Floor preparation for tiling. Secrets of preparing the floor for laying tiles from professionals Preparing a wooden base

Since during construction or repair it is almost impossible to achieve a flat surface, without slope and flaws (crevices or tubercles), on which the floor covering will be mounted, builders use a layer of cement-sand mixture. This layer is called floor screed.

How to prepare a surface for a screed? To do this, you need to perform a series of sequential work:

prepare the surface;
lay hydro and sound insulation;
to mark the base for beacons;
install beacons.

Foundation preparation

For a high-quality screed, it is necessary to prepare the base on which it will lie well. When repairing the floor old coupler better to remove. From time and operation, cracks, chips, potholes appear on it. Expanded clay accelerates the destruction process, which was covered under it in Soviet-built houses - the backfill compacts over time, forming voids under the cement screed, which is almost impossible to repair.

The increase in the cost of work when replacing the floor will result in savings later, when it does not have to be among the service life of the new floor covering disassemble everything again due to deformation of the screed.

The old floor base is removed with a perforator. The concrete floor is cleared of debris and dust. After that, it is desirable to vacuum it and make a wet wipe. All damage to the overlap, chips and flaking are removed. Cracks, seams and surface damage are sealed with a thick cement mortar.

It should be remembered that the cement mortar will not lie on concrete without prior preparation of the base. It just goes away after a while.

Therefore, the places of damage to concrete and seams are primed. Small cracks are embroidered with a scalpel or perforator, otherwise the solution cannot be rubbed into them.

Concrete primer

Repair of damage in the ceiling and seams, and then the primer of the entire surface is carried out using:

cement milk;
water;
special primer (Ceresit ST 17).

For reference: other types of factory primer are either more expensive, or their quality is lower, or, like Vetonit, they have a short shelf life.

The technology of laying the screed on expanded clay is discussed in detail in the materials: "" and "".

Dry concrete will draw water out of the cement-sand mixture and disrupt the chemical process of cement setting. In addition, the primer binds dust particles and creates a film that improves the mutual adhesion of concrete and cement mortar.

Cement milk is obtained by mixing cement with water in a ratio of 1:2. Both with cement milk and water, the restored places are wetted 2-3 times, but without the formation of puddles. It is desirable to accelerate the saturation of pores with moisture using paint brush. To do this, the primer is actively rubbed into the concrete with a brush. The repair mortar is applied to a damp surface (wet on wet) and thoroughly rubbed.

Priming with "milk" is much more effective than wetting with water. The cement contained in it penetrates with water into the pores of concrete and improves the process of joining the cement mortar with the repaired base.

Special primers penetrate into the ceiling in repaired areas and crystallize there, blocking the outflow of water from the solution. On the penetration surface, they form small scales that provide adhesion of the patch to the concrete.

The repair of floors in St. Petersburg and Moscow in pre-war houses has one feature - there are no concrete floor slabs. The interfloor ceiling is made of powerful metal T-beams. Therefore, the preparation of the base for the screed in such houses begins with the filling between the expanded clay beams, on which a layer of cement mortar is applied.

Expanded clay base

Expanded clay is a light, porous material. Ecologicaly clean. It is used for heat and sound insulation, as well as a filler of spaces, to reduce the load on the load-bearing elements of the building.

Before backfilling with expanded clay, the base of the interfloor overlap is covered with a polyethylene film, overlapped, (thickness 100 microns or more) or other waterproofing material. The seams are sealed with tape. At the walls, the film is laid above the floor mark.

Lighthouses are being installed. Expanded clay is poured and the surface is leveled with a long rail, preventing it from exceeding the lighthouses. We fix the leveled layer of expanded clay in this position with the help of cement milk, which will prevent the displacement of expanded clay granules when laying the screed.

Screeds in individual houses or cottages are carried out on the ground or on the subfloor.

Ground base

The soil is cleared of vegetation and leveled. Expanded clay is poured on it, at least 5 cm thick above the foundation, to provide thermal insulation and a layer of sand 10-15 cm. The resulting surface is wetted with water and rammed for dense shrinkage. This is the most cheap way screed preparation, which is not inferior in efficiency to more expensive options.

Wooden floor base (black floor)

The wooden floor used for the base of the screed must meet a number of criteria:

do not have rotten boards;
be firmly attached to the lags;
do not contain traces of glue, grease and paints;
do not creak;
don't bend.

Deficiencies are easily remedied. Preparing the floor for pouring the screed comes down to replacing rotten and sagging boards. Eliminate dirty spots detergents or with the help of grinding (planer). Creaking boards are additionally attached to the joists. Places of possible leakage of the solution (under the baseboards near the walls, cracks, fallen knots) are sealed with parquet putty based on wood dust or oil paint mixed with sawdust in a ratio of 1:4.

Important: water-soluble putty is not used, as it can be destroyed by the moisture of the solution.

Plinths are removed. A thin rail is put in their place. The gaps between the rail and the floor are sealed with putty. After the screed is installed, the rail is removed, and the remaining gap between the wall and the floor will serve to ventilate the space under the floor, which will prevent the boards from rotting and the lag. After laying the floor covering, it will be closed with a plinth.

The next step in preparing the base for laying is waterproofing and soundproofing. Waterproofing issues are covered in detail in the work: "".

Waterproofing

Carrying out construction or repair work on the installation of the floor with their own hands, many identify waterproofing work with the installation of a damper tape. Yes, the tape partially performs the role of sound and waterproofing, but only at the junction of the wall and floor. Protection of the subfloor from moisture from the basement or leakage in rooms with high humidity(bathrooms) it does not provide.

Important: base floor waterproofing is mandatory in individual houses without a basement. Capillary moisture and water evaporation from the soil under the building destroy both the foundation, the screed, and the floor itself. The problem is exacerbated if the moisture has an aggressive (acidic or alkaline) environment. Interacting with the components of concrete, it renders it unusable for several years.

Exist various ways waterproofing:

Gravel-sand cushion. Used in private houses on the first floors;
Film. It is applied in all types of apartments and houses. It is simple in device, which allows a novice builder to perform such preparatory work. In terms of cost - a budget option. Only one point can be attributed to the minuses - it cannot be laid on a base with many pipes;
Coating waterproofing based on rubber or bitumen. It is applied in several layers. Penetrates into all cracks, which guarantees the quality of work performed;
Impregnation waterproofing (Penetrate). The new kind insulating material. Its peculiarity is that it can be applied on any side of the concrete - reacting with the components of the concrete, the impregnation grows special crystals throughout the entire thickness concrete floor. Crystals and prevent the penetration of moisture.

Noise isolation

Soundproofing is necessary for residents of apartment buildings, starting from the second floor. Music, children's screams, loud TV, etc. become a problem for the upstairs neighbor long years. It is solved by laying soundproofing material on the floor. At the same time, depending on the type of flooring, soundproofing material is placed under the screed on the slab (floating screed), or on the screed itself.

Various materials are used for floating screed:

polystyrene;
mineral wool;
perlite;
expanded clay.

Its device is not very complicated, but requires certain knowledge and skills. Does not apply to certain types of floors. In such cases, soundproofing materials are placed between the screed and the floor. Instructions for soundproofing the floor screed are given in the article: "".

Important: carrying out soundproofing work almost always solves another problem - floor insulation.

Subfloor marking

The floor surface before the screed always has defects:

slope, while different rooms in different directions;
bumps and protrusions in concrete that cannot be removed, etc.

In order to level these shortcomings, it is necessary to find such a conditional horizon, above which the floor base will not be visible in all rooms of the room. This is achieved by deriving the zero level (horizon line), and then, with its help, the floor screed line. These lines are beaten off with a building cord along the walls of rooms or drawn with a pencil along a rail or a rule.

Conclusion

Preparing the subfloor for laminate flooring includes the following steps:

cleaning the base from the old screed;
surface repair;
primer (if work on hydro and sound insulation will be carried out on the surface of the screed);
hydro and sound insulation ( modern materials allow you to combine these technological operations into one);
beacon arrangements.

It should be remembered that the quality of the preparatory work depends on the durability of the laminate.

Features of the preparation of the base

The preparation and pouring of the self-leveling floor must be carried out strictly in a certain sequence, observing all the prescribed rules for preparing the base and the mixture itself, which in most cases are indicated on the packaging from the manufacturer's factory. In case of violation of the recommendations, the coating most often cracks or peels off the base, which significantly reduces its service life.

For quality work you will need:

Broom and scoop for removing large debris;
Construction vacuum cleaner for major cleaning of the surface from dust;
Serpyanka mesh for sealing seams;
Mounting foam or sealed putty for sealing joints and cracks;
Putty knife.

In the vast majority of cases, the structure is made on a concrete or cement base, less often on a wooden one. Any base based on cement and sand has one significant drawback - it is a high degree of absorption of dust and other foreign particles. It is for this reason that the quality of adhesion of the polymer to cement is significantly degraded. A vacuum cleaner is used to remove dust.

Important. When preparing a cement-based floor, it is better to use an industrial vacuum cleaner with a water filter, since the cement particles are so small that a conventional dry filter passes most of them back, trapping only large debris. Also, the nozzle of the vacuum cleaner should have brushes for better cleaning.

Next, you should purchase a special impregnation for cement surfaces in a hardware store. The task of this impregnation is to close the pores of concrete and small cracks to prevent dust from entering them and the possible appearance of an air bubble when laying the polymer material.

If the base under the self-leveling floor is covered tiles, then you need to make sure that the tile is held very tightly, otherwise it is better to dismantle it. If the tile is of high quality, then it must also be cleaned of dust, degreased and coated with a special primer based on polyurethane, which will ensure high-quality adhesion to the floor.

For your information. When preparing a wooden base, its surface must be carefully leveled by grinding and create a rough surface. sandpaper to ensure better adhesion. If the wood is relatively fresh, then it is advisable to impregnate it special solutions, which will give additional strength and will not allow moisture to be absorbed.

Processing of concrete joints

Surface preparation of concrete or concrete floor slabs begins with cleaning the surface from the remnants of the old finishing material. All concrete slabs have shrinkage joints that must be thoroughly cleaned, then primed with a concrete primer and sealed. mounting foam, putty or sealant. If there are small holes or cracks on the surface of the plates, then they must be repaired with a moisture-resistant putty using a sickle mesh, which will prevent their further expansion and ensure the integrity of the putty. A similar sealing operation should be carried out at the joints between the floor and the wall using putty and sickle mesh.

Floor surface primer

The preparation of the base for self-leveling floors ends with the application of a primer, which is designed to provide high adhesion of materials. Experts recommend using a special primer containing a fine fraction to impregnate the surface. quartz sand, this will make the surface rough and provide high quality adhesion of materials. The surface of the substrate must not be smooth, as this will impair adhesion and affect the leveling of the layer. It is advisable to apply the primer in several layers and after each layer to withstand the drying time of at least 4 hours. After applying the last layer of soil, it is necessary to dry the surface for 24 hours and only then the base under the self-leveling floor will be ready for further work.

Installation of beacons

The installation of beacons is carried out only if you need to first lay the main layer, and already pour the finishing layer on top of it. If your floor surface is fairly even and you plan to fill the finish layer with rhinestones, then beacons are not required.

Preparing the floor for a self-leveling floor with a base layer requires the installation of special beacons that help control the evenness of the application and avoid various depressions. For self-leveling floors, there are special beacons that are installed on the concrete surface using a water level and attached to putty or sealant. Ethics beacons can not be removed after pouring.

For your information. The initial base coat is usually made from coarser, low flow materials and is applied and leveled with a rule and trowel. Many craftsmen, creating a base for self-leveling floors, make special shrink cuts at the junction of floor slabs, this prevents possible cracking during solidification if the layer is thick enough, later these seams are sealed.

After the base surface is prepared and beacons are installed, we can assume that everything is ready and start preparing the self-leveling floor for subsequent pouring.

From the author: Hello friends. If you started a renovation and want to make a tiled floor, but you don’t understand anything about the intricacies of laying it, then you have come to the right place. We will tell you not only about the installation process itself, but also about how to prepare the floor for laying tiles.

Why choose tile?

Tiles are becoming more and more popular every day. And, if earlier laying was carried out only in bathrooms and kitchens, now ceramics can also be seen in residential premises. This is not surprising, because it has a number of advantages that bring it to the first place in comparison with other materials.

Tiled flooring is durable, hygienic, inexpensive, durable and perfectly wet cleaning without absorbing moisture. It should be noted that in the building materials markets such a wide range is presented that the eyes run wide. A variety of colors, patterns, shapes and textures allows you to complement any, even the most demanding interior, with the help of tiles.

But, everything is not perfect, and ceramic coating also has its drawbacks. The most significant is the high cost of the process of preparing the base for ceramic coating. There is no way to skip this stage, but on the contrary, it is worth approaching with particular scrupulousness so as not to let all subsequent work go down the drain. In addition, this will give us great savings in the adhesive mixture and significantly reduce the laying time.

Preparing the foundation

So, the preparation of the base for a decorative coating can be divided into several stages. To begin with, the condition of the floor is assessed - the magnitude of the slope and irregularities. It will depend on this. A small difference (up to 30 mm) is corrected with a self-leveling screed, a more substantial difference will require pouring a cement-sand screed.

And with a significant slope (more than 100 mm) it will be necessary not to load the coating. Large ledges, if necessary, must be knocked down. The surface can be concrete, wooden and even with old tiles, but for all types the basic rule is to maintain perfect cleanliness.

Concrete floor

Consider the option when a cement slab is used as the basis. This coverage can be divided into three types:

Bare concrete is the most economical of the options, but this does not make it the best, as it promises many problems in the process. For example, minor defects of the slab itself are inevitable - these are tubercles, pits, various irregularities, which will certainly cause further destruction of the base. The modern market offers a lot of solutions to this problem, however, it is not recommended to use for these purposes chemicals, because the components included in their composition are partially or even completely incompatible with the adhesive mass. The output is a simple cement screed or.
New concrete base - the preparation of such a base takes a lot of time. During the drying process, cracks may form, which should be repaired immediately. Professional builders recommend letting the fill stand for at least four weeks. And in this case, the market offers us a rich assortment to speed up the process, but again, it is not recommended to resort to chemical catalysts. Their principle of operation is as follows: there is a special hardener in the composition, it creates a kind of film on the cement surface, thereby preventing rapid loss of moisture. But this also negatively affects the strong adhesion of the cement to the tile. Finding out the presence of such an additive is not difficult - just moisten concrete slab water. If the liquid collects in droplets, then this indicates the presence of an additive, but if the water spreads, then the solution does not contain any chemical additives.
The old concrete base also requires the identification of flaws and defects. If the detected crack is large enough, it is recommended to replace this area with a new concrete screed.

Wooden floor

Consider the least common option -. There is an opinion that such an overlap is not at all suitable for a tile base, however, experienced builders assure the opposite, if you follow a few rules.

The thickness of such a coating must be at least 25 mm, otherwise, during operation, the tile may crack due to the fact that it will “walk” under load. In addition, to enhance the fit of the tile, the wood can be further sanded, and in rooms with high humidity, such as a bathroom, it is recommended to apply an additional waterproofing layer.

old tile flooring

And finally, an option for the laziest of this world -. There are cases when, for some reason, the old tile cannot be removed, then a new one can be laid on top of it. However, before doing this, you should make sure that the new (raised) floor level will not interfere with opening the doors. If everything is fine, then you can proceed to the preparatory work. In this case, our weapon will be sandpaper. With its help, you need to carefully sand the old tile, which will give it a roughness to improve the bonding process.

Summing up

Regardless of the foundation you have, you need to correctly prepare the base for new ceramics:

We check the base for strength. We use the tapping method - with a metal hammer we bypass the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe cement screed. When tapping, we make sure that the cement mortar does not peel off and does not crumble, the sound should be deaf. If during the verification process it turns out that the screed is not strong enough, knock it down to the ground and make a new one.
Check the base for a horizontal level. We take a building level with a length of at least 1.5 m and check the slope (it should not exceed 2%). Of course, such a strict check must be done if your goal is a perfectly flat surface. When the floor is supposed to have a drain, then a rail must be placed on the side of the drain to accurately measure the level.
We check the base for "clearance". To do this, we take a rule 2 m long. If laying will be done on glue, then the gap should not exceed 2-3 mm, if the mastic is 4 mm, the cement mortar is 8 mm.
We eliminate the identified defects. This is the most important stage - we knock down all the protrusions, and wet the pits and seal them with cement or self-leveling mortar. Be sure to close up all the joints between the floor and the wall, remove the existing paint. If oil and grease stains are detected, we destroy them with a solution of 3% hydrochloric acid or other similar means.
Working on the base. We seal all joints with cement mortar, if the tiling will be done in the bathroom, then do not forget about the waterproofing layer. Concrete floors, after processing with a grinder, primer. If the base is prepared in wooden house, then we must treat it with an antiseptic, apply several layers of waterproofing. In no case do not try to lay ceramics on linoleum, carpet or carpet. Such coatings are without fail it is necessary to remove and carefully get rid of their traces.

If you have been dreaming of tiling your floor for a long time, but are worried that the surface will always be cold, there is good news for you. Ceramics can be laid on the underfloor heating system! However, you should remember about the nuances - 2 days before laying the warm floor is turned off and not earlier than 4 days after laying it turns on.

We hope that after reading our introductory article, you have learned that proper preparation bases are the key to a high-quality laying of ceramics. If you liked the article, subscribe to our newsletter on social networks and share with your friends! Happy repair!

Ceramic tiles are popular in interiors for finishing floors and walls. Their beauty, durability, ease of care attracts consumers. The service life depends on the thoroughness of the preliminary preparation of the base. decorative coating.

What is this article about

Surface Requirements

Preparing the floor for laying tiles includes a number of mandatory works that make it possible to make the future foundation of high quality, even, capable of withstanding heavy loads. What you need to pay attention to:

the presence of irregularities;
strength test;
protection against moisture, mold, fungus;
surface cleanliness;
adhesion of materials.

Floor covering removal

To estimate the amount of expected work, it is necessary to remove the old coating. If a tile is laid on the base, then it is dismantled along with the cement mortar, using a perforator with a nozzle or a chisel. If linoleum, laminate, parquet was laid, then it is removed using an improvised tool. It is important to clean the surface of adhesive residue, stains or paint with a 3% hydrochloric acid solution.

Paul is of the following types:

concrete (rough, with a coupler);
wooden;
with an old screed;
with a ready base.

Depending on the type of floor covering, preparing the floor for laying tiles will take a different amount of time, money, materials and tools. When working with any of the surfaces, follow a certain order:

evaluation of the quality of the floor. The presence of irregularities, cracks, the strength of the base, the degree of slope;
correction of identified deficiencies;
cleaning;
treatment with antifungal protective impregnations;
laying waterproofing;
applying a screed;
drying;
primer.

Concrete floor preparation

General rules that apply in order to prepare the floor for tiling.

With the help of a rule 2 m long, protrusions of more than 3 cm are noted, they are removed. Slots and joints are expanded, treated with soil, cemented;
Remove dust, grains of sand from the surface with a vacuum cleaner, wipe off oil stains. Treated with mold impregnation;
Make waterproofing. Suitable for this: thick polyethylene film, geotextiles, mastic, bituminous roll materials, waterproof varnishes and paints. In rooms with high humidity, the film is continued on the walls (up to 30 cm). In residential premises, it is convenient to process the joints between the floor and the wall, slabs with mastic;
The type of screed is selected depending on the slope of the floor or its most protruding part. So:
- height difference up to 3 cm, corrected with a mortar (tile adhesive), on which the tiles will be laid or, the entire surface is poured with a self-leveling screed. It should be noted that the rapid drying of the mixture is achieved due to substances that form a film on the floor surface that interferes with the good adhesion of the coating to the base;
- up to 10 cm use a cement-sand screed. The thicker its layer, the longer it dries, possibly the appearance of cracks;
- more than 10 cm, expanded clay is laid out, and then it is poured with a leveling solution.
Drying. Complete solidification of the cement mortar occurs after 28 days. When using quick-drying mixtures - depending on the manufacturer;
Primer. Allows you to improve the properties of adhesion of the surface to the lining, get rid of dust residues, has antiseptic properties, protects against excessive absorption of moisture. It is rolled out on the surface with a roller in several layers. The choice of priming solution is determined by the type of screed;
After the primer has completely dried (up to 12 hours), the preparation of the surface for laying tiles is completed.

Floor preparation with old screed

If available on concrete base screed, it is necessary to assess its condition. If there are small cracks, depressions, then they need to be expanded, treated with soil and sealed with a mortar that will be used when laying the decorative coating. If the screed, when tapped with a metal hammer, makes a dull sound, crumbles, then it must be completely removed. Further, the whole process occurs in the manner described above.

Wood floor preparation

The floor prepared for laying tiles must be flat, clean, and durable. It should be remembered that wood is subject to expansion and contraction, these properties can affect the strength of the surface, the quality of the final result.

If the floorboards do not creak, do not squeeze through, then all the cracks are foamed with mounting foam or puttied, the surface is primed, waterproofing is placed for wooden surfaces. Then, a reinforcing mesh with a cell of 10 cm is laid, filled with a self-leveling mortar for wood.

If the floor is shaking, then remove all the floorboards. The logs are treated with an antiseptic, expanded clay is poured between them or foam is laid (to improve thermal insulation), a layer of vapor barrier and waterproofing is placed on top, and GVL boards are fixed. A space of up to 2 cm is left between the wall and the slab (gap for expansion depending on humidity), which is then foamed. Further, the plates are primed, work is carried out according to the plan.

Laying on the finished decorative coating

There are times when linoleum is well glued to the surface and it is quite difficult to remove it. To improve the adhesion of the adhesive to the substrate, it is permissible to sand the floor to better prepare it for laying tiles. When laying out a new tile on an old one, it is necessary to wipe its surface, check whether the tile is properly attached. The fallen off pieces of tile are removed, and the space under it is filled tile adhesive. You should make sure that the new layer of tiles will not interfere with the opening of the door.

After carrying out all the preparatory work, the preparation of the floor for tiles is completed. It remains only to lay the tile on the finished surface.

How to prepare the walls for laying out decorative elements?

The surface of the wall, as well as the floor, must be clean, even and durable. The tile laid on such basis will serve for many years. The procedure for preparing the wall for tiles is as follows:

surface cleaning from old coatings;
alignment;
soil treatment.

When available on the walls old tiles, paint or wallpaper, this material must be carefully removed, as it will impair the adhesion between the mortar and the wall. In the absence of coating, preparing the walls for laying tiles will take a minimum amount of time. It will be necessary to assess the type of wall flaw: concave, curved, with slopes, with irregularities at the joints. Depending on the height difference, use:

plastering with a cement-sand mixture (for a bath) with differences up to 6 cm or gypsum mixtures for kitchens and corridors;
the use of drywall sheets - over 6 cm;
usage metal profiles and GKL with significant curvature of the surface.

Plastering

Notches are applied to the wall with a chisel, roughened with a grater. Clean the surface of dust, prime with a suitable solution (depending on the porosity of the wall). If the curvature is within 1 cm, then plastering is not required. If more, then you need:

install beacons along the edges of the walls, pull the thread and fix with a solution of the rail;
apply plaster on the wall with a spatula and evenly distribute the rule;
wait for drying;
remove beacons;
fill the holes with the remnants of the solution;
after complete drying, the plaster is overwritten;
the surface is primed again.

Using drywall sheets

With a curvature of more than 6 cm, pre-treatment of the walls is required before laying the tiles with drywall. First, you need to remove dust from the surface and apply a primer. Next, prepare the sheets, and starting from the floor, glue them to the wall using a level and a rubber mallet. Mounting adhesive applied to the GKL surface in increments of 40 cm. Rub the seams with a finishing putty. After drying, the surface is primed.

Metal profiles and drywall

In case of severe deformations, the preparation of walls for tiles is carried out using metal profiles. With the help of self-tapping screws, the structure is assembled, the distance between the fasteners is 50-60 cm. Sheets of plasterboard material should go on the profile half the width. Waterproofing is laid between the wall and the sheets.

Tile is a beautiful, durable material. And the question of how to properly prepare the walls for laying tiles should be approached scrupulously and responsibly.

For high-quality laying of PVC tiles, the surface on which it will be laid is of great importance. Equally important is the choice of a suitable substrate, as well as its preparation for laying tiles.

Selecting the right surface

When laying PVC tiles, first of all, you should think about the type of surface on which it will be laid. Many materials are suitable as a base for laying PVC tiles. It can be laid both on a coupler, and on already existing coverings.

One of the main criteria for the surface on which PVC tiles will be laid is its strength. A surface that is suitable in terms of strength can be considered one that does not collapse when the tile is peeled off from it, and also does not creak when walking on it. An example of an unsuitable substrate for laying PVC tiles is OSB board. When separating a tile from a similar surface, particles of chips from which this surface consists will remain on it. As a result, many irregularities will appear on the OSB board, which, at best, will greatly complicate the installation of PVC tiles. Another example of an unsuitable base for laying PVC tiles is a poorly poured concrete screed. In places of the most frequent use, the top layer of such a surface is destroyed over time, which will lead to peeling of PVC tiles from the base.

Another criterion is the stability of the surface. The surface on which the PVC tiles will be laid must be firmly fixed. In the case of using a wooden base, the distance between the joists and the thickness of the boards must be selected so that the floor does not sag when walking. With all other things, it should be noted that PVC tile is a fairly durable material, and will perform its functions even on unstable surfaces. However, in this case, gaps may form between the tiles.

In general, we can conclude that the following types of surfaces are suitable for laying PVC tiles:

Cement or cement-sand screed;

Plywood of increased moisture resistance (FSF);

Existing coatings (tiles, porcelain tiles, etc.);

Bulk, dry bases (Knauf Superpol);

Floor leveling compounds.

Preparation of the selected surface

If the type of surface to be finished is suitable for laying PVC tiles, then first of all you should worry about the evenness of this very surface. If the base of the floor is wooden, then you can level it by laying it with a thick layer of plywood. A floor with a concrete surface should be leveled with a self-leveling screed.

Also, the surface on which PVC tiles will be laid must be dry. Especially when it comes to screeds and leveling compounds. For cement-sand screeds The drying process depends on many factors, such as coating thickness, air humidity, and can take up to several months. Checking the readiness of the cement base for laying PVC tiles is quite simple. It is enough to stick a piece of polyethylene to the surface to be checked with adhesive tape. The surface will be ready for laying PVC tiles in the event that condensation does not form on the polyethylene during the day. From this it will be possible to conclude that the screed is dry. In the event of condensation, the surface is not ready for tiling because water is still coming out of it. If leveling compounds have been used to level the floor, the same test method can be used. The difference is that the drying process in this case is simpler and much faster. In many cases, it is possible to distinguish dry areas of a surface treated with a leveling mixture from wet areas by color.

An extremely important criterion when laying PVC tiles is also the cleanliness of the surface on which the tiles will be laid. In the event that the surface is contaminated with any foreign matter, be it dust, residues building materials or anything else, when laying tiles, serious difficulties can arise. Therefore, before starting the installation of tiles, the subfloor must be carefully primed. The main purpose of this procedure is to increase the adhesion between the adhesive, with which the tile will be fixed, and concrete surface gender. For this, any acrylic primer. When using tiles with interlocking joints, the need for surface priming is eliminated.

It should be noted that PVC tiles also need to be prepared for installation. To do this, it must be decomposed and kept in a horizontal position for about a day at an air temperature of at least 24 degrees.

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