How to make the floor in the bath - we follow all the building rules. How to fill the floor in the bath: a step-by-step process of pouring with a slope, under the drain, do-it-yourself filling under the floor in the bath

When building a bath, everyone is faced with a large number of issues, among which the choice of material for the floor is far from the last. The first thing that comes to mind for many is a tree. But there is another option - a concrete floor screed. Such a floor will cost more, but it has a number of undeniable advantages.

Concrete floor screed: advantages and disadvantages

Advantages of concrete screed:

• strength. According to this indicator, it is significantly superior to other materials used to install the floor in the bath;
• durability. Concrete screed will serve you for many years;
• moisture resistance. At first, under the influence of water, concrete becomes only stronger, then it has an insignificant effect on it. In this case, the tree is destroyed under the influence of moisture;
• hygiene. Concrete is a material that is not subject to the appearance of mold, fungus, insects do not start in it;
• does not require drying. Wooden floors must be dried after bath procedures; a concrete screed does not need this.

Cons of concrete screed:

• great weight. Concrete is a heavy material, so a strong foundation is needed under it;
• long curing time. It takes about 1-1.5 months for the moisture to dry completely;
• shrinkage. Its duration depends on the amount of water in the solution;
• price. The construction of a concrete floor will cost more than the installation of a wooden coating, but if you take into account the expiration date, then the overpayment is justified.

At the moment, concrete floors are considered the best option. They are significantly superior to other types in terms of strength, and also have a huge service life and withstand high loads.

How to prepare a concrete solution?

A simple option is to buy ready-made dry mix. If you decide to cook it yourself, then you will need cement, water and sand. For mortar, cement M-400 or higher must be used. For 4 servings of sand, you need 1 serving of cement and water. The solution should not be liquid, because in this case, in the future, the concrete will not be strong enough.

Instead of ordinary sand, you can use perlite. It has high thermal insulating properties. The disadvantage of the material is its low weight, due to which the sand is very dusty, so it is impossible to work in windy conditions.

To prepare the solution you need to do the following:

1. Pour 2 buckets of perlite or sand and 10 liters of water.
2. Add 5 liters of cement.
3. Stir, add another 5 liters of water. Stir until the mixture is homogeneous.
4. Add 1 bucket of perlite and 2 liters of water. Mix.
5. Leave the mixture for 10 minutes to make it more plastic.

When the solution is ready, you can proceed to the main work.

Do-it-yourself concrete floor screed: stages

The floor screed in the bath is done mainly in the steam room and washing room, that is, in those rooms where there are quite extreme conditions (high temperature, humidity), therefore, in these rooms it is necessary to think over the drainage system.

The complexity of the concrete screed is that it must be at a slight slope. This is necessary in order to make a drain in the bath. When sloped, water will drain directly into the sewer, and the floors will dry faster.

Step 1. Preparatory work

First you need to evaluate the coverage under the bath. If it is sandy or covered with loose earth, then you can dig a drainage system right under the future room. The pit needs to be made about 0.5-1 m deep, with approximately the same length and width. In this case, it is important to carefully consider the ventilation system in order to prevent the appearance of unpleasant odors. To do this, you need to leave air in the basement with the possibility of a through air flow.

If the earth is clayey or dense, then it is necessary to make a small pit, and from it to conduct a water pipe, which will pass under the foundation and discharge water into the gutter, which is outside the foundation. At the end of the pipeline, a shutter will need to be made to protect the bath from unpleasant odors. The depth, width and length of the pit can be about 0.3-0.5 m, and a pipe for draining water will enter one of its walls. Air vents should also be left around the pit for ventilation.

The above options are relevant if the floor is raised above the ground. If you plan to pour a concrete screed onto the ground, then you need to consider a drain system before starting work, because in the process it will be necessary to install a pipe into the screed.

After the drainage pit is ready, you can proceed to the installation of the base of the future floor.

Step 2. Installation of a concrete floor in a bath

There is no single answer to the question of how to make a concrete screed. The process of work is affected not only by the soil, but also by the type of foundation used.

The device of a concrete floor in a bath on a strip foundation

1. 1. On the territory of the future bath, between the strip foundation, you need to remove the top layer of the earth, making a hole about 0.4-0.5 m deep.
   2. Fill the ground with gravel with a layer of 15 cm, compact it. You can already at this stage make a slight slope for draining.

   

   1. Lay a layer of sand 30-50 cm, compact.
   2. Lay a layer of roofing felt to waterproof the floor. Separate sheets should overlap by about 10 cm. Two layers of roofing material can be laid.

   

   1. Make a layer of thermal insulation. To do this, you can use different materials: slag, expanded clay, felt, mineral wool, etc. Regardless of which option you choose, make sure that the material goes beyond the floor to the walls - this will help to avoid drafts and cold air penetration . If you settled on mineral wool, then you will need to make a layer of waterproofing: cover it with plastic wrap.

   

   1. Lay reinforcing mesh for structural strength.

   

   1. Install a system of beacons and guides to ensure even coverage. Do not forget about a slight slope for draining.
   2. Prepare concrete solution, pour the floor. The minimum thickness of the screed is 30 cm. It is best to pour the screed from the corner farthest from the entrance, moving excess material towards the entrance. It is important to consider that the process of pouring the floor must be continuous, that is, as soon as you have laid one layer, the second must be started immediately. The concrete mixture will dry for about 5-7 days. If possible, it is better to wait about two weeks. During the drying process, the screed must be moistened - this will help to avoid the formation of cracks.

The above lists the work in the event that you will make a concrete screed in one layer. If you plan two layers, then the order of work changes. In particular, the first layer of screed should be done after step 3, before the hydro- and thermal insulation of the floor. Only after the concrete has completely dried can you proceed to the next step.

Continue the steps for hydro and thermal insulation, then reinforce the floor and fill it with a second layer of concrete screed.

The device of a concrete floor in a bath on a columnar, pile foundation

During construction, the procedure is different:

1. Install logs in increments of 0.5-0.55 m (the size depends on the insulation, it is important that the mats fit snugly into the space between them). For logs, it is recommended to use a beam with a section of 100x200 mm.

If you are building a large bath, then long logs can be further strengthened: install logs on brick support pillars.

1. Under the lags, you need to attach the bars 150x50 mm so that you get a design similar to shelves.

1. On the resulting protrusions of the bars, you need to mount the subfloor. For him, boards about 3 cm wide are suitable, they need to be treated with a special antiseptic.
2. Prepare pipes for water drainage.

1. Lay a layer of waterproofing.
2. Place a heater between the lags, cover it with a waterproofing film.
3. Lay reinforcing mesh.
4. Prepare the beacons and pour the floor with a concrete screed with a slope towards the pipes.

When installing a concrete screed in a bath, keep in mind that you need to calculate the level of the floor in advance: it is important that all of the above layers should not be higher than the crown crown, otherwise there may be a problem that the walls will be damp.

Installation of beacons for floor screed

If you want to get a perfectly even coating, then you need to use floor screed beacons. As beacons, profile guides, metal pipes, wooden blocks, “slides” of mortar and self-tapping screws can be used.

First you need to determine the thickness of the screed. To do this, you need to find the highest point of the base, then add the minimum allowable thickness of the screed to it, and then determine the line where the future floor will pass. It is best to work with a laser level, you can also use a bubble level.

The installation of beacons under the screed should start from the long sides of the room, the first beacons must be installed at a distance of 20-30 cm parallel to each other. Next, you need to set intermediate beacons at a distance of 10-20 cm, also parallel to each other.

There are two options for how to set beacons for floor screed:

• for cement mortar;
• for self-tapping screws.

In the first case, before installing beacons for floors, it is necessary to prepare a thick cement-sand mortar: mix cement and clean sand in a ratio of 1: 3, dilute the mixture with water to get a stable and plastic consistency.

Next, you need to put the solution in slides, on which the beacons themselves will rely. To adjust their position, the beacons for pouring the floor can be pressed into the mixture, to install them as evenly as possible, use the building level.

In the second case, pin beacons must be screwed into the floor, setting them in level. Next, you need to put a drywall profile on the screws.

Lighthouses for floor screed (photo):

After the work is completed, the floor is poured over the lighthouses.

Step 3. Finishing the concrete floor in the bath

Finishing is optional. There is a simple and budget option: put wooden flooring on the floor. The advantage of this option is not only cheapness, but also convenience. After visiting the bath, it is enough to remove the flooring and dry it, and then return it to its place. If suddenly the tree began to deteriorate, then you can simply change the pallet for a new one.

A popular material is lining. It has a lot of advantages: an attractive appearance, a treated surface that protects against splinters, an affordable cost, a long service life, and it is easy to install it yourself.

For the floor in the steam room, you can use lining of hardwood trees: alder, larch, aspen, linden, etc. Coniferous trees should be discarded, because under the influence of high temperatures they can release resin, and if you stand on it with bare feet , you may get burned.

The requirements for finishing materials in the washing room are not as strict as in the steam room. There are no extreme high temperatures, but the humidity level is much higher. In addition, if you do not put a closed shower in the sink, then all the water will pour directly onto the floor.

Lining is also suitable for finishing the floor in the washing room, and tiles are also a popular option. It has a natural composition, is not at all afraid of moisture and will be an excellent decoration of the room. But avoid using smooth and glossy tiles, as they are slippery. Pay attention to matte and rough surfaces. If the tile still slips, then lay a rubber mat on the floor or place wooden pallets.

Laying floors is the most critical stage in the construction of any building. Properly laid floors reduce the load on the foundation, distributing it evenly, thereby extending the life of the building. In addition, properly laid floors are the convenience and safety of people who live in the building or constantly use it.

It is especially important to observe the laying technology during the construction of a bath, since a bath is a special object, in the premises of which there is high humidity and high temperature, both hot and cold water is used abundantly.

Below we will talk about what kind of floors there are in the bath, and we will try to describe their laying in the form of a step-by-step guide.

In the bath, the floors can be made of concrete, wood or brick. The latter type of floors is used very rarely.

The fact is that, having a high heat capacity, the brick at the same time has a low heat transfer. In other words, it warms up so that you can get severe burns. Therefore, brick is used in the construction of the base for concrete or wooden floors.

a) concrete floor

This floor is designed for long-term use. Its service life is at least 50 years.

Concrete floor - cold floor. It requires a lot of money, labor and time.

b) wooden floors

The best and cleanest material for floors in the bath is wood.

There are two types of wooden floors that fit in the bath:

• flowing;
• non-leaking.

The design of each of them will be discussed below.

Concrete floor. Laying

A concrete floor is, in fact, a concrete screed. Either a floor covering is laid on it, or its surface is used as a floor.

It should be borne in mind that the concrete solution includes cement, sand, filler. Gravel, crushed stone, marble chips, etc. are used as a filler. Such a solution cannot be prepared manually. Even using a perforator, it is impossible to obtain the desired quality of the solution. Therefore, it is better to purchase a solution at a concrete plant or replace it with a sand-cement mortar. Such a solution is easy to prepare using a perforator with a special nozzle. Ready-made dry sand-cement mixtures can be freely purchased at any specialized store.

Prepare a solution, taking into account what the flooring will be. If the surface remains concrete or a plank floor is laid on top, then a regular mortar can be prepared. If it is planned to lay tiles, then gypsum with anhydrate should be added to the solution or a specialized self-leveling mixture should be bought.

When installing concrete floors, you will also need materials such as:

• ruberoid;
• broken brick;
• gravel;
• reinforcing materials, for example, metal mesh;
• perlite. It is designed for floor insulation. Add it to the solution while mixing;
• Styrofoam;
• mineral wool.

The concrete floor can be laid either on the ground or on logs.

All flooring work is divided into three stages. Preparatory stage, basic work, laying flooring.

Prices for roofing material

ruberoid

Preparatory stage

First, we install a wastewater drainage system. Naturally, it must first be designed and marked on the spot. The system includes two pipes and an intermediate tank. Usually the reservoir is a hole dug in the ground. Its dimensions should not be less than 40 x 40 x 30 centimeters. The bottom, the walls of the tank are concreted. The recommended thickness of the concrete layer is 5 cm. A vent pipe extends from the tank. The recommended diameter is 20 cm. It is discharged either into a gutter or into a special septic tank. The second pipe is brought into the tank from the bath. First, the level and location of the drain hole are determined, and only then a pipe is led from this place into the tank. In order to prevent unpleasant odors from entering the room, it is equipped with a special valve.

Having completed the installation of the drainage system, we begin to prepare for pouring the floor.

First, prepare the base of the floor.

Main works. Filling the floor

It is better to fill the floor with assistants. The solution thickens quickly, so efficiency is needed. That is, someone prepares the solution, someone fills it, and someone levels it. When pouring, the solution should be compacted. This is done so that the screed is homogeneous, cavities, voids and other defects do not form in it. To perform this operation, a vibrator is used.

Before pouring, the floor is waterproofed, beacons are installed on the site. Step - no more than 1 m. With the help of beacons it is easier to get a flat surface. They are installed either on the surface of the insulation, or mounted on pre-marked places on the walls of the foundation.

Filling starts from a far point and leads to the exit, leveling the solution. You need to level it with a trowel, and tighten it with a rule. At the same time, the movements are made circular, they need to be directed towards the exit.

Video - Concrete floor on the ground

Video - Filling the screed over the insulation

The concrete will set in two days, and it will be possible to carry out further work. But the load on the floor can be given only after it has completely hardened. The period of complete curing of the screed is three weeks and it depends on the temperature conditions. The higher the temperature in the room, the faster the concrete sets.

It's easy to check if it's ready. The set concrete withstands hammer blows. It doesn't even leave marks. The color of its surface should be uniformly gray.

Floor covering

The floor covering can be the surface of the screed itself, a board or a tile.

We must not forget that the floor in the bath should be sloping. The slope should be about 2 cm. It is made towards the drain hole.

a) concrete surface

Actually, this is the screed itself. Only its surface must be carefully leveled and, preferably, polished. It must be borne in mind that the concrete floor is cold. Therefore, instead of a bare screed surface, it is better to use a tile or board coating.

b) tiles

When laying, the tiles are glued to the surface with a special adhesive. As a floor, you should not use tiles in the bath. When moistened, it becomes slippery, so it is better to lay a metlakh. It is ideal for wet areas.

c) plank floor

The installation of such a coating is as follows:

• we lay waterproofing on the surface of the screed, for example, roofing material;
• we lay a heater on the waterproofing, for example, mineral wool, polystyrene;
• on top of the insulation we again lay waterproofing;
• we put logs, i.e. bars, the size of which is 5 by 5 cm, no more. For a plank floor, natural ventilation is needed, so you will additionally have to make holes in the foundation;
• we lay the board. For flooring, you need to use an edged planed board, best grooved.

If we lay the concrete floor on the logs, then the actions will be as follows:

• install a wastewater drainage system. How to do it, we told above;
• we level the site, add gravel, tamp it down. You can additionally make a concrete screed, as described above. The resulting pillow should have a slight slope towards the drain;
• put lags. As a log, a bar of a certain section is used. You can lay it on the ground, but it is better to fix it on the walls of the foundation. In this case, it is necessary to apply logs with a section of 10x20 cm. The distance between them (step) is 50 cm. We must not forget about the pre-treatment of the beam with agents from decay and exposure to microorganisms;

  
  
  

• on the logs we lay an intermediate, rough, floor. For its device, we use an edged board with a thickness of at least 30 millimeters. We close up all cracks, joints, gaps in the floor;

  

• we lay waterproofing on the intermediate floor. If there are joints, gaps, then we seal them;
• we lay insulation on the waterproofing;

  

• laying another layer of waterproofing;
• then lay the reinforcing mesh.

  
  

The preparatory work is completed, we fill the floor. After the screed has set, lay the coating. Its choice depends on the taste and desire of the owner.

One general note, it applies to all types of floors that are used in the bath. Synthetic materials, such as linoleum, cannot be used as flooring. At high humidity and high temperature, they become a source of toxic substances. The person is simply poisoned.

Wood floors leaking

The simplest floors. The design of leaking floors does not provide for insulation, so they are used either in the south, or in the warm season, in the country. As such, there is no water drainage system in the design of such a floor. Waste water is most often drained directly to the ground. But, if the soils are clayey, then you will have to install water drainage. To do this, we make a tank, as described in the section on the construction of concrete floors. There is no need to bring a pipe into the bath. The design of the floors does not require a special drain hole.

If the logs are laid on the ground, then we perform the following steps:

• we treat the logs with an antiseptic;
• leveling the site;
• we fall asleep gravel;
• ramming the site. On clay soils, it is imperative to make a slope towards the reservoir;
• install support columns for the log;

  

  

• lay the lags. Step - 50 cm;

  

• laying the floor. We leave a gap between the boards, the floor and the wall. Gap - up to 3 mm. Through these gaps, water will flow. We do not fasten boards to the lags. Leaking floors are removed from the log and taken out to dry after using the bath. The pillow under the logs and the logs themselves must be laid so that the lower edge of the floor is higher than the upper edge of the foundation (plinth).

  
  
  
  
  

The service life of such floors is short. They will last no more than five years.

Wood preservative prices

wood preservative V33

Video - Laying posts for lag

There is another option for leaking floors:

• after preparing the site, beams are installed around the perimeter of the foundation. They are made from timber treated with an antiseptic. Its size can be 100 x 100, 100 x 150, 150 x 150 mm;
• logs are attached to these beams;
• flooring is laid on the logs.

Floors can be made from both softwood and hardwood. Larch is considered the best wood for making floors. But, unfortunately, in our time to find larch is very, very difficult. Therefore, when constructing floors, pine is used. Of hardwoods, linden is most often used. Oak should not be used. It becomes slippery after getting wet.

A small digression. In Russia, baths have always been built from aspen. It was believed that she drives away evil spirits and restores health.

Board for flooring is used edged, planed. Its thickness must be at least 30 mm. The most common flooring board is a 50 mm thick board.

A bath with non-leaking floors can be used all year round in any region of the country. The design provides for the installation of an intermediate subfloor and the installation of insulation.

The work that needs to be carried out when laying a non-leaking floor is as follows:

• install a wastewater drainage system. To do this, dig a hole (reservoir). Dimensions are listed above. We concrete it;
• we make the drainage of water into the sewer. We use a pipe with a diameter of 200 mm for the removal. We install the second pipe. It will be connected to the floor drain. We install a siphon at the outlet of the pipe so that it has free access. It will be needed to clean the siphon from accumulated dirt and debris;
• preparing the site. We remove the surface of the soil, we fall asleep sand. We carefully tamp the site. We fill the site with gravel and again carefully tamp. You can additionally pour a concrete screed. The thickness of the screed should be no more than 5 cm;
• we lay waterproofing on the resulting floor base. Most often, roofing material is used as insulation;
• install a heater. As a heater, you can use a layer of expanded clay, foam. If the logs are laid on the base, then the insulation can be laid between them. The distance between the lags is 50 cm.

Video - Laying the floor in the bath

Video - The order of laying the floors in the bath

The second option is when the logs are laid on pre-installed beams. In this case, beams made of massive timber with a section of 10x20 cm are attached around the perimeter of the foundation. Further:

• install intermediate floor. It is attached to the bottom of the beams, if they are provided for by the design. If not, then we put it on the logs:
• on the intermediate floor, you can additionally lay another layer of insulation. In this case, waterproofing is first laid. Then a heater is placed on it. Another layer of waterproofing is laid on it.

And now we lay the main finishing floor. It must be installed with a slope towards the drain. The board is attached to the log with screws or nails. We bring the siphon into a pre-prepared hole.

Vido - The nuances of laying a wooden floor in a bath

When installing non-leaking floors, a planed board with a thickness of at least 30 mm is used. It is best to use a grooved board. That is, a board with a groove on one end and a tongue (protrusion) on the other. As a log, a bar with a section of 50 x 50 or 50 x 70 mm is usually used. Beam - a beam with a section of 100 x 100 or more. For the manufacture of boards and logs, beams use wood of both hardwood and softwood. Most often, either pine or linden is used. Expanded clay, foam plastic, foam styrene can be a heater.

A mandatory requirement for wooden floors in the bath, both leaking and non-leaking, is the presence of ventilation holes in the foundation. They are made so that the wood is said to breathe. That is, it released the accumulated moisture into the atmosphere. Do not forget that the lower edge of the floor must be at least 10 cm higher than the upper edge of the base.

The service life of non-leaking floors is at least 10 years.

Video - Floor in the bath (preparation of boards)

Video - Floor in the bath (installation of beams)

A concrete floor on the ground in a bath is considered the most convenient option for organizing a drain in a washing and steam room. Depending on the soil conditions, flooring and the presence of a warm floor, the layout of the design pie may differ.

Of all the existing foundations, it is possible to fill the floor on the ground only inside the MZLF tape, in extreme cases - inside a low grillage. At the same time, it should be noted that the level of flooring in wet rooms (steam room and washing room) should be at least 2 cm lower than in other rooms (SP29.13330).

The bathhouse does not have constant heating, load-bearing and enclosing structures, the soil under them completely freezes in winter. In clay soils, accordingly, frost swelling occurs.

Intermittent heating

For the floor on the ground of buildings in which heaters are switched on periodically, the following set of measures is used to reduce / eliminate heaving forces:

Unlike foundations, floor drainage on the ground is not used, since this drainage system must be located outside the foundation of the bath.

Important! The walls of the bath are insulated, not from the outside, but from the inside, so as not to spend an extra amount of firewood to warm them up and reduce the time to go into steam mode.

The need for a drain

The bath is the only room among the outbuildings, inside the rooms of which water flows on the floor in large quantities. It is possible to collect and divert drains from the floor in a bath on the ground only through a ladder, by analogy with a shower stall.

For a small washing room, one ladder is usually used, towards which gravity slopes of 2–4 degrees are created on the outer surface of the concrete floor screed on the ground. The main points in this case are:

The slots are necessary for the drainage of liquid, which is collected under the boards in the ladder. To service the resulting underground, the boards are removable:

• fit into the grooves of the lag;
• rolled into small shields.

If it is necessary to clean the underground or sewerage, the floor covering is disassembled, then placed in place.

The design of the floor cake on the ground in the bath

Unlike joist floors with a ventilated subfloor, a floor on the ground has a much longer service life, but is absolutely unrepairable. Therefore, all communications (water supply and sewerage) are brought inside the building before concreting it.

Base

Unlike foundations, the floor on the ground does not perceive structural loads from the building. However, heaving forces from clay soils act on it and operational loads are transferred from the weight of users, benches, light metal stoves that can be mounted without their own foundation.

Only uneven heaving forces are dangerous for reinforced concrete structures:

• clay has a scaly structure, with abundant wetting and freezing, it increases unevenly in volume, the screed can tear, lift in a separate area without the possibility of recovery;
• crushed stone and sand are non-metallic materials, even if they are saturated with water to the maximum, when frozen, they will increase in volume evenly;

In other words, the floor on the ground will rise evenly, in the spring the ice thaws, the structure lowers to a similar position without damage. The fertile layer is dangerous due to shrinkage due to the abundance of organic matter inside the chernozem.

Therefore, the base for the floor on the ground is made in the following way:

In this case, there is a nuance:

• concrete floor screed on the ground must be protected from soil moisture;
• the waterproofing layer is made of rolled bituminous or polymeric materials;
• roofing material, bikrost, glass hydroisol and other materials can be rolled out on crushed stone, but it is very difficult to seal the joints of the overlapping strips, in addition, when walking on the surface of the waterproofing to lay the wire reinforcing mesh and pouring concrete, these materials can be torn by the soles of the shoes on the uneven edges of the crushed stone.

Therefore, a thin leveling layer of sand is either poured over the rubble, or a footing is poured. This screed is made of low-strength concrete B7.5, not reinforced, has a thickness of 3-5 cm, and is used as a large-format table for rolling out and sealing the joints of waterproofing material.

Underlayment for laying waterproofing.

Important! To decouple this rigid underlying layer along the perimeter of the foundation, strips of extruded polystyrene foam are installed vertically or the surface of the supporting structures is pasted over with a damper tape.

Insulating layers

Traditionally, for reinforced concrete structures, insulating layers are:

Advice! Waterproofing does not have to be glued to the footing, it is enough to ensure the tightness of the joints of individual strips of rolled material.

However, in most cases, the footing is coated with bituminous mastic and glass hydroisol is melted onto it to increase the operational life of this layer, since it is not possible to repair it later.

When choosing a heater for the floor on the ground, you should consider:

• mineral wool can shrink, since the density of these materials is lower than that of other heat insulators;
• basalt and glass fiber, when wet, loses its thermal insulation properties, and moisture from these materials cannot evaporate in a concrete structure on its own;
• Ecowool is not used in screeds.

Therefore, extruded high-density polystyrene foam, foam glass and expanded clay remain. Extruded high-density polystyrene foams, which are most often used in floors on the ground, have the optimal quality / price ratio. Depending on the presence of a warm floor, the thickness of the insulation is 5 - 15 cm. The seams are filled with mounting foam.

Concrete screed

The standards of the joint venture do not indicate that screeds and floors on the ground, which they actually are, need to be reinforced. However, to increase the service life, wire meshes (4 mm wire, 5 x 5 cm mesh) are laid in the lower level, observing a protective layer of 2–3 cm. To do this, the mesh is placed on waterproofing over concrete or polymer pads. It is forbidden to use cuttings of reinforcement and crushed stone.

The thickness of the screed is selected depending on the design of the floor on the ground and operating conditions:

Important! For the screed, ready-mixed concrete from B12.5 is used, pouring is carried out according to pre-installed beacons, especially if it is necessary to make slopes.

Flooring

The easiest way is to veneer a concrete screed (slab) with tiles or porcelain stoneware. However, it is not comfortable to walk barefoot on such a coating. It is not economically feasible to install a boiler for a water-heated floor inside a bath; when choosing an electric floor heating, operating costs increase sharply.

Tile flooring.

Therefore, removable flooring is laid on the tile or a slotted wooden floor is made:

• floorboards are laid with a gap of 1 - 2 cm on logs for gravity water removal;
• a ladder with a dry hydraulic seal is integrated into the screed, to which slopes are made from all sides.

Thus, the floor cake on the ground inside the bath can be modified depending on the specific operating conditions and the presence of a warm floor in the design.

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Upon completion of the assembly of the frame of the bath structure, you can do interior finishing work, among which the procedures for arranging floors occupy a special place. In this article we will try to talk about how to make the floor in the bath with our own hands from wood and concrete, we will give a step-by-step guide, as well as photo and video instructions.

First of all, it should be noted that both wood or concrete and ordinary ceramic tiles can be used for the manufacture of bath floors (in some cases, floors can be made directly on clay).

The main thing to focus on when carrying out work is to ensure the normal outflow of used water. We also note that when finishing floors in “hot” rooms, in no case is it allowed to use synthetic materials (linoleum, for example), which, when heated, can release toxic and harmful substances.

Particular attention in the production of such work should also be paid to the insulation of the flooring, which most directly affects the comfort of the procedures taken. In those cases when you decide to make a concrete floor, be sure to make sure that it is covered from above with wooden flooring or special cork slabs that provide comfortable washing conditions.

Wood

From the foregoing, it follows that before you make the floor in the bath, you will definitely need to decide on the material used to make it.

Wooden floors are recommended to be made from coniferous wood (fir, pine, larch or spruce); and in this case you can use two options. The first of them involves the arrangement of a continuous, water-impervious coating, and in the second case, the floorboards are laid with a small gap, providing a free drain of washing waste.

Solid or "non-leaking" floors are made by embedding the lag directly into the clay or setting them on concrete (preferably with a slight indentation) followed by a dense covering with tongue and groove boards. But before that, a classic screed is made on the concrete surface, which has a slight slope towards the drain. At the same time, at a certain point, on the edge or in the middle of the room, a collection of drains is installed, connected to the sewer system of your home.

The preparation of the so-called leaking floor is usually carried out according to the following scheme:

1. First, well-leveled and compacted soil is covered with a layer of gravel with sand, which is subsequently poured with liquid concrete.
2. In its shape, the poured surface should resemble a funnel with gentle slopes and with a center at the place of collection of wastewater (with a protective grate installed in the drain).
3. Then wooden logs are mounted on brick columns, which serve as the basis for placing the flooring.
4. And at the end of the work, edged floorboards are laid on these logs with a gap of 5-6 mm.

When arranging such a floor, take care of the waterproofing of the columns supporting the logs by lining sections of roofing felts or roofing felt, folded in several layers, under them. In the absence of bricks, fragments of old concrete slabs can be used as a support. You should also pay attention to the fact that it will be possible to start preparing the floors in the steam room and washing room only after you have completed the installation of the water drainage system and prepared the foundation for the stove.

We must not lose sight of the need for antiseptic treatment of wood structural elements, and also do not forget about the ventilation of the spaces under the floor, which ensures their safety. In particular, the removal of wet fumes can be organized through the use of a furnace blower.

Concrete floor in washroom and steam room

Many experts consider the arrangement of the concrete floor in the bath to be an economically correct and profitable solution. The long service life of concrete speaks in favor of this method of arranging the floor. A quality screed can last more than 30 years. Among the advantages of this floor it is worth noting:

• Resistant to temperature extremes and high humidity.
• Doesn't rot.
• Concrete does not develop harmful microorganisms and fungi.

To care for the concrete floor, you do not need to buy expensive household chemicals. In addition, you have the opportunity to decorate the floor, for example, with tiles.

The bath uses a lot of water. This suggests the need for arranging a drain. Before concreting the floor, a drainage system should be designed and implemented. To do this, you need to determine the point that will most easily equip the sewer system. At this point, an intermediate tank should be placed, which can be made in the form of a small pit, having a size of 40 × 40 × 30 cm. The simplest method for processing the pit is concreting, with a layer of at least 5 cm.

Then, from this tank, drainage should be made into a manhole / septic tank. For these purposes, you can use a fan pipe with a diameter of 200 mm.

The soil should be leveled and then rammed. Then fill the floor with coarse gravel 15 cm thick. Gravel can be replaced with a brick fight. The next layer of crushed stone is 10 cm thick.

After the crushed stone has been compacted, a layer of concrete 5 cm thick should be poured. It should be made with a slope towards the preliminary wastewater tank.

To significantly reduce heat loss in the bath, the concrete floor should be insulated. This is done after the first layer of concrete has cured. Expanded clay can be used as a heater. It needs to be covered with a layer of 5-8 cm.

This is not the only insulation that is suitable for arranging a concrete floor. Often, building felt or mineral wool is used for these purposes. But, it is worth considering the fact that when laying mineral wool as a heater, you will have to additionally waterproof it. Roofing material can be used as a waterproofing layer.

Between the floor and the wall should be filled with bitumen.

Another option for floor insulation is pouring cement mortar with perlite (a rock of volcanic origin). It has been used in this direction relatively recently. The advantages of this component are high water absorption and thermal insulation characteristics.

Perlite is a very light material and must therefore be handled indoors.

The batch is done in a concrete mixer. In this case, it is important to strictly follow the instructions that are indicated on the packaging for the product.

A second concrete layer should be poured onto the insulation or waterproofing (depending on the insulation material you installed). In this case, it is necessary to lay a reinforcing mesh (it can be wire or reinforced mesh) before pouring concrete. In order for the concrete to be strong as a result, it must be tamped, leveled with a rule, and the tightening concrete should be poured on top.

For pouring the screed, a sand-cement mortar or a self-leveling mixture is used. If tiles will be used to decorate the floor, then it is better to buy a cement mixture designed for this purpose.

The screed must be poured in one go, so you need to act quickly. Start pouring from the far corner, leveling the solution with a trowel. You need to tighten it with the rule in a circular motion, which would be directed towards the exit from the room. After the screed should harden, this process takes several days.

With the addition of plasticizers, the hardening process of concrete is accelerated. They, among other things, enhance the strength of concrete, securely connect the constituent components of the mortar together and prevent the possibility of cracks.

The screed fully hardens in 3 weeks. In the first week, it must be watered from time to time.

The surface quality is determined after the concrete has completely dried. If the screed has a uniform gray tint, then this indicates its uniformity. In addition, there will be no visible marks from a hammer blow on durable and high-quality concrete.

Ceramic tile is most often used as a concrete floor finish in a bath. The tile will also look spectacular. A significant disadvantage of tiles is that when wet, it becomes slippery, which increases the risk of injury. Therefore, on the practical side, it is better to lay metlakh tiles on the concrete floor.

You should not use linoleum and other synthetic coatings in bath rooms (even in those in which temperatures are not as high as in a steam room). The fact is that in the process of heating, substances are released from them that can lead to intoxication, that is, severe poisoning of the body.

Auxiliary premises

In rooms with a low level of humidity and relatively low temperature, it is allowed to use laminate and linoleum prohibited for steam rooms. In the dressing room, such a coating is covered over a special flooring, which makes it possible to dry the floors. When using such a base, the flooring is double, consisting of a rough and finishing flooring.

When working with the floor, you must adhere to the following recommendations:

• the optimal height of the floor base above the ground is considered to be a level exceeding this mark by at least 30 cm;
• for the manufacture of natural wood flooring, edged or tongue-and-groove boards with a thickness of about 25–35 mm are selected;
• laying logs on brick columns in such structures is mandatory.

The procedure for arranging floor coverings in a bathhouse made in the old Russian style, in fact, is no different from the procedures described above (taking into account the fact that the floors in the steam room can even be earthen). Before preparing them, you will need to do the following operations:

1. Along the perimeter of the base, at a distance of about 50 cm from the foundation, soil is first selected (to a depth of about 45–50 cm).
2. The resulting site is filled up to the required level with a mixture of fine gravel and sand, and then carefully compacted.
3. The boards are laid directly on the prepared base, which is quite consistent with the floors made according to the old methods.

Video

This video will answer the most frequently asked questions about the floor in the bath:

A photo

Scheme

These schemes will help you in arranging the floor in the bath:

The bath belongs to the "wet" premises and all its structural elements should be built taking into account this feature. First of all, this applies to the floor in the steam room and the washing department, because it is he who is responsible for the drainage. Our conversation will focus on the types of floors for baths and the technology of their device with their own hands.

Types of floors for a bath

First of all, bath floors differ in material. As in residential premises, they can be:

The device of a concrete floor is an expensive, long and time-consuming process, but this option is also more durable: the service life is about 50 years. With a floor made of planks, it's the other way around: it's cheap, and you have to mess around less, but it will last only 7–8 years. After this period, the wood will need to be replaced.

There are no outsiders among these types, and both are quite in demand, so we will consider both options in detail.

plank floor

Floors of this type are further divided into two varieties:

In the first case, the floor is a kind of grate through which water flows directly onto the ground underneath. This is the easiest and cheapest option. It is clear that with slots in the floor, the bath can only be operated in summer, that is, this design is most suitable for summer residents.

The non-leaking plank floor is solid. It is given a slope towards one of the walls, along which a plastic chute is installed to collect water. The gutter, in turn, has a slope towards the drain hole. Since wetting the underground space with proper installation is excluded, insulation can be placed here, so this type of floor can be considered acceptable for year-round baths.

Selection of materials and calculation of their quantity

Both leaking and non-leaking flooring is a covering of planks laid on beams called joists. The lags, in turn, rest on a foundation or grillage (if the foundation is columnar), and, if necessary, also on intermediate columns. Before starting work on arranging a plank floor, a number of parameters must be determined.

Section lag

The cross-sectional dimensions of the log are selected taking into account the expected distance between the supports. With a standard load on the floor (up to 300 kg / sq. M), the following relationship takes place:

• with a distance between supports of 2 m: section dimensions - 110x60 mm;
• at 3 m: 150x80 mm;
• at 4 m: 180x100 mm;
• at 5 m: 200x150 mm;
• at 6 m: 220x180 mm.

If the distance between the walls exceeds the bearing capacity of the available timber, one or more intermediate supports - the so-called high chairs - must be installed on the soil base in the middle of the span. Usually they are brick pillars with plan dimensions of 250x250 mm, installed on a low concrete foundation with plan dimensions of 350x350 mm.

There is also a simpler version of the “high chair”: an asbestos-cement pipe of sufficient diameter is dug into the ground, and then concrete or cement mortar is poured into it.

If there is no timber of suitable thickness available, the logs can be made composite by installing several thinner boards side by side, which in total will give the required thickness. Since such a structure, unlike a solid beam, is not monolithic, its height should be taken 10–20 mm more than indicated in the list just given.

Step between lags

Knowing the lag installation step, the builder will be able to calculate the amount of timber for their manufacture and the amount of materials for the support posts.

The step will depend on the thickness of the finishing boards. You should follow this dependency:

For the manufacture of flooring, you should use a smoothly planed board of the 1st or 2nd grade. Aspen is considered the most preferred breed - it is resistant to moisture and is warm to the touch. Oak also tolerates high humidity well, but it is colder.

You can also use conifers, but you need to be prepared for the fact that the resin protruding from them can appear in the form of ugly spots and even cause allergies in some users.

When calculating the number of boards for a leaking floor, the width of the gap between them should be taken into account - 5–7 mm.

Do-it-yourself leaky plank floor for a sauna or bath: a step-by-step guide

The technology includes the following stages: preparation of the base, laying the log and installation of the flooring.

Soil preparation

The method of preparation depends on the type of soil under the bath and how it is decided to dispose of the waste. There are two options:

• the soil has good drainage properties (sandy or rocky);
• the soil passes water poorly (clay, loam, sandy loam).

In the first case, it is enough to arrange a filter made of crushed stone or gravel covered with a layer of 25 cm under the floor. Excavation should be carried out to such a depth that there is a distance of at least 10 cm from the top of the filter to the bottom of the lag.

If the soil does not absorb water, do the following:

On the ground under the floor, a crushed stone pillow is arranged with a 10-degree slope towards the pit, and on top of it - one of two:

• a waterproof pallet made of roofing material, the sheets of which are welded or glued together with bituminous mastic;
• clay castle 80–100 mm thick.

To make a castle, you need to soak the clay with water and make a thick solution out of it. When laying it, it must be carefully leveled, and then, when the coating dries slightly, iron it out, slightly wetting it with water.

Important! Before backfilling the rubble, do not forget to install the support posts for the log, if necessary, and the foundation for the furnace.

Log laying

Logs should be laid so that the long side of the cross section is vertical. When installing a leaking floor, they are laid parallel to the shortest wall of the room. Logs should not touch directly the foundation or support posts. It is necessary to lay them on gaskets from 2 or 3 layers of roofing material, smeared with bitumen dissolved in diesel fuel or molten bitumen.

Advice. Anyone who is willing to spend a little more can be recommended to use a modern waterproofing agent - eurobitumen, as more effective.

Flooring installation

As already mentioned, the boards of the final flooring are laid with a gap of 5–7 mm. It is advisable not to nail the flooring to the logs, but to make it in the form of several removable shields, nailing several boards to two crossbars. The latter are arranged so that when laying the shield they are between the lags. The removable floor can be taken out to dry, which will significantly extend its service life.

Important! The boards should not come close to the walls - there should be a gap of 20 mm around the perimeter of the flooring.

Note! It is important to provide in the foundation of the bath, if it is solid, holes (air vents) through which the underground space will be ventilated.

Leak-proof plank flooring

The flooring of a non-leaking floor is made of a tongue-and-groove board, that is, one that has a groove along the edges and a corresponding ridge for a lock connection. Thanks to the lock, the cover is waterproof.

The step-by-step instruction looks like this:

1. As in the case of a non-leaking floor, a 25 cm thick bedding is arranged over the compacted soil, but since the non-leaking floor is insulated, it is better to use expanded clay instead of crushed stone. The soil must be taken out to such a depth that a distance of at least 150 mm remains from the top of the backfill to the bottom of the wooden structures. Although the penetration of water into the underground space is excluded, in this case it must also be well ventilated, for which purpose air vents must be arranged in the foundation. This will prevent the wood underneath from rotting.
2. We lay logs on the foundation and support posts. When installing a non-leaking floor, they should be directed across the water flow. With this design, moisture will flow down the boards along the wood fibers, that is, with minimal resistance.
3. Having set the logs, the so-called draft floor is nailed to them from below - a filing made of the cheapest, waste material, for example, a cut slab. A heat insulator will be laid on this structural element in the future. It should also be treated with an antiseptic beforehand.
4. Next, the logs with a subfloor must be covered with a vapor barrier film. It is pressed into the gaps between the beams, as a result of which it fits both them and the filing. The edges of the film should go on the walls by about 100 mm.
5. Insulation is placed between the lags. In this case, it is better to use mineral wool as this, since it is of no interest to rodents. If the foam is laid and the mice manage to get to it, which is very likely in the conditions of a suburban area, then they will gnaw out whole holes in this material.
6. From above, the insulation is covered with a film with hydro-vapor barrier properties. It should also be released on the wall.
7. On top of the lag we fill a solid flooring from a tongue-and-groove board. Do not forget that a gap of 20 mm should be left around the entire perimeter. Each board is nailed to the joists with two nails, and they should be driven in at an angle of 45 degrees - then the boards will be pressed against each other as tightly as possible. At first, it is recommended to simply “grab” the boards, but the final adjustment and fixation is best done after the finishing work is completed and the bath is dried.

Note! Before laying the logs, you need to prepare them in a special way, because it is with their help that the slope towards the gutter is formed. In the course of water movement, wood is cut off the beams, reducing their height more and more, and in addition, the cutting is increased on one side by 2–3 mm so that the logs lie with a certain slope. The slope should be 10 degrees. In addition, the wood must be impregnated with an antiseptic. For the treatment of bath floor boards, only an environmentally friendly antiseptic, for example, Neomid 200, should be used.

After installing the finished floor covering, you need to cut the film sticking out from under it and sew it to the walls.

Note! Wall sheathing should lie on top of the baseboard so that moisture flowing down them does not penetrate under it.

It remains to install an inclined chute with a drain hole connected to the sewer along one of the walls.

Please note that a conventional bath drain water trap is not suitable - during long periods of inactivity it will dry out. A so-called dry shutter should be used, the main element of which is a hollow light ball or a damper made of floating material. Water entering the drain will cause the ball or flapper to float, opening the drain hole. When the flow dries up, the locking element will lower under its own weight and close the hole, thus preventing the penetration of odors from the sewer.

Concrete base device

Anyone who preferred a concrete floor needs to do the following:

1. The soil base should be carefully compacted.
2. From above, fill and compact a layer of expanded clay with a thickness of 150 mm.
3. Pour concrete preparation with a thickness of 50 mm, after laying a mesh of fine reinforcement on expanded clay.
4. Treat the corners between the walls and the floor with waterproofing mastic or lay a strip of roofing material in this place, so that 500 mm of its width falls on the wall, and 200 mm on the floor. Such protection is recommended to be applied after each layer - it will not allow moisture to penetrate into the underlying layers, which could cause the development of mold and fungus in them.
5. Reinstall and connect the lower part of the drain to the sewer.

The drain consists of two parts, each of which has a flange. The part with the upper flange must be temporarily disconnected, and the lower one, which we will install now, should be covered with tape or plastic wrap so that the solution does not get into it.

Further actions depend on the installation site of the ladder. The ladder ladder (it looks like a long tray) just needs to be installed against the wall and connected to the sewer, having well lubricated the junction with sealant.

Saving sealant is not worth it: the pipe joint, being filled with a screed, will be completely inaccessible, so the likelihood of leakage should be minimized. Moreover, the rubber sealing ring will dry out over time (natural aging of rubber) and will not be able to provide tightness. We remind you that the drain must be equipped with a dry valve, and not with a conventional water seal.

Similarly, you need to do with a point ladder if it is installed in a corner.

If you want to install a point ladder in the middle of the room, you need to calculate its location and installation height.

Location

This item is relevant if the concrete floor is supposed to be pasted over with ceramic tiles. From the point of view of aesthetics, it is important that the ladder is in harmony with such a coating. To do this, you need to calculate its location so that it:

• for small tiles: installed instead of one of the tiles;
• with large tiles: it was installed at the junction of two or four tiles symmetrically with respect to them.

Installation height

Having determined the location, the ladder must be raised to such a height that the pipe connecting it with the sewer has the correct slope. Its value depends on the diameter of this pipe:

• with a diameter of 30 mm: the slope is 1:20 (5 cm per 1 m);
• at 50 mm: 0.02–0.03 (2–3 cm per 1 m).

To set the pipe and ladder to the desired height, you need to put wooden linings or insulation under them.

Good to know: drains are available with adjustable height.

Further actions

The next step is laying the heat insulator. In this case, a material capable of withstanding loads should be used as a heater. The cheapest way is to use expanded clay, but you need to consider that its thermal conductivity is not the lowest. A more effective option is extruded polystyrene foam, which costs a little more.

Granulated polystyrene foam, which in everyday life we ​​call polystyrene, cannot be used, since it will collapse under the influence of a load. Extruded can withstand loads up to 50 t/sq. m. You can recognize it by its structure: it is homogeneous, while granular polystyrene foam consists of many glued granules of different sizes.

The thickness of the insulation should be such that a distance of about 35-40 mm remains from its top to the bottom of the ladder flange. If expanded polystyrene is used, then in its sheets it is necessary to cut grooves for the ladder and sewer pipe.

1. We install a damper tape around the perimeter of the room immediately above the insulation. It will allow the screed to expand freely when heated. Such a tape should be installed both in the steam room and in the washing department, where the floor will be heated by hot water pouring onto it.
2. We lay a cement-sand screed over the heat insulator. It fits under the very flange of the ladder, that is, its thickness is the same 35–40 mm. For reliability, this layer can be reinforced with wire. The solution is smoothed with a rule, after which it is left to mature.
3. We lay the waterproofing: a reliable waterproofing material, for example, roofing material or the Isoplast membrane, is laid over the entire screed with an outlet on the walls, while a hole is cut out in it at the installation site of the ladder, corresponding to the inner diameter of the drain device. Thus, the flange of the ladder is covered with waterproofing.
4. For greater reliability, one or two more fragments of waterproofing material about 1x1 m in size can be laid on top of the ladder, cutting holes in them in the same way. Also in the waterproofing, it is necessary to make small holes above the mounting holes of the flange.
5. We screw the upper part of the ladder into place: first, the sealing ring supplied with the ladder is placed on the flange, then the upper part is installed and screwed tightly with screws. The next step will be to fill the screed again, so the ladder again needs to be covered with a film from the solution.
6. We fill in another layer of screed, forming a slope towards the ladder.

The required slope for the floor is 1 cm per 1 m of length, that is, 1:100. The shape of the surface will depend on the type and location of the drain:

1. If it is a long tray and installed along the wall, the floor is given the appearance of a single inclined plane.
2. If the ladder is point-shaped and stands in a corner, the floor is divided diagonally into two parts and each of them is given the desired slope.
3. When installing a point drain in the center of the room, the floor is divided by diagonals into 4 isosceles triangles with a slope towards the drain.

The slope of the screed is formed using plastic beacons - long rails, in which one of the faces is located at the desired angle. Often such beacons are even included in the ladder kit.

The thickness of the screed is selected so that near the ladder it is below its grate by the thickness of the finish coating.

At the end, lay the finish coat. The concrete floor is quite cold to the touch, so wooden grates are usually laid out on it in the bath. But even in this case, it is worth not limiting yourself to treating the screed with a deep penetration waterproof impregnation, but laying a waterproof coating on it, smooth, but not slippery. Thanks to him, the floor will be much easier to keep clean.

Liquid glass or liquid rubber can be used as a finish, but most often the floor is pasted over with waterproof ceramic tiles with an anti-slip effect. The grout should also be waterproof, and it is highly desirable to add an antifungal additive to both it and the tile adhesive.

The work on laying the tiles should start from the ladder, and if its location was calculated correctly, the tiles near the walls either do not have to be cut at all, or they will be cut at each wall in the same way.

Seams are made with a width of no more than 3 mm, grouting should be done one day after laying the tiles.

Video: installing wooden logs and warming the bath floor

You can often hear from masters: "Water will always find its way." This means that the construction of the floor in the bath, even the simplest, flowing one, must be approached very deliberately. Using our advice, you will be able to build a reliable structure that will serve you for many years.