Concrete flooring is a versatile and cost-effective option for both indoor and outdoor spaces. It can be used in various ways, including installing decorative concrete floors, staining, polishing, overlaying, and more. Concrete flooring is durable, low-maintenance, and customizable, but it can also be cold, hard, and susceptible to moisture. There are various design options, treatments, and refurbishing methods available for concrete flooring.
A step-by-step guide from 365 Concrete provides information on how to lay a concrete floor, including the necessary equipment, materials, and methods for a stable, crack-free, and durable surface. The process involves three phases: surface preparation, decorative treatment, and sealer or topcaot. To complete all these steps, it takes at least three to five days.
When installing a concrete floor, it is essential to clear the area, assess the area, fill the floor, level it, prepare the substrate, waterproof it, and install formwork. Surface preparation is crucial for the success of any flooring installation, as it involves cleaning the concrete surface, addressing any issues, and applying a sealer or topcoat.
In summary, concrete flooring is a versatile and cost-effective option for both indoor and outdoor spaces. It can be installed using various methods, such as staining, polishing, stencils, saw cuts, epoxy or metallic coatings, and sealer or topcaot. Proper surface preparation is essential for the success of any flooring installation, and a knowledgeable contractor can guide you through the process.
📹 Concrete & Masonry : How Do I Install an Interior Concrete Floor?
Concrete flooring isn’t just for outside; it can be used indoors too. Install your floor indoors with help from a licensed engineering …
What do you put between concrete and flooring?
Prior to the installation of a floating floor over a concrete subfloor, it is of the utmost importance to clean the concrete surface and to add a vapor barrier, which should be rolled out after the installation process is complete.
What do you use to attach a wall to concrete?
A component that oscillates in a reciprocating motion while the chuck is in operation.
What is the best way to anchor into concrete?
Concrete screws represent a rapid and straightforward method for affixing concrete without the use of a hammer. The installation of concrete screws necessitates the drilling of a hole, the subsequent cleaning of the hole, and the driving in of the screw with the use of an impact wrench. The requisite depth and diameter of the drill hole are contingent upon the dimensions of the screw in question. Furthermore, these fasteners can be removed if necessary, thus making them an optimal choice for accommodating alterations to a project or the installation of temporary construction site facilities. Moreover, the BTS M screw can be reused.
How to lay an internal concrete floor?
Hardcore or Type 1 floor seal is compacted using a whacker plate, sand blinding is done if needed, a damp-proof membrane is installed, concrete is poured, and left to cure for at least three days. Insulation is also installed, and underfloor heating pipes may be installed if needed. When constructing an extension or new home, concrete slabs are ready to be poured when foundations have been laid and walls have been built up to the damp-proof course. Key preparation stages include expert advice, how-to guides, and design inspiration.
How do you install a new concrete floor?
The process of installing a polished concrete floor involves several steps, including preparation, pouring, polishing, sealing, and drying. This process requires extensive planning and time, with timing being crucial. The job typically takes 3-6 days, depending on the size and condition of the room. The final step is to ensure there are no weak links, as improperly done steps can lead to the floor’s integrity falling apart.
Longevity is also a priority when dealing with heavy-duty flooring. The process requires careful planning and skill, and a careful balance between timing and skill is essential to ensure the floor’s longevity.
What is the best way to attach to a concrete floor?
Concrete screws are typically 3/16 in. or 1/4 in. in diameter and are suitable for light- to medium-duty tasks like installing furring strips, fastening walls to concrete floors, and attaching hardware to block or brick. They are cheaper and easier to drill. If the concrete is too hard, switch to stronger 1/4-in. screws or keep some 1/4-in. screws handy. For heavy-duty work, use 1/4-in. screws for securing wall cabinets or supporting heavy-weight shelving. Hammer drills are often necessary for pilot holes in less dense materials like soft brick.
How do you attach an interior wall to a concrete floor?
Masonry screws are a simple method for fastening a wall to concrete, with a special bit needed to create a pilot hole. Drill at least 1/4 inch deeper into the concrete than the fastener’s embedment and remove dust with a shop vac. The hex-head style has an integral washer for a firm grip. Drop-in anchors, such as sleeve anchors, can be used to fasten a wall to concrete by tightening the hex nut. Lag shields are a more complex method, requiring drilling holes through the wood sole plate, marking the floor, drilling the floor, tapping the shield into place, replacing the sole plate, and driving lag screws with washers into the shields.
How thick should an internal concrete floor be?
To prepare the ground for a concrete slab, mark the area where the concrete will be poured using wooden pegs and string, allowing an extra 75mm for the formwork. Dig the area deep enough to accommodate the sub base (100mm) and damp-proof membrane (dpm), as well as the thickness of the concrete slab. Concrete slabs supporting lighter weights, such as paths, patios, and shed bases, should be 75-100mm thick, driveways, and garages at least 100mm thick, and slabs intended for commercial use at least 175mm thick and reinforced. Remove all plant matter, rocks, and debris, compact the area, and lay a dpm to protect the concrete slab from drying out too quickly.
Create the formwork using 25mm-thick timber planks to support the wet concrete as it hardens. Use the top of the formwork to determine the height of the finished slab, which can be used as a guide when striking the surface. Take your time with this stage, checking and double-checking the height, width, and depth of the formwork, and remembering to allow for run off.
To determine the amount of concrete needed, use an online concrete calculator that takes into account the basic shape of the area and dimensions. If a complicated area needs to be estimated, add the different shapes together.
What is the best concrete for internal floor?
C20 concrete is a lightweight concrete suitable for domestic floors and foundations, ideal for workshops, garage bases, driveways, and internal floor slabs. Master Mix Concrete offers same and next-day delivery services in Watford, Harrow, and surrounding areas, and a volumetric concrete service, allowing customers to pay only for what they use. A free site visit is available for quotes, ensuring no budget overruns or delays due to underestimating concrete needs.
This quick, efficient, and cost-effective service simplifies the day-to-day running of businesses, ensuring they never have to go over budget or be pushed behind schedule. Contact Master Mix Concrete today for a free site visit.
What is the best thing to stick concrete to concrete?
To repair concrete, a high-strength two-part epoxy glue is necessary. Identify the parts needed to bond to the concrete and choose a glue that can bond to all materials. Unibond’s Repair Express Power Epoxy Putty is a suitable choice for filling gaps and repairing most building materials. When combined, it forms a malleable paste-like substance that can be moulded, sanded, drilled, and painted. Mixing the two parts by hand, following the instructions on the pack, ensures a strong bond and can be used for various repairs.
Can concrete be poured over plywood?
Plywood, a porous product, is crucial for installing self-leveling concrete over plywood. It needs to be treated and sealed before pouring cement on the substrate, even at the corners, to prevent moisture from seeping into the wood and delaminate it. Seams should be covered with a mesh barrier and treated with structural urethane to prevent self-leveling concrete from seeping into these seams. The screws holding the plywood secure should be treated with a Param FP base to prevent rusting or ghosting.
Once completed, the plywood can be primed with Paramol to seal off moisture. Self-leveling concrete flooring like Param 5500 offers various design options, including integrally colored or stained with Deso Dyes or Aquacolors, sealed with an acrylic/epoxy sealer, and top coated with gloss or matte polyurethane coatings. Skraffino can also be applied for character.
📹 How to Install a Concrete Floor – The Process & Materials Used
Concrete floor installation requires a particular method. In this video, John explains how to install a concrete floor plus the process …
Does anyone know about the weight-bearing factor? Meaning, do I have to ensure that the floor underneath is strong enough for the weight of a concrete floor? The area we want to pour is a small, outdoor porch, about 5 x 6 feet, but it’s undercover and is used as the entrance to our kitchen. It’s on the 1st floor level of the house, but there is basement underneath of it. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks .
Great article. I am planning to replace an old timber floor with a concrete one. There are gas pipes and numerous cables currently running under the floor. Is it safe or advisable to pour concrete directly on top of these utility lines? What precautions or steps should be taken to ensure the integrity and safety of the pipes and cables during this process? Thanks Specifically, is it safe or advisable to pour concrete directly on top of utility lines, such as gas pipes?
Thanks for all your content, I’m converting my garage DIY and these are invaluable. What would you suggest for raising a 3x3m floor that is 75mm at thin end and 110 at thickest? Building officer wants 50mm PIR insulation on top of DPM. Concrete or just screed? Don’t want to use timber frame and weyrock as rest of house is concrete founds. I’m a bit stuck, would like to know what you’d do? #Keeptickling!
I`ve a quick question John, I`ve got a utility on the back of my house that is a great size for the washing machine and outside loo. Its only a single brick unfortunately, I`m thinking of putting in a new floor and thermal boarding the walls. I`m going to paint the outside with Stormdry, do you think that will be ok ?
Hey. How thick would you make the hardcore and how do you know how much you’ll need for a certain job? Is it a matter of knowing the square meter size of whole area and thickness to determine how much hardcore and sand you’ll need. Trying to figure out best way to replace my house floor and install underfloor heating. Only thing is i have a rsj in the middle of the house. How would i prop the beam up whilst the concreting goes down? Im confused as to how it will be supported while the floor is having the concrete layed..i understand how to hold it up with the props during the work stage but what do i do when they start to get in the way at the laying concrete stage? Could i lay engineering blocks on the hardcore layer and use a prop on top of that and leave the block in place and just concrete around it? Hope my question makes sense
Hello sir, Could I have an advice from you please? Basically I’m levelling the garage floor with the kitchen floor however I have only got 130mm difference between garage floor and kitchen floor so my question is how do I got about making sure there’s enough insulation the 130mm but also ensuring I have enough screed thickness on top of the insulation so the screed doesn’t crack? Much appreciated in advance 😀
Hi. I was wondering if you can help me. I’ve been researching for ages about how to convert my single brick stand alone garage but I’m getting overwhelmed by all the information and I’m struggling to put my plan into action. I think I might need to add a dpm and a layer of concrete as the are some dark patches on the floor. There also appears to be some moisture/soil around all the edges of the floor at the bottom of the walls. I’ve bought some wood from wickes and some rock wool insulation and plasterboard to try and insulate the walls and I have a bit of loft insulation I was planning on fastening to the roof beams with cardboard and leaving an air gap. I think I need to add a dpm to the walls as well and make sure to leave an air gap but im worried that even after all my work its not going to be suitable for what I want. I just want to create a dry area to store some clothes that I sell on ebay for as cheap as possible as money is tight at the moment. I dont know if you’d be interested in taking a look at the job and possibly giving me a quote. Love the articles and the tickle stick always makes me lol. Best wishes
Hi Fella. Thanks for the article 👍 I’ve got a few of questions that id be really grateful if you answered: If its a large area what sort of overlap do you have on the DPM and do you need to seal between the overlap? Did you concrete to the top of the upstand and use that as level if so does the dpm come slightly above the insulation upstand so it would protrude into the wall tanking? (Like sovereign slurry) I dont need to insulate as its a basement room so can i, MOT, sand, dmp, concrete?(so only one layer of dpm? If so whats the minimum thickness of concrete i need to use? (I need to keep height to a minimum? Thanks pal. The article was a big help.