Laying Floor Screeds on Concrete Slab

Laying Floor Screeds on Concrete Slab

Floor screeds are the layers of cement and sand mix laid onto concrete as part of a finish.

Floor screeds on a concrete slab are laid when the slab concrete has been done and after all other building elements are complete. This will allow for other floor materials like wood blocks, wood parquet, laminated timber, PVC tiles and ceramic tiles to be laid. The type of material to be added determines the screed to be laid. This can be smooth or rough using a steel or wooden float respectively.

The method used to lay floor screeds on concrete is to first hack the concrete to remove laitance (the smooth cement substance appearing on concrete after casting). Once this is done a key is formed to ensure proper bonding of the new floor and concrete. The next thing is to wet the floor to prevent competition of absorption of water between the slab and screed. Pour cement slurry and rub it in to the slab to create a bonding agent between the two elements.

Mark levels for the floor screed either to give it falls or to run smooth on the concrete slab. Pour the cement and sand mix on the concrete surface. Spread evenly with a rake and pound with a rammer to give a hard surface. Level out the excess mortar with a straight edge and follow the marked out levels. Use a wood float until the surface has reached the required level. This will ensure the screed is finished rough with a wood float for ceramic tiles. However for PVC tiles or parquet, a steel float is used for adding the skimming coat on which to lay them.

A skimming coat is usually a mix of cement and water. This is applied with a steel float to make a smooth finish on the screed. It can be applied as final floor finish. This also allows timber finishes, rubber or carpets to be laid using adhesives. After deciding about the intended finish on the floor, lay the required smooth or rough finish to the specification of the type of material you want to use for finish. Allow the floor screed to dry. Cure it continuously by wetting for about a week. When completely dry it is cleaned and the next finish like parquet or PVC added to finish off.

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Home Construction Tips

Construction Tips

Building a home may be the most important and valuable investment that you make in your lifetime. Although you may delegate a number of services to your contractor or engineer, it is still important for you to have the best possible knowledge about the various aspects of the construction process.

If economy is your concern, you can follow these tips to help you save construction costs:
• Avoid complicated forms of shapes.
• Avoid complex system of level.
• Insist on economic structural design.
• Provide maximum possible provision for natural light and ventilation.
• Ensure efficient placement of utilities like water-supply pipes, power cables etc
• Engage trained manpower.


There are a few additional factors that should be considered during construction of the various rooms of the house:


Entrance
• The entrance is the place to entertain visitors and should be constructed in a visually appealing manner.
• For security reasons, the entrance must be constructed in such a way that it provides adequate protection to the house.
• The entrance also needs to protect the house against inhospitable weather such as harsh sunlight and excessive rains.


Living Room
• The living room should be located near to the entrance.
• The living room should preferably face the lawn, wherever possible.
• Tall windows can add a lot of visual appeal to the living room


Kitchen
• The kitchen must have adequate ventilation and natural sunlight.
• It should be adjoining the dining room.
• The working platform must be adequately wide and free from obstructions.
• The design should provide adequate space for appliances such as cooking range, dishwasher, chimney etc.


Bedroom
• The bedroom should be located away from the entrance and living room to ensure privacy.
• The bedroom should be connected with a balcony and attached bathroom, wherever possible.
• Provide adequate storage facilities in the form of cabinets


Bathroom
• The bathroom must have adequate ventilation and natural lighting.
• The bath fittings and sanitary fittings must be of a high quality to withstand regular and prolonged use.
• The bathroom floor should be 5 cm lower than the other flooring of the house.

For more construction insights please visit our full site at www.fundimjanja.com

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How to Fix Dampness or Efflorescence in Sunken Rooms

How to Fix Dampness or Efflorescence in Sunken Rooms.

Sunken rooms are those that are formed below the normal level of the house or building by design due to terrain or architectural needs. This could be the lounge, dining room or storage. Whereas these rooms are below normal levels of the building the ground is normally moist and this leads to wetness of the surrounding building materials like walls or concrete. In the event that dampness occurs, as materials used to construct walls are permeable, the internal part that is plastered and painted shows some moss like or hairy substance that is called efflorescence.

The treatment to dampness or efflorescence in sunken rooms is by water proofing the internal part of the wall. The method involves using materials that are waterproof to stop the wetness from coming into the room. The wall is hacked to remove the plaster at the depth below normal level of the building. The level could be say three hundred millimeters and this is the part that is treated. Once the plaster is removed the mortar joints are raked out and a strong paste of rich cement sand mixture is plastered back then after it’s dry, the waterproofing material is plastered on the hacked surface.

The process is repeated again the following day and the third day new plaster is done to the protected wall. About one week period is needed for curing by rubbing or using a brush to wet the plaster continuously for the cement to achieve maximum strength. Painting to the wall which is now efflorescence or dampness free is done. This whole process should take at least three days for waterproofing and one to two weeks before painting is done.

Fundi Mjanja
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