Floor repairs can include a whole range of work, including leveling and exterior finishing. Sometimes the question arises about raising the floor level in an apartment. This article will tell you how to do all the work correctly and not make mistakes.
Usually during renovations in an apartment or house - especially old layout where the ceilings are quite low, they try to make sure that the floors rise slightly during leveling. But in certain situations, the floor level may still need to be raised somewhat.
Quite often, the procedure for raising the floor is associated with the redevelopment of the room. For example, the floor can be raised onto a loggia in order to then remove part of the wall and increase the space of the room. Also, sometimes it is necessary to level the floors throughout the apartment and make them at the same level, and here, too, most likely, you will have to raise the base a little in some room.
In neighboring rooms, the floors can have different heights, and they can differ either significantly or by just a few millimeters. It depends on the house itself and the type of room layout.
In a private house, raising the floor level may be necessary to lay an additional layer of thermal insulation if the previously laid one is not enough. To do this, you need to raise the base a few cm (about 10) in order to lay insulating material into the void.
In general, the procedure for raising the floor requires certain knowledge and considerable financial and labor costs. At the same time, work is not carried out in all rooms at once if the scope of work is expected to cover the entire living space. Raising the floor level is carried out in each room separately according to individual calculations.
Important! Before deciding how the floor will be raised, you should make calculations and find out what load the floors can withstand without damage and without damage.
All calculations are made taking into account the choice of finishing coating that has already been made, since the decision on how the floor will be raised will largely depend on its weight. Moreover, if in different rooms If a different type of coating is installed, then calculations are made individually for each of them.
On a note! The load on the floors may not be calculated if the apartment is on the ground floor and there is no basement underneath. If there is a basement, then you will have to calculate the load.
When calculating materials and permissible load we can assume that the floor slab is in concrete house capable of withstanding a load of about 400 kg/m2. And the density of reinforced concrete averages about 2700 kg/m 3.
Ways to raise the floor
There are 4 main methods of raising the floor. In general, they are all called screeds. Let's look at them in the table below.
Table. Methods for raising floors.
| Way | Short description |
|---|---|
| This is the most popular and familiar method to many. And the most durable even with intensive use. However, many builders do not like to use this method due to the long drying time. The cement-sand screed itself can be laid quickly, but after that it dries for about a month. And other work cannot be carried out during this period under any circumstances, otherwise all the work will go down the drain. It will be very difficult to correct the mistakes made. Also, a cement-sand screed is a rather difficult way to level the floor, and it puts a colossal load on the floors, which requires careful calculation and consideration of the amount of materials and the permissible height of the screed. |
| This special kind screeds, which are performed using special self-spreading building mixtures. It is usually used for additional leveling of the floor and if the level needs to be increased slightly. The type of mixture for pouring floors is selected depending on the conditions in which the floor will be used - a wet or dry room, in a heated or unheated room, etc. One of the main advantages of this method of raising the floor level is high speed drying of the filled layer. However, it is important to remember that self-leveling floors are very demanding on the condition of the base - it must be well cleared of debris and leveled. Yes, and such mixtures are not cheap, but they also require a lot of attention during the filling process. |
| To raise the floor level, you can make floors from gypsum fiber - this is the so-called dry screed. GVL slabs are laid on a leveled expanded clay bedding. In this case, installation occurs quickly, the process does not generate a large amount of dirt, floor design work can be continued almost immediately after laying the slabs, and this method of raising the floor significantly increases the thermal and sound insulation of the base. But GVL floors also have disadvantages - it is waterproof, and if the floor level rises significantly, you will have to use a lot of expanded clay bedding and over time, because of this, the floors may sag. |
| This method, like cement-sand screed, is considered one of the most popular and is considered traditional. It has become especially often used recently both for arranging floors in private houses and apartments. It makes it possible to raise the floor by a certain amount with particular precision and is ideal for laying laminate and parquet. The work is completed quite quickly; after completion, you can begin laying the topcoat immediately. Using this method, the floor level can be raised to 15 cm or more, while the ceiling will not experience significant load. In the voids remaining between the joists, various communications can be placed or additional floor insulation can be done. But the lag system also has its drawbacks - if the work is done incorrectly, the floors may begin to creak or sag. |
How to raise the floor in a wooden house
In a wooden house, the floors can be raised using any of the above methods - there is no need to worry about the load on the floors, since there are none here. The best options are wooden joists or cement screed. And you should choose depending on which method the home owner likes best.
Important! When installing a floor in a wooden house, do not forget about high-quality insulation, as well as mandatory waterproofing of floors. Otherwise, the floors will quickly become unusable.
If in a private house the floors need to be raised to a considerable height, then you can combine cement screed, and lags. First done concrete base, on which a wooden structure is then installed.
How to raise the floor level in an apartment?
In an apartment, raising the floor is done differently depending on where the work will be done. Kitchen, bedroom, bathroom or loggia - everywhere the floor level will rise in its own way.
You should be guided by the following principles: if the floors rise to a level of up to 8 cm, then the screed is easiest to make using the wet method, that is, using a cement-sand mixture. In some cases, the ceiling can be additionally covered with expanded clay mixture. If the apartment is located above the first floor, then you can do without additional insulation.
On a note! A regular screed by itself will raise the height in the room by up to 5 cm, even without laying insulation or joists.
If it is planned to create a multi-level screed in the rooms, that is, a floor of a certain height will be made in each room, then calculations are made for each of them separately. Here it is optimal to use the method with logs, because with such a design it is most convenient to change the height.
Raising the floor in the bathroom or kitchen
The kitchen and bathroom are rooms where air humidity is quite high. Therefore, it is not recommended to use structures made of wood or plasterboard to raise the floor level. The best option– cement-sand screed or self-leveling floors.
A layer of waterproofing materials must be laid. This could be roofing material or polyethylene film. It is also worth remembering that the floor level in the bathroom or toilet should not be exactly the same as in other rooms. The fact is that it is in these rooms that floods usually occur due to the presence of water pipes. And if the floor level here is the same as in other rooms, then if the apartment is flooded, water will get into other rooms. A small threshold or drop will allow the water to remain in the bathroom.
Important! If pipes are replaced, then all communications are changed before the screed is poured. Otherwise you will have to produce a series additional work for creating holes in the floor for laying pipes.
Raising the floor on a loggia or balcony
During construction, the floor level on a loggia or balcony is often lower than in other rooms. However, it is often raised in order to avoid tripping over the resulting threshold. Also, raising the floor level on the balcony and loggia is done if this part of the housing is planned to be combined with the room in which it is located.
When raising the floor level on the balcony, care should be taken to waterproof it. To do this, the base can be treated bitumen mastic or cover with film.
Raising the floor level in rooms
In rooms, you should choose the method of raising the floors according to your own preferences, the strength of the floors and the properties of the selected finishing coating. Since the area in residential premises is usually larger than in a bathroom or toilet, the mass of the cement screed here will be significant. Thus, in rooms it is easier to use a wooden joist system to raise the floor.
In general, the floor level usually rises to a maximum of 10 cm, and according to average indicators - only 2-3 cm. If the floors need to be raised as much as possible, it is also recommended to use a joist system. The voids between them can be filled with insulation or other materials so as not to “move through the air.” It is optimal to use mineral wool or polystyrene foam as a filler.
So, the decision on choosing a method to raise the level is influenced by the following aspects.
- Budget for repairs. Some materials are more expensive, others are cheaper, and you need to calculate everything correctly possible options and choose the optimal one.
- Rationality of the work carried out. You don’t always have to choose a complex and time-consuming option; sometimes the simplest is enough - it will be enough to lift the floors without effort and at minimal cost.
- Labor costs. It is always worthwhile to adequately assess your time and effort that will have to be put into performing certain works.
Floor raising technology
Let's get acquainted with the technology of raising the floor using cement-sand screed.
The floors in the room where the work will be done are thoroughly cleaned of debris and leveled as much as possible. After this, using a building level, markings are applied to the wall, marking the level of laying the expanded clay mixture. Using a tape measure, measure the height from the rough base to the marked line. This is necessary to calculate the amount of mixture.
The area of the room is calculated. The required amount of material is purchased - expanded clay and sand concrete mixture M 300, as well as reinforcing mesh with a section of 6x6 cm.
Sand concrete - dry mix
A wooden floor in the house is an excellent solution for those who want to create a warm and comfortable atmosphere in room. None modern materials will not replace this environmentally friendly material. Of course, wood cannot “boast” of strength and reliability like concrete or composite, but its appearance will benefit for many years to come.
Peculiarities
A wooden base, like any other, has both advantages and disadvantages. The advantages include the following characteristics:
- environmentally friendly material, therefore safe for humans. The tree does not contain harmful substances;
- you can make any design;
- all work can be done by the most simple tools and materials. Without experience in the construction industry, you can install wooden floors yourself.
In order for floors in a wooden house to last for many years, their installation must be treated with the utmost care, making sure to comply with all installation requirements. Thanks to this, you will prevent the floor from sagging, because if this happens, you will either need to replace the floor or raise it. In addition to the advantages, floors in log house They also have several disadvantages. Wooden floors will not be cheap, and all the work will take a lot of time. In addition, it will be difficult to install the floors yourself. It is not easy to level the structure, but it is possible.
To install the floor yourself, you must remember that it consists of a subfloor, layers of thermal and waterproofing, a finished floor and a floor covering.
The floor can be double-layered or single-layered.
Types of construction
It just so happens that in wooden houses the floors are also made of wood, so it makes sense to illuminate them. There are several types wooden floors depending on raw materials:
- array;
- laminated wood;
- parquet;
- laminate.
Each material has distinctive characteristics. For example, the large weight of the array is not suitable for houses with an unstable foundation, and a fragile laminate is not suitable for rooms with high humidity. The floor board is made from durable wood. Its length can be from 90 cm to 6 m, and its thickness can be from 1.8 to 6 m. There are grooves on one side of the board and a ridge on the other. Boards are made from hard wood such as oak, larch and the like. Please note that coniferous floorboards wear out quickly.
To the benefits floor board refers to durability. Even after several years she will not lose her attractive appearance. Additional advantages are strength and acceptable price. In addition, the board has low thermal conductivity. WITH outside The board is painted with varnish, which increases its service life. Sometimes the boards are coated with a special oil, which prevents the wood from rotting and the formation of fungus. In some cases, double coating is done.
Laminated wood consists of boards glued together. In such cases, coniferous trees are used. To ensure that the boards stick together better, they are carefully leveled, eliminating all defects. The strength of laminated wood is greater than that of solid wood. Parquet is planks that are made from wood. The following types are distinguished:
- piece - planks made of solid hardwood;
- parquet board– the first layer is made of precious wood, the other layers are made of coniferous trees;
- artistic parquet – piece material, a complex ornament is made from it. It is characterized by high cost;
- modular – includes strips various forms from different types of trees, the result is a specific pattern.
Laminate is a material that imitates wood. It includes several layers:
- stabilizing – prevents deformation of the material and increases the level of rigidity;
- Fiberboard is the main layer, which is treated with water-repellent substances. It is this layer that affects the quality of the entire board;
- decorative - paper with a pattern;
- upper layer– protects against mechanical influences. It is made of acrylic or melamine plastic.
Laminate flooring is thin, so it can be safely installed in rooms with low ceilings, and it takes up virtually no free space. This material can be installed on a concrete base.
Please note that the surface must be flat, otherwise there will be problems with laying the laminate.
If the floor is cold, then a heating system is installed between the rough and finishing structures. Often the floor is installed on joists. The advantage of this installation is that it can be performed on both concrete and plain soil. When installing on the ground, it is convenient to hide all communications, and leveling the floor is not difficult - you either need to saw down the logs or lay down wood chips. This design will rise approximately 15 cm, so Floors of this type are not installed in rooms with low ceilings.
You can cover concrete floors with laminate, as well as structures on screw piles without leveling it in the first stages. Thanks to the wide range, laminate can be chosen to suit any interior, and its low weight makes it possible to lay this material between floors, in attics. The “floating” design is popular. It is not attached to the walls or to the base of the building. Accordingly, it is completely independent of shrinkage or other changes in the foundation of buildings. The coating retains its structure during any construction process.
Materials
Often in a house or garage they decide to cover the floor with ordinary planed boards. The selection of flooring materials in a wooden house must be approached with the utmost care. The boards should not be wet or, conversely, too dry. If they will be used for installation low quality materials, then after some time the floor may become deformed. If the floor is made of plywood, then check that there are no defects in the material. It is best to use tree species such as oak or birch, but this choice is not at all necessary. Boards with a length of 2 m are used: with a minimum length are suitable for the garage, and longer options are taken for residential premises.
Please note that before use, DSP, OSB, chipboard boards must be well processed antiseptics With inside. They protect wood from the proliferation of harmful microorganisms, including mold fungi. Experts recommend treating the material with fire-fighting agents that reduce the flammability of wood. Before laying the boards, it is necessary to level them and remove all defects, chips and burrs on the surface.
In order for the floor to last a long time, it provides good sound insulation and conserve heat, it must be laid in several layers, that is, to make a “pie”.
Laying the floor in a wooden house on both the first and second floors must be carried out in accordance with all established rules, thanks to which you will get the highest quality and durable coating. First, sand the boards and lay them along the beams to mark. The floor is laid so that the age-old rings of material “look” in different directions. For comfort It is recommended to number the boards so as not to have to do additional grinding and adjust the material to size in the future.
The floor is laid away from the wall. Don't forget to leave a ventilation gap. In the future it will be covered with a plinth. The nails are driven in at an angle, with the heads slightly deeper into the material. When you install the first board, step back approximately 40 - 60 mm from the edge and hammer staples into the beams with a slight offset. A protective strip is inserted into this gap. Another wedge is driven in between the rail and the wedge; its width should be slightly larger than the space left.
The boards are nailed in, after which the staples are removed. Install several boards, secure them with a batten and a wedge, and nail them to the beam. The next boards must be compacted with a mallet, only then secured with nails. For the bathroom prerequisite is material processing by special means , which are resistant to high levels of humidity.
It doesn’t matter whether you are doing the flooring in the country or in the house permanent place residence – take into account even the smallest details.
How to paint?
Today, different types of coatings are used to finish a wooden floor and for its durability. When buying a covering, keep in mind that the tree has different levels softness, Therefore, you need to choose one that will correspond to the properties of wood:
- varnish. This product protects wood from mold, mildew, and insects and makes the surface shiny. Varnishes made from polyurethane or organic solvents emphasize the natural shade of the material, and they also dry quickly. Please note that after a few years the wood may become several shades darker. Wood cannot be varnished if it has been treated with drying oil or other substances that contain oil. Also, experts do not recommend varnishing floors in rooms with high humidity;
- painting oils significantly increases the service life of wood. Using these substances, you can preserve the natural color of the wood or give it any shade. Floors with this coating cannot be used in rooms with high level humidity, as well as sudden temperature changes;
- wax coating. Its basis is wax and linseed oil. Floors with such a coating ideally preserve the natural color and texture of the wood, and the surface becomes silky and has a golden tint. Floors with such a coating do not withstand the influence of abrasive agents.
In addition to transparent coatings, opaque ones are also used. These include colored paints that paint the material a different color and hide its texture. You can choose enamels different shades– oil, alkyd, pentaphthalic, as well as acrylic and latex paints. Enamels come in a wide range of colors, and after painting and drying they create a durable film. Thanks to this film, the floor will be resistant to humidity and sudden temperature changes.
To do right choice, you need to carefully study all the characteristics of the wood and the operating conditions of the floor.
Those who are faced with installing a wooden floor for the first time are advised to consider Advice from professionals that will make your work much easier:
- Before laying the boards on the joists, they must be tried on, adjusted and numbered.
- To lay a quality floor, you need to choose the right thermal insulation material. The modern market offers a huge selection of technologies for floor insulation, for example, roll or slab materials, bulk and sprayed materials. It is best to use methods that have been proven over the years: clay, wood shavings, sawdust, leaves.
- Professionals do not recommend saving on materials. Choosing a cheap and low-quality coating can lead to further deformation of the surface.
- Don't skimp on flooring technology. If the project requires a layer of insulation, then do not forget about it.
- If you are unable to complete any work yourself, immediately seek help from specialists.
Restoring an old plank floor is much easier and cheaper than complete replacement coverings. Of course, both the joists and the boards must be strong enough for this, and the damaged areas must not be too large. There are several ways to level a wooden floor, depending on the degree of deformation.
To choose the right alignment method, you first need to accurately assess the extent of the damage. To do this, you need to walk over the entire surface, carefully examine every centimeter of the floor, remove 1-2 boards and inspect the joists. If rotten or bug-eaten areas are visible, serious repairs will be required, with replacement of damaged parts. If the logs and boards are in good condition, without cracks and rot, the floor does not bend or creak under load, and the only defects are peeling paint and a wavy surface, repair costs will be minimal.
Small cracks or squeaks are also not a problem, since such defects are not difficult to eliminate. If the gaps between the boards are wider than 10 mm or there is a noticeable slope of the floor, the wooden surface will have to be covered with sheet material, such as chipboard.
So, if the damage is minimal, the easiest way to level the floor is to treat it with a sanding machine. If you couldn’t rent a machine, you can use an electric planer.
Step 1. Surface preparation
All unnecessary items are removed from the premises, baseboards are removed, and trash is carefully swept away. The protruding nail heads are hammered in using a hammer so that they are recessed into the boards by a few millimeters. Areas of the floor that are loosely adjacent to the joists are additionally reinforced with self-tapping screws.
Step 2. Looping
When working with a sanding machine, you will need headphones and a respirator. Start working from the corner, slowly moving along the wall. Having reached the second corner, they turn the machine around and move in the opposite direction, treating the floor surface in narrow stripes.
Step 3. Seal the cracks
After removing the top layer of wood, all the cracks and cracks in the floor become clearly visible. To seal them, use acrylic putty of the appropriate shade, which is carefully applied and leveled with a metal or rubber spatula.
Step 4. Final floor treatment
After waiting for the putty to dry, the boards are scraped again, then the floor is vacuumed and primed. If the primer is absorbed very quickly, another coat should be applied to properly close the pores of the wood. After this, the boards can be painted or sealed with wood varnish.
In the case where the floor has wavy unevenness due to the deformation of the boards, but is strictly horizontal, it can be leveled using sheet covering - plywood, chipboard, cement-bonded particle boards or gypsum fiber board. Fiberboard is not suitable for these purposes, since over time it takes the form of a base.
Comparison table of sheet materials for flooring
| Name | Characteristics | Thickness |
|---|---|---|
| Moisture-resistant plywood | High strength, thermal insulation properties, suitable for any finishing coating | From 4 to 24 mm |
| Cement particle boards (CPS) | Durability, environmental friendliness, non-flammability | From 10 to 32 mm |
| Chipboard | High strength, sound and heat insulating properties, ease of processing | From 6 to 28 mm |
| Gypsum fiber boards | Suitable for any coating, has a perfectly flat surface, heat-insulating properties | From 10 to 12.5 mm |
| OSB | High strength, durability, suitable for any coating | 9 mm |
To work you will need:
- screwdriver;
- jigsaw;
- self-tapping screws;
- primer;
- acrylic sealant or putty;
- any sheet material for flooring.
Step 1. Preparing the base
The baseboards are removed, the peeling paint is removed from the floor surface, the protruding nails are hammered in, and the cracks and recesses in the boards are covered with putty. Then the debris and dust are removed and the floor is primed.
Step 2. Cutting and adjusting the material
The size of a chipboard sheet is 250x185 cm, plywood is 125x125 cm, so for convenience the sheets are cut into several parts. Optimal for installation are squares of 60x60 cm; they are less affected by thermal expansion, since the number of damper joints increases. The material is cut with a hacksaw with fine teeth or a jigsaw; so that during cutting chipboard edges did not crumble, you need to stick masking tape along the cut line. Cutting plywood should be done as carefully as possible to avoid torn edges.
An important point: if, when cutting a plywood sheet, its edges delaminate, the material is not suitable for laying on the floor.
So, the sheets cut into squares are brought into the room, laid out on the floor and adjusted to the size of the base. They cut out the material to fit the existing protrusions or niches, cut off the outer sheets to move the seams, leave technological gaps around the perimeter of the room and damper seams between the squares themselves. To avoid mixing up the elements during installation, immediately after fitting each square must be numbered.
Step 3. Laying the coating
When using waterproof plywood, you can immediately begin laying, but chipboard must be pre-treated with drying oil or covered with 2 layers of primer. The first sheet is laid from the corner, leaving a gap of 1-1.5 cm between the edge and the walls. The length of the screws for fastening should be three times the thickness of the material. Screw in screws in places where the material is in close contact with the board, that is, in the upper part of the wave. If the waves run along each board, you can use sheets with a thickness of 8-10 mm, but if the distance between the waves is more than 20 cm, the recommended thickness is from 16 mm.
The distance between the screws should not exceed 20 cm; holes for fasteners are pre-expanded at the top with a drill larger diameter so that the screw heads are hidden in the thickness of the material. A gap of up to 10 mm is left between adjacent sheets of plywood; the rows are laid with the seams offset by half the sheet. If necessary, you can install a second layer of coating, covering the bottom seams with whole sheets. Both layers are fastened together with self-tapping screws.
Step 4: Finishing
When the rough coating is laid, the joints between the sheets and the recesses from the screws are covered with acrylic putty or sealant on the same base. Next, use a level to check that the floor is horizontal and that there are no unevennesses. Rough areas are treated sandpaper or a grinding attachment, remove dust from the surface and prime. After this, the base is completely ready for laying the finishing coating.
Video - leveling the floor with plywood
If, in addition to the wavy surface, the floor has a noticeable slope, another leveling method is used - attaching plywood to joists. This way you can even out differences from 3 to 10 cm in height and prepare a reliable base for any coating. Beams, strong boards, and strips of plywood up to 4 cm wide are used as lags. The preparation of the base is carried out as standard: everything unnecessary is taken out of the room, the baseboards are removed, the old coating is cleaned, and defects are repaired.
Step 1. Marking the floor level
From the highest point of the base, a mark is projected onto the wall using a level gauge. Step back upward a distance equal to the thickness of the coating and put another mark. Now, using a water level, marks are placed at this height along the entire perimeter and connected in one line. This is the floor level.
Step 2. Installation of logs
If there is a risk of the base becoming damp, a waterproofing film is placed on top of the boards; in other cases, the logs are attached directly to the wooden surface. The beams can be installed both along and across the boards.
The logs are laid flat in parallel rows at a distance of no more than half a meter and fastened with nails. Then, using a level and wooden blocks different thicknesses Each lag is aligned horizontally. To prevent the linings from moving, they are glued together. When all the logs are level, the nails are driven in completely, securely securing the beams to the wooden floor.
The thinner the plywood, the smaller the distance between the joists; in places where increased load on the floor is expected, cross members made of beams of a smaller cross-section are additionally attached between the joists.
Step 3. Laying plywood
Sheets of plywood are cut into squares and laid out on joists for fitting. On each square it is necessary to immediately mark the places for fasteners so that during installation you do not drill extra holes. If the material lies neatly and evenly, there are no unnecessary gaps, you can attach it to the joists. Start with the outermost square and gradually move along the row. The screws need to be slightly recessed into the plywood so that the caps are 1-2 millimeters below the surface. Be sure to watch the joints - they should not match anywhere.
Step 4. Installation of ventilation holes
To extend service life wooden base Small holes must be made in the floor for ventilation. In opposite corners of the room, preferably under heating radiators, determine a place for ventilation grilles and make neat cutouts in the plywood. Install on top ventilation grille, covering the joints with glue or sealant.
Step 4. Finishing the floor
The finished coating is checked with a building level, all joints and fastening points are inspected. If no defects are observed, the seams and recesses from the screws are covered with putty, then the surface is sanded and dust-free. Finally, apply the primer mixture and allow the base to dry.
Dry mixture for floor screed
During the work you will need:
- kneading container;
- construction mixer;
- fiberglass mesh;
- primer;
- putty knife;
- putty;
- polyethylene film;
- stapler
Step 1: Preparing the floor
The boards are cleared of old paint, grease stains, debris and dust, the baseboards are removed and thin planks are laid in their place so that the solution does not get into the gaps. The gaps between the floor and the boards, as well as small cracks and recesses, are filled with putty, and the entire surface is primed.
Waterproofing and reinforcement
A plastic film is laid on the floor, the joints of the overlapping strips are secured with tape, and a fiberglass mesh is laid on top for reinforcement. To prevent the mesh from moving and floating up when pouring the mixture, it is fastened to the floor with staplers. In this case, it is very important to hammer in the staples so that the mesh is not pressed tightly against the base. It should be in the thickness of the solution, and not under it, otherwise there is no point in laying it.
Step 3. Pouring the mixture
The dry mixture is poured into a container with clean water, observing the proportions indicated on the package, and stir for a minute construction mixer. The finished composition must be applied and leveled within 15 minutes until the solution begins to harden. The mixture is poured onto the floor and leveled with a wide notched spatula over the entire surface.
Step 4: Finishing
4 hours after applying the screed, the boards along the walls can be carefully pulled out and the joints can be sanded. After this, the surface is ready for any finishing coating.
Sometimes, to level a plank floor, a cement-sand screed up to 7 cm thick is used. But in this case, both the floor itself and the ceilings must be very durable, in excellent condition, which is rare for an old floor.
Video - Leveling a wooden floor
Video - How to level a wooden floor in an old house
Wooden floor - undisputed leader among the sexes of the twentieth century. It is absolutely natural, environmentally friendly, durable, creates coziness and comfort in the home, and the materials for it are publicly available. Most of the buildings of the last century: “Stalin”, “Khrushchev”, “Czech project”, all private houses and many others were equipped with wooden floors. Given the age of these objects, it is indisputable that it is time to renovate them. This article will tell you how to repair a wooden floor in a private house or apartment, and will also touch upon the repair of the floor in a wooden house and its design features.
Diagnostics and inspection of a wooden floor structure
Before you start repairing the floor, you must inspect it and find rotted or sagging boards, inspect the joists and beams to see if they have been eaten by a bark beetle. The result of the research will determine whether it is possible to do without partial renovation: screw it in here, trim it there, or you will have to do a major overhaul.
Even if the finished floor boards seem perfect to you, you still need to make sure that the subfloor is also in good condition. Let's try to find the rotten boards. To do this, tap the floorboards with a hammer. We will determine the condition of the boards by the sound. If the sound is dull, it means the board is rotten. And we determine the more accurate position by looking at the nails - they have rusted under the influence of the rotten board. If only the top boards become unusable, then they can be easily replaced. If the subfloor boards are rotten, it’s also not a problem; they can be cut out and replaced, having first checked the condition of the joists. But if the logs are rotten, you will have to disassemble the structure a little more, cut out the rotten piece of the log and nail new bars to it on both sides.
We check the embedded beams by piercing them with an awl
If in a private house there is an unpleasant odor coming from the floor, and some elements are broken, it means there is rot somewhere. You will have to check all the elements: the finished floor, the rough floor, the joists, the beams, and the embedded crowns. The most difficult thing is that even rotten embedded beams can look perfect, especially if you examine them in a semi-dark underground. Therefore, we inspect everything wooden elements both from the outside of the building, and from the inside, and from the underground. If no defects are found “by eye,” then we take an awl and try to pierce the embedded beams. We try to make piercing movements as often as possible. If we find a rotten section of the beam, we will have to cut it out and replace it. And if this is impossible, then we will raise wooden house on a jack and replace the embedded beam completely.
Raising a wooden house with a jack
We pay close attention to the ends of the joists. They begin to rot more often and faster, taking over the rot from embedded beams that are not waterproofed or if the insulation has already worn out over time.
If, during an external inspection, minor defects are found in the form of cracks between the floorboards, the boards are “walking,” or the paint is peeling, then we will make do with a partial repair.
If the floor creaks, it is enough to go through it and replace some of the joists.
If the floor is too cold and allows moisture to pass through, it means that during construction they were in a hurry and skimped on materials, forgetting to insulate the floor. You will have to disassemble it and re-waterproof and insulate it.
Major renovation of a wooden floor
If you are the happy owner of a wooden floor that is 40 years old or more, do not entertain yourself with illusions; half measures will not do. Next we will look at how to make capital and other buildings. By the way, it’s quite possible to do all the work yourself. Although it is better to have a partner, it is also more convenient, faster, and more fun.
First of all, let's shoot flooring and baseboards. This can be linoleum, parquet, boards or cloth, depending on the design of the house. If tearing off linoleum or parquet is not so bad, then tearing off cloth and hardboard can be very difficult. During the Soviet shortage, when even nails of the required size could not be found, 5 mm hardboard could be nailed with 50 mm nails. It is quite possible that you will have to suffer. We throw away everything that is torn off; it will no longer be useful to us.
We undermine and cut out old floor boards
To dismantle the floorboards, we look for a wider gap. Using a crowbar or crowbar, or better yet both, we pry up the board and undermine it along its entire length. We pull out the nails. Thus, we remove all the floor boards, both finished and rough. The logs should appear before us in all their glory. Well, or what's left of them. Prepare for the worst. Most likely, you will see that the subfloor was simply hanging in the air above the soil and the remains of the rotted floors.
Important! It is quite possible that the logs were eaten by a bark beetle. After all, there were no special impregnations before. We'll definitely check this out.
If the logs still remain, we dismantle them by unscrewing them from the beams and support posts.
At this point, the dismantling of the old floor can be completed, and you can begin laying the new floor.
Scheme for replacing beams using a jack to raise a house
But if we are repairing a wooden house or bathhouse, in which the logs are supported and attached to embedded beams that are already rotten, then we cannot do without helpers and equipment. To work with support points, we will have to jack up the house and replace all the beams with new ones.
Installation of new joists
Before directly installing the logs, we need to decide whether we need to drain the basement or add foundation. If the subfloor is damp, draining the subfloor will significantly increase the time it takes to repair the floor.
If necessary, add foundation to crumbled areas.
We inspect the condition of the support columns for the logs: all structural elements must be in good condition. If there were none, for greater reliability of the structure we mount columns:
- We mark the places for attaching the lags on the embedded beams. We stretch the cord in the longitudinal and transverse directions, determining the angles of future posts.
- We remove the soil in the designated places. We compact it, lay down plastic film to waterproof the foundation, pour crushed stone, and compact it again.
- We install the reinforcing mesh 10 cm above the crushed stone.
- We install the formwork 10 cm above the ground level.
- We pour concrete. The foundation for the posts should protrude 5 cm above the ground. We wait until it dries, 2-3 days.
- We waterproof concrete.
- We lay the bricks in two rows on the cement mixture.
- We waterproof the bricks, install heat and sound insulation.
Scheme for installing joists on support posts
We buy timber for the logs rectangular section. It is better if the height of the log is 2.5 times the width. But if you buy 200*200 mm timber, that’s also good. Wood can be used coniferous species: pines, if, fir. Humidity should be 18-20%.
Important! All wooden structures: beams, joists, floorboards are treated with antiseptics against bugs and fungi.
We lay the logs on the beams and support posts. We start with the “lighthouse logs”, the outermost ones from the walls. Then we retreat 2 m from them and lay more logs.
Important! Be sure to check the horizontal lag level. If in some place the lag protrudes beyond the level, cut off the excess with a plane. If the joist bends somewhere, we install a lining under it.
We lay all the joists and screw them to the beams with self-tapping screws. To secure the logs to the support posts, we use corners. We drill holes in advance so as not to split the lag. We secure it on the wood side with self-tapping screws and on the brick side with dowels.
Important! A deviation of the log level of 1 mm per 1 m is allowed.
Arrangement of the lower floor
We nail the bottom floor boards to the joists from below
We will need a “bottom” floor so that there is somewhere to lay the insulation. To do this, we take well-dried boards 20-30 mm thick.
It is more convenient and easier to fasten the lower floor boards across the joists, securing them directly to the beams.
To do this, all work will have to be done from the underground, maybe even while lying on the ground. We nail the boards or screw them to the joists with self-tapping screws.
Important! If for some reason you decide to lay the bottom floor boards along the joists, then you will have to nail bars to the joists, onto which the bottom boards will be attached.
Check the floor for cracks. If we find any, blow them out with foam.
We lay insulation between the joists
After the “bottom” floor is ready, we lay a layer of waterproofing and insulation. Since the space between the joists remains empty, we will lay insulation mats in it: stone wool, mineral wool, basalt fiber or other material.
Arrangement of wooden flooring
We lay the finished floor on top of waterproofing and insulation
For the “top” or finished floor, we buy well-dried wood with a moisture content of no more than 12%. The thickness of the board should be about 40 mm. It is more convenient if the board is tongue-and-groove.
We begin laying the floor from the corner of the room farthest from the door. We lay the first board with a tongue and groove against the wall at a distance of 10-12 mm from it. We fasten the ridge to the beams and joists with self-tapping screws in such a way as to hide the head of the screw with the plinth. On the reverse side we screw the screws into the groove at an angle of 45°.
We insert all other boards into the groove with a comb, and screw them on the groove side with self-tapping screws.
Important! If the length of the flooring boards is less than the length of the room, then they will have to be laid “staggered”, i.e. offset by half a meter so that the joints of the ends in the row do not coincide.
We screw all the boards to all the joists without exception. If you bought non-grooved boards, then we use wedges and linings for installation.
Important! We alternate the direction of the growth rings in each row.
If we plan to leave the floor covering wooden, then the flooring must be sanded and covered with clear varnish or paint. If we are going to lay linoleum, then we level the finished floor with plywood or chipboard. And on top we lay linoleum, laminate or parquet.
The installation of a wooden floor in an apartment differs from the floor in a private house in that the logs are laid on a concrete base, and not on the ground. Therefore, the technology for repairing such floors in an apartment will be slightly different.
First of all, we dismantle the old floor, remove the floor boards and dismantle the joists. We should see a concrete base underneath them. We thoroughly clean it of debris and dust.
The wooden floor joists in the apartment are laid on a concrete base. We clean it from dust and debris
Be sure to make the cement screed or screed with a self-leveling mixture. We prime the surface and lay waterproofing. You can use 200 micron polyethylene film, lay it in strips and glue the joints with tape.
We lay sound insulation on top of the waterproofing. You can use cork, fiberboard, roofing felt, rubber or polyethylene foam.
We lay the logs. We secure them with dowels.
Important! If we use timber less than the length of the room, then the installation should be done “staggered”.
We lay insulation between the joists. We lay floorboards on top.
How to fix creaking floorboards
Any wooden floor sooner or later begins to creak. Either this place is used too often, or the floorboards are simply dry, or the joists are split. There can be many reasons. And laying plywood on top may not solve the problem, but only delay its solution.
Floorboards squeak when they are loosely attached to the joists. There are several ways to eliminate the cause.
We drive a wedge between the floorboard and the joist from below
Method 1. If it is possible to access the floor from below, for example when the floor is the ceiling basement, then you can fix the floorboard from below. To do this, one person goes downstairs and the other walks on the creaky floor. Thus, a “creaky” board is determined. We find the place where a gap has formed between the board and the joist or beam, and drive a wooden wedge into it.
We fix the boards with screws at an angle
Method 2. If there is no access from below, then screw the screw in at an angle from above. To do this, we drill holes in all the joists and fasten the boards with screws. We putty the screw heads. And when the putty dries, we sand the surface.
Method 3. If the cause of the creaking is the friction of the boards against each other, then you need to walk along the floor and find the “causing” places. Then pour talc or graphite into the cracks between the floorboards or drive in wooden wedges.
How to fix sagging floorboards
Most often, the reason for sagging floorboards is that they were not laid sufficiently dry. Over time, the wood dried out, cracks appeared, and the boards began to “walk” and sag under the weight of a person or furniture. There are several ways to solve the problem.
We push the cord soaked in PVA glue between the floorboards
Method 1. We buy a thick braided synthetic cord (rope). We impregnate it with wood glue or PVA glue. We push the cord between the floorboards to the middle of the thickness of the board. We prepare putty from PVA glue and sawdust. We first sift the sawdust and remove bark fragments and debris. Stir the mixture until sour cream thickens. Fill the cracks with putty. After the glue dries, cut off the excess with a knife. After drying, after 1-2 days, the floor can be painted.
Filling the gaps between the floorboards with putty
Method 2. If the reason for the sagging of the floorboards is sparsely located logs, then we will fasten the floorboards together. Cooking round long ones wooden sticks or pieces of steel wire large diameter. Long drill We drill holes in the floorboards at a large angle so that the hole passes through one floorboard and extends halfway into the adjacent one. We insert sticks into the hole. We begin to drill in a checkerboard pattern, first in one floorboard, then in the adjacent one. After all the sticks are inserted into the holes, fill the cracks as in the previous method.
Important! If the dowel sticks stick out from the holes, cut off the excess and putty.
How to partially replace floorboards
We pry up the board with a pry bar, leaning on the block
There are situations when only a few boards or even just one need to be replaced, and the rest are in good condition. What to do in this case:
- If it is necessary to replace not the entire board, but only the damaged area, we look for where the joist is located.
- We insert a crowbar into the gap and pry up the board.
- We raise it to a sufficient height to insert the fixing pad.
- We cut out the damaged area.
Important! The section must reach the middle of the lag at both ends. If you decide to remove the entire board, then cut out all sections until complete removal.
- We cut out a section of the board from new wood, using the old piece as a template.
- We lay a new fragment and secure it to the joists with self-tapping screws.
Important! If the flooring was made of tongue and groove boards, then the replacement technology is much more complicated.
Despite the fact that wood is a durable material, it must be good care. To avoid repairing your wooden floor too often, do not forget to treat the wood with antiseptics, which will prevent it from rotting and being eaten by bark beetles. From time to time check the fastening of the boards to see if they are loose. And open up the finished floor protective material, for example, varnish.
Wooden floors are most damaged by high or variable humidity. Microorganisms cause wood to rot. With a cyclic increase and decrease in the size of wooden elements, the fastenings become loosened, creaking and cracks appear.
Reasons why wooden floors are repaired:
- creaking floorboards and the presence of cracks between them;
- the need for insulation;
- uneven wooden floors;
- increased vibration or subsidence of the wooden floor;
- the smell of rot, failure of the joist system and floorboards due to rotting, destruction of wood;
- updating the paintwork.
And etc.
Let's look at how you can repair a wooden floor in case of various damages.
The floorboards are held together, they are wobbly
The most common “disease” of a wooden floor is squeaking. Over time, the wooden elements dry out (reduce in volume) and the fastenings become loose. When wood rubs, a squeak appears.
The main way to eliminate this is to seal the joints and pull the boards closer to the joists.
In the first option, work is carried out from underground - a wedge is driven between the joist and the loose board. To identify violations, an assistant walks along the floor.
Another option is to tighten the boards to the joist using screws. At the attachment point, two additional screws are screwed in at angles to the vertical (directed towards each other). Holes are drilled in the floorboard for screws, and the heads are immersed in the wood.
Filling cracks in wooden floors
Small cracks are usually sealed with a mixture of sawdust and PVA glue, carpentry glue, and casein glue. Instead of sawdust, you can boil newspapers - you get cellulose mass. This is a fairly old method of sealing cracks in wooden floors, but effective.
A wide gap needs to be sealed using a block planed into a cone. The block is adjusted to size, coated with wood glue and driven into the crack. After the glue has dried, the block is planed and sanded flush with the floor.
How to check the condition of the floor
How to detect rotten boards and damaged floor elements? The first step is to conduct a visual review. You need to go underground with a bright flashlight. In good lighting, damage to the joists and boards below will be visible. Mortgage crowns, etc. are also inspected.
Another test method is to hit a beam or board with a hammer. A dull sound and large dents indicate wet, soft, rotted wood.
Another way is to puncture with an awl. Joists, boards, beams are often pierced with an awl in search of rotten, rotten places.
All rotten structural elements eaten by the bark beetle must be urgently replaced. Otherwise, moisture and biological pests will spread even further to undamaged areas.
How to remove a floorboard or baseboard
To remove a floorboard, plinth, board, any element of a wooden floor must be pryed with a lever. A metal foot of various lengths is used, depending on the conditions. The prying should be done opposite the fastening nail, but not between the nails, otherwise the element will break.
The foot should rest on wooden block. Otherwise, it will leave a dent in the adjacent element.
The prying gap can be created with a strong knife, trowel, spatula….
We change a piece of board, lag
The damaged piece or the entire board is removed, sawed out, dismantled, and a new board according to size is inserted in its place.
How to replace a tongue and groove board without dismantling the entire wood floor?
Using a drill and a jigsaw, cuts are made in the board that needs to be replaced - transverse and longitudinal. A cutout of the central part is formed, which is removed, then the edge parts with tongues are also removed.
The new board is cut to size, the bottom fold is cut off on one side, then it can be installed in place of the damaged area.
Also, sometimes additional bars are nailed to the joists to hold the replaced section of the board along the edges.
Replacing the logs can be done with boards that are fastened together with bolts or screws, forming a wide structure with increased strength. To replace a joist in a house, you need to remove all the floorboards from it.
Insulation of a wooden floor during renovation
If you make a double floor (on top of the existing one), the height of the room will be lost and a lot of new material will be required. In many cases, it is more rational to insulate a wooden floor when renovating it by laying insulation between the joists.
A slab beam is nailed to the bottom of the log, a metal mesh is laid (to prevent rodents), then a wooden flooring is made. A vapor barrier membrane and a layer of glass wool (without phenolic binders) 15 centimeters thick are laid. There is a diffuse membrane on top and a ventilation gap is left.
The main thing is to prevent moisture condensation inside the insulation (the dew point is there) - a vapor barrier at the bottom and a membrane with a vent. a gap at the top is required. A typical mistake is the use of insufficient thickness of insulation - which does not provide resistance to heat transfer in accordance with SNIP.
We replace the crown if it is damaged
If the mortgage crown of a wooden structure has rotted, it can be replaced. To do this, you will need a jack capable of lifting the structure. Replacement can be carried out sequentially along the entire perimeter. An approximate diagram of the work to replace the embedded crown is shown in the figure. But such work is carried out in accordance with the design and safety measures in connection with working with a raised load and the use of lifting devices.
How to eliminate vibration
Floor subsidence or instability can be caused by an initially incorrect design, which does not provide the required rigidity. Also, similar consequences can arise due to the destruction of many logs. 
The usual way to eliminate vibration of a wooden floor is to install additional foundations under each joist, or under cross beam, which can be made from boards fastened together and will support several sagging joists.
A mini-sole is poured, onto which a columnar structure of one to one and a half bricks, or cinder block, or metal pipe flooded cement-sand mortar. The top of this foundation is covered with double roofing material. Height adjustment is carried out using wooden blocks. A jack is used for the initial slight lifting of the log before splitting the block.
How to level a wooden surface
Possible methods for leveling a wooden floor
- The floor is built up using a screed to its highest point or even higher.
- The floor is leveled at the lowest point - using planing and sanding.
- A combination of methods - first the highest places are planed, and then the low ones are raised to the level of the high ones.
As a screed for a wooden floor, you can use the same mixture of sawdust and PVA glue, but here the glue consumption, compared to sealing cracks, can be halved. Everything is done by analogy with leveling a concrete floor - wooden beacons are placed at the same level, then the mixture is poured and leveled.
Another option is to use plywood on the joists, i.e. essentially making a double floor. 
Sanding and planing a wooden floor is performed not only to level it, but also to give the floors good looking, removing old paint. You can see how scraping is done in the presented videos.
It should be noted that before starting work with power tools, all nails must be recessed 0.5 cm into the boards. Small power tools can usually be rented for leveling floors. Where power tools cannot be used (under batteries...), a hand scraper is used.
The video shows how floor scraping is done.
Another video - manual leveling of wooden floors by planing the protruding parts.