before laying the insulating material and the heated floor system, preliminary leveling with a KNAUF-Tribon mixture is necessary. After the leveling layer has dried, proceed to laying the insulating layer and underfloor heating system. When laying underfloor heating systems, it is necessary to strictly follow the recommendations of the system manufacturer for its installation and fastening. In this case, the system must be tested and designed for use with this type of screed, and the fastening methods heating elements must ensure that they do not float up during pouring. The installed heating element system must be checked for reliability before pouring the floor.

Preparation of mortar mixture

Step 1 of 3

KNAUF-Tribon floor installation

Step 1 of 5

The time for using the finished composition is 60 minutes, after which the work must be completed. If due to large sizes area and thickness of the fill, this cannot be done, then the room must be divided into zones using dividing structures and then poured one after another - an hour for each.

Treat the surface using a lath and (or) a special brush for self-leveling screeds for final leveling and removing air bubbles. When finished, remove the beacons. After 6 hours the surface can be walked on, and after 24 hours it can be loaded

Important points when working with Knauf-Tribon flooring

During pouring and in the first 24 hours, avoid drafts and direct sun rays to ensure uniform setting of the mortar mixture. If this condition is not met, then microcracks may occur on the surface of the screed. In the following days, on the contrary, it is necessary to ensure good ventilation of the room to reduce the drying time of the screed. During cold periods, to speed up the drying process, it is recommended to install heat guns or installations for drying moist air.
Vapor-permeable finishes (such as ceramic tiles) can be laid when the moisture content of the screed does not exceed 1%. Vapor-tight coatings (such as linoleum and parquet) - at least 0.5%. This will happen in 1-6 weeks, depending on the thickness of the screed and the climatic conditions of the room (temperature, humidity, air speed).
Constant ventilation, starting from the second day after installing the screed, or installing additional drying equipment significantly speeds up the drying process.
It is recommended to fill the screed at the very beginning of the internal finishing works or at the stage of general construction work (with a closed circuit and a temperature above +5°C).
When laying floors in rooms with high humidity (for example, in bathrooms), the surface of the completely dried screed must be treated with KNAUF-Flachendicht waterproofing, and in the places where the screed adjoins the wall, KNAUF-Flachendichtband waterproofing tape must be laid.
It is not allowed to fill the screed after or during the construction of structures with plasterboard or plasterboard sheathing. gypsum fiber sheets, because high humidity air can lead to significant damage to the skins (from deformations to biological damage). “Dry” finishing is possible after setting the humidity in the room to no more than 60%.

To date Knauf system– the only one in the whole world where wet processes are not used. But the most main drawback concrete screed- absolutely all its types - is that you can start living in a room with such floors only on the 28th day, and not earlier. While prefabricated floors are ready for use on the second day. Like this interesting technology offered to the whole world by a German manufacturer. You can easily master it!

So, KNAUF OP 13 floors are hollow-core and easily installed dry-assembled structures intended for installation in public and residential buildings where there are:

Increased requirements for floor sound insulation.
There is no possibility to carry out “wet” finishing processes.
Limited deadlines for completing all work.
A serious raising of the floor level is required.
It is important to reduce the load on the floor.
Shelter needed technical networks dry method.

Moreover, Knauf floors can be installed on both concrete and wooden surfaces. But they also have their own requirements for premises according to SNiPs:

Dry, normal and humidity conditions.
Non-aggressive environment, with moderate and low intensity of mechanical influences.
There are no restrictions on fire resistance and number of storeys of the building, as well as engineering, geological and climatic conditions.

Also superpol Knauf officially allowed to equip in wet areas, like showers and bathrooms, but only with proper waterproofing. In this case, lay Knauf or Flechendichtband waterproofing tape at the junction of the floor and the walls, and cover the entire surface with waterproofing.

All prefabricated floor subfloors using KNAUF technology are divided into the following types: Alpha, Beta, Vega and Gamma. Let's take a closer look at their differences:

Alpha is a design based on flat floors.
Beta is a structure on a substrate made of heat-insulating porous fiber materials, but also on smooth floors.
Vega is a structure on a substrate, which is a leveling layer of dry backfill.
Gamma - a structure made of a combined substrate of sound and heat insulating porous fiber materials, also on a leveling layer of backfill.

But remember the main thing: Knauf floors are intended for use in rooms where the temperature is not lower than 10°C and the humidity is about 60-70%.

If you are just planning to screed the floor and want to learn more about various types materials and methods of carrying out work, we advise you to read a short educational program on making screeds with your own hands:

What is the advantage of this technology?

Here are the main advantages of “super floor” from Knauf:

Excellent speed and quality of work at home.
No inconvenient “wet” processes.
Considerable savings due to the fact that the building structure can be made more lightweight.
The ability of a structure to “breathe”, absorb moisture when there is excess and release moisture when there is not enough.
There are no limits to imagination in different architectural solutions.
Ecological cleanliness and favorable microclimate.
Full compliance with strict international standards.

So, just one square centimeter of Knauf flooring can withstand up to 360 kg of weight. But such a coating is not allowed in a garage - heavy moving equipment can move and break the sheets.

Installation of KNAUF floors - from A to Z

Preparatory work

So, first of all, let's prepare the old base. Plumbing services can also be installed under the Knauf floor elements - but only before filling with expanded clay.

Before making a Knauf floor, it is necessary to carefully prepare the concrete surface. So, all cracks and gaps between the plates need to be sealed cement mortar M500, then thoroughly clean the entire area of debris.

If such a floor has minor unevenness up to 5 mm, then such floors must be leveled with the same corrugated cardboard. But it is better to fill local unevenness up to 20 mm with special “repair” mixtures. For example, Vetonit 4000 has proven itself well.

You need to check the level, but you don’t have a level, and you don’t want to buy an expensive tool for one-time use? We'll tell you how to make a laser level with your own hands from inexpensive and accessible parts: .

If there are even larger potholes, then it is better to fill them with fine-grained expanded clay. You can also use it to level the slope of the base, if there is one. But, if you are going to insulate the floors before installing a dry screed polystyrene foam boards, then you need to level it with putty or sand-cement mixture.

After preparing the floor, it is imperative to lay a waterproofing layer - after all, expanded clay does not like to come into contact with moisture. Therefore, cover the prepared base with plastic film with an overlap of at least 20 cm over the adjacent strips. At the walls, the edges of the film should be at least 2 cm higher than the future prefabricated floor. This is important to ensure vapor barrier. Instead of film, you can also use corrugated or waxed paper, glassine, or the modern Svetofol vapor barrier.

For concrete base film is more suitable, but for wooden coverings– only lining paper, overlapped. If you have communications laid along the base in corrugated pipes or pipes, then also place a film under them so that there are no empty cavities left.

How to fill and level dry backfill?

The expanded clay itself, which is used in the prefabricated screed, is wonderful thermal insulation material. It must be taken in a small fraction, 2-4 mm, but you cannot take backfill from a large fraction - such floors will sag.

Before laying expanded clay sand, install beacons according to laser level, after which you can use the trapezoidal rule.

It is important that the dry screed does not come into contact with the walls, and therefore a contour insulating tape 10 cm wide and 10 mm thick is laid along the perimeter of the walls. mineral wool or polymer at least 8 mm thick. The edge tape will have to compensate for deformation expansions.

Simply pour the fill-in insulation onto the floor and level it with a lath along the beacons - as in the photo instructions. Start from the wall opposite the entrance. Expanded clay must be compacted manually.

To get a perfectly flat floor, various beacons are used when leveling. Read more about this in the analysis of all possible options for any screed: .

Which sheets are best to cover?

Let's immediately figure out how gypsum boards differ from gypsum boards. We are talking about two materials that are successfully used today.

So, gypsum board is plasterboard sheet. All its edges are lined with cardboard, except for the end part. In order for such a material to be strong enough, binders are added to the gypsum. And the cardboard itself is bonded to the gypsum thanks to special adhesive additives. It cuts and bends well. Although it is used much less frequently in prefabricated floors than other types.

But GVL is a gypsum fiber sheet, absolutely homogeneous in its composition. It is considered stronger than gypsum plasterboard and more suitable for arranging a prefabricated floor. Unlike gypsum plasterboard, gypsum plasterboard is not produced by pressing gypsum, but through reinforcement with cellulose from crushed waste paper, and with special additives. This material is stronger and more fire resistant. But gypsum board will cost you less.

The manufacturer itself currently offers only two sheet formats for prefabricated floors: EP, because floor elements measuring 1200x600x20 and small-format GVLV sheets. The first type consists of two moisture-resistant gypsum fiber sheets with seams and a thickness of as much as 2 cm glued together. But GVLV is a small-format, high-quality and environmentally friendly material for rooms with high requirements for sound, heat insulation and fire safety. It is much more convenient to work with such light weight sheets, and for home use you can't imagine anything better.

And - this is a new product from the KNAUF company. This material is also impregnated with a water-repellent hydrophobic substance, which protects well from steam and water. A distinctive feature of such sheets is green. Therefore, if you are making a dry screed where there is a risk of water getting in, take this material:

The good news is that the surface of such floors is absolutely suitable for everyone existing species floor coverings. You can even install a heated floor system. But it is better to put only water heated floors on GVL slabs.

There are different types of Knauf sheets along the edges - straight, PC, and folded FC. You can understand what exactly you are buying by looking at the special markings on the back side: the sheet type, edge type, standard and parameters are indicated.

Knauf sheets are treated with a water repellent, well sanded and impregnated from chalking. When installing such sheets, the manufacturer himself advises to place the material in advance in the room where the floor will be filled. And for convenience you can cut it. And when making a seam, be sure to chamfer the sheets - 1/3 of the sheet thickness.

Now let’s clarify in more detail how exactly the gypsum fiber sheets are attached. Thus, the first layer is laid from the doors, with a gap at the joints of no more than 1 mm. But if you use thermal insulation boards, then - from the opposite wall, with a joint offset of at least 20 cm.

Now we cover the entire first layer with adhesive. Apply glue sequentially to each sheet without skipping. In total you will need about 400g/m2.

Lay the second layer across the first one, with a gap of no more than 1 mm. It is important that the top sheets cover the cross-shaped joints of the bottom ones. Remove any glue protruding from the seams with a spatula. Each sheet of the 2nd layer is also secured as it is laid with special screws for gypsum fiber board. Use screws with anti-corrosion coating.

But please note: for gypsum plasterboard sheets there are some screws, and for gypsum board sheets - completely different ones. The latter have a double thread and a device for self-countersinking, which helps the screw to penetrate 12 mm into the sheet and not be unscrewed from there anymore due to some unexpected operating loads.

Checking the finished floors

After laying the superfloor, trim off excess film and tape.

The minimum thickness of the leveling layer should be about 2 cm. And usually the floors in the room using this technology are raised by only 4-5 cm.

Check how even the floor is using a level and a two-meter control strip. In total, you need to make at least 5 such measurements.

An example of a strength test:

What problems might arise?

So why, with all the advantages of this floor design, have not all builders switched to it? Because there are often rumors that such a floor sagged, sagged and generally collapsed after a couple of years. Like, it’s all about the central vibration-impact load, while there is almost none near the walls. And supposedly then noticeable “swelling” appears, because expanded clay as a bulk material will still be compacted over time.

But even those who have been working professionally with prefabricated floors for quite a long time still do not recommend laying ceramic tiles on prefabricated floors or installing a heavy cast-iron bathtub. But, at the same time, such people categorically do not accept the comparison of Knauf floors with a conventional screed - the former should be used where appropriate, and ordinary concrete will not replace them with all its strength advantages.

In addition, if there were no technological violations during the laying of Knauf floors, then neither sagging nor coiling will occur even after twenty years. Here, for example, is a rather subtle point: if you use expanded clay backfill of the wrong calibration, then, of course, subsidence can occur. That’s why stories about someone’s Knauf floors sagging somewhere are just evidence of that the laying technology was violated. After all, expanded clay, like any bulk base, must not just be thrown in with a shovel, but compacted and compacted, just as sand is compacted when pouring a foundation.

Traditionally, plank flooring or sand is used as a subfloor. cement screed. The appearance of Knauf floors was a real technological breakthrough. Since the advent of this flooring technology, no manufacturer in this construction sector has been able to create anything more economical.

Construction materials produced by Knauf have widest distribution on the territory of our country. They are distinguished by impeccable quality, in an assortment Knauf products There are several dozen varieties of dry mixtures, primers, sheet materials (tongue-and-groove, plasterboard, gypsum-fiber sheets).

Loose floors produced by this company are an environmentally friendly, fireproof material with excellent thermal and sound insulation properties. They are used as in capital construction, and during repair work. Floors from Knauf have the following positive qualities:

fire resistance. GVL slabs are not subject to combustion;
environmental friendliness;
simple installation with minimal time costs;
compliance with the highest construction standards;
creating an optimal microclimate;
Knauf floors can be used immediately after installation;
you can use any material for the final coating: laminate, carpet, parquet, porcelain stoneware, or linoleum;
for laying such a floor, no careful preparation of the surface is required; technological process installation there are no operations requiring the preparation of any solutions;
During operation, the coating does not deform, does not creak, and there are no cracks or breaks on it. The total weight of the floors is small and does not create a significant load on the floors and supporting structures;
Floor installation can be done in winter in an unheated building, the main thing is that it does not have high humidity.

And another important advantage is that it is the most cost-effective floor covering.

KNAUF-superfloor Floor element (EP). Characteristic	Description
Manufacturing method	KNAUF-superpol. A factory-ready product made from gypsum fiber moisture-resistant KNAUF supersheets (GVLV) for creating a “dry” screed - a prefabricated floor base. Floor elements are made by gluing two moisture-resistant gypsum fiber sheets (GVLV according to GOST R 51829-2001) with dimensions of 1200x600x20 mm with mutual displacement in two perpendicular directions and the formation of folds 50 mm wide along the perimeter of the products. The total thickness of the EP is 20 mm.
Scope of application	It is used for constructing a prefabricated floor base in buildings for various purposes.
Characteristics	Dimensions, mm: 1200x600x20. Element mass, kg: about 18. Rebate width, mm – bottom layer – top layer: 50. Useful area of the element, m2: 0.75. Thermal conductivity coefficient, W/m C: from 0.22 to 0.36. Heat absorption coefficient, W/m C: no more than 6.2. Hardness of the front surface, MPa: not less than 20. Surface water absorption, kg/m2: no more than 1.0. Vapor permeability coefficient, Mg/m h Pa: 0.12. Specific effective activity of natural radionuclides, Bq/kg: no more than 370. Packaging: Bag, 70 elements (50.4 m2). With shrink film.
Fire technical characteristics	KNAUF-superfloor (floor element) is assigned to the class fire danger KM 1, which is confirmed by a certificate of compliance with the requirements Federal Law RF No. 123-FZ " Technical regulations on fire safety requirements." Flammability group according to GOST 30244-94: G1. Toxicity group according to GOST 12.1.044-89: T1. Flame propagation group according to GOST R 51032-97: RG 1.
Recommendations	Before use, floor elements must undergo acclimatization (adaptation) in the room. In the installation area, floor elements must be stored horizontally (flat) on a flat surface. The design of the prefabricated floor base (screed) should not have slopes. In cases of installing a prefabricated floor base (screed) in wet rooms (bathrooms), lay KNAUF-Flachendicht waterproofing tape at the joints of the floor and walls, and cover the floor surface with KNAUF-Flachendicht waterproofing. If the floor covering is a thin elastic material, it is recommended to cover the base of the floor with a layer of self-leveling putty KNAUF-Boden 15 (Nivelirspachtel 415) with a thickness of at least 2 mm.

What's included

Knauf floors are made by gluing two moisture-resistant gypsum fiber sheets (gypsum fiber). The thickness of the resulting sheet is 2 cm, linear dimensions– 1200x600 mm, folds measuring 5 cm are arranged around the perimeter.

Also integral part Knauf flooring is fine-grained expanded clay, the quantity depends on the thickness of the layer that is required at a given construction site. If the layer exceeds 6 cm, laying a second layer of gypsum fiber boards is required. The kit usually includes plastic film and screws. After correct installation Knauf floors create a flat, durable surface that can withstand significant loads - up to 500 kg per sq. m.

Tools and material required for installation

Construction vacuum cleaner.
Paint brush.
Construction plaster.
Level (regular building or water level).
Deep penetration soil.
Pencil or marker.
Hacksaw for metal.
Self-tapping screws the right size(from 2 cm).
Metal guides (rack profile, 60 mm wide or metal beacons).
Waterproofing.
The rule is metal.
Glue (PVA or liquid nails).
Screwdriver.
Spatula.

Preparing the base

In the case when the floor is laid during renovation work, it is necessary to completely dismantle the old covering down to the concrete (or wooden) base. For flooring Knauf base may not be completely even, but you need to take into account that the backfill layer should not be more than 10-12 cm.

It is very important in the process of preparing for installation to thoroughly clean the entire area from dirt and construction waste fill large potholes/cracks with concrete or gypsum mixture. It is advisable to vacuum the surface by a professional construction vacuum cleaner and treat with deep penetration primer. After the soil has dried, you can begin installing insulation.

Hydro- and vapor barrier device

This is an important technological stage and must be approached responsibly - a high-quality insulating layer will help you get rid of floor problems for many years. If moisture penetrates, then individual sections of the floor may sag and the slabs may swell, leading to deformation of the flooring. First of all, it is necessary to check the horizontalness of the surface using a level and make marks on the walls along the entire perimeter of the room that determine the level of backfill. For waterproofing, you can use rolled self-adhesive waterproofing materials, PVC film(thickness of at least 200 microns) or vapor barrier. The waterproofing film is laid with an overlap of about 20 cm, the joints are fixed with tape.

The waterproofing film is laid with an overlap

Waterproofing on walls should be installed up to the marks that limit the backfill layer.

For wooden floors, glassine can be used as insulation to protect against moisture. Paper impregnated with bitumen is also suitable.

After installing the waterproofing, you should proceed to creating sound insulation. A 10-centimeter layer of insulation (edge tape) is laid along the walls, which will prevent the floor from deforming and create sound insulation. Regular foam tape can also serve as an insulator. They can be self-adhesive or regular (attached with construction tape or a stapler). A good option There will also be the use of a special damper tape.

Bulk materials base

The base for GVL slabs can be made not only from expanded clay and silica sand, but also from other types of sand. You can also use screenings or slag (small fraction). These materials are characterized by flowability, almost no precipitation, and have high porosity. They have a low hygroscopicity rate, so they are optimally suited for Knauf flooring.

The volume required for backfilling depends on the size of the room and the size of the layer, which, in turn, is determined by the presence of communications and the existing slope of the surface. Before you start backfilling, you need to install beacons - guides, with the help of which the dry screed will be leveled. The two extreme profiles (or beacons) are placed at opposite walls strictly horizontally. They must be placed parallel to each other, the distance from the wall is about 15 cm.

You can put it under beacons wooden blocks or small pieces ceramic tiles, but it is better to make support poles from plaster. Then the cord is pulled and intermediate profiles are installed, parallel to the others, at a distance of 1.5 meters from each other. After installing the beacons, expanded clay is poured in and carefully leveled using a metal rule.

Leveling the backfill using a special rule

After leveling, the beacons must be removed very carefully (after arranging temporary sites from thick plywood measuring approximately 60 by 60 cm for movement on them) and adding expanded clay, carefully level it with a metal spatula without disturbing the surface level. On large areas, installation should be carried out in stages: having completely covered a certain area of the floor, you should begin further leveling.

On an absolutely flat surface with no deviations from the horizontal, expanded clay backfill is not needed. Instead, you can tightly lay sheets of polystyrene foam (extruded), making precise cutting. Install Knauf floors on polystyrene foam, following conventional technology.

Having compacted the expanded clay, you can begin installing gypsum fiber board sheets. Prefabricated floor elements from the Knauf company are easy to install, you just need to take your time and carefully follow all installation technology. It is better to start laying sheets from the door; on the first sheets, you should remove the folds on one side (from the walls) so that they lie flat and do not sink into the expanded clay. The installation scheme is “bricked”, with the joints offset by half of the next sheet. The first sheets must be carefully leveled; the level of the assembled floor will depend on how level they lie. The folds are glued together and scrolled with self-tapping screws every 10-15 cm.

Fastening sheets with self-tapping screws

You can cut GVL sheets with a hacksaw or a regular hacksaw with a fine tooth. It is necessary to ensure that expanded clay or other bulk material does not get into the joints. Knauf floors can be assembled throughout the entire apartment at once, while maintaining one level. Installation should be done with a partner; in one working day you can lay the floor on an area of more than 100 square meters. m.

Knauf floors have stood the test of time, the manufacturer truly guarantees high quality, but superfloor also has its drawbacks:

You almost always have to cut off the fold of the sheets adjacent to the wall. This ultimately leads to a slight subsidence of the floor during operation;
By removing the beacons and adding a small amount of expanded clay, it is quite difficult to maintain a completely flat surface, which is necessary for installation. But beacons left under the floor can also lead to deformation of the coating.

Knauf floors are susceptible to moisture and require careful waterproofing.

During the installation process, you need to ensure that the bulk material is completely dry, otherwise the floor may “lead.” Knauf floors are not recommended for installation in basements and ground floors. When laying such a floor in bathrooms and kitchens, it is necessary to carry out high-quality waterproofing and install a finishing coating that does not allow moisture to pass through. Such a floor should not be installed in rooms with heavy loads - in office and municipal buildings, in production workshops. Floors Knauf – great option for an apartment or private house with good ventilation system. If the installation was carried out efficiently, this floor will serve you for a very long time.

An example of laying tiles on a KNAUF floor

Video - DIY Knauf floors

German manufacturer Knauf screed dry is positioned as a Superfloor, suitable for use in dry and damp rooms, the temperature inside which does not fall below + 10 degrees.

In addition to materials for 4 types of dry screed - Alpha, Beta, Vega and Gamma, the Knauf company produces tools for this technology (2 guide rails and one sliding rule as standard).

However, original brand products are expensive to repair on our own you can get by with gypsum fiber sheets from any manufacturer, plastic film, damper tape and expanded clay sand from the nearest building materials store. The tool is an aluminum rule 1.5 - 2 m and a profile from gypsum fiber board systems (usually rack-mount 2.7 x 6 cm).

Layer-by-layer Knauf dry screed device

In the album of Superpol's technical solutions using the manufacturer's materials, Knauf dry floor screed is presented in four options with different composition“pie” design:

Alpha– on even floors or slabs previously leveled with self-leveling flooring, only two layers of gypsum fiber board sheets without film waterproofing are used;
Beta– also on smooth floors, but acoustic (usually sound-absorbing) material is laid under the gypsum fiber panels;
Vega– a system for an uneven base, includes a layer of expanded clay sand, on which two layers of gypsum fiber board sheets are laid;
Gamma– sound insulation is laid under the gypsum fiber boards, then a waterproofing film and expanded clay backfill.

Variants of Superpol Knauf pie.

Important! The design of the Knauf Superfloor is floating, so for all of the above options, a damper tape around the perimeter of the walls at the junction points is mandatory.

In practice, laying technology according to the Vega and Gamma options is most often used. Expanded clay backfill is cheaper than self-leveling flooring; in addition to leveling the floor, it additionally improves the acoustic properties of floor slabs:

Technology Supergender	Number of layers	Airborne noise insulation index R (dBa)	Reduced structural noise index L (dBa)	Structure thickness (cm)
Alpha	2 GVL	24	52	60	2
Beta	2 GVL + porous sound insulator	28	53	55	3 – 5
Vega	2 GVL + expanded clay + polyethylene	36	53	58	4
Gamma	2 GVL + porous sound insulator + polyethylene + expanded clay	60	55	55	5 – 11

Important! If the project includes a heated floor, it is laid ON OVER the dry Knauf screed. Before tiling, the surface of the GVL sheets is puttied with a continuous layer of at least 2 mm thick with special elastic compounds, for example, NivelirSpachtel 415 from Knauf.

Features of dry screed for different floor coverings.

Laying technology

Unlike wet and semi-dry screeds, laying Superfloor is much faster. You can walk on a dry screed already during the installation of gypsum fiber board sheets. This option ensures not only high maintainability of the structure, but also of the communications hidden under it. Boxes and other structures made of plasterboard do not absorb moisture, since there are no wet processes, windows do not fog up, even with poor ventilation.

Floor slabs for Knauf dry screed must be inspected to identify defective areas. The sequence of operations at this stage is as follows:

removing a loose layer of concrete or treating it with special compounds (deep penetration primer);
sealing cracks, joints and seams with putty mixtures as necessary;
dust removal and removal of oil stains;
drying wet areas of concrete.

Important! For Superfloor version Alpha without expanded clay sand, it is necessary to level the slabs with a self-leveling floor.

Horizontal level tapping

For dry Knauf floor screed, it is impossible to use the method of lowering the highest point of the horizontal level, since the gypsum plasterboard sheet cannot be brought “to zero”. Therefore, the rise in the level of the finished floor will be at least 2 cm at the top point.

Horizontal cutting is done as follows:

a laser level or plane builder is installed in one room so that the beam penetrates the walls of adjacent rooms;
at an arbitrary height, a single line is drawn in all rooms of the cottage/apartment;
the distances from this line to the floor slabs are measured, the top point is found ( minimum size based on measurement results);
the perimeter of the walls is covered with damper tape, the upper edge of which should be 2 cm above the level of the floor covering;
The top line of the horizontal level is transferred onto the tape using a tape measure, taking into account the specified thickness values of the dry screed.

Advice! When using a plane builder, it is not necessary to make a line; all subsequent operations can be performed with the device turned on, focusing on its laser beam.

Waterproofing, insulation and acoustic material

Depending on the acoustic and thermodynamic characteristics of the floor slabs, dry screed may contain different materials. Therefore they are arranged in the following sequence:

sound-absorbing or soundproofing material directly onto floor slabs;
polyethylene film with an overlap of strips of 15 cm minimum, the edges of which extend onto the walls 2 cm above the level of the floor covering (run under damper tape), in the absence of acoustic material, the ceiling is covered with it;
thermal insulation - on top of previous layers or one polyethylene film.

Important! There is no need to reinforce dry screeds; the heated floor contours inside them are not used. All risers of engineering systems passing through the ceiling are wrapped with damper tape.

Filling with expanded clay chips

To reduce labor costs, the bulk material Compevit is applied to the previous layers of the dry screed cake using the following technology:

Important! When using a conventional galvanized profile, marks from the shelves remain in the Compavit layer, which must be additionally leveled. A special Knauf tool allows you to avoid this operation - the guides are laid on top of expanded clay, and the rule has a special profile (cutouts along the edges), so there are no traces of the beacons left.

Laying gypsum fiber sheets

Unlike wet screeds, it is easier for the master to move around the expanded clay by laying several pieces of gypsum fiber board measuring from 50 x 50 cm. Therefore, laying sheet material It is not necessary to start from the corner farthest to the doorway.

Unlike conventional gypsum plasterboard sheets, the manufacturer Knauf produces EP elements - two panels glued together with an offset of 5 cm. Due to the offset, a seam connection is obtained between adjacent rows by default.

The technology for installing the top hard layer of dry screed is as follows:

Important! The manufacturer completes Superpol systems with 3.9 mm self-tapping screws 19 – 45 mm long (100 pieces per box) marked MN.

Nuances of Superpol Knauf

IN ideal dry screed must be installed in all rooms of the home at once. Since in places adjacent to the doorway, expanded clay will spill out from under the gypsum fiber board sheets. However, in practice, Superfloor is installed in separate rooms, so the following technique is used:

Thus, the bulk material is completely limited by the rigid box and cannot spill out from under the top layer.

Important! It is prohibited to rest even light partitions on the Knauf Superfloor, so they must be erected before installing the dry screed.

Thus, the Knauf dry screed is a fully equipped system with detailed instructions for installation in the album of standard solutions from the manufacturer. However, you can make the structure yourself from ordinary gypsum fiber board sheets without special tools.

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Is it possible to finish screeding the floors in one day and begin laying the finishing coating the next day? Not so long ago, this seemed unrealistic, because a “wet” cement screed requires at least 28 days for final drying. But about 15 years ago, the revolutionary technology of Knauf loose floors appeared, which changed the understanding of this process. One of the names assigned to it for this reason is “superfloor Knauf”.

Today, probably, there is no person, one way or another connected with the construction industry, who has not heard about this company, which produces a variety of finishing and building materials, as well as paint and varnish products, system components suspended ceilings, hydro, heat and sound insulating materials, fasteners, various tools.

But most of all, this company is known for its plasterboard technology, perfected to the smallest detail. facing materials, being its ancestor. Founded by the two Knauf brothers in 1932 as a manufacturer of gypsum building mixtures, already in the 50s the company began producing the first plasterboard materials, soon becoming the undisputed leader in this technology. And today we can confidently say that “Knauf” and drywall are two inextricably linked concepts.

The Knauf screed method is essentially a long-known technology of semi-dry or dry prefabricated screed, when sheet panels of the rough coating are installed on a substrate made of a thin layer of finely dispersed material. The soft and seemingly loose backfill pressed by them becomes strong and hard, capable of withstanding quite large loads.

In the Knauf company method, expanded clay sand of a very fine fraction with a granule size not exceeding the standard 4 mm is used for this. After leveling the backfill using the “beacon” rule, it is covered with sheets of gypsum fiber material. The backfill thickness should be in the range from 30 to 100 mm.

Gypsum fiber sheets (GVL) differ from plasterboard in the absence of a top paper coating and are a uniform mixture of gypsum and cellulose fibers reinforcing it. Possessing high strength and fire resistance, they are also quite environmentally friendly and chemically safe.

Issued structural elements Knauf superfloor in the form of panels glued together from two GVL sheets with dimensions of 1200 × 600 × 10 mm offset relative to each other to form folds along the perimeter 50 mm wide, along which they are fastened when laid together using adhesive mastic and self-tapping screws. The total thickness of the resulting superfloor coating is 20 mm.

Advantages

The main advantage of this technology is the absence of “wet” materials and operations. This is especially valuable not so much during the construction of new buildings, but when performing repair work in existing ones, as it eliminates possible leaks and the penetration of moisture and dampness into adjacent rooms.
High execution speed installation work. There is no need to use special mechanisms. Laying a Knauf superfloor in a 20 m² room by a team of two people during a working day, along with delivery and unloading work, is quite a common thing.
Immediately after GVL installation panels, the floors are ready for laying the finishing coating and receiving work loads.
In addition to the speed of installation, Knauf floors are distinguished by high speed and ease of dismantling work in case of disassembly. GVL sheets are removed using a regular jigsaw, then the backfill is collected with a shovel or scoop.
The small total thickness of the entire “pie” of dry screed - from 50 mm with a backfill layer thickness of 30 mm - causes a very low loss of height and volume of the room.
The total total weight of the floor structure is significantly less than with traditional ways screeds. This significantly reduces the load on load-bearing elements floors and the structure of the entire building.
Low thermal conductivity makes it possible to avoid additional layers of thermal insulators for thin finishing coatings such as laminate, linoleum, cork, etc.
The high sound insulation properties of Knauf floors are significantly superior to wooden and parquet flooring in this parameter.
Excellent fire safety.
Possibility of installation at any time of the year.
Knauf floors are also highly environmentally friendly and chemically inert.

Main technical characteristics:

dimensions of the panels together with folds 50 mm wide - 1250×650×20 mm;
area covered by one element - 0.75 m²;
weight of one panel - no more than 18 kg;
Brinell hardness - 22 MPa (220 kgf/cm²);
the compressive strength of expanded clay backfill is at least 10 MPa;
thermal conductivity - 0.25~0.35 W/(m²×°K);
sound insulation: 58 dB - from airborne noise and 55 dB - from impact noise;
fire safety in terms of flammability, flammability, smoke generation and gas toxicity classes - G1, B1, D1, T1;

Flaws

Speaking of disadvantages Knauf technologies, then there are practically none, although many here call this material “hydrophobia”, but leaks and flooding can thoroughly ruin any type of flooring. Even if the consequences of such accidents do not appear immediately, after some time they will certainly make themselves felt in the form of fungus, mold and rot. But the ease of dismantling Knauf floors allows you to replace them with the least labor costs compared to other types of coatings.

Many homeowners and master installers, for reasons of economy, believe that on the upper floors of buildings and structures, laying a moisture-proof film under the base of a dry screed can be neglected. This is a serious mistake, since moisture can enter through the floor slabs from neighboring premises. In addition, such a film also serves as a vapor barrier, protecting materials from condensation.

Laying method

In the simplest method of constructive technology of dry screed discussed here, which has the designation “Alpha” in Knauf company terminology, a single-layer installation of gypsum fiber board is used, but there are other options that involve a more complex “pie” using additional layers of polystyrene foam or porous fiber acoustic and thermal insulation materials from this company.

Required materials:

Required tools:

drill, screwdriver;
jigsaw;
drywall knife;
measuring instruments: tape measure, meter, square, level;
metal profile for installing “beacons”;
rule for leveling the backfill layer along the beacons.

Step by step guide

The surface of the floor slabs under the floor base must be well cleared of debris. Protruding ends of reinforcement, wires, nails, and screws must be carefully cut off and removed. Large irregularities and pieces of crushed stone protruding outward from the concrete should be carefully knocked off with a chisel.
On a prepared base vapor barrier film is spread with adjacent sheets overlapping each other by at least 200 mm. Its edges along the perimeter of the room should extend onto the walls above the level of the future floor.
Then an edge strip is installed vertically along all walls, designed to compensate for thermal deformations of the Knauf superfloor panels. The compensation gap at the edges is a very important condition for this technology. It allows you to avoid swelling of the floor when the temperature in the room changes.
Along the line of the proposed installation metal profiles The lighthouses are covered with a small mound of expanded clay along the length. Beacons are pressed into it from above, adjusted to the level, based on the total backfill thickness of no more than 10 cm. If flooring is replaced in only one room of the house, the level of the future flooring should “come” to the corresponding level in the remaining rooms.
In the space between the beacons, an expanded clay layer is filled, which is then leveled with a rule. One of the advantages of Knauf flooring is the ability to backfill and lay the covering not completely in the entire room, but in parts.
Then the beacons are removed, and the traces from them are sprinkled with a small amount of expanded clay. To the corner where the installation of gypsum board sheets will begin, a “path” of several free panels is laid, along which you can move without spoiling the rest of the backfill.
The folds of the gypsum fiber board panels adjacent to the walls and partitions must be cut so that their thickness in these places is double. The first row of panels is laid out along one of the walls. Work should begin from the wall of the room opposite the entrance, gradually moving towards front door. Before laying the next row, the folds of the previous one are lubricated with glue or mastic.
The sheets of each next row are laid with an offset of at least 250 mm relative to the previous one. The formation of cross-shaped joints is not allowed. Then the glued joints are fastened with screws in increments not exceeding 300 mm.
After the floor has been laid in the entire room, everything The joints between the sheets should be filled with gypsum putty. Knauf.
Before applying the finishing coat, Knauf superfloor must be coated with a deep penetration primer.

To significantly increase the strength of the coating, you can lay a second layer of gypsum fiber board panels by changing the laying direction perpendicular to the sheets of the first layer.

Conclusions

Knauf superfloor technology is perfectly suited for underfloor heating systems that are so popular today. And the high thermal insulation properties of bulk floors significantly reduce the heat loss of the room through its base, which significantly increases the energy efficiency of any heating systems. We can confidently say that the cost of installing Knauf loose floors with good overall thermal insulation of the house will pay off within 2-3 years due to savings on heating.